Special Institutional Regulations for International Graduate Students

Registration with Student Adviser

Health Insurance

English Proficiency Requirements

• Current minimum TOEFL scores for entering students and graduate teaching assistants should be strictly adhered to by all academic units without exception.
• Prior to their first enrollment in classes at UMKC, newly admitted international graduate students must take the English Evaluation Examination conducted by the UMKC Applied Language Institute (ALI) unless they are exempted from this requirement by virtue of having achieved a TOEFL score of at least 600/CBT 250.
• Based on results of the English Evaluation Examination scores, such students must enroll in and successfully complete the applied language courses indicated as necessary by the student's academic unit in consultation with the UMKC Applied Language Institute.
• Prospective international graduate students should be aware that required coursework in English as a second language may add extra time to their individual graduate programs of study.
• The only international graduate students exempted from this policy are the following:
  • Native English speakers from English-speaking countries such as Canada, England, the Republic of Ireland, Australia and New Zealand.
  • Non-native English speakers who hold degrees or diplomas from post-secondary institutions in English-speaking countries (such as the United States, Canada, England, the Republic of Ireland, Australia and New Zealand) provided that they have spent a minimum of two years of successful full-time study and English was the medium of instruction.

Policy on Award of Teaching Assistantships

At UMKC, the following standards are in effect for graduate students whose first language is not English and who wish to be considered for graduate teaching assistant (GTA) appointments:

• They must have been enrolled at UMKC at least one term prior to receiving a GTA appointment.
• They must have attained a minimum official TOEFL score of 550/cbt 213.
• They must take the SPEAK (Speaking Proficiency English Assessment Kit) test and receive a score of 50 or higher. This test is offered once, at no charge, through UMKC's Applied Language Institute (ALI) to graduate students whose first language is not English and who have attained the required minimal TOEFL score of 550/cbt 213.
• If they have not previously lived in the United States, they must participate in the cultural orientation program provided by the School of Graduate Studies. The orientation covers policies and procedures pertaining to teaching and grading; a profile of UMKC's student body; an introduction to degrees offered at UMKC; an overview of the U.S. system of higher education and teaching strategies and techniques. The orientation program is held over several days during the week prior to the beginning of classes for the fall semester.
• Early in the fall semester, they must present a simulated 8-10 minute lecture or laboratory demonstration that will be videotaped for review and approval of their verbal communication skills by the dean or director of the programs in which they will have a GTA appointment and by the School of Graduate Studies.

Graduate Teaching Assistant Certification for Students Whose First Language is not English:

For information on dates, or to register for the next Cultural Orientation series, contact the School of Graduate Studies (816) 235-1161.

If students do not make the required minimum score on the first taking of the SPEAK test, or if their videotaped simulated lecture is not approved, they must enroll in English 100-E Special Studies in Culture Research and Pedagogy for IGTAs. This one-credit-hour course is offered during the last eight weeks of each fall term. If students do not make the required minimum score on the SPEAK test when it is re-administered during English 100-E, they must then enroll in the three-credit-hour course, English 100-F SS: Academic English/International Grad Teaching Assistants and Applicants in a subsequent semester.

Exceptions to any of these certification standards must be authorized by the dean of the School of Graduate Studies. Departments wishing to request an exception for a student must submit a written petition for exception to the graduate dean, including full justification supporting the request, prior to the beginning of the term for which the GTA appointment is sought.