Foreign Language Requirement
Beginning April 16, 2012, undergraduate students whose native language is Chinese, Japanese, or Korean and who graduated from a high school where their native language is the language of instruction can fulfill their foreign language requirement by completing the College Recorder’s Office Application of Foreign Language Proficiency for Non-Native Speakers of English. You will be required to provide/upload an official transcript from the high school you attended.
If you completed 6th grade or above but did not graduate from a high school where your native language is the language of instruction, official documentation in .pdf format proving the completion of 6th grade or above attached to the EALC-Language Proficiency Form will be required.
If you did not complete the 6th grade or higher in a country where Chinese, Japanese, or Korean is the language of instruction, you will need to take a proficiency test to establish proficiency (see testing information below.)
Note: All applications for foreign proficiency must be submitted at least one month prior to semester end to allow the College Recorder’s Office sufficient time to update the student’s record.
Placement Testing
The online Chinese placement test is offered exclusively for the purpose of class placement, not for proving proficiency. All students enrolled in IU with prior knowledge of Chinese will need to take an online Chinese placement test before registering for their first Chinese class at IUB, to identify the appropriate class to take.
The Chinese placement test is available online at https://foreignlanguageplacement.indiana.edu/. Students can take the test any time on any computer that has access to the IU network (headphones needed.) Students will log onto the site with their IU username. It is a randomized, timed, test with a 75-minute limit. Students can choose from two versions of the test, with either traditional or simplified characters. A $54 fee will be automatically assessed when logging onto the test. Students are only allowed to take the test one time. A second-time login must be requested through the Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures Chinese Language Program Coordinator and a valid reason for taking the test a second time must be provided. Send all repeat test requests to Dr. Yuan Lu at yl245@iu.edu. Students are not allowed to use aids during the test, including dictionaries, textbooks, notes, cell phone, etc. It is in the student’s best interest if the test reflects their current ability. Within two weeks after the semester begins, students may receive an interview from the course instructor to verify their placement.
EALC language course credits, except for C333, C433, are not given to language courses taken outside of IU, including overseas. Students who need to prove their language proficiency for purposes of satisfying degree requirements must contact the language coordinator to schedule a proctored test or interview.
Proficiency Testing
For those who need to take the Chinese Language Proficiency Test, please sign up here before the test date. Students who are graduating at the end of the current semester will be given priority. The Fall 2024 test is scheduled for November 15th, 2024 from 2:00-4:00pm. We will meet on Zoom https://iu.zoom.us/j/8891596393.
Before the test, make sure that 1) you have stable Internet and access to Zoom, 2) test your computer's video and audio function, 3) have your IU student ID with you, 4) have pen and paper ready and 5) Cell phones and other electronic devices are not permitted during the test. If you have questions regarding the arrangements or encounter problems during the test, please contact the Chinese Language Coordinator.
You may take this exam to fulfill your Chinese Proficiency requirement if you are non-exempt.
If there is an unusual circumstance and you must take the test before the scheduled Proficiency Test, please contact the Chinese Language Coordinator in the Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures to discuss an alternate test time.
