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SPEAK Test   

 

  • Serving as an instructor of record for an undergraduate course or
  • Serving as a graduate assistant and your department requires you to take a SPEAK Test because your duties require a high level of English proficiency.

You must obtain a score of 50 or higher . Students scoring below 50 are allowed to re-take the Speak Test once. If you fail to achieve the minimum score, you must enroll in the IEI's Communication Skills and Conversation Courses and successfully complete it before being allowed to take the test again. 

Communication Skills and SPEAK Test Preparation Courses

Students who need to improve their communication skills—including conversation, listening, speaking, and pronunciation—are encouraged to enroll in the IEI's Communication Skills and Conversation courses. These courses are offered year-round in 8-week intervals.

To enroll, please contact Stacey Smith at strimble@memphis.edu. Students must enroll in these courses at least one full semester prior to the start of a teaching assistantship (TA) appointment.

Department Payment Option: Departments may cover the cost of these courses through the graduate scholarship process. For more information on payment and funding, please contact:

  • TOEFL iBT - Speaking Section Score: 26+
    Log in to the ETS website and request that your TOEFL iBT scores be sent to the University of Memphis, institution code R-1459. Ask your department to contact the Graduate School office to look up your scores.
  • IELTS - Speaking Section Score: 8.0+
    Email a copy of your IELTS Test Report Form to the Graduate School with a note indicating that the score is for your Teaching Assistantship requirements. Ask your department to contact the Graduate School office to authenticate your scores.
  • PTE Academic - Speaking Section Score: 67+
    Log in to the PTE Academic website and request that your PTE Academic scores be sent to the University of Memphis. Ask your department to contact the Graduate School office to look up your scores.
  • Students who have a completed undergraduate or a graduate degree from a US university in their field in the past 5 years are exempt from the SPEAK Test.