A new, online Chinese Proficiency Exam is now available! It is offered by the Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures for the sole purpose of determining whether an undergraduate student’s language skills in Mandarin Chinese are sufficiently high to fulfill the University’s “language other than English” General Education requirement. Like other departmental proficiency exams, test results are simply PASS or FAIL.
Please note that no academic credit is awarded. No course placement is generated for those who fail. Those who pass the appropriate level test will see in their academic record that the University’s General Education language requirement is marked as “completed.”
There are four different versions of the Chinese Proficiency Exam:
- Test 1 is intended for students who seek to demonstrate third-level language proficiency. It is expected that students either will be native speakers or will have studied Chinese for at least 3 semesters in college or 3 years in high school (5 class hours per week). Passing Test 1 fulfills the third-level language requirement.
- Test 2 is intended for students who seek to demonstrate fourth-level language proficiency. The Gies College of Business, most programs in the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences, and some programs in the College of Fine & Applied Arts require fourth-level proficiency. It is expected that students either will be native speakers or will have studied Chinese for at least 4 semesters in college or 4 years in high school (5 class hours per week). Passing Test 2 fulfills the fourth-level language requirement.
- Test 3 is intended for students who seek to demonstrate sixth-level language proficiency, e.g. for the Global Studies major. It is expected that students either will be native speakers or will have studied Chinese for at least 6 semesters in college (5 class hours per week). Passing Test 3 fulfills the sixth-level language requirement.
- Test 4 is intended for students who seek to demonstrate eighth-level language proficiency, e.g. for students majoring in East Asian Languages and Cultures. It is expected that students either will be native speakers or will have studied Chinese for at least 8 semesters in college (5 class hours per week). Passing Test 4 fulfills the eighth-level language requirement.
Please help your students understand what your College’s language requirement is. Some programs have a language requirement different from the College’s.
The Chinese Proficiency Test lasts approximately 90 minutes, regardless of the version. Listening comprehension, reading comprehension, and writing ability are graded. The speaking portion is optional. Initially it will be offered in a group setting in the G8A FLB computer lab on these dates:
- Sept 25 from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m.
- Sept 28 from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m.
- Oct 2 from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m.
Students can register through either the PNP website or the EALC website. Depending on demand, there might be a fourth date added to this schedule. Once the group testing is finished, the Chinese Proficiency Test will be available “on demand” at the Testing Center. Students will be responsible for paying the $25 proctoring fee.
If you have questions about Chinese testing (whether placement or proficiency), feel free to contact me.
Best,
Diana
Diana Steele, Ph.D.
Coordinator of Placement and Proficiency Testing
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
505 East Armory Avenue, Room 247
Champaign, IL 61820
Phone: 217-265-6248
Fax: 217-244-4431