Step 3: Complete an OPI in English

Once an application is submitted and considered complete (with at least one recommendation letter), applicants will be notified when they are eligible to schedule an Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI) in English. Applicants cannot schedule an OPI until they have completed all components of the EHLS application, and it has been reviewed for completion. The link and step-by-step instructions on scheduling an OPI in English will be emailed to applicants upon a successful review of their application. OPIs will be administered through July 14, 2025.

Description of an OPI

OPIs are administered by Language Testing International (LTI).

Please review the guides from Language Testing International to help you prepare: https://www.languagetesting.com/oral-proficiency-interview-opi

The OPI is a live 30-45 minute telephone conversation between a certified tester and the test-taker. Through a series of personalized questions regarding the test-taker’s academic, professional, and personal experience, a sample of speech is elicited and rated in accordance with the Interagency Language Roundtable (ILR) scale. OPI’s will be proctered remotely.

A Remote Proctored OPI is proctored via webcam. In this case, the test-taker is responsible for providing the necessary technology, including a computer (laptop recommended), webcam, telephone, and internet access. Please review the technical requirements and download the necessary software well in advance of your scheduled OPI. You will connect 30 minutes before your scheduled OPI time with your proctor on zoom. Your proctor will ask to view your government issued photo ID, and your surroundings.

Preparing for the English OPI

The English OPI evaluates your general proficiency in English. Test questions cover general interest topics and common social and professional situations. There are no sample test materials available for review. To prepare for the test, we recommend reading the newspaper, listening to the news on the radio, and using English in discussions of current events and in professional contexts. The Interagency Language Roundtable (ILR) scale descriptors are a good resource to help advanced language learners identify specific skills that can be improved: https://www.govtilr.org/Skills/ILRscale2.htm. You can assess your language skills via the following self-assessment created by ILR: Speaking: https://www.govtilr.org/Publications/speakingsa.html

Take Note

You must schedule your OPI at least one week in advance of the desired test date. You cannot reschedule an OPI within 24 hours of the scheduled test time, and if you miss your OPI it will not be rescheduled.

If you have taken an English OPI with EHLS or another federal government tester since June 2024 and can provide proof of your scores (via a certificate or a signed letter on company letterhead), you may be able to waive this OPI. Please reach out to us at ehls@cal.org for further instruction if this applies to you.

Applicants that do not complete an English OPI or do not meet the minimum standard of a Limited Working Proficiency (ILR 2) on the English OPI will be disqualified from consideration and notified of the decision.

Questions?

If you have questions about the OPI process, please contact CAL at ehls@cal.org or 202-355-1584.

View the Alumni Series video below, for tips on how to prepare for English Testing.

Go to Step 4.