Proficiency Testing

The 12-point exam tests three skills—listening, reading, and writing—that are necessary for everyday communicative tasks. Students are required to answer multiple-choice and short-answer questions, write one essay, translate two passages, and respond to an audio section. Students are given two hours to complete the entire 12-point exam.

The 16-point exam is comprised of the 12-point exam, as well as a 350-word essay on a more complex subject. In the essay, students are required to write about abstract ideas, support an argument, hypothesize, and write in longer paragraphs. Students are given three hours to complete the entire 16-point exam.

For students who elected to take the 12-point exam and later wish to be tested on the extended 350-word essay portion of the 16-point exam, we offer an additional 4-point exam. This exam is offered only to students who received a score of at least 8 on the 12-point exam. Students are given one hour (60 minutes) to complete the 4-point exam.

* It is important to note that the actual amount of credit granted is at the discretion of the institution receiving the results. Students are strongly encouraged to discuss credit transfer with the institution prior to taking the exam. All test results are final and may not be appealed. Official letters will not be mailed to institutions for tests that are more than five years old.

An official letter stipulating the results of the examination will be mailed to the designated institution up to eight weeks after the test is taken. The student will receive an unofficial copy of the letter.

Allow two extra weeks during winter break. Though the official letter is sufficient for most institutions, should an official transcript be required, it can be obtained from the NYU Transcript Office.

The NYU School of Professional Studies offers three different language-testing examinations to evaluate your knowledge of a language and assign points equivalent to undergraduate credit at US colleges. The actual amount of credit granted is at the discretion of the institution receiving the results. Students are strongly encouraged to discuss credit transfer with the institution prior to taking the exam.

• Name
• Email Address
  
• Daytime telephone number
• Language and number of points of the exam you wish to take (4, 12, or 16 points)
• Date of birth

Please call at least 48 hours prior to the exam if you must cancel or reschedule. If you fail to arrive at the test site on time, your place will be given to another applicant.

• Your completed registration form.

• A photo ID, such as a driver’s license, student ID, or passport.
• Credit card payments are made online in advance of the exam date. Email us at: sps.flpe@nyu.edu to request a credit card payment link. Money order or personal check payments are made on the day of the exam. Money orders and checks are to be made payable to New York University. We do not accept cash and we will not administer the exam without proper payment.

Please Note: We are transitioning to a more convenient, expeditious online platform that will grant you 24/7 access to language proficiency testing from home, school, or your workplace around the globe. Results for online exams are issued within two to three weeks of your testing date. As exams become available online, they will no longer be offered onsite. The testing process for online and onsite exams differs, so please be sure to read instructions carefully.