The Department of Asian Languages and Cultures requires that students with any prior knowledge of the languages taught in our department: Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Hindi, Urdu, Tibetan, Persian, Sanskrit, Hmong, Thai, Vietnamese, Indonesian, and who plan to enroll in our language classes, take a placement evaluation before enrolling in a language course.
Incoming Freshman it is important to register for your placement test at least one week prior to your SOAR date. This will allow time for the results of your test, so that you may enroll in the course recommended for you. Permission must be granted to any student above the first semester of an Asian language.
Undergraduate students seeking information about their foreign language deficiency should submit our Background Questionnaire form to be directed to a placement test as instructed.
Graduate students seeking information on their level or proficiency should complete a placement test. If a student places into advanced courses at the 5th semester and above have demonstrated that they have reached the required proficiency in that language.
Registration Process:
- Please fill out this form to request a placement test.
- You will receive an email within 3 days to confirm your placement test registration.
- Please note, if you submit the form on the nights or weekends, staff will not respond until working hours.
- Chinese placement test is reviewed by faculty following the 90 min online test. Results of the test are returned within 24-48 hours by email.
- All other Asian language placement tests are conducted one-on-one with a department language instructor. Students are informed of their placement during that session and will be given permission to enroll in the course within 24-48 hours.
- Our department offers 1st, 3rd, 5th semester languages in the fall term; and 2nd, 4th, 6th semester languages in the spring term. Each semester we offer more advanced course options in most languages.
Chinese
If an enrolling student with some background in Mandarin Chinese cannot read or write, the student must automatically enroll in the first semester Chinese (offered in the fall term only) to learn the script, after which a placement test can be administered upon request by the course instructor for approval to enroll in a higher-level course.
For students who have had prior experience studying Chinese, either as a secondary language or through family experiences are required to complete our a placement test. The test will be administered online through Canvas. Students have 90 minutes to complete the test.
- Mondays at 9-10:30 am | 6/1, 6/15, 6/22, 6/29, 7/6, 7/13, 7/20, 8/10, 8/17, 8/31
- Wednesdays at 12-1:30 pm | 6/3, 6/17, 6/24, 7/1, 7/8, 7/15, 7/22, 8/12, 8/19, 9/2, 9/9
Please complete this form to begin the process of registering for a placement test.
During the academic year (Sept-May) additional times may be arranged, please provide dates and times (allowing 90 min) M-F 9:30 am – 4pm to rweiss@wisc.edu.
Hindi
Students with prior experience in formally studying Hindi must fill out this Background Questionnaire. Though your medium of instruction may have been English, please note the years (or standards) you studied Hindi formally through schooling. It is also helpful to know what institution you studied at: ICSE/CBSE/IGCSE/IB/State Board.
If an enrolling student with some background in Hindi cannot read or write, the student must automatically enroll in the first semester of Hindi-Urdu to learn the script, after which a placement test can be administered upon request by the course instructor for approval to enroll in a higher-level course.
The Hindi placement test will be conducted remotely. Students will receive a Zoom link for the test following their registration. The evaluation consists of an oral interview (20-25 minutes) and a short writing exercise in Hindi (25-30 minutes). Please complete this form to begin the process of registering for a placement test.
Hmong
The Hmong placement test will be conducted remotely. Students will receive a Zoom link for the test following their registration. The evaluation consists of an oral interview (20-25 minutes) and a short writing in Hmong (25-30 minutes). Please complete this form to begin the process of registering for a placement test.
Indonesian
The Indonesian placement test will be conducted remotely. Students will receive a Zoom link for the test following their registration. The evaluation consists of an oral interview (20-25 minutes) and a short writing in Indonesian (25-30 minutes). Please complete this form to begin the process of registering for a placement test.
Japanese
The Japanese placement test takes 30 minutes and will be conducted remotely. Students will receive a Zoom link for the test following their registration. Please complete this form to register for a placement test and indicate date and time you want to register. For further information on the Japanese placement test, please read our FAQs.
