Options for UIC Graduate Applicants
The Tutorium Can Help Heading link
The Tutorium supports graduate programs that want options for recruiting highly qualified international students. We offer two options for graduate programs to admit qualified international applicants whose first language is not English.
Option 1: Grad+Professional Skills
Admitted students take our support courses in addition to the minimum number (9 credit hours or more) of graduate academic courses to supplement their professional communication skills. Our Advanced Professional Skills series assists non-native English speakers and/or international students build their communication skills to be successful in U.S. Academia and a global workforce.
Option 2: Intensive English pre-Grad
Prospective students attend our Intensive English Program (IEP) and transition to a graduate program upon IEP completion. View: Estimated Timeline in IEP for Intensive English Pre-Grad
Jump to:
- Information for Advisors/Admission Officers
- Recommended score ranges for admission to each program
- Our English Language Proficiency Assessment (ELPA) as an Alternative to TOEFL
Grad+Professional Skills Option Heading link
This option allows graduate programs to fully admit applicants to the graduate program with a requirement to take professional skills courses. These would be in addition to full-time graduate enrollment (9 credit hours or more), which is required to maintain the student’s immigration status. View detailed chart of ELSI courses and requirements.
- The Tutorium has designed an advanced professional skills series of courses specifically for graduate students who need refinement of the skills necessary to be successful in U.S. higher education and the global workforce.
- The advanced professional skills series (ELSI 081-089) are 8-week (5 in summer) skill-based courses that focus on common academic needs.
- ELSI 08X course descriptions can be found under the ELSI rubric in the course catalog.
- View Information about Advanced Professionals Skills Courses for UIC Students to learn how to sign up for courses.
Intensive English pre-Grad Option Heading link
Academically qualified applicants who have submitted language scores (or ELPA results) indicating a clear need for significant English language support, would study in the University’s Intensive English Program full-time before starting their graduate studies. Upon successful completion of the Intensive English Program, the student will be fully admitted to the graduate program and their level will be changed from Intensive English Program to graduate student.
Time to Complete IEP
If a student submits an English language proficiency exam score, below is a schedule of the time needed prior to beginning the graduate degree. If a student does not submit a score, the student may take the Tutorium English Language Placement Assessment (ELPA) prior to arrival to determine the estimated timeline.
- The Tutorium administers a department placement exam upon arrival to verify language levels. The estimated timeline may be adjusted according to the placement exam given upon arrival.
- This timeline presumes a student will successfully complete the set of leveled courses each semester.
- Students must complete all of the necessary language training (Placement through IEP level 4) to be considered for the academic program.
Estimated Timeline in IEP for Intensive English Pre-Grad Heading link
| 1 Semester before Grad (estimated based on placement in IEP level 4) | 2 Semesters before Grad (estimated based on placement in IEP level 3) | 3 Semesters before Grad (estimated based on placement in IEP Level 1 or 2) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| TOEFL iBT | Total Score: 60-69 | Total Score: 50-59 | Total Score: <50 |
| IELTS Academic | Total Score: 5.0 | Total Score: 4.5 | Total Score: <4.5 |
| PTE Academic | Total Score: 44 to 46 | Total Score: 40 to 43 | Total Score: <40 |
| TOEFL rPT | Total Score^: 45 to 51 | Total Score^: 37 to 44 | Total Score^: <37 |
Timeline explanation Heading link
^Each section of the revised TOEFL Paper-delivered Test has a score range of 0–30. No total score is reported.
Students will be assessed when they finish the Intensive English Program to determine if any courses from the Grad+English program are required or recommended.
Information for Advisors / Admission Officers Heading link
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Grad+Professional Skills Process
Admitted students in this track have two options for when to take our professional skills courses:
Option 1: Concurrent – Students may take graduate courses and professional skills courses concurrently.
- Students will start their graduate program and take up to four (4) Advanced Professional Skills courses in addition to their graduate coursework.
Option 2: Prior to – Students may take professional skills courses the semester (usually summer) prior to beginning their graduate studies.
- Students will take all eight (8) Advanced Professional Skills series.
Both options begin with the advisor admitting the student under Limited Standing in SLATE for the actual semester that the graduate program begins. In the department admission/welcome letter, the following statement should be added:
To ensure your success, our department is requiring you to take professional skills courses to support you in your full-time academic coursework. You will need to successfully complete one to four courses in the Academic Professional Skills series within the first two semesters of your program concurrently with graduate coursework or the semester (usually summer) prior to beginning graduate coursework. To verify the exact skill development you need and the number of courses you will need to take, a short intake assessment will be conducted prior to the start of the semester. (See https://tie.uic.edu/about-the-tutorium/paths/englishforgrad for information.)
It is your responsibility as a student to contact tutorium@uic.edu to schedule your intake assessment and register for courses. After all requirements have been successfully completed, your status will change to full standing in the graduate program.
If students choose Option 1: Concurrent, advisors need only to put the student in contact with Tutorium using tutorium@uic.edu.
If students choose Option 2: Prior to, after admitting the student as limited standing, advisors in collaboration with Tutorium need to work with Admissions to have the student manually admitted to full-time English study for the semester prior to beginning their graduate studies.
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Intensive English pre-Grad Process
To admit qualified students who need English language proficiency before entering their graduate program, please choose Intensive English pre-Grad.
When you choose this option, students will receive a one-year deferred admission to the graduate program provided they study with the Intensive English Program at UIC Tutorium in Intensive English. The student’s application portal will provide this information, ask them to fill out an intent to enroll, and refer them to the Intensive English application. Advisors should contact tutorium@uic.edu to check the status of students.
Recommended score ranges for admission to each option Heading link
| Recommended Minimum Total Score for Grad+Professional Skills | Subscores Grad+Professional Skills (If any Listening, Speaking, Reading, or Writing subscore is less than below, professional skills courses are recommended) | Intensive English pre-Grad (If total score is less than below, students should attend the Intensive English pre-Grad Program) |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| TOEFL iBT | 70 | Listening<17 Writing<21 Reading<19 Speaking<20 | <70 |
| IELTS Academic | 5.5 | Listening<6.0 Writing<6.0 Reading<6.0 Speaking<6.0 | <5.5 |
| PTE Academic | 47 | Listening<47 Writing<56 Reading<51 Speaking<53 | <47 |
| TOEFL rPT | 52 | Listening<17 Writing<21 Reading<19 Speaking<NA | <52 |
English Language Proficiency Assessment (ELPA) as Alternative to TOEFL Heading link
No scores, no worries!
Applicants can take Tutorium’s English Language Proficiency Assessment (ELPA)
For students unable to submit a test score, Tutorium administers the ELPA, an in-house English language proficiency assessment. The assessment is administered remotely.
- The in-house assessment serves as an alternative to expensive exams such as TOEFL or IELTS.
- The Tutorium can also use ELPA as a way to inform departments on students’ specific needs or progress.
- The ELPA results also assist in determining:
- full admission,
- Grad+Professional Skills option,
- or Intensive English pre-Grad.
Important Note: The ELPA is not a test for UIC International Teaching Assistants (ITA). Click here for information on the UIC ITA Oral Certification Interview.