Placement Tests

This guide to UW placement tests should help you determine whether you need to take any placement tests, how and when to take them, and how to interpret your scores(PDF: 11K). For additional information about fees and test schedules, please see the Testing Center website.

The UW offers placement tests in mathematics, a number of foreign languages, chemistry, and music history and theory. Aside from the tests we offer for students whose native language is not English, we do not have a placement test in English. (For information about English as a Second Language, see the Academic English Program website.)

Mathematics

You need to take a math placement test if both of the following are true:

• You're interested in a program that requires college math — this includes engineering, sciences (biology, chemistry, etc.), premed, business, and psychology; and
• You don't already have college credit for algebra or calculus, or a Calculus Advanced Placement (AP) score of 2 or higher, or an International Baccalaureate (IB) Mathematics (Higher Level) score of 5 or higher.

If you took the math placement test in high school in Washington state, we can use that score. We can't use a placement test taken at another college.

Intermediate and Advanced Tests

You should take the Intermediate Algebra Test if you had 3 years of high school math, through algebra-trig or the 2nd year of high school algebra. The highest you can place with this test is precalculus (MATH 111 or 120).

You should take the Advanced Math (Precalculus) Test if you had 4 or 5 years of high school math, through advanced algebra, math analysis, or calculus. The highest you can place with this test is 1st quarter calculus, MATH 124 (or MATH 144 or Q SCI 291).

UW has no test to place you above the first quarter of calculus. A Calculus AP score of 3 or above, however, places you into the second or third quarter of calculus. Review the policies for Advanced Placement for more details. An IB Mathematics score of 7 places you into the second quarter of calculus. Review the policies for International Baccalaureate for more details.

Foreign Language

You need to take a foreign language placement test if you plan to continue the foreign language you took in high school. If you already have college credit in that language you can continue on with the next course; no placement test is required.

All majors in the College of Arts and Sciences, as well as the undergraduate majors in the College of Education and the School of Social Work, require foreign language through the third college quarter or placement by the UW into the fourth college quarter. Majors in most other colleges, including Engineering and Business, don't require foreign language past the two high school years required for UW admission. You may want to talk with an adviser about whether you should take a foreign language. If you plan to continue your foreign language but not right away, you should probably wait and take the placement test just before you resume your study to get the most accurate placement.

Placement tests in Spanish, French, Italian, German, Japanese, and Korean are offered on a regular schedule and during summer statewide APTP testing. Proficiency tests in Arabic, Portuguese, Russian, Polish, Hebrew, Persian, Urdu, and Hindi can be taken by making an appointment with the Testing Center. For other languages, contact the appropriate department for placement information.

Chemistry

You need to take the chemistry placement test only if you're interested in the honors chemistry series, CHEM 145, 155, 165. If you're in the Honors Program and considering a science major, you should consider taking this sequence. It's also recommended for students who want to major in chemistry or biochemistry. A Chemistry AP score of 4 or 5, or an IB score or 5, 6, or 7 (Higher Level) places you into CHEM 145 without a placement test.

Music History and Music Theory

Contact the music department at musicadv@u.washington.edu to determine whether you should take music placement tests. These tests are usually taken only by prospective music majors.

How and When to Take Placement Tests

If you're a continuing student, you can take a placement test weekdays at the Testing Center. It isn't necessary to register ahead of time. Check the test schedule for days and times.

If you're a new student, enrolling autumn quarter, you should take any placement tests before your Advising and Orientation session. The Academic Placement Testing Program provides a large number of math (and three foreign language) placement testing sessions in May and June. You must register online for these sessions.

If you're from out of state and can't test before you arrive on campus, or if you're a continuing student, you can take your placement test(s) at the Testing Center on a walk-in basis. Check the test schedule for days and times. Be sure to arrive for the earliest testing time if you need to take two placement tests before Advising and Orientation.

Cost

$15 for math and selected foreign language tests administered through the statewide APTP summer testing program (registered online).

$25 for math and selected foreign language placement tests administered in the Testing Center. Tests by appointment have higher fees.

Test Length

Placement testing for Math, Spanish, Korean, French, German, Italian, and Japanese takes about 90 minutes from check-in to dismissal. Check-in starts promptly at the scheduled times, so be sure to arrive early.

Preparing

Come well rested and nourished — and as calm as possible! Keep in mind that placement tests are intended to help you enroll in courses that are right for you. You shouldn't have to do much studying beforehand, although you might want to look at some sample test qustions to get an idea of the format and content of the questions. Remember, you can't use a calculator during the math placement tests so don't use one while you do the sample math questions.

• Sample math placement test questions
• Sample Spanish placement test

On the day of the test, bring your UW student number, picture ID, and payment or payment confirmation (if registered online). Note that if you've registered online for math or foreign language placement test, but are taking the test in person at the Testing Center, you must bring payment for the difference in the fee.

Receiving Your Scores

If you test during the May and June APTP sessions, a score report will be mailed to you two weeks after your test date. If you test at the Testing Center the morning of your Advising and Orientation session, the score will be available on the morning of the second day. For all other testing, you'll be given a score report about 10 minutes after you take the test. Your score will be listed on your Unofficial Transcript in MyUW.

You'll be given your placement along with the score report. You can also check the chart of Placement Test Scores(PDF: 11K). Note that math scores are recorded as the percent correct, while the foreign language scores posted are the raw scores.

Repeating Tests

The math placement test may be repeated once, after two weeks have passed. After the second test, a calendar year must pass before the test can be repeated again. There are two math placement tests, intermediate and advanced. The rules for repeating apply to each test. For example, you could take the Intermediate Test and then immediately take the Advanced Test, and then repeat either (or both) tests two weeks later.

French, Italian, and Spanish tests may be repeated after six months have passed. The Japanese test may be repeated once per quarter. The Korean and German tests can be taken twice in a 12-month period with a 75-day wait between tests.

Retesting must be done in the Testing Center (i.e., students cannot retest as part of the APTP program).