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Frequently Asked Questions

SPANISH Language PLACEMENT TEST 2024-2025



  1. Who does NOT need to take the Spanish placement test?
  • Students with zero Spanish knowledge, register for Spanish 101-1 for fall quarter.
  • Students with less than 2 years of high school Spanish, register for Spanish 101 for fall quarter.
  • Students with an AP 3, 4 or 5 in either the Language and Culture or the Literature and Culture AP exams.
  • Students who attended high school where the primary language of instruction was Spanish. International students from Spanish speaking countries fall under this category. Such students should petition for a review of their educational records to the Weinberg Office of Undergraduate Studies and Advising using this form.

  1. Who needs to take the Spanish placement test?
  • First year students with 2 or more years of high school Spanish.
  • All transfer students that need to complete the language requirement.
  • Students who have prior exposure to Spanish at home or elsewhere (e.g., living in a Spanish speaking country).

  1. What do students with AP or IB scores need to know?
  • Consult the AP/IB language credit table here
  • The Spanish language program does not recognize IB scores, so they need to take the placement test.
  • If they have an AP score of 5 in the language AND literature exams, they have satisfied the Weinberg language requirement and can take any Spanish class over Spanish 205. If they have questions, they  can contact a department adviser.
  • If they have an AP score of 5 in the language OR literature exams, they have satisfied the Weinberg language requirement and can take Spanish 204 if they are second language students (students who acquired proficiency in a language through formal instruction or immersion) or Spanish 205 and beyond if they are heritage language students (students with cultural or family ties to the language or ethnic community, who learn and maintain proficiency in that language).
  • If they have an AP score of 4 in the language or literature exams, they have satisfied the Weinberg language requirement and can register for Spanish 200 if they are heritage language students, or Spanish 201 if they are second language students.
  • If they have an AP score of 3 in the language or literature exams, they have to take Spanish 125 if they are second language students or Spanish 127 if they are heritage language students.

  1. What will the Spanish language placement test look like?
  • The Spanish language placement test consists of listening, reading and writing components. It will evaluate general vocabulary and grammar knowledge, and include short readings, listening and writing portions.

  1. How do I prepare for the placement test?
  • There is no preparation needed for it, since the test wants to measure your Spanish level at the time that you take it.

  1. How do I take the Spanish language placement test?
  • You can take it online anytime on this site
  1. By when do I need to complete the online placement test?
  • By July 31st

  1. What are the next steps after I take the Spanish language placement test?
  • If you received Validation as your test result and you did not attend either the September 3rd or September 10th sessions, you will need to attend a validation session in November prior to winter quarter registration (date TBD). This session will validate your proficiency and decide the course that is best for you. Information regarding the November validation session will be emailed directly to students by the placement coordinator.
  1. When and how can I access the results from the Spanish language placement test?
  • Placement test results: will be posted on the same page of the placement test a week after the exam is completed.
  • Validation results: will be posted on the same page of the placement test.

Be mindful of these dates for your meeting with your first-year adviser.

  1. How often is the Spanish language placement test administered?
  • The test is open 24/7 all year round. Most of the Spanish language courses are part of a sequence that starts in fall (Spanish 101, Spanish 121) or winter (Spanish 115) or are only offered in the fall (Spanish 125, Spanish 127.) Keep this in mind when planning your schedule for each quarter or the academic year.

 

  1. How many times can I take the Spanish language placement test?
  • You can only take the test once unless you study abroad and need to complete the language requirement. Retakes due to other reasons WILL NOT BE accomodated.

  1. How long are the Spanish language placement test results valid?
  • Placement results are valid for 1.5 years. After that period, you will be allowed/required to take the test again.

  1. Contact information

If you have any questions about anything not mentioned here or about a specific course, please contact the Spanish placement coordinator, Elisa Baena or the different course coordinators: