78 JURNAL PENDIDIKAN DAN PEMBELAJARAN, VOLUME 27-ISSUE 2, OKTOBER 2020 78 Need Assessment for Developing an Online English Proficiency Test Instrument in Higher Education During Covid-19 Pandemic Asa Bani Putria, Wahyu Lestari Universitas Negeri Semarang E-mail address: asabanip@gmail.com Abstract: This study aims to find out things needed to develop an online English proficiency test instrument in higher education during COVID-19 pandemic. The method of this study was descriptive qualitative method by using observation and interview as the data collection techniques. This study mention three main points that are needed in developing an online test instrument. The first is the system or application that will be used in conducting the online test. The second is the administrator of the online test. The last point is the device and facilities that support the online test. Keywords: English proficiency test, online test, need assessment In early 2020, a pandemic occurs due to Corona Virus Disease (COVID-19). It impacts all of daily aspects, including education. To prevent the spreading of this virus, Indonesian government issued a policy through the Circular of the Minister of Cultural Education No.3 of 2020. The policy affects the teaching learning process in academic community. A face-to-face learning is not allowed and it has to be substituted to an online learning. The policy also affects the test conducted during the teaching learning process. One of the test affected is English proficiency test conducted in higher education. English proficiency test is one the important test for students in higher education. The test includes in one of the requirement for the students to graduate. Every university has their own standard to hold the test. There are so many models of the test that can be held. The universities usually conducts a paper based test which required the test takers to the room test and do the test together at one time. Because of the government policy during pandemic, a paper based test cannot be conducted. The test holder should think about the paper based test substitution so that the English proficiency test can be held during this pandemic. One of the solutions that can be done is by having an online test system. To have such an appropriate system, the test holder should analyze the things needed. Need assessment is the first step in conducting a research. It includes problem identification, condition analysis, and research team organization. The researcher observes, distributes questionnaires, and interviews the subject to get additional data (Kuntum An Nisa Imania, 2019). There are several studies conducted relates to need assessment in developing test instrument. The first study conducted by Atim Rinawati (2017) aims to determine the extent of the need for teacher competency assessment in Kebumen regency. This study used qualitative method with interviews and documentation as the data collecting techniques. The results of this study state four conclusions that encourage the need for instrument development. The second study has some aims. One of them is to know the need of English teachers in developing authentic instruments at MAN 2 Bengkulu (Lismayanti, 2017). This study used cross-sectional survey method which collected data one by one at a time. This study concludes that the teachers have to learn more in developing their competence of education and in applying the evaluation with the curriculum. The third study was conducted by Febryna Nurhidayah (2016) which aims to know students’ needs about problem-based worksheet, and the type of worksheet needed. The research methodology of this study was descriptive qualitative which used observation, interview, and questionnaire to obtain the data. Based on the results obtained, this study concludes that students need problem-based worksheet because they need to learn problem solving and find the solution. The next study’s purpose is to do need assessment on learning media, teaching materials, learning materials, worksheets, and learning evaluations used in the learning environment in schools and universities (Ilmi Zajuli Ichsan, 2019). The research method used is descriptive method with data collection techniques using observation and interviews. The study concludes