Placement, Testing, and Transfer Credit

Determining Level of Achievement

• If you are a native speaker who wants accreditation for your language abilities, you need to take the CASE exam (for details see below). Native speakers must also register in the Collt. As mentioned above, remember that if you are a student in the College of Arts & Sciences, the requirement can only be fulfilled by courses taken at Cornell.
• If you have prior foreign language study, please use the chart below. Before considering this chart, please note that after two years, high school  placement  scores  are  no longer reliable, and you will be required to  take the LPF for accurate placement. This applies to SATII and AP scores.

Scenario 1: You have a SAT, or an AP, or an LPF (Cornell's language placement exam) score that is less than two years old
 

Scenario 2: You did not take any of these tests, or your score is more than two years old

Step 1: Register in COLLT

• All students wishing to take courses or be granted credit in French must register in COLLT (Cornell On-Line Language Tests) and fill out the information on their background.

Step 2: Take the LPF Test

• The LPF test (Language Placement test in French) is designed to place you in the level that is most suited for your needs. The LPF is offered online in the COLLT so that students can take it at their convenience.
• Use the chart above to determine your level. If you get a score above 65, take the CASE (step 3). However, students who get a 65 or higher on the LPF test at the end of 1220 are not eligible to take the CASE exam; instead, they should enroll directly into 2070/2090 (or the equivalent).

Step 3: (Only if your LPF score >65) Take the CASE exam

Please follow one of these options:

1. If you took an AP exam and scored 4, sign up for FREN 2090, 2080, or 2070.
2. If you took an AP exam and scored 5, please register before taking the CASE: https://collt.lrc.cornell.edu/

3. If you are a native speaker of French, you might be exempted from the language requirement. You will need to schedule an interview.

4. All other questions/concerns, contact Thierry Toréa (tat67@cornell.edu)

• The CASE (Cornell Advanced Standing Exam) is designed for students who have acquired the language outside of Cornell and need to determine placement into our courses. Students may earn up to 3 credits with the CASE.

Once you receive your CASE score, use the chart below to determine the course you should place in.
 

Contacts for Language Placement

If you have any questions regarding the language placements tests, please contact:

• Thierry Toréa, Lecturer of French Language, Klarman K149
• Cal Hile, Undergraduate Coordinator, Klarman K165; 5-8222

Determining Level of Achievement

• If you are a native speaker who wants accreditation for your language abilities, you need to take the CASE exam (for details see below). Native speakers must also register in the Collt. As mentioned above, remember that if you are a student in the College of Arts & Sciences, the requirement can only be fulfilled by courses taken at Cornell.
• If you have less than 2 years of foreign language study, you may enroll in the first semester course (The course number is 1201).
• If you have more than 2 years of foreign language study, please use the chart below. Before considering this chart, please note that after two years, high school placement scores are no longer reliable, and you will be required to take the LPI for accurate placement. This applies to SATII and AP scores.

Scenario 1: You have a SAT, or an AP, or an LPI (Cornell's language placement exam) score that is less than two years old

Please note that Cornell does not recognize IB tests or any equivalent scores; please take the LPI test.

Scenario 2: You did not take any of these test, or your score is more than two years old

Step 1: Register in COLLT

• All students wishing to take courses or be granted credit in Italian must register in COLLT (Cornell On-Line Language Tests) and fill out the information on their background.

Step 2: Take the LPI Test

• The LPI test (Language Placement test in Italian) is designed to place you in the level that is most suited for your needs. The LPI is offered online in the COLLT so that students can take it at their convenience.
• Use the chart above to determine your level. If you get a score above 65, take the CASE (step 3).

Step 3: (Only if your LPI score >65) Take the CASE exam

• The CASE (Cornell Advanced Standing Exam) is designed for students who have learned Italian outside of Cornell and need to determine placement into our courses. Students may earn up to 3 credits with the CASE.
• Register for CASE by writing to prof. K.E. von Wittlesbach at wittelsbach@cornell.eduduring the week before classes begin
• The CASE takes approximately 75 minutes and is offered in person twice, at the beginning of the semester. 
• Nor preparation is needed. Please bring with you two pens or pencils and your Cornell I.D. 
• After you receive your CASE score, use the chart below to determine the course you should place in.
• If you took an AP exam and achieved a score of 4 or 5, you should still take the CASE
• Make-up CASE: by appointment with prof. K Von Wittelsbach 

Contacts for Language Placement

If you have any questions regarding the language placements tests, please contact:

• K.E. von Wittelsbach, Senior Lecturer of Italian Language and Romance Studies, Klarman K127
• Cal Hile, Undergraduate Coordinator, Klarman K165; 5-8222

Determining Level of Achievement

• If you are a native speaker who wants accreditation for your language abilities, you need to take the CASE exam. Details on arranging the CASE exam for Fall 2022 are pending. Please check back. Native speakers must also register in the COLLT (Cornell On-Line Language Testing). Note that if you are a student in the College of Arts & Sciences, the requirement can only be fulfilled by courses taken at Cornell.
• If you have less than two years of foreign language study, you may enroll in the first semester course (PORT 1210).
• If you are a native or near-native speaker, basically having good knowledge of Spanish, you should contact the instructor.

