Over 50 years ago, EF was founded with a mission of opening the world through education. Since then, EF has been at the forefront of innovative English language training around the world.
Our global teams are leading cutting-edge academic research and harnessing the latest advancements in technology in order to transform how millions of people learn languages. When we developed the EF Standard English Test (EF SET), we once again set out to challenge the status quo, this time by bridging gaps in how English proficiency is assessed worldwide.
Groundbreaking in delivery and design, the EF SET is the world’s first completely free standardized English test for learners of all levels. To bring our state-of-the-art platform to life, we assembled the industry’s top experts in language assessment, large-scale testing, and psychometrics. Our goal? Make English proficiency testing not only more reliable, but also more affordable, accessible and simple to use for everyone, everywhere.
Available to anyone with internet access, on any device, the EF SET classifies test takers’ abilities into one of six levels established by the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR). Since 2016, over 30 million people — including students and employees at more than 3,000 schools and organizations — have used the EF SET to track their skills and open up a world of new academic and professional opportunities. All free of charge.
Millions of language learners all over the globe take the EF SET, yielding lots of meaningful data and powerful insights on English proficiency. To make the most of these insights, we started turning them into an annual report called the EF English Proficiency Index (EF EPI) — the world’s largest ranking of countries and regions by English skills.
Each year the EF EPI analyzes the previous year’s EF SET data to identify key trends, common pitfalls, and effective strategies for improving global English proficiency. The report now serves as an important international benchmark for individual English learners, English teachers, schools and universities, business organizations, and policymakers worldwide.
Learn more about educational technology and research at EF