
iTEP Case Study: J-Check
In 2015, new US government regulations for J-Scholars (Exchange Visitors) put Northwestern University in the position of needing to implement an English language proficiency assessment process for their incoming J-Scholars. Beyond the need for institutional compliance, some J-Scholars were arriving on campus with low English language skills. This lack of English language proficiency caused tremendous issues for the International Office and caused problems for the J-Scholars themselves as they navigated insurance, university forms, in-class teaching, and other daily activities requiring not just speaking, but reading, listening, and writing skills.After a thorough review and one year pilot testing program, Northwestern selected J-Check J-Scholar Testing as the primary English proficiency assessment option for incoming J-Scholars. J-Check is a testing platform that utilizes the iTEP Academic Plus exam. Northwestern cited: a comprehensive language assessment, ease of use, security, cost competitiveness, and results within 24 hours as critical decision factors for selection of J-Check featuring iTEP.