Students of University Grants Committee-funded undergraduate degree programmes who expect to graduate at the end of the 2008-09 academic year can register online for the Common English Proficiency Assessment Scheme from today until 7pm on October 17.

UGC Secretary-General Michael Stone said testing sessions will be held from July this year to May 2009 under the scheme. Summer sessions will be staged from July to October so that both job-seekers and employers can get the results earlier.

Students who want to register for the summer sessions should do so by 7pm on April 25. Seats are on a first-come, first-served basis.

Participating students are eligible for reimbursement of the test fee once only, if they agree to have a statement printed on their transcript indicating that they have participated in the scheme. The statement indicates only participation; it does not contain the actual score.

Despite its voluntary nature, more than 10,000 final-year students joined the scheme last year - a record number.

Students can check testing session availablity and register here. Questions? Call 2620 0321.