Placement Exam

Students enrolling in Spanish classes can pursue retroactive credit if they place higher than the Elementary I level after taking the Placement Test.

What is the Spanish Placement Test?

• The Spanish Placement Test is designed to help you determine the first course you should take at SXU, based on your current ability in the focus language.
• It is an online multiple-choice test that presents questions of different levels, adapting the next question's level according to you answers.
• The duration of the test varies, but it usually takes about 40 minutes.
• There is no charge for the Spanish Placement Test.

Who has to take the Spanish Placement Test?

• All students who have prior knowledge of Spanish, whether acquired at home (heritage/bilingual speakers) or through previous studies, or do not have and cannot provide an official AP/IB language score of 3 or above or an AP literature score of 4 or above, and wish to continue studying Spanish at SXU, must take the Spanish Online Placement Test [ED1] before registering for courses.
• All transfer students who plan to take any Spanish course must take the online placement test before registering for courses at SXU, unless you are transferring Spanish credits from a higher academic institution.
• If you are not a heritage speaker and you have never studied Spanish before or have had one year or less of high school Spanish, you may take Spanish 101 (offered only in fall semesters).
• If you have any questions, please contact Dr. Diego Espiña Barros at espinabarros@sxu.edu.

Why begin at a higher level?

• Students enrolling in Spanish classes can pursue RETROACTIVE CREDIT if they place higher than the Elementary I (SPAN 101) level after taking the Placement Test.
• A maximum of 12 credit hours (SPAN 101, 102, 103 and 104) can be awarded upon completion with a grade of C or better, as shown in the chart below:

               *Be aware: the course you need to take to claim retroactive credit might not be offered every academic term.

When to Take the Spanish Placement Test

You should take the online Placement Test before formalizing your enrollment in a 100 level Spanish course for the first time at SXU so that you will know the class level in which to register or if you meet any of the circumstances described at point 2.

How to Take the Spanish Placement Test

• Contact academictesting@sxu.edu to take the Online Spanish Placement Test. At the end of the test, you'll receive a score and a placement level. Print your score to keep for your records!
• Placement exams have no registration fee and can cover English, Foreign Language or Math.

                    *Incoming freshman for the fall term should register for placement through the Via page.