- Graduate students with standardized English proficiency test scores at or above the Overall/Total score thresholds above.
- Graduate students who begin their studies at ISU in Fall 2024 or later who do not meet the Overall/Total Score threshold can meet the Oral Communication component using Speaking sub-scores at or above the Speaking sub-score thresholds listed below. However, these students do not meet the Writing component and should take the EPT Writing section as a potential way to satisfy this requirement.
- Graduate students who graduated from an English-medium high school in the U.S. (including Puerto Rico and Saipan)
- Graduate students whose primary language* as reflected in their ISU student records is English and who completed their education in an English-speaking country**
- Graduate students whose primary language* is not English but who received a Bachelor’s, Master’s, or Doctoral degree from an English-medium university in an English-speaking country**
Professional experience exemption
Graduate students who have been employed full-time (40 hours per week minimum) for at least two years in organizations that use English as the primary language for both written and spoken forms of communication. Only students admitted to the Graduate College in Fall 2023 or afterward are eligible for this exemption. To qualify, admitted students must be prepared to provide verifiable evidence (typically a written statement from a supervisor) attesting to the fact that (a) the parts of their work that involve writing and speaking are conducted primarily in English, and (b) the ability to communicate effectively in both written and spoken English is considered a requirement of their position. The exemption will not apply in cases where English was used:
- only occasionally in the workplace (e.g., only when meeting with foreign clients);
- for written workplace communication (reports, emails, etc.) while primarily speaking in languages other than English, or;
- for speaking in the workplace (discussions, presentations, etc.) while primarily writing in languages other than English.
Notes: Assistantship appointments held as a graduate student are not considered professional experience for this purpose, though full-time postdoctoral appointments are. A graduate student may initiate a request for this exemption by writing an e-mail to the director of graduate education (DOGE) for their major.
Professional Experience Process
A graduate student may initiate a request for this exemption by writing an e-mail to the director of graduate education (DOGE) for their major. The e-mail should include:
- A list of jobs held in which the duties that involved writing and speaking were conducted primarily in English, and the ability to write and speak in English effectively was required. The list should include dates of full-time employment and the name and contact information of the supervisor or other official who can verify the information provided. Periods of employment must total at least two years (24 months).
- This sentence: I attest to the fact that the information I am providing is accurate and verifiable.
The e-mail to the DOGE does not need to include any form of verification from employers.
The DOGE receiving the e-mail message should confirm that the request includes the two required elements and perform any verifications they deem advisable. Next, the DOGE should either forward the student’s e-mail with a note of approval to grad_college@iastate.edu and to the student requestor or return a denied request to the student and inform them that they will need to take the EPT. The DOGE has the authority to decide whether to verify employment information and the authority to deny a seemingly qualifying request based on their judgment that taking the EPT will be in the best interest of the requesting student and/or graduate program.
Primary language and English-speaking countries
*A primary language is defined as the language in which a person is most proficient and/or which was the first language learned and spoken from childhood.
**English-speaking countries (i.e., those that recognize English as an official language) include the following:
