FOR STUDENT information, GO HERE
What is THE UVELPE?
For Administrators
The Center for American English Language and Culture (CAELC) uses the UVELPE to confirm that international graduate students have the English skills needed for success at UVA—not just minimum admissions standards.
WHO Is Required To Take the UVELPE?
- All new graduate students whose first language is one other than English.
- Non-native English-speaking faculty, postdocs, and research fellows may also take the exam.
Department Flag: Please ensure eligible students are informed and registered.
Exceptions and Special Considerations
If no TOEFL/IELTS was required AND the student will not serve as a GTA, you may still recommend for the student to take the UVELPE.
If a student may serve as a Graduate Teaching Assistant (GTA) in the future, they must take the oral section of the UVELPE only, even if they were exempt from the TOEFL or IELTS requirement.
WHEN Is It Offered?
Twice per year: May and December (see CAELC calendar here). Please plan ahead for GTA assignments. A make-up exam is offered in August only for certain students. Darden students will have additional testing dates.
Registration for the December 9 test will open later in the fall.
WHY Is It Required?
Results guide recommendations for free ESL support to improve academic, professional, and social communication.
WHO Sees Results?
Shared with the Director of Graduate Studies, Graduate Coordinator, and Associate Dean.
WHAT Does the Exam Include?
Online exam (~2 hours):
Written (90 min): Essay + Grammar/Vocabulary test
Oral (45 min): Videotaped oral assessment
Graduate Teaching Assistants (GTAs)
Oral section meets UVA's GTA language requirement.
Score of 55+ required to teach without additional training.
UVELPE SECTIONS
1. UVELPE Written Section
WHAT Does the Written Assessment Measure?
Measures academic writing: organization, tone, grammar, vocabulary.
Written Section Scoring:
Essay: Rhetoric (1–10) + Language (1–10)
Grammar test (multiple choice): 100 points
2. UVELPE Oral Section
WHAT Does the Oral Assessment Measure?
Assesses communicative effectiveness in academic/professional settings.
Simplified Oral Section Rating Scale:
60 – Communication almost always effective; task performed very competently
50 – Generally effective; task performed competently
40 – Somewhat effective; task performed somewhat competently
30 – Generally not effective; task performed poorly
20 – No effective communication; task not performed
HOW Is the UVELPE Different from TOEFL, IELTS, and DET?
Tests like TOEFL, IELTS, and the Duolingo English Test (DET) are designed for general English proficiency and are often used for university admissions decisions. They measure students' ability to use English in broad academic and everyday contexts, but they are not tailored to the specific communication demands of graduate-level work at UVA.
The UVELPE is a local institutional test created for UVA graduate students. It focuses on the language skills students need to succeed here, including:
Academic communication – Participating in seminars, presenting research, and interacting with faculty and peers
Professional communication – Teaching, collaborating in research teams, and handling workplace interactions
Social communication in academic settings – Engaging in informal discussions, networking, and building relationships in the UVA community
Unlike standardized tests, the UVELPE informs recommendations for free ESL support, such as ESL courses, the Writing Center, 1-1 student “Language Consultants,” or the VISAS Café discussion group offered by CAELC.