AP International English Language

Since 1955, the Advanced Placement (AP) program of the College Board has offered college-level curriculum and examinations to high school students. The APIEL examination was conceived in 1995 and was first implemented in 1997. It was first tested in Germany in 1997, and there were about 2500 examinees at that time. The examination was also tested in France in the second year, and further extended to Australia, Belgium, Sweden, Norway and India in 1999 and 2000.[3] The test was offered in China in 2002 for the first time.[4] For a designated high school course, the course must be reviewed by the University Board to determine that it is compliant with the AP course. If the course is approved, the school can use the AP designation and the course will be publicly listed on the AP course ledger.[5]

At present, more than 700 universities in the United Kingdom, the United States, and other countries have adopted the APIEL as an admission criteria for undergraduates, postgraduates, and scholarships and bursaries. Some multinational companies regard APIEL grades as an essential credential for recruited employees and they are sometimes used in credit decisions.[6][4]

The APIEL is open to any student who is in the final stage of secondary school or attending a university. The subject matter of the APIEL examination is chosen from a wide range of subjects, including current events, history, the arts, literature, science and technology, and other topics of general interest. The content of the APIEL is not tied to a particular curriculum, so there are no additional coursework or materials required for preparation, other than general secondary school study.[7] The College Board website provides test details and sample questions for the examination.[8]

The APIEL measures the English fluency of non-native speakers. The test is designed to indicate that high-scoring students will be able to participate in the English-speaking academic community on an equal basis with native English speakers.[7]

APIEL students should demonstrate the following skills:[7]

• Comprehension of spoken English, particularly in academic contexts;
• A critical understanding of written English, including excerpts from books and articles on academic subjects;
• The ability to express ideas and opinions in writing with clarity and fluency; and
• The ability to express ideas and opinions orally with accuracy and resourcefulness.

Like the other AP language exams, the three-hour APIEL exam assesses four language skills: listening, reading, writing and speaking. Each section is worth 25% of the total examination grade. Listening consists of dialogues and short talks; reading is drawn from prose texts of varying degrees of complexity and a wide range of subjects; writing consists of two essays; and speaking requires students' verbal response to five tasks.[2]

The APIEL, like other AP exams, is scored on a 1 to 5 scale as follows:[2]

• 5 – Extremely well qualified
• 4 – Well qualified
• 3 – Qualified
• 2 – Possibly qualified
• 1 – No recommendation

Grades of 3 or higher are considered "qualifying" for the purpose of college credit.

The fee of US$78 (or equivalent in local currency) covers all four test components.[4] Students may apply for financial aid.

Test dates are scheduled in an effort to avoid conflicts with national vacations and local examinations, and are set differently in different regions. For example, tests are held in March in European countries, and May in India. The examination is currently only available outside the United States.

So that all students have equal chance to succeed on AP exams, the College Board makes efforts to achieve security and fairness in the test.[11] The topics for APIEL are chosen generally and broadly in order to avoid test bias caused by topic familiarity.[7] AP courses can build critical thinking and problem-solving skills.[12] All participating schools and students have to agree to meet all safety requirements in the AP Coordinator's Manual[13] and the Bulletin for AP Students and Parents.[14] The multiple-choice section (Section I) in the examination paper is kept secure both before and after the exam administration. It is treated as misconduct if AP teachers "interview" students after the exam to gather information on specific questions.[11] No one taking the exam can ever have access to or see the questions contained in that section, except the candidates. The test must also never be shared or copied in any manner. Students are not allowed to bring any electronics into the exam room or break area, including phones, smartwatches, wearable technology of any kind, laptops, tablet computers, Bluetooth devices, portable listening or recording devices—MP3 player, iPod, etc.—cameras, other photographic equipment, devices that can access the internet, timers of any type, or any other electronic or communication devices.[11] Also, no one is allowed to take photos in the exam room or to share on any form of social media during the exam.[11]

The exam publisher strictly follows rules to achieve fairness.[9] Psychometric analyses, like DIF studies, are included to determine testing bias, and exams will not be scored unless their fairness has been approved by experts.[9] The College Board also provides information about the publisher to maintain the quality of the test and for research reports about test-users.[9]

As APIEL is an Advanced Placement course, the examination structure is similar to other AP exams. AP exams were established in 1957; they have a long tradition and are widely accepted.[10] A study has shown that AP students score higher on standardized test scores than non-AP students.[15] The APIEL exam is developed and evaluated by international professors and faculty organizations, rather than only by Americans. It provides a chance for high school students to take college-level courses without paying college tuition. By taking the AP exams, students can earn university credit and advanced placement in college coursework. Some schools award credit for ESL courses based on APIEL grades.[7] It can also be helpful for college applications. The APIEL can be paid in local currency and is less expensive than TOEFL and IELTS.[4] Students can also apply for financial support if they have difficulty paying for the exam.

• College Board
• Advanced Placement
• Advanced Placement exams