CanTEST

Canadian Test of English for Scholars & Trainees

Description

CanTEST (listening, reading and writing) exams are set 4 times a year. Speaking CanTEST exams are set 4 times a year. The speaking tests are usually held after the written test. You must have passing scores in the general CanTEST in order to do the Spoken. Scores are generally considered valid for 2 years from test date and are accepted at a variety of Canadian Universities for English Language entrance requiements. There is available 2 Practice tests for purchase and is available for purchase from the Language Centre. If the material needs to mailed there will be an addition fee.

Questions are based on a passage (dialogues, interviews, short lectures, articles, letters) and never on a single sentence. Each passage has 4 to 10 questions.
There are different kinds of questions -- multiple choice, short answer, and labeling on a diagram.
CanTEST passages are longer. Reading passages are usually a full page. Listening passages are up to five minutes.
The dialogues are heard only one time, but the longer passages are heard two times.
There is a separate reading test of skimming and scanning.
The CanTEST is a paper-based test. Computers are not used.

Entrance Requirements

The CanTEST may be taken more than once a year as long as three months have passed from the previous CanTEST written. It is the client's responsibility to ensure that this regulation is followed. If a second test score is recorded less than three months from the previous score, the second score will be considered invalid.

Evaluation

Results will be reported as a Band Score. There are 5 band levels. Half bands are also reported. You will be given a band score for each skill. Test results will be available 10 days after your test date. Students may pick up their unofficial results in our office that day. Results will not be given over the phone. Official results will be sent to the institution of your choice on the same diay if you have indicated this on your registation form. A $10 fee is charged (for each institution), if you request to have the official results sent to an institution ofther then the Univeristy of Saskatchewan. The fee will also be charged if you request the sesults to be sent to the Univeristy of Saskatchewan more tht 2 months after your test date.

Format

Listening:

40 - 45 multiple choice or short answer questions
approximately one hour

Reading:

1. Skimming and Scanning: 15 items, 10 minutes
2. Reading Comprehension: passages (up to 650 words) with 20 - 30 questions (multiple-choice and short answer).
3. Cloze: 25 multiple choice items
Total time for parts 2 & 3 is approximately one hour.

Writing:

45 minutes to write on an assigned topic

Completion Requirements

The U of S requires an average score of 4.5 in Listening and Reading and at least 4.0 in Writing.

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Details

Fees:

Test Fees: $120.00 - Listening Comprehension, Reading & Writing; Cancellation Fees are $60 if you notify the Language Centre at least one week before the test date.

$80.00 - Speaking Test; Cancellation Fees, a full refund can be given if you notify the Language Centre one month before the test date.

After that, a $40 refund can be given if you give at least one week's notice before the test date.