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Prepare to
Apply
As you contemplate whether EHLS is for you, we suggest you start preparing for the application by compiling supporting documentation. The supporting documentation includes a résumé, a transcript, and references. All documentation must be submitted electronically through the online application site.
Before you start the online application, please prepare as follows:
- Write a complete résumé. Save the résumé as a PDF version that you can upload it with your application.
- Request a copy of your transcript from the U.S. or non-U.S. educational institution where your highest degree was earned.
- If you attended a non-U.S. university, please have your degree evaluated by an educational credential evaluation service. See AICE for a list of suggested evaluation companies. Please note that you are not required to use the companies on this list, it is merely suggested for your convenience. Be aware that the transcript evaluation process can take several months, so it is advised to contact a transcript evaluation company as far in advance as possible. You must upload your transcript and transcript evaluation with your application. A transcript translation is not required.
- Think about 1 or 2 people who can write a recommendation letter for you. One recommendation should be from a current supervisor, if possible. Make sure you have up-to-date contact information (especially email addresses) for all your references. You will select the option to send an email from within the online application system to send the reference form to your recommenders. Be sure to let your references know that they will receive an email from the online application system, Slate, requesting the letter of recommendation. This email may be sent to their junk or spam folders, so please advise them to check these folders. We strongly suggest that you tell your references about the EHLS program and why you want to apply.
Once you have prepared your supporting documents, you should start your EHLS online application. Read the application instructions below to guide you through this process. Please note that you will not see a save button on the application; by hitting “continue”, your application will be saved.
The application is open! Click here to apply by 5 PM EDT on Tuesday, June 17th, 2025: https://apply.iie.org/ehls
Go to the EHLS online application website and select “Start an application.” You will be asked to provide your name and email address and to create a password. You will also be required to provide your native language and verify that you have earned a bachelor’s degree.
Make sure that the email address you provide is one that you use every day. EHLS Program staff will use this email address to get in touch with you if there are problems with your application, we will not call you so please check your email including junk folders on a regular basis throughout the application process.
There are five required essays for the EHLS program.
In the essays, show that you are a strong candidate for the program, as defined in the selection criteria. Review the essay guidance document for more information on each essay.
Please make sure your responses are succinct and effectively address the prompts. Note that there is a 500-word limit. We strongly recommend that you write your essays in a Word document and copy them over to the application. This allows you to use spellcheck. Save your work frequently!
Besides answering the questions in the online application, you will be asked to include supporting documentation.
Name your professional references and provide their contact information. When you hit “send,” the application system will email each reference a reference form. Your references will be asked to complete the form, write a letter of reference, and send the material directly back to the system (not to you). Follow up with your references to make sure that they respond by the application deadline.
Upload your transcript and résumé. If you do not have PDF versions of these documents, you should have them scanned so that you can upload them.
Federal government employees or active-duty military must provide proof of separation no later than two weeks before the EHLS program start date. Active-duty reservists must provide a letter from their commanding officer that they are exempt from drills and activation through the intensive portion of the EHLS Program. Inactive reservists are eligible to participate without documentation.
Please do not send any application documents to Georgetown University. Applications that are not uploaded through the online application system will not be processed.
View the Alumni Series video below for tips on writing you application essays.
After you have answered all questions on the application form and provided the required supporting documents (résumé, transcript, and references), you will be asked to submit your application by clicking the “submit” button. Before doing so, make sure you have completed all fields and answered all questions thoroughly.
Applications will be reviewed based on information that you provide, and any incomplete responses will be judged accordingly. Applicants to the EHLS Program will be evaluated according to five selection criteria:
- language goals and motivation
- cultural knowledge
- research skills
- professional adaptability
- compatibility with the federal workplace
Detailed information about each criterion is available in the selection criteria definitions. Once you have clicked the “submit” button, you will not be able to make any further changes to your application.
The application and all supporting documents must be received by the application deadline.
Get Help
If you encounter problems when using the online application system, send an email to ehls@iie.org or call 202-686-6254.
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.
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.
If your application is provisionally selected you will then proceed with skills testing. You will be notified by email in September; please check your email daily. The EHLS Program typically invites 50 individuals to skills testing, and up to 18 of those candidates will be selected for admission to the program (see selection criteria).
Testing typically occurs in late September and early October. If you are provisionally selected for the 2025 program year, your English abilities in listening, reading, and writing plus basic technology skills will be tested in a virtual environment.
Your critical language speaking test will take place remotely via webcam, during the weeks surrounding the test dates. The EHLS Program will schedule these for you and will make every effort to accommodate your needs.
Provisionally selected candidates will be notified of the specific testing window in late September.
Description of the Tests
All provisionally selected applicants will take 4 tests.
1.English listening and reading: This test will be scheduled through Language Testing International (LTI). It is the Listening and Reading Computer Adaptive Test (L&R CAT). The test will be administered remotely with remote proctoring. The test usually takes between 1-1.5 hours to complete.
2.English writing: This is an essay test; it takes 1 hour.
3.Critical language speaking: This test (called an OPI) is taken over the telephone and takes approximately 30-45 minutes. This is similar to the English OPI taken during the application, but will be in your critical language.
To qualify for the EHLS Program, you must receive a score of at least 2 on the ILR scale on all 3 English language skills tests and receive a score of 3 on the critical language test.
4.Basic technology skills test: This test will measure your technology skills. You should be prepared to demonstrate your skills with: file management, word processing (including accurate keyboarding), presentation software, internet navigation, emailing, and attaching documents. This test is a pass/fail assessment.
Preparing for the Tests
English and critical language assessments: These tests evaluate your general proficiency in the language being tested. 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 tests, we recommend reading the newspaper, listening to the news on the radio, and using English and your critical language 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-assessments created by ILR:
- Reading: https://www.govtilr.org/Publications/readingsa.html
- Listening: https://www.govtilr.org/Publications/listenngsa.html
Basic technology skills: Because you will type your English writing test and compose an email, you should be comfortable with standard office technology skills: file management, word processing (including accurate keyboarding), presentation software, and internet navigation. To learn more about what skills are required, review the technology skills self-assessment.
The EHLS Program will notify you in late October/ early November of your status: selected, selected as alternate, or not selected. The final admission decisions are based on the outcomes of the entry language testing combined with the rating received from the selection committee.
- If you are selected, an EHLS Program staff member will call you on the telephone to tell you, and will follow up with an email message.
- If you are selected as an alternate, an EHLS Program staff member will notify you by email and will call you if and when you are selected for the program.
- If you are not selected, an EHLS Program staff member will notify you by email and will give you your test scores.
Please be sure to provide current, accurate information about your phone number and email address so that program staff can contact you.
Another example of the steps
Information Sessions
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APLICATIONS
CLOSED
The application for EHLS 2027 will open in February 2026.
www.ehlsprogram.com
Join our email list to be notified of the latest EHLS news:
@EHLSProgram
APLICATIONS
CLOSED
The application for EHLS 2027 will open in February 2026.
Join our email list to be notified of the latest EHLS news.