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 view the available timeslots and to register for the exam. 

• Register here for the Proctored Online Spanish Challenge Exam

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

A French Challenge Exam Study Guide is available to help you prepare for the test.

Please click here to view the available timeslots and to register for the exam.

You will be contacted with further instructions about the exam closer to your exam date. 

If you have any questions about the exam during Fall, Winter, or Spring Quarter, please email Professor Maria Leon at leonm@seattleu.edu. If you have any questions during Summer quarter, please email nhardman@seattleu.edu.

Japanese exams

Please click here to view the available timeslots and to register for the exam.

Please contact Benjamin Burton at bburton@seattleu.edu with any questions or requests regarding the Japanese placement exam.

Arabic exams

By appointment only. Please contact Noelle Hardman at nhardman@seattlu.edu with any questions or requests regarding the Arabic placement exam.

Chinese exams

By appointment only. Please contact Daphne Qian at qiand@seattleu.edu with any questions or requests regarding 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 a proficiency exam at another academic institution and send their scores to the Department of Modern Languages and Cultures.

Please contact our department's administrative assistant, Noelle Hardman, at nhardman@seattlu.edu, with any questions about waiving the Modern Language requirement in a language that is not offered at Seattle University.