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When I think about the students we serve, those dreaming of studying in the U.S., sometimes from places far from test centers or perhaps with limited resources, I’m reminded why we do what we do and why, as a company, we evolve. Access to education shouldn’t depend on geography, cost, or circumstance. However, for some international students, proving their English proficiency has long been an extra hurdle to jump.

That is changing. And it is changing fast.

A new kind of test for a new kind of student

The ����app English Express Test was built with flexibility and accessibility at its foundations. It is available 24/7, can be taken from anywhere quiet and secure with a stable internet connection, and delivers results in minutes, with certification in under 48 hours.

That means no more waiting weeks for a test date or traveling hours across land (and sometimes sea!) to a test center. For students juggling work, family, or unpredictable schedules, this is a game-changer.

And it is not just about convenience. It is about equity.

Fairness, built in

One of the most exciting things about ����app English Express Test is how it levels the playing field. The test uses AI scoring that has been rigorously developed and validated by human experts. This reduces bias and ensures that every student is assessed consistently, no matter where they are from or what accent they have.

We’ve also built in over��90 security features including dual-camera proctoring, ID and speaker verification. So, institutions can trust the results, and students can trust the process.��

Meeting students where they are

Today’s learners are digital experts. They expect speed, flexibility, and transparency. ����app English Express Test meets them where they are, both literally and figuratively! It is a test that fits into their lives, not the other way around.

And institutions are taking notice, with universities and institutions joining the list to accept the test for their future admissions windows. At NAFSA, we heard again and again how refreshing it was to see a trusted name like ����app offering a modern, student-friendly alternative.

This is just the beginning

At-home testing is not a trend. It is a transformation. It is about removing barriers and opening doors. And while ����app English Express Test is still new, to be launched to test takers in certain markets later in 2025, it is already moving towards helping students take that first step toward their academic dreams.

English not only opens up career opportunities beyond national borders; it is a key requirement for many jobs. It’s also no longer a case of just learning English for employability, but mastering English for business – and that means an on-going commitment to learn.

My experience is consistent with this trend. If I had to estimate the value that being fluent in English has had on my career, I'd say it was my entire life’s earnings. Learning English has offered me educational options beyond the borders of my own country and enabled me to develop the skills to work for global companies that operate across national boundaries. I have been privileged to work in different countries in roles that have spanned functions, geographies and markets – and my ability to learn and evolve my English skills has been an underlying factor throughout.

Alice Pilkington qualified as a CELTA (Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) certified teacher in October 2009. She started working in Rome before moving to Istanbul, where she’s spent the past three and a half years teaching English to “everyone from 8-year-olds to company executives; students to bored housewives”. Having taught in two very different countries to a diverse range of English learners, Alice shares with us the five lessons she’s learned:

1. Don't take things personally when you're teaching English

"I am probably not emotionally suited for this job. I take everything very personally and if a lesson goes wrong or an activity I have taken time and energy to plan doesn’t work, I feel like a complete failure. It’s a trial and error experience but when things go wrong, they can go very wrong, and it really makes you doubt your abilities as a teacher.

Having said that, the lessons that do go well can make up for these negative feelings. I shouldn’t take things personally; the majority of my colleagues don’t and it saves them a lot of sleepless nights"

2. Teaching English is incredibly rewarding

"There are very few feelings that I’ve experienced that compare to seeing a student use a word that you have taught them – it makes you feel like a proud parent. Equally, seeing a student improve over a series of months is so joyful.��I have been teaching English university preparation students for the past year.

In September, they could barely say what their name was and what they did over the weekend. Nine months on and they’re capable of reading academic texts and speaking at length about marketing strategies and environmental problems. It’s a wonderful thing to observe"

3. Teach more than just English

"Turkish students love hearing about how you appreciate their food and cultural traditions. Equally, they are genuinely interested in understanding how things operate in the UK and enjoy hearing personal anecdotes.��I tend to be very open with my students – even about my personal life.��I think it is partly because I have striven from the very beginning of my career to be seen as their equal.

Turkish students are used to having a huge respect for teachers, and there is a hierarchical system in schools here, which I can never go along with. In my first lesson with most students, I tell them that they must call me by my first name (usually you refer to teachers here as ‘hocam’ which means ‘my teacher’ and shows respect) and this can take a long while for them to get used to."

4. Failure to prepare is to prepare for failure... or is it?

"Lessons that you spend hours preparing for generally don’t go as well as you had hoped. There were several times when I’d spend hours cutting and sticking things on pieces of card and placing pictures all over the classroom, hoping it would get some vocabulary action going, only to start the class and receive no response from the students.

Conversely, lessons where you don’t feel very motivated or have no idea what you are going to do until you get into the classroom (which I call the ‘flying by the seat of your pants’ lessons) can turn out to be the best ones. I once had a lesson in which I was, admittedly, rather hungover. On the way to the lesson, I grabbed a book called ‘Taboos and Issues’, full of discussion topics, which I used as a basis for a rather impromptu lesson on addictions, which was very successful indeed."

5. Teaching English isn't easy

"Teaching English is a love/hate profession. There are weeks when you absolutely loathe it and want to quit, but then within the space of a lesson or two, you get inspired by something completely unexpected, rediscover your joy for it and love it again."