Students may take the OEAI a maximum of 3 times and only one time per semester.
Students who receive a score of 1-4 must complete one English improvement activity in order to be eligible to retake the OEAI.
English improvement activities (only one is required, though both may be selected):
1. Take an approved ESL course:
Enroll in one of the three ITA-focused ESL courses (ESL 504, 506, or 510).
Students who choose an ESL course as an improvement activity may retake the OEAI that same semester. Students who plan to do this will be assigned an OEAI date that is late in the semester, so they can complete most of the ESL coursework prior to their interview. Students must satisfactorily complete the ESL course in order for their OEAI score to be considered official.
OR
2. Work with a tutor:
Complete at least 8 weeks of tutoring with an approved OEAI tutor. Please note that tutors are not employed by the university. They offer their services on a freelance basis and charge for their services.
If the student selects tutoring for the improvement activity, the following requirements apply:
- Students must meet with the tutor at least once a week for a minimum of 8 weeks.
- Students who received a 2 (formerly 4) on the OEAI must complete a minimum of 10 hours of tutoring.
- Students with an OEAI score of 1 (formerly 3) must complete a minimum of 20 hours of tutoring before retaking the OEAI.
- The tutoring must be completed after the most recent OEAI.
- Note: Plan ahead! You should start your 8 weeks of tutoring by (or ideally before) the beginning of the semester during which you plan to retake the OEAI. Start searching for a tutor at least 4-6 weeks before you plan to start tutoring.
- To retake the OEAI as early as possible in Fall 2023, students should start their tutoring no later than the week of September 10th.
- A letter from the tutor with a completed tutor form must be submitted to the OEAI Coordinator, oeai-illinois@illinois.edu, at least one week prior to any subsequent OEAI. Please name the file in the following format: (student's)firstname_lastname_OEAI_TutoringForm.
- For OEAI registration in the fall, the form should be submitted by the end of November, 2023.
Note:
The English improvement activity must be completed during a semester after the most recent OEAI.
Example: A student does not pass the OEAI in Summer 2023 and wants to retake the OEAI in Fall 2023. To do this, the student must enroll in one of the approved ESL courses during Fall 2023, or complete approved tutoring before the Fall 2023 OEAI date. Even if the student was tutored or was enrolled in an ESL class during Summer 2023, he or she must still take another ESL course (or complete additional tutoring) in Fall 2023 to be eligible to retake the OEAI in late Fall 2023.
Individual language assessment meeting
Students who receive a 1 (formerly 3) on their second OEAI attempt are strongly encouraged to arrange for an individual language assessment meeting with the ESL_ITA Coordinator in the Linguistics Department, Dr. Suzanne Franks. This one-hour consultation is free of charge. At this meeting, the student will be given a diagnostic exam. Based on that exam, a study plan will be developed to guide the student’s oral English improvement.