Language Placement: Language Resource Center

Language Placement

Validity of Placement Results

Each language department determines the length of validity of its Placement Test.

Students participating in summer, semester or year-long language programs in the U.S. or abroad are generally required to retake the placement exam. See Language Placement Procedures for Study Abroad Returnees.

Students should contact the language placement coordinator for advising, especially if continuing language study after a break in language study.

Placement results in Czech, Polish, Turkish, and Russian that demonstrate native or near-native proficiency levels remain valid the entire four years.

Valid 1 year
Chinese, Czech, French, Hindi, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Polish, Russian, Urdu

Valid 1.5 years
Latin (each case is evaluated individually), Portuguese, Spanish

Valid 2 years
Arabic, Hebrew, Turkish

Valid 4 years
German

Contact the placement coordinator for Ancient Greek, Swahili

In most cases, if you plan to continue studying a language you started in high school or that you speak at home, you should plan to take the placement exam in that language. If you have taken the Advanced Placement exam in a language, you might be exempt. Check both your Northwestern School's individual language requirements and the language proficiency table to determine whether your score satisfies your language requirement.

If you have questions about placement or opportunities in a particular language, write directly to the placement coordinator in the relevant department. You can find the contact information below or in Language Program Contacts. Please note that incoming first-year students must complete the online placement test process by the end of July. Students admitted after that deadline should contact the individual language placement coordinator for assistance.

GO TO THE Online Language Placement SITE

Language-Specific Information for 2023-2024 academic year. Update for 2024-2025 academic year is expected late May 2024.

*These languages do not currently offer online placement tests.