Language Placement
A placement test is required if you have any prior knowledge of the language and wish to take language classes at Carolina. If you do not intend to take classes, but just wish to satisfy the Global Language requirement, please refer to the Language Placement website to review the possible options for meeting the requirement.
To take or register for a placement test, please choose your language:
For placement in an Asian or Middle Eastern language not on the list above, please refer to the Language Placement website (see item #7).
Placement FAQ (this information applies to all languages, but also see each language page for more FAQ specific to that language)
The evaluation of your language transfer credit by Admissions should be regarded as preliminary; it may be adjusted based on your placement result. If you place into a class you already have credit for, we’ll change the transfer credit to elective credit in that language (instead of a specific course), so that you keep the transfer hours but it doesn’t get flagged as repeating a course.
If that is not the case for you (for instance, you immigrated to the U.S. before high school, or you went to high school in another country but the classes were taught in English, or you were raised and educated in the U.S. but you have learned another language from your family and speak it at home), then you will need to take the placement test.
If you have not yet satisfied the Global Language requirement, then you really should take the placement test in your high school language. It may satisfy the language requirement for you; or even if you don’t place that high, it will let you know what level you are at in that language in case your plans change and you want to come back to it. Think of it as information to help you make more informed decisions.
However, regardless of your placement result, you are certainly not obliged to continue studying your high school language. There are dozens of languages offered at Carolina, including quite a few that won’t have been available at your high school; for a complete list, consult languageplacement.unc.edu.
Also, if you place into a class only offered in fall, you may choose to reconsider your decision and take the class now, rather than waiting a whole year. Or you might choose to wait till next fall, but either way, if you know your placement it’ll be your decision and not an unpleasant surprise (e.g. if you plan to start in spring but find out too late that the class you need is only offered in fall).
So do go ahead and enroll, but also make sure to register for the placement test. Some of our languages have self-assessment guides available to help you estimate your placement; you’ll find these on the page where you register for the test.
If you place into level 4, you’ll get PL “credit” (zero hours) for level 3. If you place above level 4, you’ll get PL credit for levels 3 and 4. If you need PL credit for additional levels to meet the requirements of your major, please contact Lori Harris. Include your name, PID, when you took the placement test and in which language, and explain your situation.
If you think you did make a mistake in putting your email address in the form, just submit the form again with the correct email address. If you’re positive that you entered it correctly and yet you still have not gotten the reply, please email Lori Harris.
If this schedule means your result wouldn’t be processed by the time you intend to graduate, please contact Lori Harris for emergency help. Include your name, PID, when you took the test and in which language, and when you hope to graduate.