Testing in Less Commonly Studied Languages

Placement & Proficiency

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For questions or information,
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 May 15, 2018)

Placement testing is NOT NECESSARY if you have never studied the language. 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. If you are not familiar with a language, you don't need to take any placement test. You will simply enroll in the first elementary-level course.

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 score. The test administrator determines your level of proficiency as well as your course placement, based on your performance. The department also determines how much proficiency credit, if any, your performance earns. Credit hours are NOT automatically posted to your academic record simply because you took a language proficiency exam. Sometimes passing the proficiency exam fulfills your General Education language requirement but does not earn course credit. 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. Thus, placement and proficiency testing in a particular less commonly studied language might not be offered every semester. If this is the case for you, 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 the department charges.

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: 217-333-3563 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 The next proficiency test will be given on September 4, 2018. Registration is required. Register here.
Bosnian	Dept. of Slavic Languages and Literatures Dr. Roman Ivashkiv PHONE: 217-333-0680 EMAIL: roman904@illinois.edu 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 are two 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 EMAIL: slclundergradservices@illinois.edu Placement testing for Chinese is now available online for both incoming students and currently enrolled students. If you are a native speaker of Chinese, DO NOT TAKE THIS TEST unless you want to enroll in a Chinese course. The Chinese Placement Test serves only to determine which of our Mandarin courses a learner of the language should enroll in. This test does not fulfill the Gen Ed language requirement. First you will enroll yourself to take the test. Then you must complete the Technology Check to make sure that your computer is equipped to allow you to answer the questions. Lastly, you must complete the entire test in one sitting. There are four parts, administered in this order: Speaking, Listening Comprehension, Reading Comprehension (which also assesses vocabulary and grammar), and Writing (for which you will hand-write or type a short essay). You should budget 90 minutes to take the test. We hope to offer a proctored, online Chinese Proficiency Test in Fall 2018. Please check back. More information will be posted when it is available.
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: 217-333-3563 EMAIL: esaadah2@illinois.edu
German	Dept. of Germanic Languages and Literatures. Proficiency testing only! New students must take the online German placement test prior to enrolling in a German course. Continuing students must request a face-to-face testing appointment. All German proficiency exams are administered on an individual basis. Mr. Charles Webster PHONE: 217-244-6609 EMAIL: cwebste@illinois.edu
Classical Greek	Classics Dept.. Professor Jon Solomon PHONE: 217-333-1008 EMAIL: josolomo@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 next proficiency test will be given on September 4, 2018. Registration is required. Register here.
Hebrew	Program in Jewish Culture and Society Dr. Sara Feldman PHONE: --- (Please contact her by email) EMAIL: sarafeld@illinois.edu Dr. Bruce Rosenstock PHONE: 217-333-0473 EMAIL: brsnstck@illinois.edu Dr. Brett Kaplan PHONE: 217-333-1253 EMAIL: bakaplan@illinois.edu
Hindi	Linguistics Dept. Dr. Mithilesh Mishra PHONE: 217-333-3563 EMAIL: mkmishra@illinois.edu The next proficiency test will be given on September 4, 2018. Registration is required. Register here.
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 Summer Registration Program. 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 EMAIL: slclundergradservices@illinois.edu The placement test will be given on Friday, August 24 from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon in Room G30 FLB. Registration is required. Register here.
Kannada	Linguistics Dept. Dr. Mithilesh Mishra PHONE: 217-333-3563 EMAIL: mkmishra@illinois.edu There is a fee for this test. The next proficiency test will be given on September 4, 2018. Registration is required. Register here.
Korean	Dept. of East Asian Languages and Cultures EMAIL: slclundergradservices@illinois.edu The test will be given on Friday, August 24 from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. in Room G27 FLB. Registration is required. Register here.
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 next proficiency test will be given on September 4, 2018. Registration is required. Register here.
Marathi	Linguistics Dept. Dr. Mithilesh Mishra PHONE: 217-333-3563 EMAIL: mkmishra@illinois.edu There is a fee for this test. The next proficiency test will be given on September 4, 2018. Registration is required. Register here.
Native American Languages: Quechua	Upon consent from the Associate Director of the Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies Dr. Kasia Szremski PHONE: 217-300-2231 EMAIL: szremski@illinois.edu
Polish	Dept. of Slavic Languages and Literatures Dr. Roman Ivashkiv PHONE: 217-333-0680 EMAIL: roman904@illinois.edu 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 next proficiency test will be given on September 4, 2018. Registration is required. Register here.
Russian	Dept. of Slavic Languages and Literatures Dr. Roman Ivashkiv PHONE: 217-333-0680 EMAIL: roman904@illinois.edu 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 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 next proficiency test will be given on September 4, 2018. Registration is required. Register here.
Telugu	Linguistics Dept. Dr. Mithilesh Mishra PHONE: 217-333-3563 EMAIL: mkmishra@illinois.edu There is a fee for this test. The next proficiency test will be given on September 4, 2018. Registration is required. Register here.
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 For general information about the Slavic placement tests, go here.
Urdu	Linguistics Dept. Dr. Mithilesh Mishra PHONE: 217-333-3563 EMAIL: mkmishra@illinois.edu The next proficiency test will be given on September 4, 2018. Registration is required. Register here.
Yiddish	Program in Jewish Culture and Society Dr. Sara Feldman PHONE: --- (Please contact her by email) EMAIL: sarafeld@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 - You should register for the 12-point exam, not the 16-point exam.
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 - This institution is not an option for students in the College of Business or the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, as BYU assesses only through the third level of a LOTE.

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