The vast majority of students at the University of Arizona must demonstrate proficiency at the university level in a second language in order to earn their degree(s). Proficiency is determined by the degree type and students should consult with their academic advisor(s) to determine the required level of proficiency for their program(s).
A student may demonstrate a level of proficiency in one of the following ways:
- Earn a qualifying score on an Advanced Placement Exam in a second language.
- Earn a qualifying score on the Higher Level International Baccalaureate in a second language.
- Earn a qualifying score on a CLEP (College Level Examination Program) exam.
- Complete an equivalent course, with a grade of C or better from another institution such as a community college or other university; this includes high school students obtaining dual enrollment credit. Please note that you may still need to take additional courses if the transfer coursework is not equivalent to the required level of proficiency at the U of A.
- Take a proctored Second Language Proficiency Exam*. NOTE: The online version of this exam will only be used for the purpose of placing you into a course and cannot be used to satisfy your proficiency requirement. A proctored exam must be completed should you wish to have your proficiency level verified and used towards your degree requirements. If the proficiency level you demonstrate for the proctored exam does not meet the required level for your degree program, you will be required to enroll in additional courses to satisfy this requirement.
- Take the required number of semesters of a second language at the college level at the U of A.
- International students who are native speakers of languages other than English may fulfill the Second Language Requirement with the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or with the International English Language Testing System (IELTS), provided that it was an admissions requirement and their score was satisfactory for admission to the University of Arizona. Alternatively, in lieu of an acceptable score on one of these standardized tests, an Endorsement from the
Center for English as a Second Language (CESL) may satisfy the Second Language Requirement. U.S. citizens and international students from countries where English is the official language may not use the TOEFL, IELTS, or CESL Endorsement to satisfy the Second Language Requirement; those students must meet the requirement through one of the options stated above.
*Students who have studied a language for which the proctored exam is unavailable should access this FAQ for instructions and contact details pertaining to their language of interest.