Reasons for Taking a Proficiency Exam.

The advantage to earning proficiency credit is that you get a "jump start" in your academic studies. If you intend to continue studying the subject, proficiency credit allows you to skip the lower-level course and begin studying at a higher level.

If you do not want to continue studying the subject, the proficiency credit that is posted to your academic record helps to fulfill your graduation requirements. This frees you up so that you have more time to take courses in the subjects that interest you.

Furthermore, UIUC proficiency exams are usually offered at no cost to you, the student. If you do well enough to earn credit, you’re essentially saving yourself money because you get credit for a course but you don’t have to take the actual course.

• If the department determines that you did earn proficiency credit, the credit will be recorded on your academic record. One way to see this is to log in to UI-Integrate > Registration and Records > Student Records and Transcripts > View Academic History. The credit can also be seen in your DARS report.


• If it turns out that you do not earn proficiency credit, your score on the attempted exam does not get recorded on your academic transcript. In that case, you should consult with your academic advisor about which course is most suitable for you to be enrolled in.

• What subjects can I earn proficiency credit in?

• What about the foreign language proficiency exams?

• How do I find out if I earned credit or not?

Last updated April 25, 2008