Education First (EF) announced its annual English Proficiency Index earlier this month. It is the seventh edition of this ranking of countries by English skills. This year's index ranks 80 countries and territories based on data from more than one million adults who took the EF Standard English Test (EF SET) in 2016. In this edition, Singapore is ranked fifth in the world, placing it ahead of many European countries in terms of English proficiency and also making it the best performing country in Asia.

Commentary by Susan Tan:

EF’s English Proficiency Index may have its deficiencies in sample sizes and methodologies but nevertheless is regarded throughout the world as a guide to measuring English proficiency particularly in countries where English is not the first language. This index can be an important indicator in aiding UK institutions when assessing the overall proficiency of applicants. Singapore may have been placed highly within the index but this is backed up by other indicators such as TOEFL IBT Tests, where Singapore’s total mean score tends to be the highest in Asia. Furthermore, the medium of instruction for education and business has always been in English in Singapore. These can help to substantiate the findings of the index as evidence of high proficiency levels in Singapore.

English proficiency or levels of, is a particularly relevant topic in Singapore. In recent years there have been a number of high profile cases regarding applicants to UK universities where the requirement to undertake an English Proficiency test such as IELTS has caused much negativity in the public perceptions of UK education options. Some applicants are considering alternative study destinations as a result of the requirement from some UK institutions to require IELTS testing. The discussion around Singapore’s status as a country that is not on the list of those exempted from providing proof of ‘Knowledge of English’ for UKVI’s Tier 4 visa application, is a topic that has been debated at ministerial level in Singapore, especially during important visits by UK politicians.

There is an appreciation that even though the medium of instruction in Singapore is English, that this does not necessarily equip students for the academic rigour of an undergraduate or postgraduate study programme undertaken in the UK. However evidence such as the EF English Proficiency Index and TOEFL summary scores suggests and supports that for the majority of applicants from Singapore, UK universities should consider the applicants on merit and not just on the basis that Singapore is not an exempted country. Some universities have published on their websites the grades required from Singapore's GCE O-levels English (IGCSE equivalent) as evidence of language proficiency for admission to undergraduate programmes.

Whilst we fully support UK institutions in the conforming to the standards and requirements of UK’s visa regulations, the UKVI does offer guidance on Tier 4 visa applications where Higher Education Institutions can choose their form of assessment for those coming for degree and above courses. This is a point worth making in terms of allowing UK universities to exercise a greater degree of flexibility when assessing applicants from countries where there is a good understanding that English proficiency levels are of a high standard.