What is STEP?

The National Centre for Assessment in Higher Education offers proficiency tests in English language for non-native speakers. The educational institutions in Saudi Arabia accept these proficiency test scores for admissions.
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Eligibility Criteria

Following students are eligible to take the STEP test:
  • Students who want to apply to the English departments in the higher education institutions in Saudi Arabia are required to take this test. 
  • Students who want an exemption from studying English courses in their respective programmes
  • Students who have applied for English departments and want to get placed as per their relevant level of proficiency must take the test
  • Students who want to apply for post-graduate programmes
  • People who want to work in private sector
  • English language teachers who want to obtain a certificate in English
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Tests Times
The standardized test for English proficiency (STEP) is conducted thrice per year. 

STEP Structure


The STEP tests has four sections: (percentage of questions)
  • Reading Comprehension 40%
  • Sentence Structure 30%
  • Listening Comprehension    20%
  • Composition Analysis 10%

Duration: 3 hours 

Total no. of questions: 100

Type of questions: Multiple-choice 
  • Each question has four options; candidates are required to select the right answer form the 4 choices given (A, B, C, D). 

​The STEP test sections are:
  • Listening: A few recordings are played and on the basis of it, candidates are required to answer a few questions.
  • Reading comprehension: This section consists of a passage. Candidates are required to read and understand the passage, and answer questions accordingly. This section also consists of a few short statements that have 1 to 2 questions. 
  • Sentence structure: This section requires the candidates to choose the correct answer from the options given as per the correct grammar, and complete the sentences. The grammar points are correct usage of adverbs, verbs, adjectives, gerunds, definite and indefinite articles, subject-verb agreement, and nouns. 
  • Composition Analysis: This section has questions based on punctuations, capitalization, incorrect structures, and sentence combining or ordering.  ​

Studying Tips for STEP

The STEP test is very similar to the TOEFL paper test; so the best way to prepare is by reading general English topics, like novels, or magazines. Listed below are some resources that I feel would help you prepare for the STEP test.  Start with the study guide here. 

The key to studying for the STEP exam, is to build vocabulary and work on listening skills. Go to the IMPROVING VOCABULARY page and pick any method to begin. READ! READ! READ!