Spanish as a Second Language Placement Exam

To take the Spanish as a Second Language Placement Examination:

  1. Click on this link to register and create an account using your Columbia University email address. **If you have been exposed to Spanish to some (even to a very small) extent at home or in your community from an early age, please take this exam (the Spanish as a Heritage Language Placement Exam) instead.**
  2. Once your information has been entered, click “Create Account”.
  3. Once your account has been created, click “Sign In” to proceed.
  4. From the Dashboard, click “Take Test” to begin the exam.
  5. Once you have finished taking the placement exam, click on "See Score Report" in the lower right-hand corner to see, print, and take a screen capture of your score and the course to give to your instructor.

To view and take a screen shot (screen capture) of your score you can always login to the website https://app.emmersion.ai/ or reset your password if necessary. 
If you have any questions about the exam, feel free to contact Dr. Francisca Aguiló Mora ([email protected]), Director of the Spanish Language Program.

About the Spanish as a Second Language Placement Examination

The Spanish as a Second Language Placement Examination is an adaptive and online, multiple-choice exam that you must take before registering for classes and before placing your name on a waiting list.

  • The exam consists of questions on vocabulary, grammar, and reading comprehension.
  • There are no oral/speaking, listening, or writing sections on this placement exam.
  • This adaptive exam presents items of increasing difficulty until an item is missed after which the exam may adjust and may drop back and present either a similar item or an easier item.
  • When you answer correctly the exam will give you an item that is as difficult or more difficult.
  • Since this is an adaptive exam, the duration of the exam varies from one student to another, with an average time of 25 minutes needed to complete the exam.

Spanish as a Second Language Placement Exam Scores

  • Below 280 – Spanish UN 1101 (Elementary Spanish I)
  • 280 – 379 – Spanish UN 1102 (Elementary Spanish II)
  • 330 or higher – You may qualify for Spanish UN 1120 if you have never studied Spanish formally. Spanish UN 1120 will not be offered in the fall 2025 semester.
  • 380 – 449 – Spanish UN 2101 (Intermediate Spanish I)
  • 450 – 625: The following five courses that fulfill the fourth semester of Spanish for this scoring range are:
  1. Spanish UN 2102: Intermediate Spanish II Fall 2025 Schedule in Vergil
  2. or Spanish UN 2103: Intermediate Spanish II: Health-related Topics in the Spanish-speaking World. Fall 2025 Schedule in Vergil.. Please contact the instructor Dr. Juan Pablo Comínguez or Dr. Francisca Aguiló-Mora with your questions.  
  3. or Spanish UN 2104: Intermediate Spanish II: Topics on Climate Discourse. Fall 2025 Schedule in Vergil Please contact the instructor Dr. Francisca Aguiló-Mora
  4. or Spanish UN 2108: Intermediate Spanish for Heritage Speakers. Fall 2025 Schedule in Vergil Please contact the instructors Dr. Diana Romero or Dr. Francisca Aguiló-Mora with your questions.
  5. or Spanish UN 2120: Comprehensive Intermediate Spanish. Fall 2025 Schedule in Vergil. Please contact instructor, Dr. Craig-Flórez or or Dr. Francisca Aguiló-Mora with any questions.
  • Above 625  – You qualify for an exemption. Your exemption in this case will be verified by taking another version of the Spanish as a Second Language Placement Exam, which will be given as follows:

For the spring 2025 semester: You may take the second version of the Spanish as a Second Language Placement Exam in the Department's main office located in Casa Hispánica’s (612 W. 116th Street (between Broadway and Riverside) from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. or from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m.: Google Map). Please contact Kosmas Pissakos ([email protected]) to schedule the exam in the department at Casa Hispánica.