Students need to register for orientation prior to taking any placement tests. If you have not completed this process, visit the orientation webpage for details and directions.
The purpose of the world language placement test is to determine which language course best fits the needs of students who have previously studied a world language.
If you studied the same world language for two or more years in high school, you are required to take the world language placement test — even if you do not plan to study a language at Ohio State — unless you qualify for an exemption.
Be sure you have requested your official ACT/SAT/AP scores and/or transcripts from other institutions to be sent electronically to Ohio State to ensure proper placement testing assignments and avoid taking unnecessary exams.
Who needs to take it?
Your To Do List in My Buckeye Link will indicate if you need to take the world language placement test.
You do not need to take the world language placement test if you:
- Received transfer credit for a world language or who have an official world language AP score report of 3 or above on file with Ohio State
- Did not study a world language at all in middle school or high school
- Graduated from high school more than five years ago
If you believe you have already submitted an official score/transcript that qualifies you for an exemption and "World Language-Placement Test Required" appears on your To Do List, contact the Orientation and Placement Testing Office at 740.366.9333.
Spanish placement test directions
Spanish placement testing will be completed in person at the Newark Testing Center in Warner Center. Students will be required to make an appointment at least 24 hours in advance to take a test. Important testing and scheduling instructions and information are provided at the Ohio State Newark Testing Center website.
French and German placement test directions
About the test:
Students have up to 60 minutes to take the world language placement test.
The exam is available Monday-Friday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Students will not be able to take the world language placement exam on university holidays.
The exam needs to be taken in one sitting and students can take the exam only once, so be sure to have 60 minutes of uninterrupted time available.
The test will be administered using MultiCAT.
Students are encouraged to review information about the world language placement exam provided by the Center for Languages, Literatures and Cultures prior to taking the test.
To request testing accommodations, contact Student Life Disability Services.
Directions to take the test:
- Go to: https://cllc.osu.edu/undergraduate/testing.
- Click on the "MultiCAT Placement Instructions" link which is a PDF document.
- Review that document and then on page 4, you will find the “Student Testing Instructions” for the MultiCAT test.
- Click the “here” link within the first line of instruction to unlock your computer.
- Have the code available when you visit the test site: http://multicat.osu.edu/unlock.
- You will also need to log in using your Ohio State username and password.
After Taking the Test:
Your test score will be shown at the end of the exam and will be sent to your Ohio State email. Your score will also be posted to your account. Please note it can take up to seven business days after taking the test for your score to be posted.
The Center for Languages, Literatures and Cultures provides detailed information about how to interpret your world language placement test score.
Foreign language placement test directions for all other languages
Contact cllc@osu.edu at the Center for Languages, Literatures and Cultures to determine the test format you need to take and testing procedures you need to follow.