International Student Program
International Student
Graduation
Requirements
Carry a full academic course load as determined by the advisor and ESL Director.
Enroll in and successfully complete five courses per semester each year of enrollment.
Take the TOEFL when required by the ESL Coordinator during the ninth and tenth grades. The internet-based TOEFL (iBT) is offered four times during the academic year on the OES campus. Eleventh and twelfth grade students must take the internet-based TOEFL as often as is recommended by the ESL Coordinator and/or their college counselors.
Be enrolled in ESL classes until approval of release by the ESL Coordinator is secured. This decision is based on TOEFL scores, academic performance and recommendations of the student's teachers and advisor. Students should expect to complete the full sequence of ESL courses unless the requirement is waived by the ESL Coordinator. Students whose English proficiency is marginal may be requested to continue some kind of additional ESL work. Requirements will be determined by the ESL Coordinator in cooperation with the student's advisor and the grade level Dean.
Complete all OES graduation requirements as stated in the Upper School Handbook. ESL 9 Academic English Support fulfills the OES English requirement. ESL 9 Humanities is considered a History course. ESL Academic Studies is considered a foreign language course. ESL 10 is also considered a foreign language course.
International students who are interested in being competitive for selective American colleges should know that by their junior year, they should:
- have earned an 80 on the iBT;
- be enrolled in standard courses in the OES curriculum;
- be preparing for the SAT tests, the standard college entrance tests in the United States.
If they are not able to meet these standards, their college options will be limited.
