East Asian Languages, Literatures & Cultures
East Asian Languages, Literatures & Cultures

Japanese Placement Testing

Spring 2025 Testing Period: on a rolling basis  

Format of the Diagnostic:

The Placement Diagnostic will be conducted online. The test consists of two parts:

  1. Timed Written Test (multiple choice, short answers) that asses basic knowledge such as Grammar, Vocabulary, and basic language skills including a short writing in Japanese.
  2. Oral Interview that you chat with a Japanese instructor in Japanese for about 10 minutes.

Steps Prior to Taking the Test:

  1. To take the test, please complete the sign up below.
  2. Once you have done so, you will be added to the ‘JAPN Testing’ Collab site. 
  3. An email notification with the link to the Collab Testing site will be sent to your UVA email address that you provided in the sign up.  
  4. Once you have been added to the JAPN Collab site, please carefully review the detailed information located in “Test Instruction” in the left-hand column of the site. Here, you will find information includes requirements, procedures, deadlines, a sample test, etc.  
  5. On the JAPN Collab site, you will also need to sign up for the Oral Interview. Please follow the instructions in the site.

SIGN UP HERE

GENERAL INFORMATION

This test is designed to ensure that all incoming students will be placed in a class that is appropriate to their current Japanese proficiency level.  

If you do not have any prior knowledge or background in Japanese, you do not need to take this test. You simply register for JAPN1010.  

The placement test is required for all new incoming students to the UVA Japanese Program who:

  • want to enroll in a Japanese language class at UVA and
  • have some Japanese background or previously studied Japanese (but have not yet taken Japanese at UVA)

Please look through the FAQ below. For further information, please contact Japanese Language Program Director Mieko Kawai.

FAQ:  

Do I need to sign up for the Japanese Placement Diagnostic? 

The Japanese Placement Test is required for all incoming students with some Japanese background. If you have a background in Japanese, please sign up here. You must use your UVA email address in the sign up. Once you complete the sign up, you will be added to the “JAPN Testing” Collab site.  If you do not have any prior knowledge or background in Japanese, you do not need to take this test. You simply register for JAPN1010.  

Should I register for the course prior to the Japanese Placement Diagnostic?

It is not required that you register for the course prior to taking the Japanese Placement Diagnostic. Please understand that, depending on the test results, you may be asked to change courses.

What happens if I am placed in a course that I have not registered for yet? Does the Japanese program hold some spaces in each course for the test takers? 

Unfortunately, the Japanese Program is not able to hold or secure spaces for the test takers to switch courses. If this happens, you should go to SIS for course registration or course changes and add your name on the waitlist. We strongly recommend for the test takers to look at the course listings to plan for an alternative schedule. Please note that some courses are not offered in every semester.

When will I receive the Japanese Placement Diagnostic results? 

The assessment results will be emailed to your UVA email account as soon as the test results are available. This process may take about a week after you complete your test. The email is typically sent by the instructor of the course you are placed into. This allows you to communicate with the instructor directly to ask any specific questions regarding the course.

I’m a transfer student.  Who should I contact to find out about credit transfer from the previous institution? 

You should contact your association dean (or academic dean) at UVA in order to figure out how the placement test result will impact on your academic plans at UVA. The Japanese Program helps assess your language level and places you in an appropriate level course. We can also help you with the transition from a previous Japanese program (or learning environment) to our program at UVA. We can also help with future planning in relationship to Japanese studies, such as majors or minor in Japanese or study abroad options.

I have taken the AP and/or SAT test in Japanese. Do I have to take the Japanese Placement Diagnostic? 

If you have an AP score of 5 or higher or an SAT II score of 700 or higher, you should be able to fulfill the Foreign Language Requirement at UVA. However, if you want to take a Japanese course at UVA, you must take the Placement Test to find out an appropriate level in order for you to continue the study at UVA. The Standard Test score(s) as well as grades from the previous institutions are a good reference for us to help you to continue your study of Japanese in our program. However, these grades and scores do not translate to a level (or course) you should be placed in. Therefore, you must take the Placement Test. 

Do I have to take the Japanese Placement Diagnostic to request documentation for the World Language Requirement exemption? 

International students or native speakers of Japanese, who have provided credentials (Japanese high school diploma/transcripts) to UVA, will be considered to be exempted from the World Language Requirement without taking the Japanese Placement Test.  You should email the Japanese Program Coordinator to request to begin the process.