Most colleges and universities require students to attain intermediate or proficient knowledge of a second language or a language foreign to the student. Incoming freshmen can prove proficiency by taking one of the many available placement examinations or standardized tests. At Boston College's College of Arts and Sciences and the Carroll School of Management, students can demonstrate proficiency in French, German or Spanish by earning a score of 3 or higher on the Advanced Placement (A.P.) exam. In addition, students can also demonstrate proficiency by earning a score of 550 or better on the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) subject test reading exam in Chinese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean or Spanish.
American Sign Language (ASL) is recognized as a foreign language by many universities, and therefore completes the student's language requirements for admission if the student can prove proficiency. American colleges that accept ASL competency for completion of the foreign language requirement include Brown University, Florida State University and Purdue University.
Students who are unable to demonstrate proficiency of a second language upon admission by earning a passing score on a placement exam before entering college must agree to a curriculum that includes college-level study of a second language. Students who prefer to learn a language new to them might prefer to enroll in a language offered by the university even if they have already studied a foreign language. Universities might waive the foreign language admissions requirements for international students who are able to demonstrate proficiency in both their native language and English.
In addition to the study of a foreign language at the college level, students must also demonstrate proficiency at writing in English. According to the Harvard University website, students must take one course in expository writing during their freshman year to demonstrate their written communication skills. Other colleges, such as the University of Virginia, require students to complete a writing program that includes courses in the English department as well as other university departments. Students are not able to test out of these competency requirements.
Students who speak English as a non-native language must demonstrate competency in English for college admission. Scores from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) must be submitted by the application deadline in order for international students to be considered for admission to college. In addition, the University of Illinois website explains that admission status depends on the TOEFL score, and the test results must not be more than two years old by the first day of classes at the college.