Policies Governing the Foreign Language Requirement

Applies to both the Class of 2009 and Earlier and the Class of 2010 and Later.

The Foreign Language Requirement may be satisfied in a variety of ways at the discretion of the language department or group concerned:

  • • By passing an examination administered by the language group. In some instances, students will take the examination after completing 4 c.u. (or the equivalent) of study.

  • • By obtaining a minimum grade of C-, after 4 c.u. of study (or the equivalent) in those languages where satisfaction of the Language Requirement is not based on an examination.

  • • As a result of achieving the required score on:

  • • An Advanced Placement test administered in a foreign language by the Educational Testing Service (ETS).

  • • An SAT II foreign language test administered by the ETS.

  • • A departmental placement test.

    The Cambridge A-level examination (at a grade deemed satisfactory by the language group), or in the case of a bilingual student, a special test given by the appropriate department.


    The determination of competency will vary from department to department and even from language group to language group in a department. It is the student's responsibility to learn how the requirement is satisfied in the language selected.

    It is highly recommended that students take steps to satisfy the language requirement as early as possible in their academic careers. Once students begin their language study, they are expected to continue through the sequence of courses until they have satisfied the department's criteria of a high level of competence.

    Foreign Language Requirement courses may not be used to fulfill any other College requirement.

    Pre-College credit, transfer credit, credit away and credit earned studying abroad may be counted toward the Foreign Language Requirement only when departments award credit using the number of a Penn course approved for the Foreign Language Requirement.

    All courses taken to satisfy the Foreign Language Requirement must be taken for a letter grade, not pass/fail.

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