DEFENSE SECURITY COOPERATION AGENCY  2800 DEFENSE PENTAGON  WASHINGTON, D.C. 20301-2800	11/6/2006

SUBJECT :

FY 07 ECL AND OPI COUNTRY EXEMPTION LISTS

1. THE FOLLOWING PROVIDES THE FY07 ENGLISH COMPREHENSION LEVEL (ECL), TEST OF ENGLISH AS A FOREIGN LANGUAGE (TOEFL), AND ORAL PROFICIENCY INTERVIEW (OPI) COUNTRY EXEMPTION LISTS BASED ON REVIEW BY THE COMBATANT COMMANDS, MILDEPS, DLIELC, AND DSCA. INFORMATION ON THE VARIOUS LANGUAGE TESTS IS AVAILABLE UNDER ENGLISH LANGUAGE TRAINING ON THE INTERNATIONAL TRAINING MANAGEMENT WEB PAGE AT HTTP://WWW.DISAM.DSCA.MIL/ITM/.
2. THE FOLLOWING 22 COUNTRIES ARE EXEMPT FROM ALL IN-COUNTRY AND CONUS ECL, TOEFL AND OPI TESTING: ANTIGUA, AUSTRALIA, BAHAMAS, BARBADOS, BELIZE, BRUNEI, CANADA, DOMINICA, GRENADA, GUYANA, INDIA, IRELAND, JAMAICA, MALTA, MAURITIUS, NEW ZEALAND, SINGAPORE, ST. KITTS, ST. LUCIA, ST. VINCENT, TRINIDAD, AND THE UNITED KINGDOM.
3. THE FOLLOWING 37 COUNTRIES ARE EXEMPT FROM IN-COUNTRY ECL TESTING: AUSTRIA, BANGLADESH, BELGIUM, BOTSWANA, DENMARK, FIJI, FINLAND, FRANCE, GAMBIA, GERMANY, GHANA, ICELAND, ISRAEL, ITALY, KENYA, LUXEMBOURG, MALAWI, MALAYSIA, NETHERLANDS, NIGERIA, NORWAY, PAKISTAN, PAPUA NEW GUINEA, PHILIPPINES, SIERRA LEONE, SOLOMON ISLANDS, SOUTH AFRICA, SRI LANKA, SURINAME, SWAZILAND, SWEDEN, SWITZERLAND, TONGA, UGANDA, VANUATU, SAMOA, AND ZAMBIA.
   1. STUDENT INVITATIONAL TRAVEL ORDER (ITO) SHOULD BE APPROPRIATELY MARKED TO INDICATE THAT THE STUDENT IS EXEMPT FROM IN-COUNTRY ECL TESTING BUT IS REQUIRED TO TAKE AN ECL TEST UPON ARRIVAL AT THE FIRST TRAINING INSTALLATION IN CONUS.
   2. IN-COUNTRY ECL TESTING MAY BE REQUIRED FOR CRITICAL COURSES, INCLUDING ARMY SENIOR PROFESSIONAL MILITARY EDUCATION COURSES, OR IF A SPECIALIZED ENGLISH TRAINING (SET) WAIVER IS REQUESTED.
4. THE FOLLOWING 48 COUNTRIES HAVE A 55-ECL EXEMPTION: AFGHANISTAN, ALBANIA, ALGERIA, ANGOLA, ARMENIA, AZERBAIJAN, BENIN, BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA, BURKINA FASO, BURUNDI, CAMBODIA, CAPE VERDE, CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC, COMOROS, CONGO (BRAZZAVILLE), DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO DROC (KINSHASA), COTE D IVOIRE, DJIBOUTI, EAST TIMOR, ERITREA, EQUATORIAL GUINEA, ETHIOPIA, GABON, GEORGIA, GUINEA, GUINEA-BISSAU, IRAQ, KAZAKHSTAN, KYRGYZSTAN, LAOS, LIBYA, MADAGASCAR, MALI, MAURITANIA, MONGOLIA, MONTENEGRO, MOZAMBIQUE, NIGER, RUSSIA, RWANDA, SERBIA, SAO TOME, TAJIKISTAN, TOGO, TURKMENISTAN, UZBEKISTAN, VIETNAM, AND YEMEN.
