Spanish Placement Diagnostic
Beginning May 1, 2022: New language placement diagnostic (PLACE)
UVA has adopted a new PLACE language placement diagnostic for students seeking to determine their course placement in French, Italian, German, or Spanish. The new PLACE diagnostic will be used for all placement purposes for these languages beginning May 1, 2022.
The PLACE diagnostic assesses writing, reading, speaking, and contextualized grammar knowledge and skills, and takes about 30-60 minutes to complete. PLACE should be completed at least 10 days in advance of course enrollment. Your score will appear in SIS under Academics > Test Scores when it is available.
Students who have completed an earlier placement exam at UVA should review these instructions.
Part 1: Taking the PLACE Placement Diagnostic
Who should take the PLACE placement diagnostic?
Students who studied Spanish prior to entering UVA will need to have a placement score to enroll in a Spanish course. Students who did not study Spanish in high school or another college/university do not need to take the PLACE placement diagnostic or any other placement diagnostic but can start Spanish in SPAN 1010.
When should I take the PLACE placement diagnostic?
All Students: Take the diagnostic at least 10 days before registration to ensure receipt of your score in time to enroll. Delays in taking this diagnostic may result in delayed registration for your language course.
New Students: The PLACE placement diagnostic should be completed before the date sent to new students in the May welcome letter.
Why do I need to take the placement diagnostic in advance?
The PLACE placement diagnostic includes writing and speaking questions that are reviewed by trained raters. This process can take several days. Take the diagnostic at least 10 days before registration to ensure receipt of your score in time to enroll.
How do I take the PLACE placement diagnostic?
You will need (please read CAREFULLY, as you can only take this test ONCE):
- At least one hour of focused time in a distraction-free enviornment
- Your UVA computing ID (for ex., mst3k)
- A computer with microphone (your built-in microphone is usually sufficient)
- A strong internet connection and Chrome, Safari, or Microsoft Edge (view a list of supported browsers and devices and and try a sample of PLACE in Spanish before you begin before you begin)
- Take the diagnostic with your official @virginia.edu email address only. Accessing the exam from another email address is an Honor violation.
- Please note: Diagnostics will only be scored if they include
- your UVA computing ID (for example: mst3k) in the fields marked Login Name and Test Taker ID
- your UVA email address
- Scores will only be available via UVA SIS
- Using outside resources of any kind is not permitted and will constitute an Honor violation.
- The diagnostic may be taken only once in any language.
- Begin the PLACE placement diagnostic at https://app.avantassessment.com using the test code and password below (case sensitive).
- Test code: 25071-pl-sp-1
- Password: 1961
- Please use your UVA Computing ID (example: mst3k) as the TEST TAKER ID and LOGIN ID. Use only your UVA email address in taking this diagnostic.
- Technical difficulties: if you experience technical difficulties, your diagnostic will not be lost. Use the Avant Assessment Technology Guide to assess the problem and resume the diagnostic where you left off by re-logging on with the same identifying information you provided previously. You must contact the Placement Coordinator if you would like to request a retake of the diagnostic.
What is the diagnostic like? Can I try a sample test?
You will be asked questions that evaluate your abilities in reading, writing, and speaking, as well as your knowledge of vocabulary and grammar. All questions are completed online, asynchronously, and individually. You will not interact with a person while taking the diagnostic. On average, this diagnostic takes up to 60 minutes to complete. No time limit is in place, and you may take as much time as you need.
You can explore a sample of the pre-diagnostic survey and diagnostic questions in Spanish before you begin.
Can I use a dictionary or other resources?
Using outside resources of any kind is not permitted and will constitute an Honor violation. Submission of the diagnostic in your name means that the score honestly reflects your current language abilities without assistance from other people or any materials.
Part 2: PLACE Scores and Placement FAQ
How do I get my PLACE placement diagnostic score?
Your diagnostic is sent for evaluation by a trained test rater. This is why you need to take this diagnostic at least 10 days before you register for classes. When it becomes available, your score will be transferred to SIS, where you can access it at any time under Academics > Test Scores.
What does my score mean?
Access the Spanish Placement Chart to see full placement levels.
Who else sees my score?
The placement coordinator and program director will be able to access your score and additional details of your performance on the diagnostic.
How do I enroll in a language course once I have my score?
- Access your placement score in SIS (it will be available within a max of 10 days). Please plan accordingly by taking the diagnostic 10 days before registration.
- Use the Spanish Placement Chart to identify your appropriate course. Note: if you have other test scores (AP, etc.) for this language, use the HIGHER of your scores to determine your placement.
- Taking the placement diagnostic does not guarantee you a spot in a language course. Space is limited. If you are unable to secure a space, you can join the waitlist for course(s) for which you are eligible.
You must enroll in the course in which you have placed according to your diagnostic score. Enrolling in a course level other than that indicated by your placement score will result in a grade of F or no credit.
Are there other ways to determine my language placement?
Yes, AP, SAT II, and IB (High Level) scores may be used to determine your placement and/or to satisfy the World Language Requirement. Refer to the Spanish Placement Chart for further information or access the A&S World Language Placement FAQ page.
What if I have a score from the UVA Placement Diagnostic and a score from the AP Exam, IB Exam, or another placement test?
UVA uses the highest placement indicated by your scores. If your UVA placement diagnostic score placed you into the 2010 level and your AP or IB exam score placed you into the 2020 level, you must enroll in the higher level – in this case, the 2020 level.
Do I need to bring printed evidence of my score to class?
Students can take a screenshot of their score in SIS under Academics > Test Scores and upload it to Collab Filedrop, or print and bring it to class.
What if I ‘place out’ of the required 4-semester course sequence?
A score beyond the level of the required course sequence will be reported to the A&S Registrar by the end of the semester. No action is needed on the part of the student.
Can I retake the placement diagnostic?
No. Taking the diagnostic more than once is an Honor violation. If you feel that your circumstances warrant a re-take, you will need permission from the Language Program Director.
I took the diagnostic before May 2022. Do I need to take it again?
If you completed the UVA world language diagnostic in French, German, Italian, or Spanish prior to May 2022, you do not need to retake the diagnostic. Log in to the previous diagnostic portal (Emmersion) to access and screenshot or print your score. You will be able to reset your password if you have forgotten it. Determine your placement by consulting the Spanish Placement Chart.
The College of Arts & Sciences World Language Requirement can be satisfied in any of the following ways:
- Completion of SPAN 2020
- A score of 5.25 or higher on the PLACE Placement Diagnostic
- A score of 4 or higher on the AP Exam
- A score of 536 or higher on the UVA Spanish placement diagnostic (Emmersion/WebCAPE) in use prior to 5/1/22
- A score of 641 or higher on the SAT II Exam
- IB (High Level) scores, as follows: Score of 5 or higher on Spanish A1 or A2; Score of 7 on Spanish B.