EALC administers two different Chinese tests—the Chinese Placement Test and the Chinese Proficiency Test—each serving distinct purposes. Please read the information on this page carefully. In the event of any discrepancy between what you hear from other sources (e.g., your academic advisor, CITL) and the information provided here regarding these two tests, the information on this webpage shall prevail. 东亚语言文化系（EALC）提供两种中文测试：中文分级测试和中文水平测试，它们的用途不同。请仔细阅读本页面上的信息。若您从其他渠道（例如academic advisor、CITL）获得的信息与本页面关于这两项测试的说明不一致，请以本页面信息为准。

Chinese Placement Test: The placement test is for your placement in a Chinese language class. You only take this test if you are going to register for a Chinese language class. It will NOT fulfill GenEd requirements or LOTE (language other than English) requirements. Please do NOT take the Chinese Placement Test if you are a native speaker of Chinese (finished high school in China).  Chinese Placement Test 中文分级测试的目的是将您安排到合适的中文课程中。只有在您打算注册中文课程时才需要参加此测试。该测试 不能 用来满足GenEd requirements or LOTE (language other than English) requirements, 也即通识教育中的外语（LOTE，非英语语言）要求。如果您是中文母语者（在中国完成了高中学业），请不要参加Chinese Placement Test中文分级测试。

Chinese Proficiency Test is for GenEd requirements or LOTE (language other than English) requirements. Please make sure you are reading under the correct section. Individual emails due to your misunderstanding of the tests will NOT be answered. Chinese Proficiency Test 中文水平测试是用于通识教育（GenEd）或外语（LOTE，非英语语言）要求的。请务必确认您阅读正确的部分。由于您对测试产生误解而发送的个人邮件将不予回复。

1. Chinese Placement Test 中文分级测试: For taking Chinese language classes

NOTE: You do NOT take this test if your purpose is to fulfill the foreign language requirement. Scroll down to the Chinese Proficiency Test for foreign language requirement. 

You can register into a Chinese language course if you have completed the previous course in the sequence, or you have taken the Chinese language placement test and got placed into the course.

The goal of a placement test is to evaluate students' language capability for the purpose of placing them into the right level of language classes.  The Chinese language placement test is administered on-line. Since the test is not proctored, the result can NOT be used to satisfy GenEd requirements or LOTE (language other than English) requirements.  

The Chinese Placement Test for Spring 2026: Check back later.

You can finish the test anytime between 8 am Monday January 5, 2026 and midnight Friday January 16, 2026. Note that you will only need to take a test if you are new to the Chinese program. If you are a continuing student, you don't need to take the test.

You can register for the test by enrolling yourself in the “course” when it opens at 8 am on Monday January 5, 2026 and before the test closes on Friday January 16, 2026. You can only do the test during the time it is available as indicated above (01/05/2025-01/16/2025). You’ll then need to do a Technology Check to make sure that your computer can capture and transmit your responses.  Budget about 90 minutes to do the test.  Depending on how strong your skills are, you may or may not need that much time.

Please use Chrome or Firefox as a web browser.  We know that Safari and cell phones are not compatible with Moodle, the platform used for the Chinese placement test.

You’ll get your placement recommendation immediately upon completing the test.  Please make sure to follow the instructions in the test to get your placement recommendation. When you go to class, your instructor will give your further assessment of your production skills and let you know whether you should stay with that initial placement or should move to a different class. 

2. Chinese Proficiency Test 中文水平考试: For Gen Ed Foreign Language Requirement

If you are a native speaker of Mandarin Chinese, or if you complete at least one full academic year in a high school where you studied all of your subjects in a language other than English, you can ask the Office of Undergraduate Admissions to review your high school transcript for Gen Ed LOTE fulfillment. 如果您是中文母语者，或者您曾在一所中文授课的高中完成至少一个学年，您可以向本科招生办公室(Office of Undergraduate Admissions)申请审核您的高中成绩单，以满足通识教育中的外语（Gen Ed LOTE）要求。See Option #1 in the Options for Satisfying the General Education Language Requirements document. 

