Freshmen

Whether or not you are required to take the placement exams depends on which College you are going into, your academic background, and your intended program of study. Even if you have taken Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate tests in these subjects, you still need to take the placement exams. Please complete this requirement at least one week prior to your Registration date.

Wondering which placement tests you have to take? To find out, click on the College that you have been admitted to.

Rhetoric

There is no placement exam for your rhetoric course if you are a native speaker of English. Native English-speaking students will be placed into a Rhetoric course based on their highest ACT English (or SAT Critical Reading) score.

Non-native English-speaking students will be informed by the Office of Undergraduate Admissions whether they are required to take the English as a Second Language Placement Test (known as the EPT.) This information appears in your letter of admission.

• If you are not required to take the EPT, then you will be placed into a Rhetoric course based on your highest ACT English (or SAT Critical Reading) score.
• If you are required to take the EPT, then you must take the EPT even if you submitted ACT or SAT scores with your application. You cannot use your ACT English or SAT Critical Reading score for Rhetoric placement.

Math

All incoming freshmen are required to take the ALEKS PPL Math Placement Exam regardless of academic background and Advanced Placement (AP) or International Baccalaureate (IB) credit. The Department of Mathematics coordinates the online ALEKS PPL exam. To take this placement test, you need to log in through the ALEKS website, where you will find instructions and answers to frequently asked questions. Your ALEKS PPL Math Placement Exam score will appear on the screen when you complete the exam so that you can decide whether you are satisfied with the result or whether you want to take the test again to try to earn a higher placement.

Science

The Center for Innovation in Teaching & Learning offers online placement exams in chemistry and physics. Please note that you are allowed only one attempt and your test results will NOT appear on the screen when you complete the test. This is because it is very important that you meet with your academic advisor during registration to discuss your placement test results and your course enrollment options. Results are valid for one year. This means, for example, that if you choose not to enroll in a chemistry course during your first or second semester, you may still follow the placement recommendation when pre-registering for your third semester. However, after that, you would need to take the departmental proficiency exam in order to obtain an updated evaluation of your knowledge level.

Languages Other Than English (LOTE)

Studying a language other than English (LOTE) is a requirement at Illinois. You must have successfully completed through either the third or the fourth level of a LOTE (depending on your College) in order to fulfill this General Education language requirement. It is strongly recommended that you take a LOTE placement exam even though you may think you have fulfilled your General Education requirement!

Taking a year-long AP or IB language course does not count for more than one year. Studying the language in middle school may not count at all.

The Center for Innovation in Teaching & Learning offers online placement exams in French, German, Latin, and Spanish. Please note that you are allowed only one attempt and your test results will NOT appear on the screen when you complete the test. This is because it is very important that you meet with your academic advisor during Registration to discuss your placement test results and your course enrollment options.

If you need to take a placement exam in another LOTE, contact the department to make arrangements.

Results from the language placement exams are valid for one year. This means, for example, that if you choose not to enroll in a LOTE course during your first or second semester, you may still follow the placement recommendation when pre-registering for your third semester. After that, you would need to take a departmental proficiency exam in order to obtain an updated evaluation of your knowledge level. Placement testing is available to you only during your first year.

Test accommodations

Students who need extended time can also take the online placement exams. To request authorization for extended time, contact the Testing Center at Disability Resources and Educational Services (DRES) by calling 217-333-4604 (V/TTY) or e-mailing testing@disability.uiuc.edu. If you need any other type of accommodation, please contact DRES to make arrangements.

PLACEMENT TESTING FOR 2015-2016 HAS NOW CLOSED!