DO COLLEGE STUDENTS STILL NEED THE TOEFL TEST AS ONE OF GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS? - A STUDY ON STUDENTS’ PERCEPTIONS AND PREPARATION NEED

Oct 2, 2026

Study of whether college students still need the TOEFL test as one of graduation requirements, focusing on student perceptions of TOEFL and whether an intensive TOEFL preparation class is needed. Over five years, IAI Al Muhammad Cepu emphasized passing the test, while students’ perceptions were largely ignored. Using a qualitative approach with questionnaires and interviews, results show most participants have positive perceptions, citing better motivation to learn English, while negative perceptions relate to limited material knowledge, grammar difficulties, and technical errors; most also strongly support intensive preparation classes.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryExam

FormatPDF

Pages25

Reading Time1 h 3 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

TOEFL as a graduation requirement

Purpose and international recognition

TOEFL test formats and administration

Study focus and background (implied by abstract)

Students’ pros and cons perceptions

Reported challenges and preparation needs

Page 192-216 DO COLLEGE STUDENTS STILL NEED THE TOEFL TEST AS ONE OF GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS? Linna Endah Nur Wahyuni Institut Agama Islam Al Muhammad, Cepu, Indonesia [linna.endah79@gmail.com](linna.endah79@gmail.com) Abstract For the last five years of conducting TOEFL as a graduation requirement, IAI Al Muhammad Cepu only focused on how to succeed in the test. Meanwhile, the students’ perception of the TOEFL test tends to be ignored. Based on the phenomenon explained above, the writer intended to gain the pros and cons of students’ perception on the TOEFL test as one of the graduation requirements, also whether the TOEFL preparation class is needed or not. This study became essential to be conducted since the findings will be beneficial for many universities considering the regulation for conducting TOEFL Test as one of the graduation requirements. The writer used a qualitative method in which questionnaire and interview as the instruments. From 68 participants who filled out the questionnaire and 12 participants involved in the interview; the findings showed that nearly all participants had pros perception on TOEFL as a graduation requirement. Most of the participants considered TOEFL motivated them to learn English better. Besides, few students had cons perception on the TOEFL test. The students encountered some challenges including little knowledge of the material, grammar mastery, and technical errors during the test. Moreover, the finding revealed that most students perceive that an intensive preparation class is strongly needed. Keywords: Perception, TOEFL Test, Graduation Requirement 192 Page 192-216 INTRODUCTION Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) is nowadays held in many universities in Indonesia including as a graduation requirement. The TOEFL test serves a dual purpose, functioning not only as an instrument for assessing students'English proficiency but also as an essential graduation prerequisite. Ananda (2016) posits that the results of the TOEFL test stand as a pivotal criterion for both admission and graduation at Indonesia's renowned universities. Warfield (2013) argued that TOEFL is sometimes used as an indicator of students’ academic success and how well their performance is, during their study in the university. As the purpose of language is to communicate, for non-native speakers, the TOEFL test is used to measures their ability to communicate in English, especially in academic setting. The TOEFL test is considered accurate to find out how well the nonnative students use their English language skills in their college environment or in the classroom (ETS, 2016) . The TOEFL test is introduced by the National Council on the Testing English as a Foreign Language in 1963. Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) is a test that is already internationally recognized. TOEFL test has three types of tests. They are The Paper-Based Test (PBT), The Computer-Based Test (CBT), and The Internet-Based Test (IBT) . Muhammad (2019) the Paper-Based-Test (PBT) is a pencil-paper-used test. This type of TOEFL test is the first type and is still considered a traditional examination. Lots of Colleges or other institutions use PBT TOEFL test to test their students. Therefore, the score is not internationally valid. The score is only admitted or accepted in the colleges or institutions where the examinees took the test. Most of the PBT TOEFL test-takers are the students who are going take their thesis final examinations. Page 193 Page 192-216 In Indonesia, the TOEFL test is originally conducted by the English Language System (ELS), a specific institution for TOEFL test, known as Institutional TOEFL. Universities in Indonesia may also employ a test similar with TOEFL or we call it as TOEFL like or a TOEFL equivalent test, or also TOEFL prediction. These TOEFL like tests such can be administered by the centre of language studies or by the language laboratory within the university.

FAQs

What is the main purpose of this study?

To examine the pros and cons of students’ perceptions of the TOEFL test as a graduation requirement and to determine whether a TOEFL preparation class is needed.

What method and participants were used?

The study used a qualitative method with questionnaires and interviews. Sixty-eight participants completed questionnaires and twelve participated in interviews.

What challenges did students report about the TOEFL test?

Students reported challenges such as limited knowledge of the material, difficulties with grammar mastery, and technical errors during the test.

Oct 2, 2026

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