Purpose: 

The Chinese Proficiency Exam is administered to students seeking to have their foreign language requirement waived. It is not a placement test. Before registering for the exam, please read and comply with the following policy on satisfying the Chinese language requirement, issued by the L&S Dean’s Office on April 24, 2024:

“Students may satisfy the College's Foreign Language requirement by: ...Institution’s curriculum medium/language of instruction other than English in grade 6 or higher

  • Completion of at least three years of instruction at a program where the primary medium/language of instruction is something other than English, beginning with grade 6 or higher."

    *At least one year must be completed at the high school level (i.e., grade 9 or above).
    *Official transcripts are necessary to verify completion of the requirement.
     

  • Example: A student is enrolled in secondary school in China at which the medium/language of instruction is Mandarin. The student attends grades 7, 8, and 9, and then moves to the US and graduates from a US high school at which English is the medium/language of instruction. The student provides an official transcript for review. They have completed the Foreign Language requirement.

    If a student wishes to demonstrate completion of the FL requirement via secondary school education in a language other than English, they must go through L&S Advising. L&S Advising will assess their official transcripts to determine whether they have satisfied the requirement.”

Administration: 

  • The exam is offered once every semester with no make-up tests available.
  • Only admitted UC Berkeley students are eligible to take the test. It is not available to UCB applicants or non-UCB students. 

Fall 2025 Exam Details: 

  • Date: tbd
  • Time:
  • Pre-registration: Required. Please complete this Registration Form. 

Exam Day Instructions: 

  • Arrive on time.
  • Bring or show your student ID. 

Contact Information: 

Exam Format: 

  • The exam includes two forms: one using traditional characters and one using simplified characters. Select your preferred form at the start.
  • It consists of four sections: vocabulary, grammar, reading, and writing.
  • The vocabulary, grammar, and reading sections contain multiple-choice questions.
  • The writing section requires you to type characters in either simplified or traditional form. 

Evaluation and Results: 

  • Results indicate the number of semesters of university-level study, ranging from zero to more than ten semesters.
  • Test results are available approximately one month after the exam date and are sent to your college/major advisor. Contact your advisor for the results. 

Additional Notes: 

  • The test can only be taken once.
  • If the test result does not meet the foreign language requirement and you have not had formal education in a Chinese-speaking country up to the sixth grade, you may need to take an appropriate Chinese language course.
  • This test is not comparable to other Chinese tests like the AP, HSK, or IB.