Access isn’t working for all international students – here’s what needs to change
Access into international higher education is undergoing a quiet reset – driven by new regulations, intensifying competition, shifting student demand, and rapidly evolving English-language testing models.
With so much being made of the importance of accessibility, one might assume the only goal is to widen student participation. But when you look below the surface, the reality is quite different.
Access underpins whether students can participate meaningfully and with confidence. But taking one area of access in isolation does not result in a fair, inclusive, sustainable assessment ecosystem. Access is not a single intervention. The hard truth is that too many students are still being left out, or set up to fail. We, as test providers and higher education institutions, have a responsibility to work together towards a solution.
Remembering who matters most
At The PIE Live Europe, we brought together educators, test providers, and policymakers – both on stage and as part of an expert roundtable – to explore how access can be broadened without compromising quality or integrity.
One participant framed our discussion by asking us to imagine that the test taker was in the room with us. If they were listening in, would they agree with what we were saying? Would they feel understood?
A fundamental challenge for all of us is that everyone has different understandings of access – to improve it, we need to be clear on what it means. By acknowledging that fact, and keeping the student top of mind, we were able to draw three clear conclusions.
Access must empower the student
A comment that struck a chord early on was that “talent is everywhere, but opportunity isn’t. Our job is to close that gap”.
Affordability is a key factor here. Initiatives must be in place to support students from low-income backgrounds. This can include scholarships and bursaries, but also reducing restrictions caused by where and when an English test must be taken.
A comment that struck a chord early on was that “talent is everywhere, but opportunity isn’t. Our job is to close that gap”
The challenge is that access often stops at practicalities. But students must also feel empowered by the test that they are taking. As my colleague Pamela Baxter noted in an earlier article, a test is accessible not only if test takers can easily book and take it, but if it allows them to prove their skills regardless of their individual situation.
There was much discussion about the fact that mismatches in expectations around access can lead to challenges or disappointment for international students throughout their student pathway.
If a student takes a test that they believe will prove their skills and empower them to succeed but does not fairly reflect the reality of the university environment, we are setting them up for failure. A quality, accurate result gives confidence in a learner’s ability to participate, enriching their student experience and their future outcomes.
Access in assessment must mirror access in study
My colleague, Dr Carla Pastorino-Campos, raised the important point that the classroom environment must be reflected in the test environment, and vice versa.
Provision for students with access needs is critical, but that provision must also be consistent. So, if a student uses, for example, a screen reader, a scribe, an interpreter, or braille in their day-to-day learning, access in assessment means ensuring that similar support can be provided in the test environment.
The ways students learn are evolving all the time and so should the support we offer them. To be truly accessible, test providers must strive to always provide equivalent provisions – and ensure these are transparent to all test takers and easy to access.
Access beyond education
A key point raised was that students are pursuing higher education for different reasons than they did a decade ago. New skills, expectations, and student profiles are emerging. It is vital that the assessments we use do not embed biases that disadvantage these learners.
This is linked to the fact that universities are looking to diversify their intake: creating new routes into higher education and developing pathways that encourage students from all backgrounds to see university as a viable and relevant choice, with a real impact on employment outcomes.
Increasingly, students are seeking entry because universities have links to industry or strong placement opportunities. The tests we use for such admissions must recognise these students’ aspirations and empower them to develop and prove the right skills. It must also acknowledge that, as student demographics evolve, the quality of testing must remain consistent, even as requirements change.
Expanding access without compromising quality
Access needs to keep up with the rate of change we are seeing in the world. At the same time, we want the student experience to be positive – and that means ensuring the test they choose accurately reflects their true ability, and provides the same opportunity to all test takers, regardless of their background or situation.
One key way in which we can help set students up for success is to ensure the test they take – the one that may determine their future pathway – is appropriate to their needs. And that means a test that balances cost, fairness, inclusion, quality and integrity.
There is a need for higher education institutions to have a clear understanding of what students require. Additionally, university staff have to be better informed about assessment literacy to ensure they are setting the right language competency expectations for students to succeed.
We must work together to deliver this. We closed our roundtable by making a commitment to continue researching, informing and shaping meaningful access. What rings clear is that it is not about one moment in time: it is a thread that runs through the student journey. When we get access right, the student thrives. If you’d like to join us, please get in touch.
About the author: Francesca Woodward is global managing director, English at Cambridge University Press & Assessment.
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