5. THE FOLLOWING POLICY GUIDANCE PERTAINS TO ECL TESTING.
   1. STUDENTS FROM COUNTRIES LISTED ABOVE THAT ARE EXEMPT FROM ALL ECL TESTING REQUIREMENTS OR IN-COUNTRY ECL SCREENING MUST CONTINUE TO DEMONSTRATE SUCCESSFUL ENGLISH LANGUAGE PERFORMANCE DURING TRAINING OR COUNTRY EXEMPTION WILL BE WITHDRAWN.
   2. FORFEITURE CHARGE(S) WILL BE APPLIED WHEN A STUDENT'S FAILURE TO MEET THE PREREQUISITE ECL ON "CONUS DIRECT ENTRY ECL TESTS" RESULTS IN RESCHEDULING OR CANCELLATION OF THE DIRECT ENTRY TRAINING DUE TO LANGUAGE DEFICIENCY. FORFEITURE CHARGE(S) WILL ALSO BE APPLIED WHEN STUDENTS ATTENDING ENGLISH LANGUAGE TRAINING AT DLIELC FAIL TO MEET THE LANGUAGE REQUIREMENT FOR FOLLOW-ON TRAINING, RESULTING IN RESCHEDULING OR CANCELLATION OF THE FOLLOW-ON TRAINING.
   3. COUNTRIES EXEMPT FROM THE MINIMUM 55 ECL SCORE FOR DLIELC ENTRY UNDER IMET SPONSORSHIP SHOULD MAKE EVERY EFFORT TO ESTABLISH A MINIMUM 55 ECL CAPABILITY. COUNTRIES THAT ARE NOT ABLE TO PURCHASE APPROPRIATE ENGLISH LANGUAGE EQUIPMENT AND MATERIALS TO DEVELOP AN IN-COUNTRY ABILITY TO REACH A 55 ECL DUE TO A SMALL IMET PROGRAM, OR OTHER CONSIDERATIONS, WHICH MAKE THIS ECONOMICALLY INFEASIBLE, WILL REMAIN ON THE EXEMPTION LIST. COMBATANT COMMANDS ARE REQUIRED TO PRESENT, NLT 30 OCTOBER EACH YEAR, A PROPOSED PLAN OF ACTION TO UPDATE THE EXEMPTION LISTS FOR CONUS AND IN-COUNTRY TESTING. THIS PLAN WILL BE SUBMITTED TO DLIELC AND FORWARDED TO DSCA. THE GOAL IS THE EVENTUAL GRADUATION OF COUNTRIES FROM THE EXEMPTION LIST OR THE DEVELOPMENT OF APPROPRIATE JUSTIFICATIONS FOR COUNTRIES REMAINING ON THE EXEMPTION LIST.
   4. STUDENTS FROM COUNTRIES NOT REFLECTED ON THE ABOVE EXEMPTION LISTS MUST HAVE THE MINIMUM 55 ECL BEFORE ATTENDING ENGLISH LANGUAGE TRAINING AT DLIELC.
   5. SAOS HAVE THE OPTION OF CONDUCTING ECL TESTING REGARDLESS OF COUNTRY EXEMPTION IF CONCERNED WITH THE STUDENT CAPABILITIES.
   6. REQUESTS FOR ADDITIONS/DELETIONS OF COUNTRIES TO/FROM THE ABOVE LISTS SHOULD BE FORWARDED BY THE COMBATANT COMMANDS TO DSCA WITH INFO TO DLIELC AND THE MILDEPS.
6. STUDENTS FROM NON-EXEMPT COUNTRIES MUST MEET THE TOEFL REQUIREMENTS ESTABLISHED FOR ADMISSION TO GRADUATE PROGRAMS OFFERED BY SEVERAL DOD INSTITUTIONS. THE TEST IS ADMINISTERED IN PAPER-BASED (PBT), COMPUTER-BASED (CBT) OR INTERNET-BASED (IBT) FORM. SCORES ARE VALID FOR TWO YEARS FROM THE DATE OF THE TEST AND MUST BE CURRENT WHEN THE STUDENT REPORTS TO THE INSTITUTION.
   1. REQUIREMENTS ARE AS FOLLOWS (REQUIRED SCORES REFER TO PBT/CBT/IBT TEST FORMS)
      • NAVAL POST GRADUATE SCHOOL (TOEFL INSTITUTION CODE 4831): 560/220/83
      • NATIONAL DEFENSE UNIVERSITY (TOEFL INSTITUTION CODE 7026): 540/207/76
      • ARMY WAR COLLEGE-RESIDENT PROGRAM (TOEFL INSTITUTION CODE 8274) 560/220/83
      • ARMY WAR COLLEGE-DISTANCE EDUCATION PROGRAM (TOEFL INSTITUTION CODE 8274): 600/250/100
      • AIR FORCE INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY (TOEFL INSTITUTION CODE 1827): 540/207/76
   2. DLIELC OFFERS A TOEFL PREPARATORY ACADEMIC WRITING COURSE, MASL D177022, FOR STUDENTS SCORING BELOW 560/220/83 BUT ABOVE 513/183/65.
