Testing in Less Commonly Studied Languages

Placement & Proficiency

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please contact:

Placement & Proficiency
(217) 244-4437
pnp@illinois.edu

OFFICE HOURS

Monday - Friday
8:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
1:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Testing in Less Commonly Studied Languages (last updated January 16, 2019)

The purpose of placement testing is to identify which Illinois course is most appropriate for you so that you can pick up your studies where you left off. Placement testing is NOT NECESSARY if you have never studied the language. To begin studying a new language, simply enroll in the elementary-level course.

The purpose of proficiency testing is usually to fulfill the General Education language requirement. Most of the language proficiency exams do not award academic credit.

Placement testing and proficiency testing in a less commonly studied language are carried out by the department that offers the language. The department decides the date and time of the test, the manner in which testing is conducted, and the grading scheme. The department also determines how much academic credit, if any, your performance earns. Credit hours are NOT automatically posted to your academic record simply because you took a proficiency exam. Consult with your academic advisor to find out how your academic record will be affected.

Please be aware that a less commonly studied language MIGHT NOT BE OFFERED every semester. Just as course availability depends on instructor availability, placement testing and proficiency testing also depend on the availability of an instructor who is qualified to assess your language skills. If testing is not available when you wish to test, please check with the department that is responsible for the language to see what your options are.

A fee may be charged to defray the cost of administering and grading a proficiency exam. The student is responsible for paying any fees that are charged.

CHINESE PROFICIENCY TESTING: This exam serves solely to fulfill the General Education language requirement and does not give you a course placement. It is offered online at the Testing Center and consists of listening comprehension, reading comprehension, and writing an essay. (Speaking is optional and does not count towards your final score.) To pass, you must do well in all three sections. Strong performance in one area does not compensate for weak performance in another. To schedule an appointment, contact Melissa Minarik at the Testing Center at least 5 business days before your desired test date.