We administer these tests on behalf of the university; however, we do not have the authority to decide whether you are required to take a test or which test you should take. Please consult your academic advisor or department to determine which test applies to you. In addition, if you are a native speaker of Mandarin Chinese, we strongly encourage you to explore alternative ways of fulfilling the Gen Ed LOTE requirement before taking one of these tests. 东亚语言文化系（EALC）代表学校负责组织这些测试；然而，我们没有权力决定您是否必须参加测试，或者您应参加哪一个测试。请与您的academic advisor或者所在的系确认您需要参加的测试。此外，如果您是中文母语者，我们强烈建议您在注册这个考试之前，先考虑其它可以帮你满足Gen Ed外语要求的选择（见上一段）。

_________________________________________________________________________________

a. Test Versions 

The goal of a proficiency test is to evaluate a person's language capability. The test is meant to be general and not tied to specific textbooks. The Department of EALC has developed four Chinese proficiency tests to evaluate one's Chinese capability for GenEd LOTE (Languages Other Than English) requirement, fellowship application and study abroad programs. The four versions of the Chinese Proficiency Test are: 

• Test 1 is intended for students who seek to demonstrate third-level language proficiency. Passing Test 1 fulfills the third-level language requirement. It is expected that students either will be native speakers or will have studied Chinese for at least 3 semesters in college or 3 years in high school (5 class hours per week).
• Test 2 is intended for students who seek to demonstrate fourth-level language proficiency.   Passing Test 2 fulfills the fourth-level language requirement. It is expected that students either will be native speakers or will have studied Chinese for at least 4 semesters in college or 4 years in high school (5 class hours per week).
• Test 3 is intended for students who seek to demonstrate sixth-level language proficiency. Passing Test 3 fulfills the sixth-level language requirement. It is expected that students either will be native speakers or will have studied Chinese for at least 6 semesters in college (5 class hours per week).
• Test 4 is intended for students who seek to demonstrate eighth-level language proficiency, e.g. for students majoring in East Asian Languages and Cultures. Passing Test 4 fulfills the eighth-level language requirement. It is expected that students either will be native speakers or will have studied Chinese for at least 8 semesters in college (5 class hours per week). 

EALC runs the test but does not decide which test you need to take. Please reach out to your academic advisor in your department/school/college regarding which test you will need to take.  东亚语言文化系（EALC）负责组织测试，但不决定您需要参加哪一项测试。请联系您所在院系/学院的academic advisor，确认您需要参加的测试。

The test will be administered and proctored online. You will need access to a computer with camera and a Chinese keyboard already set up; either traditional or simplified Chinese character is fine. You can ask the university IT support for help with that if you do not know how to set up a Chinese keyboard on your computer. 测试将以线上方式进行，并由监考人员监督。您需要使用配备摄像头的电脑，并且已设置好中文输入法（繁体或简体中文均可）。如果您不知道如何在电脑上设置中文输入法，可以向学校的 IT 支持寻求帮助。

Each version of the test consists of three parts, which will be presented to you in this order: Listening Comprehension, Reading Comprehension, and Writing. There is NOT a Speaking section. For Writing, you'll type your response. The test uses simplified Chinese, but you can complete the writing part in either simplified or traditional characters. You must complete the sections in the order they are presented. The maximum total time for the test is approximately 80 minutes (Listening: 20 minutes; Reading: 30 minutes; Writing: 30 minutes). Depending on your ability level, you might complete the test in less time.  We do not provide practice tests. 每个测试版本由三部分组成，按以下顺序进行：听力理解、阅读理解和写作。测试不包含口语部分。在写作部分，您需要用键盘输入答案。本考试采用简体字，但是你在完成写作部分的时候，可以使用简体字或者繁体字。考试的各个部分必须按照呈现的顺序完成。测试总时长约为 80 分钟（听力：20 分钟；阅读：30 分钟；写作：30 分钟）。根据您的语言水平，您可能会在更短时间内完成测试。我们不提供模拟测试。

c. About the Next Chinese Proficiency Test

We typically offer the Chinese Proficiency Test the third Saturday of every semester. THE NEXT CHINESE PROFICIENCY TEST WILL BE OFFERED ON:

The Spring 2026 Chinese proficiency test will be given 2-4 PM on Saturday February 7, 2026.