Contacts for Language Placement

If you have any questions regarding the language placements tests, please contact:

• Denise Osborne, Lecturer of Portuguese, 
• Cal Hile, Undergraduate Coordinator, Klarman K165; 5-8222

Determining Level of Achievement

• If you are a native speaker who completed high school in a Spanish-Speaking country, and who wants accreditation for your language abilities, you need to get in contact with the NLAS examiner (Brisa Teutli [bt54]) to arrange a brief interview with her.
• If you have less than 2 years of foreign language study, you may enroll in the first semester course (the course number is 1210).
• If you have more than 2 years of foreign language study, you will be required to take the LPS for accurate placement.

Scenario 1: You have an LPS (Cornell's language placement test) score that is less than two years old

Please note that Cornell does not recognize IB tests or any equivalent scores; please visit https://experience.cornell.edu/opportunities/spanish-language-placement-test to take the Spanish Language Placement Test.  

Scenario 2: You did not take the LPS or your score is more than two years old

Step 1: Register for the Spanish Language Placement Test

• All students wishing to take courses or be granted credit in Spanish must register for the Spanish Language Placement Test and fill out the information on their background: https://experience.cornell.edu/opportunities/spanish-language-placement-test 

Step 2: Take the LPS Test

• The LPS test (Language Placement test in Spanish) is designed to place you in the level that is most suited for your needs. The LPS is offered online and takes about one hour, so that students can take it at their convenience.
• Use the chart above to determine your level. If you get a score above 65, take the CASE (step 3).

Step 3: (Only if your LPS score >65) Take the CASE exam       

• The CASE (Cornell Advanced Standing Exam) is designed for students who have acquired the language outside of Cornell and need to determine placement into our courses. Students may earn up to 3 credits with the CASE. 

• The CASE exam will be offered online via Canvas. There will be only two offerings, seen below in the Fall 2025 CASE Exam Schedule.  Both sessions will last one hour. 

• You must complete the following steps in order to take the CASE. YOU WILL NOT BE ELIGIBLE TO TAKE THE CASE IF ALL OF THE STEPS BELOW ARE NOT COMPLETED:

  • Apply: https://experience.cornell.edu/opportunities/spanish-language-placement-test  

  • Enroll in the corresponding Canvas course listed in the Fall 2025 CASE Exam Schedule below. 

  • Complete the Questionnaire in Canvas at least 24 hours before the exam time. 

• If you are taking the CASE only to earn credits and not for placement in a course, you may take it directly (without taking the LPS) if you have an AP4 or 5, but you still must apply to the Spanish Language Placement Test in order to take the exam
   

• Once you receive your score, use the chart below to determine the course you should place in.
• The student must score a Q++ to earn up to 3 credits.

Contacts for Language Placement

If you have any questions regarding the language placements tests, please contact:

• Macarena Tejada Lopez , Lecturer of Spanish, Klarman K133
• Cal Hile, Undergraduate Coordinator, Klarman K165; 255-8222
• NLAS Examiner: Brisa Teutli

For information about Czech and Hungarian language testing, please contact Emma Britton at the Cornell Language Resource Center (cornelllrc@cornell.edu) .

For information about Norwegian and Swedish language testing, please contact K.E. von Wittelsbach.

College of Arts & Sciences Language Requirement

• Option 1: Passing a 2000 level (or above) course in a foreign language at Cornell or
• Option 2: Passing at least eleven credits of study in a single foreign language at Cornell (usually an introductory sequence)

The Arts and Sciences language requirement can only be fulfilled by courses taken at Cornell.

This is a College, not a department, policy. Please take this into account as you plan your work at Cornell and elsewhere. For more information about the Arts & Sciences requirement, please visit the College site.

For All Students:

• Exempt: native speakers or equivalent
• Definition of “native speaker” for purposes of language placement: one who has completed secondary education in an institution whose primary language of instruction was not English, but the target language. Native speakers fitting this description are exempt from the language requirement. To be granted exemption officially, if you fit this definition of native speaker in French or Italian, take the CASE exam. For Spanish, use the NLAS.

Credit will be granted only for work done at four-year, accredited, universities and colleges in the United States, or in programs affiliated with four-year, accredited universities and colleges in the United States, in programs comparable to the language programs in Romance Studies at Cornell, and only with the approval of the Director of Undergraduate Studies. The Department reserves the right to deny credit to students who had their pre-approval form signed by someone other than the Director of Undergraduate Studies.

Credit will be granted only for courses that are comparable to those offered at Cornell. While the department may grant credit for approved courses taken at other institutions, it will not grant equivalence. Students-must take the appropriate department placement exam after they have completed the pre-approved course, in order to be placed in the appropriate course at a higher level. They should contact the Director of Undergraduate Studies for information about the appropriate exam. Students must apply for transfer credit and take the placement exam before taking a higher level course in the same language at Cornell.

Procedure for approval of language courses:

1. Bring the following materials to the Director of Undergraduate Studies, Marilyn Migiel, in Klarman Hall:
   • Course materials: If you took the course already bring detailed course materials for the purposes of comparing the proposed course with equivalent courses at Cornell. These materials could include: a course syllabus or plan or a list of skills taught in the course, along with the means of teaching those skills (How many written exercises will be/were assigned? Of what length? How much reading will be/were assigned? What materials will be/were used in the course?) If you are planning on taking a course during the summer, save all of the course materials. You will be asked to show the syllabus, tests, writing assignments, and other course materials for formal approval after the course is taken.
   • Transcript: A sealed, official copy of the transcript from the institution where the course was/is going to be taken. The minimum grade required to receive transfer credit is a B.
   • Pre-approval form: This form can be obtained from the Arts and Sciences Registrar’s office.
2. The Director of Undergraduate Studies gives final approval and notifies the student of the outcome.