What is the LPE and Why Should I Take It?

The Language Proficiency Exam (LPE) is a proficiency test which evaluates the student's ability to read and listen at the Intermediate-High level (as defined by ACTFL) and to write and speak at the Intermediate-Mid level (as defined by ACTFL) for most languages.  Some languages are at different levels. The LPE has four parts: reading, writing, listening, and speaking. It takes about 3 to 4 hours to complete the exam.

Most students take the LPE after two years of college-level language study. If you pass the LPE, you will earn a text line on your transcript endorsing your language proficiency. In most languages, the LPE is required for students continuing from fourth-semester into third-year courses. Please read Eligibility for information on who is eligible to take the LPE.

The LPE does not offer any course credit.

If you are an in-coming freshmen or transfer student with language skills equivalent to two years of college-level instruction, a Minnesota Bilingual or Multilingual Seal, or World Language Proficiency Certificate, you may try to test out of your language requirement by attempting the LPE prior to taking your first language course at U of M. If you pass the LPE, you fulfill your language requirement and may register for third-year language courses. If you don't pass the LPE, your language requirement is to earn a C- or better, or S, in a fourth-semester course. If you are trying to place into a second-year course in French, German, or Spanish, you do not need the LPE; you need to take the Entrance Proficiency Test (EPT).

The LPE is currently available in Spanish, French, German, Arabic, Chinese, Dutch, Finnish, Hebrew, Hmong, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Norwegian, Portuguese, Russian, Somali, and Swedish.

For information on the Somali LPE, please go to this page.