The ECL is the Department of Defense test for assessing the English language proficiency of international military students being considered for assignment or training in the United States. It is used in more than 110 countries, as well as the United States. The required ECL score for course entry is set by the military service and school which conducts the course, not by DLIELC. The test is scored on a scale of 100, and most requirements fall between 65 and 85.

The ECL is also used for US military personnel who are non-native speakers of English, as a prerequisite qualification for entry into the military services. This testing is generally conducted by Military Entrance Processing Stations (MEPS).

The ECL test is a four-option, multiple choice test of listening and reading comprehension. The emphasis is on informal American English, the kind of language that might be used in a military training environment. It does not have an academic (university) focus as the TOEFL does, and it does not test specialized technical terminology but rather general English proficiency. All sites, except the DLIELC campus, use the traditional paper-and-pencil version of the test with the listening items on cassette tape. Administration of the test takes about 75 minutes, and it can be easily scored using an answer key. To take the Sample ECL Test, click on the "Listening ECL Questions" first. Let it download for 5 minutes, then push back the box in the white bar. Click on "Sample ECL Questions" and follow the voice instructions.

Since June 1999, a computer-adaptive version of the ECL (CAT ECL) has been in use at the DLIELC campus. Use of the CAT ECL has helped reduce test compromise as, basically, students get their own test. It has also shortened testing time from 75 minutes to an average of 17 minutes, and it has enabled us to better discriminate among students at the higher levels.

The ECL can be obtained and administered only by authorized ECL Test Control Officers, who are US Government personnel. The test is given at approximately 225 sites worldwide. The overall ECL testing program is controlled by DLIELC. For more information, contact the DLIELC Test and Measurement Branch at DLITesting@lackland.af.mil.

FAQ

DLIELC Student Profile

In-Country Testing Procedures

Procedures for Entry Testing at DLIELC

Direct-Entry Testing Procedures at US Installations

ECL Test Guidelines and Procedures
for TCOs

Instructions on Sample ECL Questions