Global Assessment CertificateTM (GAC) and English Language Programs (ELP)
Year Introduced
2005, when ACT established a new company: ACT Education Solutions, Limited.
Intended Users
Non-U.S. students wishing to study in the United States take the GAC program to acquire the academic knowledge, independent learning skills, English language skills and confidence to enter and successfully complete a bachelor’s degree at a university.
The English Language Programs can be adapted to suit middle school and high school students and young adults. With flexible entry and exit points, it is possible to design a suite of programs suitable for any educational organization. Training and ongoing academic support are provided to all ELP centers.
Purpose/Description
GAC is an internationally recognized university preparation program for students who do not have English as their first language. It is a product of ACT Education Solutions, Limited (a wholly owned subsidiary of ACT, Inc.). The GAC provides students with the academic knowledge, skills, and confidence to enter and successfully complete a bachelor’s degree at one of many selected universities. Successful completion of the GAC is a passage into a bachelor’s degree program at one of many Pathway Universities in the United States, Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom, and other countries worldwide.
ELP comprises a suite of general and academically oriented English language programs designed to prepare students for further studies in English. Early in the ELP, study units focus on familiar themes and topics, such as Childhood Experiences and Food, Recipes, and Cultures. As students progress through each level, they move on to units with more global issues and concepts, such as People Leading Extraordinary Lives and Technology. Vocabulary is introduced at the beginning of each unit and incorporated into a variety of activities throughout the unit. ELP has a balanced focus on the key language skills of reading, writing, listening, and speaking and offers grounding in grammar and pronunciation.
Volume/Number of Users
Approximately 100 “Pathway” institutions participate in the GAC program, including universities in Australia, Canada, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mexico, Singapore, Thailand, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Vietnam. Currently, more than 3,000 students are completing their GAC program.
Additional Facts
GAC encompasses the skills essential for successful study at a western university. Assessments are designed to prepare students for the rigors of university study, and include the same kind of assessments students found at university in the first year. Approved Teaching Centers (ATCs) can be found in more than 10 countries including Bahrain, Canada, China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mexico, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam. The GAC can be delivered full-time over nine months, or part-time as a concurrent co-curriculum with the high school curriculum.
ELP are delivered in more than 10 countries including Bahrain, Canada, China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mexico, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam. They are taught in centers situated on university campuses, in private language or business colleges, in corporate offices, and within private international and local high schools.
ACT Education Solutions, Limited (AES), has offices in Sydney, Jakarta, Shanghai, and Singapore.
