Course Placement

• Initial placement tests and the Course Selection Survey must be completed by June 3, 2025.
• Optional re-takes for math and/or chemistry must be completed by June 30, 2025.
• Students admitted after June 3 should complete the tests as soon as possible, within 2 weeks of their admission date. 

• All new freshmen must complete the course selection survey. 
• All new students (freshmen and transfers) must complete the math placement test. 
• All new students (freshmen and transfers) must complete the English writing placement test. 
• Students studying pre-health, pre-medicine or any major requiring general chemistry must take the chemistry placement test. (Check the course placement section in Canvas for a list of these programs.)
• Students who have studied another language are encouraged to complete the foreign language placement test; it is required for certain programs. (Check the course placement section in Canvas for a list of these programs.)

• The math, English and chemistry tests have time limits. 
• Students who are eligible for academic accommodations should contact SLU's Center for Accessibility and Disability Resources at accessibility_disability@slu.edu. It is important to arrange accommodations before taking a placement test for the first time.
• It is important to arrange accommodations before taking a placement test for the first time. 

• Students who are currently eligible for academic accommodations should contact SLU's Center for Accessibility and Disability Resources at accessibility_disability@slu.edu regarding placement testing accommodations.
• Students have one hour to complete the test and may only take it once.
• Scores are important and impact student schedules and four-year plans. Please ensure you have sufficient time and limited distractions before taking the test.
• Depending on their score, some students may also need to take the Saint Louis University Writing Exam (SLUWE) to ensure appropriate course placement.
• Madrid campus students admitted to the ESL Bridge program will take a different test upon arrival in Madrid.

Read below or take this short survey to determine if your college credit can be used for placement: 

SLU 1818 Credit: Students who have earned credit for ENGL1500 or ENGL1900 through SLU’s 1818 Program do not need to take the English writing placement test. 2000-level literature courses cannot be used for placement since these courses focus more on literature than writing composition.

Non-SLU and AP/IB credit cannot substitute for the placement test. Placement test results are necessary for advising and registration, which often occur before these scores/transcripts are available. Once transcripts are received and evaluated, credit will be posted per University policy, and initial placement and registration may be adjusted. 

Students who have already completed a course equivalent to ENGL 1500 or ENGL 1900 at a regionally accredited college or university in the United States (Determine Course Equivalencies) do not need to take the placement test. The course must be complete with a grade of  "C" or better and posted on an official transcript that has already been sent to SLU — it cannot be a current, in-progress course.

• This test is administered through ALEKS.
• Your score is important and impacts your first semester schedule and four-year plan. Please ensure you have sufficient time and limited distractions before taking the test. 
• You have two hours to complete this test. Please do not open this test before you are ready to complete it. 
• Students who are currently eligible for academic accommodations should contact SLU's Center for Accessibility and Disability Resources at accessibility_disability@slu.edu regarding placement testing accommodations.
• Your score will be available in ALEKS as soon as you complete the test.
• You may take this test again if you want to improve your score. You must wait 48 hours and complete at least 3 hours of work in the learning modules before taking it again. 
• Your score on the math placement test also impacts your starting level of chemistry (if your program requires it) at SLU. 

SLU 1818 credit: Students who have completed MATH 1200, MATH 1400, MATH 1510, or MATH 1520 through SLU’s 1818 Program during the last academic year with a grade of C- or better do not need to take the placement test. Students with credit for STAT 1100 or STAT 1300 may be exempt from placement tests, depending on their major. Email placement@slu.edu to confirm.

Students who completed coursework more than a year ago should take the placement test to provide more current information and access to content review.

Non-SLU and AP/IB credit cannot substitute for the placement test. Placement test results are necessary for advising and registration, which often occur before these scores/transcripts are available. Once transcripts are received and evaluated, credit will be posted per University policy, and initial placement may be adjusted. 

Transfer students who are pursuing a program that does not require a math course do not need to take the placement test if they will have transfer credit for a course that meets the Ways of Thinking: Quantitative Reasoning requirement in the University Undergraduate Core.

