Southeast Asia Language Teaching and Learning (SALTeL) Journal - Volume 4 Number 1 January 2021 - An Evaluation of TOEFL Benchmark Policy as an Exit Requirement for Undergraduate Students

Sep 30, 2026

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This study investigated the TOEFL benchmark policy as an exit requirement for Universitas Teuku Umar students. Using a survey design, questionnaire data and students’ TOEFL scores were collected from 100 non-English major participants. Results showed more positive than negative responses, with approval linked to students’ abilities, awareness of English learning importance, and motivation. TOEFL scores from 2018–2019 indicated 58% failed to reach the minimum criterion (˃400), suggesting students are not yet ready, while most agreed with implementation but called for evaluating minimum passing scores and supporting students’ needs under the policy.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryExam

FormatPDF

Pages8

Reading Time20 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

Background of TOEFL as an Indonesian graduation requirement

UTU rector decree and passing score benchmarks

Challenges for non-English majors

Southeast Asia Language Teaching and Learning (SALTeL) Journal Volume 4 Number 1 January 2021, 18 ~ 25 DOI: [https://doi.org/10.35307/saltel.v4i](https://doi.org/10.35307/saltel.v4i) 1.61 e-ISSN: 2614-2684 r 18 | An Evaluation of TOEFL Benchmark Policy as an Exit Requirement for Undergraduate Students
Endah Anisa Rahma1, Rina Syafitri2, Veni Nella Syahputri3 & Firman Parlindungan4
1,2,3,4Universitas Teuku Umar, Aceh Barat, Indonesia | | | | --- | --- | --- | | ARTICLE INFO | | ABSTRACT
This study investigated the TOEFL benchmark policy as an exit requirement for Universitas Teuku Umar students. The research method used was survey design hereby the data from the questionnaire and students' TOEFL score were collected. Under the policy, the students have to pass the standard passing score of TOEFL to graduate. 100 non-English major students from Universitas Teuku Umar participated in this study. The results of the study revealed that the participants gave more positive responses than negative ones. The extend of approval for this policy seemed more related to their abilities, awareness of the importance of learning English, and motivation to learn English. The result from TOEFL scores taken from 2018-2019 found that as many as 58% of students failed to obtain minimum criteria (˃ 400) while only 42% of them reached 400 or above. It indicates that Universitas Teuku Umar students are not ready yet to face this policy. On the other hand, based on the questionnaire result, most students agreed with the implementation of TOEFL as an exit requirement, however, a minimum passing score should be evaluated and a set of students'needs under the policy should be facilitated. | | Article history:
Received Nov 28, 2020 Revised Jan 15, 2021 Accepted Jan 30, 2021 | | | | Keywords:
TOEFL
Benchmark Policy
Exit Requirement | | | | Conflict of Interest:
None | | | | Funding:
None | | | | Corresponding Author: Endah Anisa Rahma, Faculty of Fisheries and Marine Science, Universitas Teuku
Umar. Email: [endahanisarahma@utu.ac.id](endahanisarahma@utu.ac.id) | | | | | © Endah Anisa Rahma, Rina Syafitri, Veni Nella Syahputri, Firman Parlindungan
This is an open access article under the CC BY-SA 4.0 international license. | | 1. Introduction It is widely recognized that English is studied as an international language. English in Indonesia is used in a range of fields such as diplomacy, international trade and industry, science and technology, and education (Huda, 2000) . Although English is not used in the official domain, English is still regarded as a priority in Indonesia such as becoming one of the compulsory subjects at school and tertiary level. TOEFL has been enacted as one of the graduation requirements at Universitas Teuku Umar (UTU) since 2018. Universitas Teuku Umar locates at Meulaboh city, Aceh, Indonesia. It has been declared as a state university since 2014. In line with UTU's vision," becoming a source of inspiration and reference in the development of science, technology, and business in the agro and marine-based industrial sector (agro and marine industry), ranked regionally (2025), national (2040), and international (2060) through innovative, creative and highly competitive research", the university prepares a good quality of English proficiency for UTU's stakeholders. One of the main elements that have to be improved is students' English mastery. English is introduced at the beginning of the semester as a general subject. Then, in 2018, UTU declared the new policy for graduate students to pass the TOEFL test for exit requirement. Universitas Teuku Umar students who are going to do the script examination are required to obtain a minimum TOEFL score of 400 for all majors. This is stated in the Rector's Decree number 132 / UN59 / EP / 2017 concerning the implementation of the TOEFL score, namely: 1. 400 for graduates ofthe 2018 and 2019 academic years 2. 450 for graduates ofth

FAQs

What TOEFL benchmark policy was studied as an exit requirement?

The study investigated the TOEFL benchmark policy used as an exit requirement for Universitas Teuku Umar students to graduate, including the required passing scores by academic year.

How was the research conducted?

The research used a survey design, collecting data from questionnaires and students’ TOEFL test scores.

What did the TOEFL score results for 2018–2019 show?

The results indicated that 58% of students failed to obtain the minimum criteria (˃400), while 42% reached 400 or above.

Sep 30, 2026

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