The language requirement may be fulfilled by one of the following tracks. The decision as to which track IP students will use should be made in consultation with the IP faculty representative.
- I. Foreign Language Track
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The foreign language track is intended for students fulfilling their international experience in a country where the dominant language of discourse and study is something other than English (France, China, Argentina, etc.). Students doing the foreign language track will have their oral proficiency measured by an objective exam of the American Council for the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL). These students' proficiency must be at the Intermediate High Level (for French, German, Russian, and Spanish) or at the Intermediate Mid Level (for Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, and Korean). Guidelines for basic proficiency development are available on the School of Modern Languages Web site.
- II. English Language Track
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The English Language track is intended for students fulfilling their international experience in a country where the dominant language of discourse and study is English (England, Australia, Ireland, etc.). These students will have little opportunity to develop proficiency in a non-English language and therefore may fulfill the requirement in a language of their choice having their proficiency measured as follows:
A. Students may complete or demonstrate the equivalence of completing a 2002 (or higher) course with a minimum grade of B at Tech or another accredited institution or (for students who have studied French, German, Russian, or Spanish) by placing above 2002 in an online placement test offered by the Modern Languages Department. Students may also fulfill the language requirement by scoring a 4 or higher on an Advanced Placement language exam.
Once accepted to participate in the International Plan, participants may request permits to register for language classes (especially useful when lower-level courses are full). For information on requesting permits for language classes, see the International Plan section of the School of Modern Languages Web site.
If Georgia Tech does not offer a placement test in the student’s chosen language and the student is proficient at or above the 2002 level, then the student must provide documentation of the language skill level. This documentation may be:
- An official transcript from another accredited U.S. university showing completion of courses through 2002 level.
- A formal oral and written language evaluation by a professional instructor of the language.
- Official results of a formal language level test (such as test by American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages or Simulated Oral Proficiency Interview).
B. Students may meet the requirement by taking a proficiency test applicable to Modern Languages (students must bear the expense of this test). This will typically apply to those students who are already proficient (no coursework necessary) in the language with which they intend to fulfill the IP.