English language proficiency exam for the Certification Program
About this requirement
The English language proficiency assessment confirms that the applicant demonstrates the required competency in oral and written English based on the applicant’s achievement of passing scores on tests jointly approved by the U.S. Department of Education and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Applicants educated in specific countries where English is the native language and the textbook and instruction language (see below) are exempt from having to take an English proficiency exam.
Applicants must successfully pass the English language proficiency examination and the CGFNS Qualifying Exam® within a two-year time frame.
Who does not need the exam
To be exempt from the English proficiency requirement, you must meet ALL of the following criteria:
Who needs to take the exam
If you do not meet the criteria above, you need to take one of the following groups of English language proficiency examinations. You need to request that the testing organization forward your score directly to CGFNS for evaluation.
Several English language proficiency examinations are approved to meet the English language requirement of the Certification Program. The passing scores for the English language proficiency examinations are located in the Certification Program Applicant Handbook and the Certification Program Requirements.
Please also note
| If you… | The action you need to take is to … |
|---|---|
| Fail both the CGFNS Qualifying Exam® and the English language proficiency exam | Retake and pass both the CGFNS Qualifying Exam® and the English language proficiency exam within two years of each other |
| Pass English language proficiency exam, but fail the CGFNS Qualifying Exam® | Retake and pass the CGFNS Qualifying Exam® within two years of passing the English language proficiency exam |
| Pass the CGFNS Qualifying Exam®, but fail the English language proficiency exam | Retake and pass the English language proficiency exam within two years of passing the CGFNS Qualifying Exam® |
| Pass the English language proficiency exam more than two years apart from passing the CGFNS Qualifying Exam® | Retake and pass both the CGFNS Qualifying Exam® and the English language proficiency exam within two years of each other |
Contact details for English language proficiency exam centers
Applicants apply directly to:
TOEFL® iBT PO Box 6151 |
IELTS Please use IELTS contact us page to direct you to your nearest test center: |