The test will be given online via Moodle.

Q1. How to register for the test?

The self-registration Link is: Check back on October 1, 2025.

 [VERY IMPORTANT] Self-registration will be opened on Wednesday October 1, 2025 at 8:00 AM and closed on Thursday February 5 at 5:00 PM. The test allows the maximum of 100 registrants so we strongly encourage you to register early, or you have to wait for the next test. Registration requests later than the deadline will NOT be accommodated and relevant emails will NOT be answered. 自助报名将于 2025 年 10 月 1 日星期三上午 8:00 开始，并于 2 月 5 日星期四下午 5:00 截止。测试最多允许 100 名考生 报名，因此我们强烈建议您尽早注册，否则您将需要等待下一次测试机会。截止日期之后的报名请求将不予受理，相关邮件也不会得到回复。

As the test is offered only ONCE each semester, you will have to wait until the following semester to register and take the test. If you are graduating soon, you want to register for the test as early as you can to secure a spot. Also if you are graduating this semester but have not taken the test yet, please also reach out to your academic advisor to figure out a solution. We do not have resources to offer the proficiency test on individual basis if you miss the group test time this semester. 由于该测试每学期仅 开设一次，如果错过报名，您必须等到下学期才能注册和参加测试。若您即将毕业，请尽早报名以确保名额。此外，如果您本学期即将毕业但尚未参加测试，请务必联系您的academic advisor，寻求解决方案。若您错过本学期的集体测试时间，我们 无法提供单独安排的测试。

Please fill out the registration and enter the correct UIN, use the UIUC email address (@illinois.edu), and type your name as shown on your student ID. You can NOT access the Moodle-based test with a non-UIUC email address. You will also need to enter your College and Department. Please make sure all the information you enter is correct. Any inaccurate information in registration will prevent your proficiency scores from being reported to your college and department; individual emails due to such reasons will NOT be answered.  请填写注册信息, 并 输入正确的 UIN，使用 UIUC 邮箱地址（@illinois.edu），姓名请 与学生证一致。非 UIUC 邮箱无法访问基于 Moodle 的测试。您还需要填写 学院和系别。请确保所有信息准确无误。注册信息填写不正确将导致您的中文水平测试成绩无法上报至学院和系别；因该原因发送的个人邮件 将不予回复。

Q2. When and how do I receive test information?

Registered students will receive an email by 5:00 PM Friday February 6, 2026 about the test with (1) a link to the Chinese Proficiency Test, which will be administered via Moodle and (2) A Zoom link for test proctoring. You will need to show your ID in Zoom in order to proceed to the test. You will need to log into Zoom with your UIUC NetID and password (choose "sign with SSO"). Please make sure you know how to do that. Contact University IT if you have trouble setting up your zoom account with your UIUC Net ID. You can also find useful information here: https://techservices.illinois.edu/zoom-essentials/  已注册的学生将在 2026 年 2 月 6日星期五下午5点前 收到关于测试的邮件，其中包括：1) 中文水平测试链接（测试将在 Moodle 上进行），2）Zoom 监考链接。在 Zoom 中，您需要出示学生证以继续进行测试。登录 Zoom 时，请使用您的 UIUC NetID 和密码（选择 “Sign in with SSO”）。请确保您知道如何操作。如果在用 UIUC NetID 设置 Zoom 帐号时遇到问题，请联系学校 IT 支持。您也可以参考以下页面获取相关信息：https://techservices.illinois.edu/zoom-essentials/

Q3. When and how do I get the test results?

Please check with your college and department academic advisors for your proficiency test results in two months or so from the date you take the test. We send the score reports to all colleges and departments and do NOT handle individual inquiries about proficiency test results from students. 请在参加测试 约两个月后，向您所在学院和系的academic advisor查询您的中文水平测试成绩。我们会将成绩报告发送至所有学院和系，不处理学生关于测试成绩的个人查询。