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The Examination for the Certificate of Proficiency in English (ECPE) is a standardized advanced-level English as a foreign language (EFL) examination. The ECPE is a test of general language proficiency in a variety of contexts; it assesses linguistic, discoursal, sociolinguistic, and pragmatic elements of the English language. The four component skills of listening, reading, writing, and speaking are evaluated through a combination of tasks.
The ECPE is aimed at the C2 level of the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) and is valid for the lifetime of the recipient. It is recognized in several countries as official documentary evidence of advanced proficiency in the English language and can be used for academic and professional purposes. It is accepted by some universities as evidence of proficiency in English if the certificate has been received within the past two years.
Announcements
New ECPE Scoring System
Since 2005, the English Language Institute at the University of Michigan (ELI-UM) has been working concertedly with test users to make a number of positive changes to the Examination for the Certificate of Proficiency in English (ECPE), both to test tasks and to methods of providing more information to test takers about their performance on the test. Three important changes became effective in the June 2009 administration of the test:
- A new ECPE speaking test in which test takers participate in a semi-structured, multistage task involving two candidates and two examiners.
- A new, detailed five-point scoring rubric for the speaking section.
- An expanded, five-point scoring rubric for the writing section.
These changes harmonize the assessment for all the sections of the ECPE and allow more precise measurements of a candidate’s performance.
As a result of these innovations, we have also made important changes to our scoring system while maintaining the examination at the C2 level on the Common European Framework of Reference. Click here for further details.
English Language Institute
Office of Testing and Certification
University of Michigan
500 East Washington Street
Ann Arbor, MI, 48104-2028
phone: 734.647.0456
fax: 734.615.6586
elicertif@umich.edu
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