View Program Requirements

Determine Course Equivalencies

Students who are pursuing a program that requires a math course must meet math pre-requisites through testing or credit. Students who have already completed a math course at the college algebra level or higher at a regionally accredited college or university do not need to take the placement test. The transfer course must be less than a year old, completed with a grade of "C" or better and posted on an official transcript that has already been sent to SLU — it cannot be a current, in-progress course. 

If you are not sure whether your program requires a math course and you do not have transfer credit for a math course, you should take the placement test to ensure that you will be able to register for the courses that you need.

• Your score is important and impacts your first semester schedule and four-year plan. Please ensure you have sufficient time and limited distractions before taking the test.
• Students who are currently eligible for academic accommodations should contact SLU's Center for Accessibility and Disability Resources at accessibility_disability@slu.edu regarding placement testing accommodations.
• You have one hour to complete this test. Do not open it until you are ready to complete it.
• Your score will be available in Canvas shortly after you complete the test.
• You must earn a score of 70% or higher to enroll in General Chemistry.
• You may re-take the test one more time after completing the Skill Building exercises in Canvas. 
• In addition to passing the chemistry placement test, students must have mastered material in college algebra prior to taking General Chemistry and must have an ALEKS math placement of MATH 1400 Pre-Calculus or higher or have college credit for MATH 1200 College Algebra or higher.

SLU 1818 credit: Students who have completed CHEM 1110 & 1115 through SLU’s 1818 Program with a grade of C- or better may use this coursework instead of the placement test.

Students who have already completed a course equivalent to CHEM 1050 or CHEM 1110 at a regionally accredited college or university in the United States (Determine Course Equivalencies) do not need to take the placement test. The course must be complete with a grade of "C" or better and posted on an official transcript that has already been sent to SLU — it cannot be a current, in-progress course.

View Program Requirements

Determine Course Equivalencies

• International Business
• International Studies
• Asian Studies
• Foreign Service
• Ibero-American Studies
• Major or minor in any of the following languages: Chinese, French, German, Greek, Latin, Russian, Spanish

• Languages available for testing through the Canvas site: Chinese, French, German, Latin, Russian and Spanish. For Greek placement, please email joan.harthasler@slu.edu.
• Plan to spend 20-40 minutes to complete the test.
• Scores are available immediately after completing the test.
• If you need to retrieve your score later, visit slupe.org and select Lookup Score. 

Students attending the St. Louis campus must attend SLU 101 before their schedule is generated. Please contact your admission counselor if you have questions about signing up for SLU 101.

Students attending the Madrid campus will receive an email once their schedule is complete.

Schedules are released to new freshmen on Thursday, July 10, 2025, for students who have attended SLU 101. All freshmen must review their schedule and either confirm it for accuracy or schedule an academic advising appointment to make changes. 

Non-SLU and AP/IB credit cannot substitute for the placement test. Placement test results are necessary for advising and registration, which often occur before these scores/transcripts are available. Once transcripts are received and evaluated, credit will be posted per University policy, and initial placement and registration may be adjusted.

No. Your placement test results are only used to determine which class you should take at SLU. There is no credit awarded.

ACT/SAT scores are not used to place students into courses.

No, there are no practice tests.

Plan to spend about an hour of uninterrupted time on each test. Visit each section above for details.

Email SLU Center for Accessibility and Disability Resources at accessibility_disability@slu.edu; they can assist you with the application for accommodations.

Math, chemistry and foreign language results will be available immediately. English tests must be graded manually and scores will be available within a few weeks. 

The English test can only be taken once. The math test can be taken up to five times. The chemistry test can be taken twice. Students must complete work in the learning modules before re-taking the math or chemistry tests. Each student is allowed to take the language skills assessments two times per language but no more than once in one day.

There is no fee associated with course placement.  However, you must have submitted your enrollment deposit to access the placement items.

To complete placement assessments, you will need access to a computer with an internet connection for an extended period of time. Students who do not have personal computers can consider visiting a public library, high school computer lab or other location with reliable internet access. If none of these options are available, arrangements can be made upon your arrival to SLU 101.