Placement Exams
What is a placement exam?
A placement exam is an online test that assesses your knowledge of certain subjects. For subjects offering multiple levels (e.g., Calculus: MATH 130s Elementary Functions and Calculus, MATH 150s Calculus, MATH 160s Honors Calculus), your placement results tell you which level or course is the best place for you to begin.
For Mathematics, Chemistry, and Physics, you will need a placement result on file to enroll in these courses. For Computer Science and languages, you will need a placement result to enroll in a course beyond the introductory courses (e.g., CMSC 14100 or any 10100 language course).
You may only register for a course that matches your placement and the placement you receive cannot be changed without express consent of the department. This page will explain how you receive your placement and what that placement means. For detailed information on placement exams, review the Catalog page here.
Which placement exams do I need to take?
- Mathematics: Every incoming student must take the Mathematics Placement Exam. The Mathematics Placement Exam is also used to assist in determining your Chemistry and Physics placements. You must have a placement on file to register for Math courses, even if you are a transfer student. Please do not skip the Mathematics Placement Exam!
- Chemistry: Every incoming student who plans to enroll in a general chemistry or higher level chemistry course while at the University of Chicago must complete the Chemistry Placement Exam. If you are unsure if you will enroll in Chemistry, take the exam! You must have a placement on file to register for Chemistry courses, even if you are a transfer student.
- Computer Science: Students with prior experience in Computer Science who want to pursue further study of Computer Science should take the Computer Science Placement Exam. Students who are interested in Computer Science and have no prior programming experience do not need to take the exam and should plan to enroll in CMSC 14100 Introduction to Computer Science I.
- Physics: There is no Physics Placement Exam. Students interested in enrolling in Physics will get a placement based on their Math Placement Exam score and any applicable AP/IB scores.
- Language: Take language placement test(s) if you have prior study in a language, even if you are uncertain whether you will resume studies in that language here.
For students joining us in Autumn 2026, placement exams will be available beginning on May 6. You will receive an invitation via email to access the placement pages on a platform called Canvas. The first Computer Science Exam will be held June 16-17and a second sitting will be held July 14-15.
Placement exams should be completed by Saturday, June 20. If you complete your exams by June 20, your tests will be scored and the results will be visible in your my.UChicago portal. Please complete the exams on time to ensure you receive your results by July 20, which is prior to your first academic advising appointment and pre-registration for Autumn Quarter courses.
Students that complete the exams after the June 20 deadline will have their scores added to My.Uchicago on a set schedule.
- If completed by Friday, July 17, results will be posted on Monday, August 10
- If completed by Friday, August 7, results will be posted on Monday, August 31
- If completed by Friday, August 28, results will be posted on Monday, September 21
- If completed by Friday, September 18, results will be posted on Monday, October 12
If you believe you may qualify for ADA accommodations, please contact Student Disability Services at https://disabilities.uchicago.edu/. The application process can take several weeks so we recommend that you reach out to them as soon as possible to ensure your accommodations are in place.
Should you receive accommodations for additional time on exams, you will be able to apply those accommodations to your placement exam and can find instructions on how to do so on the landing page for each placement exam in Canvas starting May 6.
AP/IB/A-Level Exam Scores
Confirmation of official exam scores must be reported by the examining body directly to the College prior to being added to a student's academic record. Please request your AP and/or IB exam results through the College Board and/or International Baccalaureate website(s) by Saturday, June 20 to ensure that your placement is confirmed in time for pre-registration (CEEB #1832).
You can submit these requests before the scores reach you at home, and given the short timeline, we highly recommend you submit the request as early as possible. Any A-Level Exam results should also be sent to UChicago as soon as possible upon their completion as well.
You can learn more about the impact of AP/IB/A-Level exam results in the College Catalog. Note that although you may earn credit from some AP/IB/A-Level exam scores and other forms of examination credit, at least 3800 of your total 4200 units must be earned through course enrollment. If you earned examination credit for a specific course (e.g., CHEM 11100 Comprehensive General Chemistry I) and later enroll in an equivalent course on campus (e.g., CHEM 11100 or CHEM 12100 Honors General Chemistry I), you will also forfeit the examination credit for the course in favor of the course enrollment credit.
- Additional instructions and answers to frequently asked questions will be available in Canvas once you accept your invitation to each placement page.
- The 2026-2027 College Catalog is now available and features detailed information about placement exams, AP/IB/A-Level results, and accreditation exams.
- For technical issues with Canvas and placement exams, please reach out to the College Academic and Student Services Office at casso@uchicago.edu for assistance.
Should you have any questions or concerns, please utilize the following resources:
Further guidance on interpreting and applying your placement exam results will be provided during your one-on-one academic advising appointment and the summer webinar series starting in late July.