Language Placement

At the time they first enroll in a beginning- or intermediate-level language course, all students who have previously studied that language must have a placement score. The only students exempt from having a placement score are those who have never studied the language before. Credit will not be given for a language course taken at a lower level than a student's placement score indicates.

French and Spanish offer computerized exams. Written exams for Arabic, Chinese, Italian, Hebrew, Russian, Latin and German are offered at the beginning of each semester. The schedule and location of these exams in the fall will appear on the New Student Orientation website during the preceding summer.

Students wishing to be evaluated in a modern language other than those taught by the language departments should consult the Penn Language Center.

Students who feel their placement scores do not accurately reflect their language level, or students who have other questions about their language study, should make an appointment to speak with the coordinator of their particular language program.

Students who have taken the SATII exam as part of their application to Penn may use that score to place them in the proper level:

*Students who score between 600 and 640 can be exempted from the Language Requirement if they pass an oral exam.

**Students who score between 600 and 640 in German can be exempted from the Language Requirement if they achieve a rating of intermediate or better on an oral exam. Students may sign up in the German Department office before the end of the first week of classes.

***Students who score under 700 in Hebrew must sign up to take the placement exam in the office of the Department of Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations. A score of 70 or above on Part 2 of the Jerusalem Examination also exempts students from the Language Requirement in Hebrew.