I read this article about a pilot program in Taiwan that will allow America-bound students to bypass traditional English proficiency testing if they complete a certain amount of coursework in English beforehand (at certain universities). The program was developed by the Taiwanese Ministry of Education in collaboration with Fulbright Taiwan, and has already partnered with some pretty big schools in the USA: Arizona State University, New York University, Teachers College at Columbia University, and the University of Maryland. Eight students will participate in the pilot in February, and the program is expected to fully launch later in the year.
This could end up being a pretty big deal in terms of the business of English testing. Taiwan (like most places in East Asia) is part of the TOEFL heartland, so much so that all of the articles I’ve read about the program specifically refer to it as a way to bypass TOEFL requirements… as if other tests aren’t even considered by students. Our friends at ETS will surely be keeping an eye on the pilot. I suppose if it goes well, universities in other markets will be champing at the bit to secure similar waivers.
According to last week’s Open Doors release, there are about 23 thousand Taiwanese nationals studying in the USA.