Tuesday’s June 30, July 28, Aug 25 | 9:00am, 9:30am, 10:00am, 10:30am
Wednesday’s June 3, July 15, Aug 26 | Wed 1:00pm, 1:30pm, 2:00pm, 2:30pm
Thursday’s May 28, June 18, Aug 13 | 1:30pm, 2:00pm, 2:30pm, 3:00pm
Korean
The Korean Language placement test will take 30-minute to complete online. It will include a 10-15 minute speaking assessment and a 15 minute writing assessment in Korean. Please complete this form to register for a placement test and indicate date and time you want to register.
Summer 2026
June 2026
June 8 (M): 10:00, 10:30, 11:00 AM
June 9 (T): 10:00, 10:30, 11:00 AM
June 15 (M): 1:00, 1:30, 2:00 PM
June 16 (T): 1:00, 1:30, 2:00 PM
June 23 (T): 1:00, 1:30, 2:00 PM
July 2026
July 6 (M): 9:00, 9:30 AM
July 13 (M): 9:00, 9:30 AM
July 27 (M): 9:00, 9:30 AM
August 2026
August 12 (W): 9:00, 9:30, 10:00 AM
August 19 (W): 9:00, 9:30, 10:00 AM
Persian / Farsi
The Persian placement test will be conducted remotely. Students will receive a Zoom link for the test following their registration. The evaluation consists of an oral interview (20-25 minutes) and a short writing in Persian (25-30 minutes). Please complete this form to begin the process of registering for a placement test.
Sanskrit
The Sanskrit placement test will be conducted remotely. Students will receive a Zoom link for the test following their registration. The evaluation consists of an oral interview (20-25 minutes) and a short writing in Sanskrit (25-30 minutes). Please complete this form to begin the process of registering for a placement test.
Thai
The Thai placement test will be conducted remotely. Students will receive a Zoom link for the test following their registration. The evaluation consists of an oral interview (20-25 minutes) and a short writing in Thai (25-30 minutes). Please complete this form to begin the process of registering for a placement test.
Tibetan
The Tibetan placement test will be conducted remotely. Students will receive a Zoom link for the test following their registration. The evaluation consists of an oral interview (20-25 minutes) and a short writing in Tibetan (25-30 minutes). Please complete this form to begin the process of registering for a placement test.
Urdu
Students with prior experience in formally studying Urdu must fill out this Background Questionnaire. Though your medium of instruction may have been English, please note the years (or standards) you studied Urdu formally through schooling. It is also helpful to know what institution you studied at: ICSE/CBSE/IGCSE/IB/State Board.
If an enrolling student with some background in Urdu cannot read or write, the student must automatically enroll in the first semester of Hindi-Urdu to learn the script, after which a placement test can be administered upon request by the course instructor for approval to enroll in a higher-level course.
The Urdu placement test will be conducted remotely. Students will receive a Zoom link for the test following their registration. The evaluation consists of an oral interview (20-25 minutes) and a short writing exercise in Urdu (25-30 minutes). Please complete this form to begin the process of registering for a placement test.
Vietnamese
Students with prior experience in formally studying Vietnamese must fill out this Background Questionnaire. Though your medium of instruction may have been English, please note the years (or grade levels) you studied Vietnamese language formally through schooling.
If an enrolling student with some background in Vietnamese cannot read or write, the student must automatically enroll in the first semester of Vietnamese to learn the script, after which a placement test can be administered upon request by the course instructor for approval to enroll in a higher-level course. ASIALANG 131: First Semester Vietnamese is only offered in the fall semester.
The Vietnamese placement test will be conducted remotely. Students will receive a Zoom link for the test following their registration. The evaluation consists of an oral interview (20-25 minutes) and a short writing in Vietnamese (25-30 minutes). Please complete this form to begin the process of registering for a placement test.
Other Asian Languages
If you are a student with prior experience in an Asian language (e.g., self-taught, learned in elementary, middle or high school, or learned from family, relatives or friends, etc.), and seek advise about foreign language placement, or continuing with the language of your heritage please fill out this questionnaire in order to receive appropriate advising or guidance.