Placement Exams

The department of Near Eastern Languages and Cultures offers proficiency exams for Arabic, Armenian (Eastern and Western), Hebrew, Persian, and Turkish at the beginning of each quarter. No exams are offered during the summer. During the 2020-21 Academic Year, we expect to offer all placement exams online through Zoom.

No exceptions or makeup exams are offered. If students fail to take the exam on the scheduled date, they will need to wait until the next term it is offered.

Students use the exam to document proficiency with a foreign language for university or program requirement.  Please check with your institution to make sure our departmental exam is accepted. 

Registration is required for all students taking the exam.

If you are not a registered UCLA student, the exam costs $50. Payment MUST BE MADE prior to taking the exam.  Students must mail check to NELC’s Program Coordinator, Emma Watson, Kaplan Hall 378B, 415 Portola Plaza, Los Angeles, CA 90095.  Cash will never be accepted via mail or in person.  Please make checks out to “UC Regents”. 

Exam Levels

  • Level 1= 1 quarter (elementary)
  • Level 2= 2 quarters (elementary)
  • Level 3= 3 quarters (elementary — completes 1 year of language)
  • Level 4= 4 quarters (intermediate)
  • Level 5= 5 quarters (intermediate)
  • Level 6= 6 quarters (intermediate — completes 2 years of language)

For general questions about exams, please contact nreast@humnet.ucla.edu. See below for more information about exam dates.

  • Armenian (Eastern)

    • Fall 2020: Date TBD
    • Winter 2021: Date TBD
    • Spring 2021: Date TBD

    For more information regarding the Eastern Armenian Exam, please contact Emma Watson at ewatson@humnet.ucla.edu.

    Register

  • Armenian (Western)

    • Fall 2020: Date TBD
    • Winter 2021: Date TBD
    • Spring 2021: Date TBD

    For more information please contact Dr. Hagop Kouloujian.

    Register

  • Arabic

    The Arabic placement exam is based on the book “Al-kitaab Fii Taa’llum Alarabiyya”. It includes listening, vocabulary, grammar, reading comprehension, and composition. It is an online exam, however, it takes place on campus. Bring a photo ID to the exam.

    • Fall 2020: Date TBD
    • Winter 2021: Date TBD
    • Spring 2021: Date TBD

    For more information please contact Dr. Abeer Hamza.

    Register

  • Hebrew

    The exam is written only and based on the textbook Ha-Yesod (found usually at UCLA Bookstore, textbook for Hebrew). It includes the following:

    1. A passage in Hebrew for partial translation to English
    2. Comprehension questions in Hebrew on the passage mentioned above
    3. Two sections with multiple choice answers on grammar and vocabulary
    4. Fill in the blank questions with the correct form and tense of verbs + translating and vocalizing them
    5. Fill in the blank questions with the correct preposition (+ in the correct form)
    6. Rewriting nouns with suffixes using the Hebrew possessive “of”
    7. Fill in the blank questions with the correct numbers using Hebrew words
    8. Translation to Hebrew of short sentences
    9. A short composition

    • Fall 2020: Date TBD
    • Winter 2021: Date TBD
    • Spring 2021: Date TBD

    For more information please contact Dr. Nancy Ezer.

    Register

  • Persian

    This is a comprehensive exam (2 hours), which includes listening, speaking, reading, writing, and grammar.  It is equivalent to three quarters or two semester of Persian at the elementary level.

    • Fall 2020: Date TBD
    • Winter 2021: Date TBD
    • Spring 2021: Date TBD

    For more information please contact Dr. Latifeh Hagigi at (310) 794 9407 or hagigi@humnet.ucla.edu.

    Register

  • Turkish

    The exam consists of four sections: Speaking, listening, reading comprehension, and writing an essay in Turkish on a given topic.

    • Fall 2020: Date TBD
    • Winter 2021: Date TBD
    • Spring 2021: Date TBD

    For more information please contact Dr. Beyza Lorenz.

    Register