Language Placement

Korean Language Placement Test 2024-2025

All first-year students and returning students who have prior knowledge in Korean, and plan to fulfill the language requirement or to continue their study of Korean must take the placement test. You are not allowed to register any courses before taking the placement test. 

1. Who needs to take the Korean placement test?

• Students who want to use Korean language to satisfy the Weinberg and the School of Communication’s two-year foreign language requirement.
• Students who have prior knowledge of Korean and want to study Korean at Northwestern University must take the placement test; (a) students who have any kinds of Korean family background, (b) students who learn Korean by self-study through Apps, dramas or movies, (c) students who have some learning experiences in Korean in any contexts, (d) students who hear Korean at home or other contexts, and (e) students who can read or speak very familiar vocabulary.
• Students who have come back from study abroad and need to be placed into the appropriate level of Korean. Students who need to earn specific Korean language credits.
• Students who have transferred from other universities and want to continue to take Korean at Northwestern.

This rule applies to all students in all schools and programs, including graduate programs and professional schools. All students must take the online placement test and the validation test before registering for courses. 

2. What does the Korean placement test look like?

The Korean placement test takes two procedures: Online test and Validation test.

• The online test consists of four sections: vocabulary, grammar, reading and listening.
• The validation test consists of two parts: writing and speaking.

3. How do I take the tests?

The online test is accessible during the certain period and the validation test is administered by the placement coordinator.

4. Where and when will I take the online Korean placement test?

• Date: You should take the online test between July 1^st and July 31^st.

• Place: Go to  https://placement.madstudio.northwestern.edu/
• Fill out the questionnaires, and you should complete the entire test within two hours. You may not receive a placement if you spend more than two hours. Be mindful of the time limitation.
• You are allowed to take the test only once.

5. Where and when will I take the validation test?

• After completing the online test, you are required to take a validation exam.
• You will get an email regarding the instruction of the validation test from the placement coordinator.
• You will receive the information of the time and the place.
• Follow the instruction on the validation test.

6. Where and when will I get the placement test result?

After you complete the validation test, the final placement result will be posted online at the same site https://placement.madstudio.northwestern.edu/ where you took the online exam.

• Special notes

The placement result is effective only for one year, and students are not allowed to retake the test within a year.

• Questions? Or missed the test dates?

Please contact Professor Eun Hee Kim eunhee.kim@northwestern.edu for fulfilling the language requirement or being placed out.

Please contact Professor Ihnhee Kim ihnhee.kim@northwestern.edu for taking a Korean class or being assigned to the appropriate level.

• Placement for winter 2025: By appointments only.

• Take The Korean Test
• Access Your Korean Test Results