Determining Proficiency

All students are required to complete a first-day proficiency diagnostic in each of their ESL courses. This diagnostic will be conducted by the instructor and will be used to determine whether or not the student’s proficiency is appropriate for the instructional level of the course. The program understands that students must enroll in courses before arriving in the United States, and students are encouraged to select courses that they feel will be most beneficial to their overall growth and development; however, some courses involve a greater degree of proficiency than others. The diagnostic is designed to identify students who require further support and to place them in courses that will be most suitable to their needs.

Though we encourage freedom of choice in selecting courses, students who are enrolled in courses, but who are identified as in need of course scheduling changes through their diagnostic score, will be contacted via email by a program administrator. As a part of the advisement process, the email will indicate to the student that a change of course study is needed and will detail the course that needs to be dropped and the course that is to be added. Students are expected to comply immediately, as course enrollment must be finalized in the first week of instruction. For questions or further inquiry about student reassignment based on diagnostic scores, students may contact either of the program’s coordinators at sesl@ucla.edu.