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Department of World Languages and Cultures
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Placement and Credit Exams

The Department of World Languages and Cultures offers both placement exams and exams for credit for students with language proficiency. These exams have different criteria and are detailed below.

Placement Exams

Students entering Iowa State should consult the department about the proper world language course in which to enroll. A placement exam helps identify a student’s level of language competency to determine the proper academic course. The department offers several options for placement exams. These online exams are available to ISU students and prospective students only. Anyone else interested in taking or using the exam must contact us before doing so.

Current and Incoming ISU Students:

If you’ve taken any of the languages below before coming to ISU, take a placement exam to identify which course aligns with your skill level. To begin the exam, click on the corresponding link below and create an account. If you don’t have an ISU student ID yet, you can skip that line of the account registration.

Once you’ve finished your exam, reach out to wlc-advising@iastate.edu. Our WLC advisors can help create your learning plan.

Available placement exams

Iowa High School Teachers

Want your current students to see how they’d rank at the college level? It’s a great way to build their confidence and get them interested in continuing their language learning beyond high school. Request High School Class Access to receive a customized link for your high school students to take our placement tests. Once completed, we’ll send you their scores in a spreadsheet.

Exams for credit

Exams for credit are available in some elementary and intermediate foreign languages for a non-refundable fee of $100. Credits earned through a test-out exam are applied at the end of the semester following the one in which the test was taken. For example, credits earned through a test taken in the Fall semester will be applied at the end of the Spring semester.

French, German, & Spanish

Students may take standardized CLEP exams in French, German and Spanish to earn first and/or second-year foreign language credit (up to 16 credits). Each exam requires payment of a non-refundable fee of $100.

Please note: Iowa State University is unable to administer CLEP exams.

Latin

The Department of World Languages and Cultures offers credit by examination in elementary (1010/1020) courses in Latin. The exam is administered by WLC in the Language Studies Resource Center (LSRC), 3142 Pearson Hall.

Please check whether you qualify with faculty before registering for an exam-for-credit in Latin.

Chinese

The Department of World Languages and Cultures offers credit by examination in elementary (1010/1020) and intermediate (2010/2020) courses in Chinese for non-native speakers of Chinese. The exam is administered by WLC in the Language Studies Resource Center (LSRC), 3142 Pearson Hall.

The Chinese Program uses the Avant STAMP 4S for this exam. Native speakers of Chinese are NOT allowed to take it. Please check whether you are qualified with the Chinese faculty before registering for an exam-for-credit in Chinese.