| What International Exams Cost for Georgians |
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09/11/2009 12:03 (824 Day 02:53 minutes ago) | |||||
The FINANCIAL -- International exams such as TOEFL, GMAT, IELTS, BEC, SAT, GRE, are becoming more and more popular in Georgia. “As today’s educational system has a focus towards the west, all these exams are gaining popularity on the Georgian market,” Says Tinatin Gugberidze, Director of Marketing and the PR Department at Caucasus University. “There are several reasons why. First of all there is a growing number of Georgian students going abroad for undergraduate, graduate, or postgraduate degrees, therefore they have to take these exams in order to have the possibility to be admitted at the institutions of higher education abroad.”
The Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) evaluates the ability of an individual to use and understand English. It consists of four sections: reading, listening, speaking and writing. The validity of a TOEFL score is 2 years. Since 2005, the Internet-Based test (IBT) has progressively replaced both Computer-based (CBT) and Paper-based (PBT) tests. However, paper-based tests are still used in some areas.
“Our organization is one from four centres that administers the IBT TOEFL test in Georgia, moreover, as well as in Tbilisi we have a CIE branch in Batumi,” says Tamar Karchava, US Education Adviser of the Center of International Education.
“For 2009 we have 49 test days and altogether 195 persons will have passed TOEFL by the end of December.” The cost of passing TOEFL is 160 USD. The TOEFL exam is also held by American Councils in Georgia.
The cost varies depending on the different preparation centres, at Lingua House an individual hour-long lesson with a foreign teacher costs 25 GEL. However as part of a group the price is 160 GEL for 8 lessons.
The main competitor of the US-based TOEFL is probably the International English Language Testing System (IELTS).
IELTS is managed by the British Council, Cambridge ESOL and IDP Australia. Like TOEFL, it consists of 4 sections (reading, listening, speaking and writing). The test is used by more than 1,000 universities and colleges worldwide, including more than 700 institutions in the USA. IELTS is available in two formats - Academic and General Training. For enhanced further trainings you would probably need to take the Academic format, for work experience and immigration purposes you need to take the General Training format.
The cost of taking an IELTS exam at the British Council is 80 GBP. The course of preparation at the British International Training Centre (ETI) is 400 GEL per course (44 hours). At the English Language Centre the fee for IELTS is 10 GEL per contact hour. At Caucasus Academic Centre (CAC) the total fee is 350 GEL (30 hours).
The Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) remains the most demanded test worldwide. It is a computer adaptive standardized test in mathematics and the English language. As of August 2009, the fee to take the test is 250 USD. Business Schools use the test as a selection criteria for admission into an MBA programme.
“In order to be admitted to a very prestigious business school, like Harvard School of Business (Harvard University), Wharton School of Business (University of Pennsylvania) the GMAT score demanded is a minimum of 700, and the competition is high,” says Gugberidze.
GMAT preparation courses are offered by ETI, LEAF and the American Georgian Education Center. “We offer our students different packages. The pricing depends on how many classes the student will take with us, and what type of service they require, the price for the tests begins at 320 GEL per month,” says Giorgi Chavleishvili, the Director of LEAF. For students who decide to take courses at ETI, they will have to pay 400 GEL per course (44 hours).
One of most prized international professional examinations is ACCA, the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants. ACCA is recognized across the world, having 296,000 students and 115,000 members in 170 countries. This is the first professional organization that has introduced the principals of financial accounting considering the international standards. In total there are 14 papers to be passed. The system is divided into two main categories, Fundamental consisting of Knowledge (3 papers), Skills (9 papers), and Professional - Essential (3 papers) and Options (2 papers). GFPAA, the Georgian Foundation of Professional Accountants and Auditors provides courses for ACCA preparation. The fee for each course is 260 GEL, the cost of passing the exam 140 GEL and Books - 50 GEL.
The SAT Reasoning Test (Scholastic Aptitude Test) is a standardized test for college admissions in the USA. It consists of three sections: math, critical reading and writing. The cost of passing the exam is 71 USD.
GRE, Graduate Record Examination is required while applying to the Social Science Magister in the USA. GRE is typically a computer-based exam, and is primarily focused on testing abstract thinking skills in mathematics, vocabulary and analytical writing.
Both SAT and GRE exam preparation courses are available at LEAF and ETI, the fees are the same as the above mentioned.
Moreover, ELC offers courses of Business English Certificates, BEC (vantage, higher) and International Legal English Certificate, ILEC. “BECs are widely recognized in and outside of Georgia for those wishing to work in a business environment, while ILEC is designed for Law students and practicing lawyers. Please note that BECs and ILEC aren’t professional exams - these are testing the English language necessary for the relevant professions,” says Maya Kiasashvili, the Director of ELC. The cost of preparation courses for BEC is 640 GEL (100 hours, 4 months) and for ILEC - 720 GEL (100 hours, 4 months).
“Actually as the certificate is the password for students to high standard and quality education, it’s quite important for recruiters as well, as these certificates can lead the person to the highest educational achievements. And high educational achievements are very often in correlation with high achievements at work,” says Gugberidze.
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