English Test for Academic and Professional Purposes

Following a needs analysis conducted with key stakeholders in Ireland and research into best practice in testing and assessment worldwide, ETAPP has been developed to meet the needs and requirements of international students and the third-level institutions which receive them, as well as non-Irish nationals wishing to work in a professional context in Ireland.

ETAPP was launched in November 2007 and has been going from strength to strength. Sessions have been run in Riyadh, in Waterford Institute of Technology, and here in Dublin. Candidates have come from Saudi Arabia, Belarus, China, India, Japan, Korea, Latvia, Poland, Brazil, Switzerland, Italy and Spain. The feedback we have received from candidates has been very positive.

ETAPP is accepted by the Department of Justice and the GNIB as a test of English language proficiency.

Format of ETAPP

The test consists of four papers dealing with the four skills as outlined below:

• Listening
• Reading
• Writing
• Speaking
  
  

The Listening and Reading sections are always taken before the Writing section. This is because the input from the Listening and Reading may be used in the Writing section. The Speaking test may be taken before or after the other components of the test. All components of the test are taken on the same day.

Who should take ETAPP?

This test has been produced to meet the needs of :

1. international students preparing to study in third level institutions in Ireland
   or
   
2. non-Irish nationals who wish to work in a professional context in Ireland and who need to show evidence of language proficiency.
   

How is ETAPP assessed?

Assessment follows the Council of Europe scale of language proficiency and has been devised to identify the Levels B1, B2 and C1, which are the key points for entry to foundation year, pre-sessional or undergraduate and postgraduate courses. These levels also correspond to the levels required for entry into professional areas such as medicine, banking, and IT, and serve as neutral and formal indicators of competence for professional purposes. The test is comparable to IELTS and TOEFL in content and objective. If you would like a table of equivalents for these exams, please visit our downloads page here.

Interpretation of ETAPP Scores:

Please see table of equivalents in the download section here.

Results

Results are available within ten working days. Successful candidates – i.e. those achieving an overall Council of Europe grade of B1 or higher, will receive an ETAPP Certificate.  The result of the exam will be expressed as an overall grade. Discrete grades for each component will also be shown on the Certificate.

How do I apply?
You should contact IELT (info@ielt.ie) at least 10 working days in advance of your preferred date to check availability; you can then submit an application form by post, email or in person.

How much does it cost?
The cost of the test for is €130. Fees must be paid when submitting an application.

How often do exam sessions take place?
The test will take place at regular intervals throughout the year.

Sessions outside Dublin can be organised on request subject to a minimum number of 12 candidates.

To request a copy of any of the following publications free of charge please visit our download section here. 

ETAPP is administered by IELT Interactive English Language Tests Ltd.  For more information please contact us by emailing info@ielt.ie or phone using the below contact number.

IELT,

45 Leeson Street Lower,
Dublin 2.
Tel: 00 353 1 662 5991
Email: info@ielt.ie