A study of undergraduate students' problems toward taking an English proficiency test based on CEFR

The purposes of this research were to investigate the CEFR level of Thai undergraduate students and also to identify the students’ problems toward taking the proficiency test. This study was conducted with thirty fourth-year Thai undergraduate students at a public university in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand. The data were collected through English proficiency testing and participants’ demographic information to see the CEFR levels in percentage and frequency, Interview questions were analyzed by verbal transcribing. Additionally, the result of the study revealed that the majority of students were at the A2 level, followed by B1 and A1 levels, the highest was B2 level and none the students reached C1 and C2 levels. Six participants in the interview faced challenges during the exam, particularly in the listening part. Students struggled with fast and unclear accents, understanding conversations, and unfamiliar vocabulary. In the Use of English part, difficulties were related to vocabulary and grammar structure. Finally, this study will be valuable for helping students be well prepared and enhancing student scores on the English Placement Test.