UChicago Language Tests
ARCA: Academic Reading Comprehension Assessment
The Academic Reading Comprehension Assessment (ARCA) has been designed to measure students’ ability to conduct academic research by reading in a secondary research language. It uses texts submitted by faculty within each department, reflecting the level of reading comprehension expected for students working in those areas. Examinees will have different texts than others taking the exam at the same time.
AEPA: Academic English Proficiency Assessment
The Academic English Proficiency Assessment (AEPA) is an authentic, highly structured English conversation between a prospective University of Chicago student, postdoc, or visitor and an English language specialist. An AEPA typically lasts 15 to 30 minutes and includes an academic role play. The language specialist’s goal is to elicit the test taker’s best possible sample of spoken English in academic context. The language specialist is interested in overall, functional speaking ability rather than only accuracy and grammar.
Language Competency Tests
Competency tests are one way for students to fulfill the College’s requirement of possessing competence in a language and culture other than English by demonstrating reading, writing, listening, and, where appropriate, speaking skills equivalent to one year of college-level study.
Practical Proficiency Certification Tests
UChicago’s Practical Language Proficiency AssessmentTM measures students’ ability to functionally use a foreign language in most personal settings and some academic or professional settings.
Both the College and graduate students across all Divisions and Schools at the University of Chicago can take the Practical Language Proficiency Assessment to earn Practical Language Proficiency Certification. This certification documents what a student can do with the language in a meaningful and impactful way and how their language abilities–listening, reading, speaking, and writing–will serve them in their professional and academic careers.
Advanced Proficiency Certification Tests
UChicago’s Advanced Language Proficiency AssessmentTM measures students’ ability to functionally use a foreign language in a wide variety of settings, including all personal settings and many academic or professional settings.
Both the College and graduate students across all Divisions and Schools at the University of Chicago can take the Advanced Language Proficiency Assessment to earn Advanced Language Proficiency Certification. This certification documents what a student can do with the language in a meaningful and impactful way and how their language abilities–listening, reading, speaking, and writing–will serve them in their professional and academic careers.
Placement Tests
Language placement tests are administered to all incoming freshman each summer. If you are not an incoming freshman but would like to take a placement test, please contact languageassessment@uchicago.edu.
Translation Exams
Translation exams are only used in Biblical Hebrew, Classical Chinese, Greek, and Latin, as a way to fulfill many departments’ graduate reading requirement.