FROM ART EDUCATION TO ENGLISH PROFICIENCY: SENDRATASIK GRADUATES’ PERCEPTIONS OF TOEFL AS A GRADUATION REQUIREMENT AT A PUBLIC UNIVERSITY IN JAMBI

Abstract

This qualitative case study investigated how two Sendratasik graduates perceived the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) as a graduation requirement at a public university in Jambi. It examined the value they attributed to the requirement, the challenges they encountered, the strategies they used to prepare, and the institutional support they expected. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews conducted in Bahasa Indonesia and analyzed thematically following Braun and Clarke (2006). The findings reveal two related but distinct views of the requirement. Both participants regarded English as valuable for employment, postgraduate study, access to references, international workshops, and artistic collaboration. However, they also reported anxiety because English had not been consistently integrated into their arts-based academic training. Their main challenges involved unfamiliar test items, the required score, repeated attempts, and additional testing costs. Preparation was primarily self-directed and relied on online videos, sample questions, vocabulary searches, and basic English materials. Although the requirement increased their awareness of the importance of English, it also created pressure when comprehensive institutional preparation was unavailable. The study recommends that TOEFL policies for arts students be supported by early and contextualized English instruction, clear test orientation, regular practice, and affordable assistance for students who need multiple attempts.