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About the ISE

The ISE is a free placement exam given to determine the English proficiency of international students. After taking the ISE exam, students are either "released" from any ALI requirement or receive an ALI placement. A student's ALI placement may vary from 2 units to more than 18 units depending on their ISE test scores. With few exceptions, international students whose native language is not English must take the International Student English Examination (ISE).

The USC Testing Bureau will administer the exam in August for students beginning their studies in the fall semester; and in January for the spring semester. To find out if you are required to take the ISE, check your letter of admission and your I-20. There is no fee for taking the ISE. Bring your letter of admission to USC, your passport (or other official document with a picture and signature), and a pen to the examination room.   

Exemptions From Taking the ISE

Students who meet the following conditions may not be required to take the ISE exam:

• Students with official TOEFL scores of 100 or higher with no less than 20 on each of the four sections of the Internet-based TOEFL (iBT) taken within the past 2 years.
• Students with a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited university located in the U.S. or in another country in which English is both the language of instruction and the only official language of the country. Please note: a graduate degree from a U.S. college or university does not exempt students from taking the ISE exam.
• Students whose native language is English. This applies to students from countries such as the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada (except Quebec) where English is both the first language of the country and the language of instruction.

Description

The ISE examination may only be taken once in any given year. There are two parts to the exam which may be given on two different days. Students' English language proficiency is assessed in writing and speaking.

Writing skills are assessed by a composition. Students are given 10 minutes to plan the composition and 30 minutes to write it.  A team of experienced graders read the compositions and grade students on their ability to write a well-organized essay, using accurate and appropriate English. Students are assessed on comprehensibility, academic style, vocabulary, grammar, development, and coherence.

Speaking skills are assessed in an oral interview that takes approximately ten minutes. The interview is carried out in a relaxed, friendly atmosphere by two interviewers who ask students to talk about their personal life, the composition that they wrote previously, and a topic chosen by the interviewers. Students are assessed on fluency, pronunciation, vocabulary, and grammar.