Hong Kong’s Lingnan University scraps English exit test for graduation

Lingnan University in Hong Kong has eliminated its requirement for undergraduates to pass an English proficiency test before graduating, instead implementing internal language classes in its place. This decision, announced by the university's senate, has raised concerns among some observers who believe the change may be an attempt to accommodate students who find it difficult to meet international standards.

University spokesperson Lau Chi-pang confirmed that the university no longer feels the need for an exit exam, noting that 99% of undergraduates have consistently passed the requirement since its introduction. The revised policy mandates that students instead complete the English Language Enhancement Curriculum to fulfill the language requirement upon graduation.

This change means students will no longer need to take an external English test like the IELTS or Password Test to demonstrate their language proficiency. Lau explained that the benchmark test was introduced in 2017 in response to criticism from the Quality Assurance Council over students' English proficiency. Since then, only a small number of students failed the test.

Some social media users have speculated that the move may be due to non-local students from mainland China struggling to meet the English standards. However, Lau dismissed these concerns, stating that non-local students admitted to Lingnan University often achieve excellent results on the gaokao, China's national college entrance exam, and sometimes outperform local students in English.

The university's previous framework required a minimum IELTS score of 6.5 for graduation, with higher scores for students in certain majors.