Placement Exams

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Registration for Spring 2026 Placement Exams is now closed. Registration for AY2026-27 will open on June 1, 2026

 

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.

Important Note

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.

If you are not a registered UCLA student, the exam costs $250. Please follow payment procedure outlined below.

    • Payment MUST BE RECEIVED prior to taking the exam.
    • Students must pay by check and checks should be made payable to “UC Regents”. (Cash and other payment forms are not accepted.)
    • Please ensure the student’s name and exam language are written on the memo/for line .
    • Checks should then be mailed to: NELC Program Coordinator, Kaplan Hall 361, 415 Portola Plaza, Los Angeles, CA 90095.

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.

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 bdkraemer@humnet.ucla.edu. See below for more information about exam dates.

  • Armenian (Eastern)

    • Fall 2026: exam will not be held
    • Winter 2027: Saturday, January 9, 2027 at 2:00pm
    • Spring 2027: Saturday, April 3, 2027 at 2:00pm
    Register

  • Armenian (Western)

    • Fall 2026: exam will not be held
    • Winter 2027: Saturday, January 9, 2027 at 2:00pm
    • Spring 2027: Saturday, April 3, 2027 at 2:00pm
    Register

  • Arabic

    About this exam:
    The Arabic placement exam is an online exam that is being administered over Zoom. It is based on the book “Al-kitaab Fii Taa’llum Alarabiyya”. It includes listening, vocabulary, grammar, reading comprehension, and composition questions. The exam is offered for students who want to know their language level for the purpose of placing in language classes or placing out of the College language requirement.

    When can I take this exam?

    The exam is offered three times during the academic year: in the fall, winter, and spring quarters. Students need to make sure to take it in one of these quarters. There’re no makeup exams offered.

    The dates of the exam are announced on the NELC website well in advance. Make sure to register for the exam before registration closes.

    • Fall 2026: Friday, September 25, 2026 at 11:00am
    • Winter 2027: Monday, January 4, 2027 at 11:00am
    • Spring 2027: Monday, March 29, 2027 at 11:00am

    How can I take the exam?

    After registering in the NELC website, you will later receive a link to enroll in the “Arabic Placement Exam”  test website (make sure to click on “enroll me in this course” on the top right corner of the front page). Once you are enrolled, you will find more information about the exam and how you can take it. Please note that if you are not a UCLA student, then you will need to create a UCLA Logon ID using this link https://accounts.iam.ucla.edu/ before you can enroll.

    Students from UC campuses other than UCLA, who wish to assess their Arabic language proficiency for the purpose of enrolling in Arabic classes through UC cross-campus enrollment, are kindly requested to get in touch with the instructor via email at amohamed@humnet.ucla.edu

    Register

  • Hebrew

    The Hebrew exam has oral and written components. Both are aimed at assessing language abilities in speaking, reading and writing. The exam may include conjugating verbs, reading and writing about your daily schedule, as well as subjects in the news. The exam is not based on a specific book, but Hebrew instruction at NELC is based on Magnes Press books like “First and Foremost” and “In Second Gear”.

    • Fall 2026: Monday, September 28, 2026 at 11:00am
    • Winter 2027: Wednesday, January 6, 2027 at 11:00am
    • Spring 2027: Monday, April 5, 2027 at 11:00am
    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 semesters of Persian at the elementary level. For this exam, please bring a pencil (not pen), an eraser, and your student ID card.

    • Fall 2026: Tuesday, September 29, 2026 at 10:00am
    • Winter 2027: Tuesday, January 5, 2027 at 10:00am
    • Spring 2027: Tuesday, March 30, 2027 at 10:00am
    Register

  • Turkish

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

    • Fall 2026: Tuesday, September 29, 2026 at 10:00am
    • Winter 2027: Thursday, January 7, 2027 at 10:00am
    • Spring 2027: Thursday, April 1, 2027 at 10:00am
    Register