Undergraduate Placement, Courses, & Progression

• About Undergraduate Placement
• OPIE English Placement Testing
• English Proficiency Scores, Placement and Advancement Pathways
• Courses: Full-time English Studies with OPIE
• Courses: U.S. Success Pathway: Part-Time OPIE

About Undergraduate Placement

After arrival to campus, most students are required to test. Based on your test scores and your student status (language study only, undergraduate, or graduate), you will be placed into the appropriate level and courses. 

Level and class placement will be based on the results of the institutional TOEFL exam and the OPIE Composition Test. The TOEFL IBT and the IELTS can be used for placement into the University Success Pathway Program (part-time OPIE) but not for placement into Full-Time English Studies with OPIE.

• See OPIE English Placement Testing.

Note: Undergraduates who do not meet requirements to begin full-time academic study must take an Institutional TOEFL exam when they arrive. See International Admission Criteria at Ohio University.

Placement, Advancement & Estimated Duration of Time before Beginning Full-Time Academic Studies

General Undergraduate Students at Ohio University

• For more information on the placement tests that OPIE uses, see OPIE English Placement Testing.  
• Students can advance levels within OPIE based on grades. 
• Entry Point: Full-Time English Program

Students scoring less than 480 on the TOEFL ITP, less than 56 on the IBT, or less than 5.5 on the IELTS will be given an OPIE English Placement and the OPIE Composition test upon arrival. The purpose of this test is to refine accurate placement in the Full-Time English Studies with OPIE.

Elementary Level

• 40 or lower on the English Placement Test
• 1A or 1B on the OPIE Composition Test
• Average number of terms before beginning academic classes: 3

Grade Based Advancement: Full-time OPIE students at the Elementary Level can advance to the Intermediate Level if their lowest grade in OPIE courses is C- or higher. Otherwise, students can repeat the Elementary Level. 

Test-Based Advancement: Full-time OPIE students at the Elementary Level can advance to the Intermediate Level if they have an English Placement Test between 41-64 and an OPIE Composition Test of 2A/2B.  

Intermediate Level

• 41-64 on the English Placement Test
• 2A or 2B on the OPIE Composition Test
• Average number of terms before beginning academic classes: 2

Grade Based Advancement: Full-time OPIE students at the Intermediate Level can advance to the Advanced Level if their lowest grade in OPIE courses is C- or higher. Otherwise, students can repeat the Intermediate Level.

Test-Based AdvancementTest-Based Advancement: Full-time OPIE students at the Intermediate Level can advance to the Advanced Level if they have a TOEFL ITP score of 449-479, an English Placement Test score of at least 65 and an OPIE Composition Test of 3A/3B.   

Advanced Level

• 440-479 on the TOEFL ITP given at Ohio University
• 65 or higher on the English Placement Test
• 3A or 3B on the OPIE Composition Test

Average number of terms before beginning academic classes: 1

Grade Based Advancement: Full-time OPIE students at the Advanced Pathway can advance to the 12-Hour Bridge course in the University Success Pathway 1 if their lowest grade in OPIE courses is C- or higher. Otherwise, students can repeat the Advanced Pathway.

Entry Point: University Success Pathway Program (Part-Time OPIE)

Average number of terms before beginning academic classes: 0

At University Success Pathway levels, students take a combination of credit-bearing academic classes and English classes.

Pathway 1

• 480-499 on the TOEFL ITP given at Ohio University with a score of 4 in the OPIE Composition Test.
• 56-61 on the TOEFL iBT taken on the Internet (section scores of at least 13)
• 5.5 on the IELTS

Grade Based Advancement: Students in Pathway 1 can advance to Pathway 2 if their lowest grade in OPIE courses is C- or higher. Otherwise, students can repeat Pathway 1.

Pathway 2

• 500-519 on the TOEFL ITP given at Ohio University with a score of 5 in the OPIE Composition Test.
• 62-67 on the TOEFL iBT taken on the Internet (section scores of 14)  
• 5.5 on the IELTS (with a minimum score of 5.5 in all bands)

Grade Based Advancement: Students in Pathway 2 can advance to Full-Time Academic Studies if their lowest grade in OPIE courses is B- or higher. Students in Pathway 2 can advance to Pathway 3 if they earn a grade of C+ to C- in any of their OPIE courses. Otherwise, students can repeat Pathway 2.

Pathway 3 (optional level)

Pathway 3 is an optional level for students who are close but have not fully met the requirements for Full-Time Academic Studies. 

• 520 or higher on the TOEFL ITP given at Ohio University with a score of 4 or less in the OPIE Composition Test

Grade Based Advancement: Students in Pathway 3 can advance to Full-Time Academic Studies if their lowest grade in OPIE courses is C or higher. Otherwise, students can repeat Pathway 3.

Entry Point: Full-Time Academic Studies

Average number of terms before beginning academic classes: 0

General Undergraduate

• 520 on the TOEFL ITP given at Ohio University with an OPIE Composition score of at least 5.
• 68 on the TOEFL iBT taken on the Internet (Writing section score must be at least 17.) 
• 6.0 on the IELTS (All bands must be 5.5 or higher.)