Much of your success in graduate study in the United States will rest on your ability to understand, read, write, and speak English. Therefore, multilingual graduate and professional students whose first language is not English are required to take oral and written English placement exams administered by the ELSP program upon matriculation. Depending on your exam results, you are either exempted from or placed into one or more ELSP courses. 

The purpose of these exams is to assess your English-language skills in terms of readiness for graduate-level study. Your results indicate whether you would benefit from targeted instruction in academic speaking and writing for success at Duke and beyond. 

ELSP Exam Schedule

The English language placement exams for fall matriculates take place before or during Orientation Week. The exams for spring matriculates take place the week before or the same week that classes begin.

The exams are administered online. You will need a picture ID and your Duke NetID and password. You must take your exams within the dates and times provided by ELSP and your department or program. If you have any problems, you should immediately notify ELSP Director Brad Teague at brad.teague@duke.edu.

You will need your Duke NetID/password and a picture ID to take the exams.

Fall 2026 Exams

Writing exam: Between Thursday, July 30 and Monday, August 3, 2026; 1 hour; via Duke Canvas

Oral exam: Between Monday, August 3 and Friday, August 14, 2026; 20 minutes; via Zoom

You will receive information on how to schedule your exams directly from ELSP.

You may be required to take a writing exam and a speaking exam if you meet all of the following criteria:

  • You are an admitted student.
  • Your first language is something other than English.
  • You are pursuing one of the following degrees at Duke:
    • Ph.D.*
    • Master of Arts
    • Master of Fine Arts
    • Master of Science*
    • Master of Arts in Teaching
    • Master of Biostatistics (School of Medicine)

*Note: Students admitted to the Pratt School of Engineering take placement exams administered by Pratt instead of ELSP.

According to Duke Graduate School policy, graduate students whose first language is not English are required to take English placement exams to demonstrate proficiency in spoken and written English and to identify areas for additional support. This is true regardless of standardized language exams used for admission (e.g., TOEFL, IELTS, Duolingo), GRE scores (if applicable), citizenship status, or completion of a degree in an English-speaking institution.

ELSP reviews official student records during the summer for Fall admits and in early December for Spring admits to determine which incoming students qualify for exemptions. Students who are required to take the exams are notified via email.

Students may be exempted if they meet one of the following criteria:

  1. English is their first/native language
  2. They previously completed a graduate degree at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina
  3. They have completed at least three full years (six semesters) of undergraduate or graduate education in English in a country where English is an official language, AND they proficiently use English as a dominant language on a daily basis in both academic and professional contexts*

*Option 3 does not apply to students in the Master of Biostatistics program (School of Medicine). 

In the written exam, you will write an original summary and response to a reading. This exam will take approximately 1 hour. Your writing will be assessed on content, organization, language use, and successful paraphrasing.

The oral exam consists of a Zoom interview with one or more instructor(s); this interview will last approximately 20 minutes and will be recorded. You will be assessed on fluency, language (grammar and vocabulary), situational appropriateness, content and organization, and listening comprehension.

Your exam results will be sent to your Duke e-mail address before classes begin. The email will indicate which ELSP courses you are required to take. If you are placed into ELSP courses, you must complete them in order to meet all Duke Graduate School academic requirements and receive your degree. ELSP courses are intended to be taken during the first year of graduate study. 

If you believe your ELSP placement results do not accurately reflect your current English writing or speaking skills and wish to request a retest, you may complete and submit this form*. Important: Requests should be made only when there is a clear and well-supported reason for a retest. The form must be submitted within the same semester you were tested. 

The form requests your written explanation, contact information for individuals in your department or program who can attest to your language proficiency and support your request, and your Director of Graduate Studies’ (DGS) signature. Once completed, scan and email the form to Dr. Brad L. Teague at brad.teague@duke.edu. 

*Retesting is not available to students in the Master of Biostatistics program (School of Medicine).  

Tips for Taking the Exam

Feel more prepared by reviewing the tips below. 

  • The purpose of the exams is to evaluate your language skills in relation to the high linguistic demands of graduate school.
  • The exams are not graded and do not have pass/fail results. They are used only to place you into any writing and/or speaking courses that would be beneficial. 
  • The exams are not based on specific topics, so you do not need to study in advance. 
  • The instructions will ask you to show your language skills. Just do your best. 
  • Be on time for your oral interview and submit your writing exam by the established deadline.  
  • The exams include speaking and writing portions. Both will be completed online. 
  • You will be able to preview the testing site before taking the writing exam. 
  • Keep an eye out for communications from ELSP and your department or program with more information.