Language	Department Responsible For Testing
Sub-Saharan African Languages (Swahili and Wolof)	Linguistics Dept. Dr. Mary Gathogo PHONE: 217-333-3563 EMAIL: gathogo@illinois.edu
ASL	Dept. of Speech and Hearing Science. Ms. Susan Dramin Weiss (by appointment only) PHONE: 217-333-2230 EMAIL: sdramin@illinois.edu
Arabic	Linguistics Dept. Dr. Eman Saadah PHONE: 217-244-4515 EMAIL: esaadah2@illinois.edu
Basque	Dept. of Spanish and Portuguese Dr. Jose Ignacio Hualde PHONE: 217-244-7161 EMAIL: jihualde@illinois.edu
Bengali	Linguistics Dept. Dr. Mithilesh Mishra PHONE: 217-333-3563 EMAIL: mkmishra@illinois.edu There is a fee for this test. The proficiency exam will be offered on January 22, 2019 from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. in Room 213 Gregory Hall. Advance registration is required.
Bosnian	Dept. of Slavic Languages and Literatures Dr. Roman Ivashkiv PHONE: 217-244-1063 EMAIL: roman904@illinois.edu The placement exam will be given on Friday, January 18, 2019 from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. in Room 1110 FLB. If you place beyond the fourth semester, you will fulfill the Gen Ed language requirement. Advance registration is not required to test. For general information about the Slavic placement tests, go here.
Bulgarian	Dept. of Slavic Languages and Literatures Dr. Richard Tempest PHONE: 217-244-4720 EMAIL: rtempest@illinois.edu Placement testing only There is no proficiency testing. There are only two Bulgarian courses.
Catalan	Dept. of Spanish and Portuguese Dr. Jose Ignacio Hualde PHONE: 217-244-7161 EMAIL: jihualde@illinois.edu
Chinese	Dept. of East Asian Languages and Cultures Dr. Chilin Shih PHONE: 217-244-2725 EMAIL: Please contact Debbie if you have questions about Chinese testing debrice@illinois.edu CHINESE PROFICIENCY TESTING IS NOW ADMINISTERED AT THE TESTING CENTER. Please contact Melissa Minarik at least 5 business days before your desired test date to schedule your appointment. Chinese placement testing is done online. Enroll yourself to take the test, using your NetID, and be sure to complete the Technology Check.Placement test results do NOT fulfill the Gen Ed language requirement.
Czech/Slovak	Dept. of Slavic Languages and Literatures Dr. David Cooper PHONE: 217-244-4666 EMAIL: dlcoop@illinois.edu
Farsi (Persian)	Linguistics Dept. Dr. Eman Saadah PHONE: 217-244-4515 EMAIL: esaadah2@illinois.edu
German	Dept. of Germanic Languages and Literatures. Face-to-face proficiency testing is available for any student by appointment only. Face-to-face placement testing is available only for continuing students by appointment only. New students take the online German Placement Test. Mr. Charles Webster PHONE: 217-333-1288 EMAIL: cwebste@illinois.edu
Classical Greek	Classics Dept. Dr. Brian Walters PHONE: 217-333-1008 EMAIL: bwaltrs@illinois.edu
Modern Greek	Modern Greek Studies Program Dr. Stefanos Katsikas PHONE: 217-300-7188 EMAIL: skatsika@illinois.edu
Gujarati	Linguistics Dept. Dr. Mithilesh Mishra PHONE: 217-333-3563 EMAIL: mkmishra@illinois.edu There is a fee for this test. The proficiency exam will be offered on January 22, 2019 from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. in Room 213 Gregory Hall. Advance registration is required.
Hebrew	Program in Jewish Culture and Society Ms. Sarah Elder PHONE: 217-333-7978 EMAIL: srwilkin@illinois.edu Dr. Dara Goldman PHONE: 217-333-0986 EMAIL: degoldma@illinois.edu
Hindi	Linguistics Dept. Dr. Mithilesh Mishra PHONE: 217-333-3563 EMAIL: mkmishra@illinois.edu The proficiency exam will be offered on January 22, 2019 from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. in Room 213 Gregory Hall. Advance registration is required.
Italian	Dept. of French and Italian Ms. Laura Callegari Hill PHONE: 217-244-9375 EMAIL: lchill1@illinois.edu Placement tests for Italian are offered face-to-face, not online. An effort will be made to schedule them in combination with the student’s Registration/Advising date. To set up a 30-minute appointment, please contact Laura Hill, Director of the Basic Italian Language Program, at least one week in advance of your desired test date.
Japanese	Dept. of East Asian Languages and Cultures Dr. Misumi Sadler PHONE: 217-244-2725 EMAIL: Please contact Debbie if you have questions about Japanese testing: debrice@illinois.edu The next opportunity to take the Japanese Placement Test will be in August 2019 prior to Fall semester (probably Friday morning, August 23).
Kannada	Linguistics Dept. Dr. Mithilesh Mishra PHONE: 217-333-3563 EMAIL: mkmishra@illinois.edu There is a fee for this test. The proficiency exam will be offered on January 22, 2019 from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. in Room 213 Gregory Hall. Advance registration is required.
Korean	Dept. of East Asian Languages and Cultures Dr. Jeeyoung Ahn Ha PHONE: 217-244-2725 EMAIL: Please contact Debbie if you have questions about Korean testing debrice@illinois.edu The next opportunity to take the Korean Placement Test will be in August 2019 prior to Fall semester (probably Friday morning, August 23).
Latin	Classics Dept. Proficiency testing only! New students must take the online Latin placement test prior to enrolling in a Latin course. Continuing students must request a face-to-face testing appointment. All Latin proficiency exams are administered on an individual basis. Dr. Ariana Traill PHONE: 217-333-7661 EMAIL: traill@illinois.edu
Malayalam	Linguistics Dept. Dr. Mithilesh Mishra PHONE: 217-333-3563 EMAIL: mkmishra@illinois.edu There is a fee for this test. The proficiency exam will be offered on January 22, 2019 from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. in Room 213 Gregory Hall. Advance registration is required.
