Abstract
The shift toward online and AI-assisted English testing, especially during and after the COVID-19 pandemic, has changed the way students experience language assessment. This study explores postgraduate students’ experiences with online and AI-based English tests at the Faculty of Arts and Languages, University of Tripoli. A mixed-methods approach was used, including a questionnaire completed by 24 students and eight semi-structured interviews. The survey results showed generally positive opinions toward the convenience of online testing and the important role AI may play in future education. Interview findings supported these results and highlighted issues such as internet instability, fear of test interruption, and the belief that AI cannot fully understand individual student performance in the way teachers can. This study concludes that online and AI-assisted tests are useful tools, but they should be applied carefully to ensure fair, reliable, and student-centered assessment practices. Importantly, the findings contribute local empirical evidence from the Libyan higher education context, where infrastructural constraints play a significant role in shaping assessment experiences.