Purchasing Language Credits

Information and FAQs About Language Placement Testing

Although information about purchasing language credit may be found on other websites, this page is the official policy of the Department of World Languages and Cultures, updated Spring 2021.
Students who demonstrate proficiency above the 2020 level in a foreign language are eligible to purchase lower-division credits for that foreign language.
You may either purchase credits to fulfill the BA Language Requirement or to obtain additional credits toward your Total Semester Credit Hour Requirement:
- If you are purchasing credit to fulfill the BA Language Requirement, you must have a total of 16 language credits on your degree audit. You may only purchase the difference between the maximum number of credits (16) and the number of lower-division language credits you already have on your degree audit.
  - For example, if you have already been awarded 8 credits through a CLEP test, but then took another proficiency test and placed high enough to be eligible to purchase credits, you would only be eligible to purchase 8 credits for a total of 16.
- If you are purchasing credit for additional elective credit toward your Total Semester Credit Hour Requirement, you may purchase credits in increments of 4, potentially up to 16 total credits.
Students may only purchase credit for one foreign language, for a maximum of 16 credits.
Purchased credits are NON-REFUNDABLE; make sure you need the credits before purchasing them.
Purchased credits are lower-division (1010-2020 level) and they do not count towards any language major or minor.
Purchased credits will not have a grade and will not affect a student’s GPA.
Purchased credits cost $40 per credit hour, a significant discount from regular tuition rates. If you are purchasing 16 credits, the total cost will be $640 (16 credits x $40 per credit = $640).

WLC Language Placement Test (Arabic, French, German, Italian, Korean, Japanese, Mandarin Simplified, and Spanish only):
- You must place into the 3000-level on the WLC Placement Test in order to demonstrate proficiency to purchase credits.
- You must be a registered student at the University of Utah and have a University of Utah ID number.
- Please see the Placement Test page for more information.
AP World Language Exam:
- Current policy for tests taken after Spring 2021:
  - Score of 3 on AP Exam: Your AP score gives you credit for LANG 1010 and 1020 (4 credits each) on your Degree Audit. You are not eligible to purchase credits.
  - Score of 4 on AP Exam: Your AP score gives you credit for LANG 1010, 1020, and 2010 (4 credits each) on your Degree Audit. You are not eligible to purchase credits.
  - Score of 5 on AP Exam: Your AP score gives you credit for LANG 1010, 1020, 2010, and 2020 (4 credits each) on your Degree Audit. The credits for LANG 2020 fulfill your BA Language Requirement (LR). You are not eligible to purchase credits.
- For tests taken Spring 2021 and prior:
  - Score of 5 required to demonstrate proficiency to purchase credits. A score of 5 was previously awarded 8 credits only.
    - If you are purchasing credit to fulfill the BA Language Requirement, you must have a total of 16 language credits on your degree audit. You may only purchase the difference between the maximum number of credits (16) and the number of lower-division language credits you already have on your degree audit.
Language Proficiency Tests:
- If the language in which you are proficient is not an available language on the WLC Language Placement Test, the FLATS test is a convenient alternative that offers a wider range of languages. FLATS is offered by BYU and can be proctored at the U of U Testing Center. For more information on the FLATS test, please see this website. You must receive a grade of Pass in all sections on the FLATS in order to demonstrate proficiency to purchase credits in that language.
- An ASL Proficiency Test from Gallaudet University called the ASLPI can be found here. You will need to achieve a score of 2 in order to use the ASLPI to demonstrate proficiency to purchase credits.
- IB or CLEP tests: contact a WLC Academic Advisor at wlc-advising@utah.edu.
- ACTFL Scale score: An ACTFL scale score of Intermediate-Mid or higher is required to be eligible to purchase credits. Students with a Utah State Seal of Biliteracy and students who have taken an Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI) or OPI(c) have a score on the ACTFL Scale.
- Seal of Biliteracy: If you have a Seal of Biliteracy from Utah, see ACTFL Scale score above. If you have a Seal of Biliteracy from any other state, contact wlc-adivisng@utah.edu.
- If you would like to demonstrate your language proficiency with any other proficiency test, contact a WLC Academic Advisor at wlc-advising@utah.edu.
Third-Year Language Class:
- You must achieve a grade of B- or better in a 3010, 3020, 3040, or 3060 class in order to demonstrate proficiency to purchase credits.
- If you are a heritage speaker of a language other than Spanish, you may register for the appropriate 3rd year level course. If you feel your level of proficiency is lower, you can speak to an advisor about finding a course that suits your level.
- If you are a heritage speaker of Spanish, please email spanheritage@utah.edu to determine whether 3060 or another class is the best fit for your level of proficiency

If you took the WLC Placement Test, know the date you took the test.
If you took another proficiency test, including the FLATS test, have the administering institution email our office directly at wlc-advising@utah.edu with the results.
Set up a FERPA pin prior to your appointment.
Make an appointment with a WLC Academic Advisor here.
- In Navigate U, select "Language & Writing Support Services" -> "BA Language Credits" to book with the correct advisor.
During the appointment, the Academic Advisor will verify your eligibility, verify your identity with your FERPA pin, view your Degree Audit, and talk you through the rest of the process for purchasing credits.
You and the Academic Advisor will fill out a Petition for Language Credits form.
Your form will then be sent via email to the Income Accounting Office. Your Umail email address will be cc'd, so you must make sure you are checking your Umail account. You must pay for the credits within 90 days of filling out the Petition for Language Credits form. Payment will be arranged via phone with the Income Accounting Office.
The credit hours will appear on your Degree Audit one to four weeks after being processed by Income Accounting and the Office of Admissions. If the credits do not appear on your Degree Audit after four weeks, contact wlc-advising@utah.edu or the U of U Office of Admissions to check on the status of your credits.
If you see the credits on your Degree Audit, but they are not fulfilling your BA Language Requirement, email a WLC Academic Advisor atwlc-advising@utah.edu.