Marathi	Linguistics Dept. Dr. Mithilesh Mishra PHONE: 217-333-3563 EMAIL: mkmishra@illinois.edu There is a fee for this test. The proficiency exam will be offered on January 22, 2019 from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. in Room 213 Gregory Hall. Advance registration is required.
Native American Languages: Quechua	Upon consent from the Associate Director of the Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies Mr. Carlos Molina Vital PHONE: 217-333-3182 EMAIL: crm5@illinois.edu
Polish	Dept. of Slavic Languages and Literatures Dr. Roman Ivashkiv PHONE: 217-333-0680 EMAIL: roman904@illinois.edu The placement exam will be offered on Friday, January 18, 2019 from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. in Room 1112 FLB. If you place beyond the fourth semester, you will fulfill the Gen Ed language requirement. Advance registration is not required to test. For general information about the Slavic placement tests, go here.
Portuguese	Dept. of Spanish and Portuguese Mrs. Raquel Castro Goebel PHONE: 217-333-3390 EMAIL: rcgoebel@illinois.edu
Punjabi	Linguistics Dept. Dr. Mithilesh Mishra PHONE: 217-333-3563 EMAIL: mkmishra@illinois.edu There is a fee for this test. The proficiency exam will be offered on January 22, 2019 from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. in Room 213 Gregory Hall. Advance registration is required.
Russian	Dept. of Slavic Languages and Literatures Dr. Roman Ivashkiv PHONE: 217-333-0680 EMAIL: roman904@illinois.edu The placement exam will be offered on Friday, January 18, 2019 from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. in Room 1110 FLB. If you place beyond the fourth semester, you will fulfill the Gen Ed language requirement. Advance registration is not required to test. For general information about the Slavic placement tests, go here.
Sanskrit	Dept. of Religion Dr. Jessica Vantine Birkenholtz PHONE: 217-333-0473 EMAIL: jvanbirk@illinois.edu
Scandinavian Languages	Dept. of Germanic Languages and Literatures Dr. Verena Jessica Hoefig PHONE: --- (Please contact her by email) EMAIL: verena@illinois.edu
Serbian/Croatian	Dept. of Slavic Languages and Literatures Dr. Roman Ivashkiv PHONE: 217-333-0680 EMAIL: roman904@illinois.edu The placement exam will be offered on Friday, January 18, 2019 from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. in Room 1110 FLB. If you place beyond the fourth semester, you will fulfill the Gen Ed language requirement. Advance registration is not required to test. For general information about the Slavic placement tests, go here.
Tamil	Linguistics Dept. Dr. Mithilesh Mishra PHONE: 217-333-3563 EMAIL: mkmishra@illinois.edu There is a fee for this test. The proficiency exam will be offered on January 22, 2019 from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. in Room 213 Gregory Hall. Advance registration is required.
Telugu	Linguistics Dept. Dr. Mithilesh Mishra PHONE: 217-333-3563 EMAIL: mkmishra@illinois.edu There is a fee for this test. The proficiency exam will be offered on January 22, 2019 from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. in Room 213 Gregory Hall. Advance registration is required.
Turkish	Turkish Studies Dr. Ayse Ozcan PHONE: 217-333-3563 EMAIL: aozcan@illinois.edu
Ukrainian	Dept. of Slavic Languages and Literatures Dr. Roman Ivashkiv PHONE: 217-333-0680 EMAIL: roman904@illinois.edu The placement exam will be offered on Friday, January 18, 2019 from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. in Room 1110 FLB. If you place beyond the fourth semester, you will fulfill the Gen Ed language requirement. Advance registration is not required to test. For general information about the Slavic placement tests, go here.
Urdu	Linguistics Dept. Dr. Mithilesh Mishra PHONE: 217-333-3563 EMAIL: mkmishra@illinois.edu There is a fee for this test. The proficiency exam will be offered on January 22, 2019 from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. in Room 213 Gregory Hall. Advance registration is required.
Yiddish	Program in Jewish Culture and Society Ms. Sarah Elder PHONE: 217-333-7978 EMAIL: srwilkin@illinois.edu Dr. Dara Goldman PHONE: 217-333-0986 EMAIL: degoldma@illinois.edu

IF YOUR LANGUAGE IS NOT LISTED ABOVE:

You may make arrangements to take an external exam from one of the institutions whose test results we accept for LOTE purposes, if that institution offers your language. Please note that you are responsible for all proctoring and testing fees. You should plan on taking the exam during Fall or Spring semester, as faculty are not usually available during the summer to administer language tests.

The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign accepts test results from the following institutions:

NYU School of Professional Studies - Download and fill out this registration form: NYU lang-prof-registration_UIUC and register for the 12-point exam (not the 16-point exam) in your language.

University of Pennsylvania Language Center - Contact PNP if you have questions about completing their registration form.

Indiana University - Contact PNP for more information.

Brigham Young University - BYU's FLATS exams assess through the third level of a language. Before registering for a BYU exam, please check with your academic advisor to confirm the language requirement that you need to fulfill. All programs in the Gies College of Business, most programs in the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences, and some programs in the College of Fine & Applied Arts require demonstration of fourth-level proficiency rather than third-level proficiency.

After verifying that the institution offers an exam in the language that you want to test in, your next step is to contact our Testing Center and make arrangements to test under proctored conditions.

For other questions, please contact pnp@illinois.edu or call 217-265-6248 during business hours.

Language

Department Responsible For Testing