SPEAK Test   

You need a SPEAK Test score if you are an F-1 graduate student who is either:

• Serving as an instructor of record for an undergraduate course or
• Serving as a graduate assistant and your department requires you to take a SPEAK Test because your duties require a high level of English proficiency.

You must obtain a score of 50 or higher . Students scoring below 50 are allowed to re-take the SPEAK Test once. If you fail to achieve the minimum score, you must enroll in the IEI's Communication Skills and Conversation Courses and successfully complete it before being allowed to take the test again.

• To schedule a SPEAK Test appointment, please send an email to the Intensive English for Internationals (IEI) at iei@memphis.edu or Contact the SPEAK Test administrator "Stacey T Smith (satrimbl)" <satrimbl@memphis.edu> .

• The Speak Test Fee is $100. This fee must be paid by the student's department/program. The fee will be charged each time the student takes the exam. Please have your departmental business officer or administrative associate contact Lofton Wilborn (lwilborn@memphis.edu), in the scholarship office, for instructions to initiate and complete the payment BEFORE your Speak Test Appointment.

• A copy of your scores will be sent to you, your department and to the Graduate School by email after your test has been rated. All tests should be completed and scored before the contract deadline set by the Graduate School.

Communication Skills and SPEAK Test Preparation

Below, please find a couple of links that provide you with free samples of SPEAK Test.  You can use these free test samples to practice your speaking on various topics.  It is highly recommended that you record your responses using your phone while answering the prompts and then replay your recording to identify the areas you struggle with the most in terms of fluency, pronunciation, word choice and time. 

Sample 1

Sample 2

IMPORTANT: Please read SPEAK TEST GUIDE

SPEAK Test Guide

The following test scores may be used instead of the SPEAK Test for Teaching Assistanships:

• TOEFL iBT - Speaking Section Score: 26+
  Log in to the ETS website and request that your TOEFL iBT scores be sent to the University of Memphis, institution code R-1459. Ask your department to contact the Graduate School office to look up your scores.
• IELTS - Speaking Section Score: 8.0+
  Email a copy of your IELTS Test Report Form to the Graduate School with a note indicating that the score is for your Teaching Assistantship requirements. Ask your department to contact the Graduate School office to authenticate your scores.
• PTE Academic - Speaking Section Score: 67+
  Log in to the PTE Academic website and request that your PTE Academic scores be sent to the University of Memphis. Ask your department to contact the Graduate School office to look up your scores.
• Students who have a completed undergraduate or a graduate degree from a US university in their field in the past 5 years are exempt from the SPEAK Test.