TA/AI Language Proficiency Requirement

The Office of Graduate Studies requires all graduate students, except those with an undergraduate degree from an institution where English is the sole language of instruction (according to the World Higher Education Database or the Office of Graduate Studies), to demonstrate oral English proficiency before they are appointed to Teaching Assistant (TA) or Associate Instructor (AI) positions. Review the university policy.

All graduate students should use the TA Language Requirement App (TALRA) to check and record their eligibility toward meeting this requirement.
Open TALRA to Check and Record Your Eligibility

Eligibility Categories

There are three categories students fall into regarding this requirement: eligible, conditionally eligible, or ineligible.

Eligible

Students in the eligible category have met the TA/AI Language Proficiency Requirement. These students do not need to take any additional action to demonstrate their language proficiency before they can be appointed to TA or AI roles. Once a student achieves eligibility, they will remain eligible until they graduate.

Students can achieve eligibility by meeting one or more of the following requirements:

• Achieving a minimum score of 26 on the speaking subset of the TOEFL iBT
• Achieving a minimum score of 8 on the speaking subset of the IELTS
• Achieving a “Pass” on the TOEP
• Achieving a minimum score of 50 on the SPEAK (The SPEAK is no longer offered on campus.)
• Completing an undergraduate degree from an institution where English is the sole the sole language of instruction (according to the World Higher Education Database or the Office of Graduate Studies)

In TALRA, the TOEFL and/or IELTS scores students submitted during the admissions process will be considered to determine eligibility. Students who have TOEFL and/or IELTS scores that have not yet been submitted to UCD and that meet this requirement can self-report those scores in TALRA. Students who self-report TOEFL or IELTS scores and students who self-report their undergraduate institution being in English will be shown as “Self-Reported Eligible” in TALRA. These students do not need to take any additional action to determine their eligibility, but hiring departments may ask for documentation to confirm their eligibility at the time of hire. 

Conditionally Eligible

Students in the conditionally eligible category have not yet met the TA/AI Language Proficiency Requirement, but they can hold TA or AI positions for up to two quarters while taking concurrent English instruction. The only way to achieve conditional eligibility is to receive a score of Conditional Pass on the TOEP.

English Instruction Required

During any quarter that conditionally eligible students hold a TA position, they must be enrolled in English instruction during the same quarter. Students can choose one or more of the following options:

• Two or more tracks of Language & Culture Coaching 
• UWP 391
• UWP 225
• UWP 226

Language & Culture Coaching and UWP 391 are most recommended to help students strengthen their oral communication skills and work toward being able to pass the TOEP.

Ineligible

Students in the ineligible category have not yet met the TA/AI Language Proficiency Requirement and cannot be appointed to TA/AI positions. 

Other Positions for Grad Students

While TA and AI positions have a specific language requirement, other common roles for grad students (like GSRs or Readers) do not. Students who have not met the TA/AI Language Proficiency Requirement are encouraged to discuss the availability of alternative positions with their graduate coordinators.

Overview Chart of TA/AI Language Proficiency Requirement