Assessments instructions
We are excited for your assessment!
Is it because we love tests? Well, no. Rather, it’s because we want you to succeed, and that means you need to be in the class that is teh best fit for you. So everyone has to register and be assessed each year (assessment is optional for students who were in morning school advanced class).
Can I fail?
Sometimes the word “test” can be scary. But don’t worry, as long as you finish the test without help from anyone, you will be fine.
Are they hard?
Actually, yes, but it’s for a good reason! The tests are designed to push you to the limit of your English abilities so that we can have an accurate result and put you in the best class for you. The questions are different for each person and actually change based on your previous answers. But don’t be discouraged! Just do the best you can with the time you have.
What tools do I need to take the tests?
Please ensure you have these tools in order to complete the tests:
- Be alone (if you get help from someone it invalidates your test and you will need to re-take the test).
- Have a phone, tablet, or computer with audio & video capability (you will actually record video as part of one of the tests).
- Be indoors and in a quiet place (not outside and not in a noisy place – this can give inaccurate results on your test and cause you to be placed in the wrong class for you).
- Have a good internet connection.
How will I understand the instructions?
For some languages, we are able to offer you the test with instructions in your own language.
Can I change screens during the tests?
Please do not change screens during the test or it may cause you to restart. You may want to temporarily put your phone on “do not disturb” mode.
What is the speaking test like?
We use a tool called “Speechace” to do our speaking test.
“How long does it take?” It takes about 15 minutes. During that time, it will ask you about 10 questions and analyze your answers.
“Can I start the test on my own?” You will need to receive the test page from us. We may either send this to you in an email or give you a link or a QR code. If you try to find the test on your own, you may end up taking the wrong test and have to re-test. Once you receive the test from us, you will sign up using a form like this: 
. This helps to ensure your assessment is available to us.
Please put your full name in the name field.
“How can I make sure my audio & video are working?” If your phone or computer can do a video call (like on WhatsApp or Facetime or Zoom), then you should be fine. And the test will help you make sure because the first thing you’ll do is repeat exactly what you see: “Hello, how are you?” If the system heard you, it will print “Hello.” 
You might see an error message like this that tells you the website needs access to your microphone and video: 
If so, just follow these steps:
- Click on the menu icon on the top and then click on “website settings”:
- Then find the Camera and Microphone permissions:
- Then click “allow” for each of them (you’ll need to repeat this step for both camera and then again for microphone):
“Will I have time to prepare my answers?” Yes! For each question, you will see a timer that shows how long you have to think about your answer. 
“How long will I have to record my answers?” After the preparation timer is done, you will see a timer that shows you how long you have left to record. 
“Is it ok if I give a short answer?” No. Most questions are “open ended” and that means you can talk up to 60 seconds. It is necessary for those questions that your answer last at least 30 seconds. But don’t worry! Those questions are designed that it will be easy to find things to talk about (e.g. describe a picture). So just use your preparate time to prepare a thorough answer so you can use as much of your recording time as possible. This will help us have the most accurate results as possible.
“When will I see my results?” We will compare all your assessments together and share the results with you when you are in person with us.
Here is a more detailed explanation of what the test is like. It is optional for you to read.
What is the reading & listening test like?
“The EF SET is a suite of free, online language tests designed to meet the high technical standards as the other standardized tests in the field, such as the TOEFL or IELTS.” – efset.org
“How long does it take?” It takes about an hour. Make sure you have set aside enough time for this test and are rested. Why? Because it is designed to be hard.
“Is this test hard?” It is an “adaptive” test. This means that the questions change depending on how you answer previous questions. It is designed to be hard because it is trying to find the limits of your English abilities. With each question you answer, the next question changes to try and get closer and closer to your level rating.
“What if I’m nervous?” Don’t worry! You may feel like you can’t understand everything in every question. That’s ok. Just to what you can.
“Can I practice?” You can only take it once every 90 days, so this is another reason to make sure your testing area and tools are prepared carefully.
“How do I start?” Do not take it directly from their website. We will give you an internet link or QR code for our school’s version of their test. You will start by registering for our school on this testing site. 
When you register, it will ask you for only the year of your birthdate. You do not need to put in month and day.
“What if I have more questions?” You can find answers to many common questions here: https://www.efset.org/faq
“What if I have a problem while I am taking the test?” If the test ever seems to leave the test and go back to the start, it’s not a problem: just click the button to load the test again and you should start in the same place where you left off.
“When will I see my results?” We will compare all your assessments together and share the results with you when you are in person with us.
Here is a 2 minute explanation video. You can change the transcript of the video to your own language by using the settings button.