CEPT Full Academic

Announcement about scheduling your test:

  • The Center for English as a Second Language will be closed from Friday, December 22, 2023 to Tuesday, January 2, 2024 for the end-of-the-year holidays.
  • CEPT Full Academic Tests that are successfully completed (both parts of the test completed with no issues) by Wednesday, December 13 will have score reports issued before closure. Score reports for tests not completed by December 13 will be sent as soon as possible after CESL reopens in January.
  • The Communication Skills part of CEPT Full Academic may be scheduled up until Wednesday, December 13. The Communication Skills Test appointments will be available again on Friday, January 5 in 2024.
  • The Academic Skills part of CEPT Full Academic can be taken anytime during closure, but applicants must register by 3pm (Arizona time) on Wednesday, December 13.
  • New applicants can apply while CESL is closed for the holidays, but they will not receive complete registration information until after the return from the closure.

 

The CEPT Full Academic is a two-part test that determines the test-taker competence in the primary skills of Reading, Writing, and Speaking. It assesses overall English proficiency and readiness for higher education and workplace settings.

This test is accepted by the University of Arizona for both Undergraduate and Graduate admissions, whether you are applying to an in-person degree in Tucson, or you are going to study online or at a micro-campus in a foreign campus.

If you have already been admitted to the University of Arizona, and you are only seeking to demonstrate your spoken proficiency in order to be considered for a graduate teaching assistant (TA) position, you must register to take CEPT OPI, and not CEPT Full Academic. 

 

The test is comprised of two sub-tests:

COMMUNICATION SKILLS TEST

It focuses on Speaking and consists of a real-time online interview that assesses the test-taker’s communicative competence and ability to produce fluent, accurate English in a Q&A format. Listening comprehension is also assessed, when considering the test-taker’s ability to understand the questions posed and to respond appropriately.

  • 15 minutes
  • conducted live online with experienced and trained CESL faculty

 

Academic Skills test

It focuses on the key academic skills of Reading and Writing, with components that assess vocabulary knowledge and grammatical competence.

  • 2 hours (maximum)
  • computer based

CEPT Full Academic – Test Guide  provides a detailed description of the two sub-tests and includes sample questions. It also lists resources that you can use to prepare for the test.

Cost

Total cost: $62.00 (US)

All sales are final. The testing fee is not refundable, transferable, or deferrable.
 

Test Procedures and Policies

  • The online application requires test-takers to upload a valid passport or another official government ID with a current, clear photo. The name and date of birth included in the ID must be readable by English speakers.
  • If there is a problem with the application, ID submitted or payment, CESL will communicate with the test-taker, who will not be able to schedule the two sub-tests until all issues are resolved.
  • Sponsored test-takers need to wait until CESL receives payment from the sponsor before they can schedule the two parts of the CEPT Full Academic Test.
  • Test-takers need to schedule the two parts of the CEPT Full Academic Test within two weeks of each other. This means both appointments should be as close to each other as possible. Appointments for the Academic Skills Test are available 24/7/365 and appointments for the Communication Skills Test are available on weekdays in pre-determined slots in the morning, afternoon, and evening until 5:15pm (AZ time). 
  • For the Communication Skills Test, test-takers will use the link that they will receive in the confirmation email from Appointlet.
  • Applicants are not allowed to reschedule the Communication Skills Test appointment less than 1 day before the scheduled time. Any applicant who fails to attend their scheduled interview, or cancels less than 1 day before the interview, may be required to pay the testing fee again before they can reschedule.
  • For the Academic Skills Test, CESL uses Examity, an online exam proctoring service, which monitors test-takers to ensure that they are not using translation software, smartphones, etc. while taking the test. 
    • Examity's Technical Requirements:
    • Browser: Google Chrome, pop-ups must be disabled. 
    • Equipment: Desktop, laptop, or Chromebook (tablets are not supported) with built-in or external webcam, microphone, and speakers. 
    • Internet: A required upload and download speed of 2Mbps, with 10 Mbps recommended. 

Score Report

  • CESL will issue an Official Score Report within 14 days after the date when both parts of the test have been completed (7-10 business days after test completion), which states the points received in each section (Reading, Writing, Speaking) as well as overall English proficiency according to the CEFR Global Scale (Common European Framework of Reference). The CEPT Full Academic test is scored out of a possible 150 points, with a maximum of 50 points for each skill section.
  • For Undergraduate Admissions, a minimum total score of 100 is required; however, some departments have set a higher score, so please check department guidelines. The Graduate College requires a minimum total score of 110 for any University of Arizona graduate-level program.
  • The Official Score Report is valid for two years.
  • No assistance with spelling, translation, or other aspects of reading and writing is allowed during the test. It is the test-taker's responsibility to ensure all the applications, extensions, and browser functions (e.g., text prediction functions, spell checks) are disabled for the test.
  • In the case of any plagiarism, cheating, assistance, copying of the test content (including your own writing) or non-conforming with test procedures, the test will be voided and no score report will be issued. The test-taker may also be prohibited from re-taking the test in the future. 
  • CEPT Full Academic scores are final and not open to appeal.
  • During the registration process, you can choose to have your score reported to the university for free. After taking the test, if you decide that you'd like CESL to send the official score report, you will need to pay the score report fee here.
  • Test-takers who wish to re-take the test must wait at least 14 days to do so from the date the test was completed. However, after the second attempt, test-takers must wait a minimum of 60 days before taking the test for a third time.
    • Please keep in mind that if the overall score you obtained in our first attempt is more than 15 points below your desired score, it is highly unlikely that your score will be satisfactory after only 14 days. In this case, CESL recommends waiting at least 60 days before your second attempt while you work on improving your English skills.  After the second attempt, you must wait 60 days before any subsequent attempts.
    • For each attempt, test-takers need to apply and pay the testing fee again. If this is not your first time, please select "returning test-taker" during the registration process.

 

REGISTER NOW  
 

Questions

Any questions about CEPT testing can be directed to: cesl@arizona.edu