Elon University World Language Assessment

Welcome to World Languages and Cultures at Elon! We look forward to engaging with you as a global citizen in our community, enhancing your language proficiency, intercultural competence, and your critical thinking abilities.

World language and culture study is your passport to an exciting and rewarding experience as an Elon student and global citizen.

The required language proficiency assessment helps us direct you toward opportunities associated with language and culture study: from membership in the Phi Beta Kappa honor society to competing for Fulbright grants and other international scholarships and fellowships. Interested students can also apply to live in the Polyglot (World Language) Living Learning Community in the Global Neighborhood where they can meet other students interested in World Languages and Cultures.

Help us facilitate your success with these opportunities by following the instructions below and completing the language assessment in the language(s) that you have previously studied and/or spoken. Since we need to assess what you currently know, based on your past experience, no external resources can be used to answer the assessment questions.

For incoming students, the language assessment is also used to finalize your course schedule; as well as to determine whether you can fulfill the Elon Core Curriculum’s World Language Requirement by virtue of your previous experience.

Take the Assessment Online

  • Placement testing is available from May 1 to September 30. To request to take an exam outside of that period, please contact languages@elon.edu.
  • For questions about your placement, please contact languages@elon.edu.

Where to Find/How to Interpret your Language Placement

To view your language placement in the OnTrack/Acorn system:

  • Log in with your Elon credentials, click the “Academics” drop-down on the menu, then click “Test Summary.” Language placement test scores are listed in the “Placement Tests” section.
  • Your course placement appears as listed prior to the word “placement,” i.e. “SPN 0020 SPN 1015 Placement” indicates placement into the SPN 1015 class.
  • Testing into the 2010, 2020, or 3000-level prior to October 1st in a student’s first year of enrollment means the student has fulfilled the world language proficiency requirement.

  • NOTE: Students must take the assessment and have an approved  score and course placement by October 1st of the calendar year when the student enrolled at Elon.

Students who fail to do so must take at least one course at the level of placement. A second attempt at the assessment may only be completed in person. If the second attempt is completed after the October 1st deadline, and the student places higher than the Core requirement, the student must still take at least one course at the level of placement. The assessment may not be used to fulfill a language requirement if taken after October 1st of the calendar year when the student enrolled at Elon.

 

On-Campus Language Assessment Dates

If you prefer or need an in-person testing environment; or if you feel that your initial placement is too low or too high (and especially if you intend to continue to study the same language or would like to try a second and final time to fulfill the language requirement via the assessment), a second and final in-person attempt at the assessment can be completed during orientation or during the fall semester.

Students should make an appointment at least 24 hours in advance to attempt the assessment a second, final time in person by clicking the “Make an Appointment” button below. The assessment typically takes about 30 minutes.

In-person assessment sessions are typically offered on campus during new student orientation and toward the end of September.

Note: A second attempt at the assessment may only be completed in person.

Date Time Languages Location Notes
Monday 26 August 2024 2.00pm to 5.00pm Chinese, French, German, Italian, Latin, Russian, Spanish Lindner Hall,
Room 208
Thursday 26 September 2024 4.30pm to 6.00pm Chinese, French, German, Italian, Latin, Russian, Spanish Carlton Building, 321 Walk-ins are welcome until 5.30pm; appointment preferred, by emailing egates2@elon.edu
By appointment Arabic, Hebrew, or other languages (to make an appointment, contact languages@elon.edu)