7. THE FOLLOWING 17 COUNTRIES ARE EXEMPT FROM IN-COUNTRY OPI TESTING: AUSTRIA, BELGIUM, BOTSWANA, DENMARK, FINLAND, FRANCE, GERMANY, GREECE, ISRAEL, ITALY, LUXEMBOURG, NETHERLANDS, NORWAY, PORTUGAL, SPAIN, SWEDEN, AND SWITZERLAND.
   1. SAOS FOR COUNTRIES NOT LISTED ABOVE SHOULD SCHEDULE TELEPHONIC OPIS WITH DLIELC AS EARLY AS PRACTICABLE.
   2. STUDENTS FROM COUNTRIES LISTED AS EXEMPT FROM OPI REQUIREMENTS MUST CONTINUE TO DEMONSTRATE APPROPRIATE PROFICIENCY SKILLS DURING TRAINING OR COUNTRY EXEMPTION WILL BE WITHDRAWN.
   3. COUNTRIES EXEMPT FROM IN-COUNTRY OPI TESTING SHOULD ENSURE THEIR STUDENTS ARE LANGUAGE QUALIFIED. FORFEITURE CHARGES WILL APPLY WHEN STUDENT FAILURE TO QUALIFY ON DIRECT ENTRY OPI TESTING RESULTS IN RESCHEDULING OR CANCELLATION OF TRAINING.
   4. IN-COUNTRY OPI TESTING MAY BE REQUIRED IF A SET WAIVER IS REQUESTED.
   5. IN-COUNTRY OPI TESTING IS REQUIRED FOR STUDENTS FROM NON-EXMPT COUNTRIES ENROLLED IN COURSES REQUIRING ECL 85 AND 2+/2+ OPI.
   6. STUDENT ITO SHOULD BE MARKED IN THE REMARKS BOX TO INDICATE THAT THE STUDENT IS EXEMPT FROM IN-COUNTRY OPI TESTING, BUT IS REQUIRED TO TAKE AN OPI TEST UPON ARRIVAL AT THE FIRST TRAINING INSTALLATION IN CONUS.
   7. SAOS HAVE THE OPTION OF REQUIRING OPI TESTING REGARDLESS OF COUNTRY EXEMPTION IF CONCERNED WITH STUDENT LANGUAGE CAPABILITIES. SCOS ARE STRONGLY ENCOURAGED TO SCHEDULE IN-COUNTRY OPIS FOR ALL CANDIDATES WITH REQUIREMENT THAT EXCEEDS 2, SINCE LEVELS 2+ AND ABOVE REQUIRE EXTENSIVE LANGUAGE TRAINING TIME.
8. THE ABOVE IN-COUNTRY LANGUAGE TESTING EXEMPTIONS IN PARAGRAPHS 3 AND 7 DO NOT APPLY TO EXERCISES AND COMPETITIONS, SHIP CREW TRAINING, AND TRAINING AT CIVILIAN INSTITUTIONS THAT MAY REQUIRE LANGUAGE TESTING IAW STANDARDS ESTABLISHED BY THE U.S. HOST ORGANIZATION. THIS LANGUAGE PREREQUISITES/TESTING REQUIREMENTS MAY BE REFERENCED IN THE MESSAGE/INVITATION ANNOUNCING THE EXERCISE/COMPETITION/SHIP CREW TRAINING/TRAINING AT CIVILIAN INSTITUTIONS AND ARE DEFINED IN THE APPLICABLE TRAINING PLAN AND/OR LOA. ANY REQUEST TO WAIVE TESTING REQUIREMENTS FOR EXERCISES OR COMPETITIONS WILL BE DIRECTED TO THE U.S. HOST ORGANIZATION.
9. DSCA POC IS KAY JUDKINS, PROGRAMS/MANAGEMENT DIVISION AT COMMERCIAL: (703) 601-3719, DSN: 329-3719 COMMERCIAL FAX: (703) 604-6540, DSN FAX: 664-6540. RELEASING OFFICIAL: JEANNE FARMER, DIRECTOR, OF PROGRAMS 703-604-6595