Placement & Competency
It is important that students be placed into the proper foreign language course so that learning occurs at the right pace. Placement is based on these principles:
- Placement occurs as needed, but always before registering in a foreign language course.
- Students should first take the foreign language placement exam available on our website.
- If the results are not congruent with what is expected for the student's background, students should get help from foreign language placement coordinators as needed.
- Students may not enroll in a course that is clearly below or above their current proficiency level.
- If it is determined that a student is enrolled in the wrong course, it is the responsibility of the student to switch courses.
- Placement should occur as early as possible in the college career, by junior year at latest. Placement advising occurs for most freshmen during summer orientation sessions.
- Results of placement exams are valid for 15 months.
Placement instructions are found here: Foreign Language Placement Procedure (PDF)
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The foreign language placement exam cannot be used to fulfill a language requirement. To satisfy a foreign language requirement (or "test out" of a requirement), students must take the Foreign Language Competency Exam, which is administered by the dean's office of the College of Arts & Sciences (CAS), Institute of Environmental Sustainability (IED), or School of Communication (SOC). To schedule the exam, contact the dean's office of the school for your major.
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For a detailed explanation of the various foreign language exams at Loyola University Chicago, please see the following chart:
LUC Foreign Language Exams Chart