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:

1. Placement occurs as needed, but always before registering in a foreign language course.
2. Students should first take the foreign language placement exam available on our website.
3. 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.
4. Students may not enroll in a course that is clearly below or above their current proficiency level.
5. If it is determined that a student is enrolled in the wrong course, it is the responsibility of the student to switch courses.
6. 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.
7. 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