Who Should Take the Exam
All incoming freshmen who plan to continue their studies in French, Italian, and Spanish are REQUIRED to take the online placement exam. Please complete the placement exam BEFORE you arrive on campus to register for classes.
If for some reason you are unable to take this exam from home, then you must take the exam upon your arrival to campus in the fall. You can take the exam in the Arts & Sciences Computing Lab Hall in Seigle Hall. Summer Hours until Aug. 27: The hours of the lab are Monday-Friday 10am-4 pm, Saturday and Sunday CLOSED.
You do not need to take the Foreign Language Placement exam if:
- you do not wish to study a foreign language
- you will be starting a new language
You do need to take the Foreign Language Placement exam if:
- you wish to continue your study of a foreign language
Technology Requirements
Before taking the exam online, please make sure that you have access to a computer that meets the following software/hardware requirements:
- An active WUSTL Key (WashU single sign-on credential)
- Broadband network connection like DSL or Cable Modem (Dial-up modem access is not sufficient for audio components of modern language exams)
- Working audio output (speaker or headphones)
- A current internet browser such as Chrome, Safari, or Firefox
Things to Remember
This is a placement test that determines which section of your foreign language program is best for you. Please understand that it is not possible to “fail” this exam, so do not be worried on this front. There are, however, negative implications for intentionally underperforming.
You will NOT receive any credits solely from taking this exam - you may, however, earn back credits at Washington University later by earning a B or better in the foreign language class into which you are placed. Please note that any back credits earned do not count towards the language track of the LCD requirement.
It is expected that you will have NO TEXTBOOKS, DICTIONARIES, OR OTHER ASSISTING MATERIALS to help you with this test. Violating this expectation will lead to an inaccurate assessment for you, and is considered a violation of academic integrity.