Challenge Exams

Language Challenge exams are offered to current Seattle University students to determine which language class is appropriate. While the successful completion of these exams may satisfy all or part of the one year of proficiency in a modern language requirement for the College of Arts & Sciences, no Seattle University credit is awarded.

Spanish exams

The 1000 level Proctored Online Spanish Challenge Exam is regularly offered three times per quarter during the academic year and on some additional dates during the summer. Registration for each date is closed one week before every exam. Please make sure to download the Spanish Challenge Exam Study Guide to prepare for the test. 

Please click below to register for the exam. 

• Register here for the Proctored Online Spanish Challenge Exam

The exam is offered via Zoom on the following dates:

Thursday, April 6, 2023 at 12:30pm

Thursday, May 4, 2023 at 12:30pm

Thursday, June 1, 2023 at 12:30pm

If you have any questions about the Spanish Challenge Exams during Fall, Winter, or Spring Quarter, please contact Annelise Pedersen at pedersea@seattleu.edu. If you have questions during the Summer, please contact Sonia Barrios Tinoco at barrioss@seattleu.edu.

French exams

The French Challenge Exam will be offered in-person in Xavier 121 on the following dates:

Tuesday, November 1, 2022

Tuesday, February 7, 2023

Tuesday, May 2, 2023

The exam will offered at 10am-12pm, 1pm-3pm, and 4pm-6pm on each of these dates. 

Please click here to register for a timeslot to take the exam. If you have any questions about the exam, please email Professor Maria Leon at leonm@seattleu.edu.

Japanese exams

Please contact Shizuko Suenaga at suenagas@seattleu.edu with any questions or requests regarding the Japanese placement exam.

Arabic exams

By appointment only. Please contact Amina Moujtahid at moujtaha@seattleu.edu to schedule a time to take the Arabic placement exam.

Chinese exams

By appointment only. Please contact Ming Feng at fengm@seattleu.edu to schedule a time to take the Chinese placement exam.

Waiver of the Requirement for Language Proficiency in the College of Arts and Sciences

Students can test out of the college's requirement for one year of proficiency in a foreign language. If the language the student would like to test out of is not offered at Seattle University, the student can take it at another academic institution with prior approval of the Department of Modern Languages and Cultures.

Please contact our department's administrative assistant, Noelle Hardman, at nhardman@seattlu.edu, with any questions about demonstrating proficiency in a foreign language that is not offered at Seattle University.