Placement

If you are beginning your language study at Penn at the Spanish 0100 - 0400 level (elementary and intermediate language) you will only receive credit for the course you have been placed into or the level above ( the Department's policy on moving up one level is described below), through the SAT II exam, the Transfer Credit Exam (for transfer students only), or the in-person departmental exam (a paper-and-pencil multiple-choice exam taken at Penn at the beginning of Fall and Spring semesters).

  • Students in the College of Arts and Sciences have the option of moving up one level from their online placement score. Permission is not needed.
  • Wharton, Nursing, Engineering, and LPS students who are interested in moving up one level from their online placement score must receive permission from the Spanish course coordinator and take the course for a letter grade. (For example, if you are placed into Spanish 0300, but are considering Spanish 0400, speak with the Spanish 0400 coordinator.)

If you have already completed the language requirement in another Romance language and you wish to learn Spanish, you may qualify to take an accelerated elementary course (Spanish 0120). You must request authorization from the Undergraduate Coordinator via email explaining how and in which language you completed the language requirement, as well as for which course you wish to register.

You do NOT Need to Take the Online Language Placement Exam Under the Following Circumstances

  • You have never studied the language.
  • You have successfully completed the previous language course in sequence at Penn.
  • You are a transfer student who is seeking transfer credit for Spanish. Instead, please consult our transfer credit regulations.
  • You are a Nursing student entering in Fall 2023 or later.
  • You are a Wharton student. Please see here for more information.
  • Your SAT II score is 650 or above. You are then exempt from the language requirement and may enroll in 1000.
    For more information: Placement via the SAT II.
  • You have scored a 4 or 5 on either the language or the literature Advanced Placement exam. In that case, you may directly enroll in 1000 level courses.
    For more information: Placement via the AP or IB examination.

You Must Take the Online Language Placement Exam Under the Following Circumstances

  • You must take the online placement exam if you are continuing a language begun elsewhere, in a middle school or high school located in the United States. Students who have taken the SAT II, AP, or IB HIghe Level exam(s) should see our policy for proper placement.
  • If you are a transfer student who has taken Spanish at another college or university, please see our transfer credit process and do NOT take the online exam.
  • Without a proper placement score you will not be allowed to remain in a course for credit.
Online Placement Exam

When is the online placement exam given?

The Spanish placement exam is an online examination, which may be taken at any time. An active Penn email address is required. You must save a copy of your score as you will be asked for it in class. If you do not present a proof of placement, you will not be asked to leave the course.

What if I feel as though my placement score does not reflect my level?

  • Please attend the course level for a few days. At the beginning of the semester, instructors will conduct a diagnostic test to ascertain the level of their students.
  • College of Arts and Sciences students may take a course one level higher from their placement score without seeing an advisor or coordinator for approval. They may not, however, move higher than the 0400/0405 level in any language.
  • Wharton, Nursing, Engineering, and LPS students who are interested in moving up one level from their online placement score must receive permission from the Spanish course coordinator and take the course for a letter grade. (For example, if you are placed into Spanish 0300, but are considering Spanish 0400, you must contact the Spanish 0400 coordinator for permission.)
  • Students are not given permission to take a course below the level indicated by their placement score. If you feel you have special circumstances, consult the specific course coordinator.