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ELP Alternative Certification Form

To be eligible to hold a graduate assistantship with instructional or curricular support responsibilities, Texas State law (Education Code, Section 51-97) and Texas A&M University require international graduate students to achieve English Language Proficiency (ELP) Certification. Prospective or current international students seeking eligibility to hold a graduate assistant-teaching position must obtain Level-1 Certification before the date of hire.

Alternative Certification requests may be submitted to the Graduate and Professional School by colleges/schools, departments, or interdisciplinary degree programs. Alternative Certification indicates that an international student meets the ELP Requirement to hold a teaching position through means other than the acceptable test scores.

An international graduate student may qualify for Alternative Certification by earning a bachelor's degree following four years of study at an accredited academic institution located within the United States. An international graduate student who holds citizenship with an English-speaking country listed by the Office of Admissions will also be considered for Alternative Certification. The Office of Admission's International Graduate webpage maintains a complete list of countries whose citizens are eligible. International graduate students holding a bachelor's degree with less than four years of coursework at an accredited academic institution located within the United States are ineligible for Level 1 Certification (please see the Alternative Verification Form).

Academic units may use the form linked below to request ELP Alternative Certification for international graduate students.

The form must include the student's name and UIN, and must be signed by an academic unit's authorized faculty approver. Alternative Certification requests must be submitted by colleges/schools, departments, or interdisciplinary degree programs to ELPCompliance@tamu.edu. The Graduate and Professional School will determine whether to grant Alternative Certification Requests on a case-by-case basis.

Any questions regarding Alternative Certification should be directed to the English Language Proficiency Compliance Office in the Graduate and Professional School at ELPCompliance@tamu.edu or 979-845-3631.

Related knowledge

ELP Alternative Certification Form
English Language Proficiency (ELP) Verification FAQ

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