Hero-Languages
Proficiency Exams

Proficiency Exams

Non-credit foreign language proficiency certification (Mandarin, Japanese, Korean, Taiwanese) may be used to satisfy Penn State’s foreign language requirements.

The request form for proficiency testing is to be submitted to the Asian Studies Department with the $60 fee paid through the Language Proficiency site before the examination is administered. Exam dates are posted on the Asian Studies website.

General exam questions can be sent to Becky Cross or Mary Price.

For Chinese Language exam questions,  contact Yupeng Kou.

For Japanese language exam questions, contact Haruko Iwami.

For Korean language exam questions, contact Lan Kim. 

For Hindi exam questions, contact Ritu Jayakar.

For questions about this policy, contact the School of Global Languages, Literatures, and Cultures.

Proficiency Exam Dates

Chinese Exam Dates

The Chinese non-credit proficiency exams will be administered on CANVAS on the following dates. Students should FIRST read the Exam Application Instructions (located at the bottom of this page) very carefully before registering for an exam, and MUST strictly follow the instructions to complete the registration and correctly submit the registration request. Please pay close attention to the exam dates/times and the registration deadline for each exam. All dates and times are US Eastern Time. There will be NO exam over summer sessions. The next exam will be offered in Fall 2024. 

Exam 1: Thursday, Feb. 22 at 10am-12pm, registration closes on Friday, Feb. 16 at 4pm. 

Exam 2: Wednesday, Mar. 20 at 3pm-5pm, registration closes on Friday, Mar. 15 at 4pm. 

Exam 3: (LAST EXAM of Spring 2024 Semester): Tuesday, Apr. 16 at 9am-11am, registration closes on Friday, Apr. 12 at 4pm.

Korean Exam Dates

TThe Korean non-credit proficiency exams will be administered online on the following dates. Students should FIRST read the Exam Application Instructions (located at the bottom of this page) very carefully before registering for an exam, and MUST strictly follow the instructions to complete the registration. Please pay close attention to the exam dates/times and the registration deadline for each of the exams. There will be NO exam in SUMMER. Next exam will be offered during Fall 2024.

(1) Exam 1: 2/19 Monday at 4:00 – 5:30 pm (EST). Registration closes at 4 pm on 2/15 Thursday (EST)

(2) Exam 2: 3/18 Monday at 3:30 – 5:00 pm (EST). Registration closes at 4 pm on 3/14 Thursday (EST)

(3) LAST EXAM OF 2024 SPRING Semester Exam 3: 4/17 Wednesday at 3:00 – 4:30 pm (EST). Registration closes at 4 pm on 4/12 Friday (EST)

Hindi Exam Dates

The Hindi Proficiency exam dates for Spring 2024 are:

Friday 02/02/24, starting at 3:00 pm

Thursday 04/04/24, starting at 12:00 pm

The examination would have written and oral components. It will evaluate reading and writing proficiency in Devanagari along with Hindi comprehension and ability to articulate accurately in a culturally appropriate manner.

Please get in touch with Mary Price (meo12@psu.edu) to complete the registration process.

NOTE: a $60 fee must be paid before signing up for the exam at Language Proficiency.