Types of Tests

Most U.S. students will not need to take a placement test at NOVA. Instead, they should visit the Direct Enrollment and Self-Placement site to learn more about new placement measures and to fill out an Advising Survey. This survey will help determine which college-level Math and English courses they should start with.

What is the ESL Placement Assessment?

NOVA uses the ESL Accuplacer. This assessment has the following parts and should take less than two hours to complete:

1. Reading Skills: read and comprehend explicitly stated information as well as infer information not directly stated in a passage.
2. Sentence Meaning: read and comprehend words and phrases in one- or two-sentence contexts by using context clues.
3. Language Use: identify and apply English grammar, usage, and punctuation to a range of English sentence structures on a variety of topics.
4. Essay Writing (dependent upon computerized score): write a response to an open question

Who needs to take the ESL Placement Assessment?

1. Students who did not complete high school in the United States, whose primary language is not English, and who do not have TOEFL/IELTS/ACT/SAT/Duolingo test scores.
2. International students (F/M/J) whose primary language is not English and who do not have TOEFL iBT, IELTS, or Duolingo-Academic test scores from 2018 or later. International students should work with their International Student Advisor.
   1. TOEFL iBT score of below 19 in each of the four sections: Writing, Reading, Listening, and Speaking.
   2. IELTS-Academic score below 6.5 in each of the four sections: Writing, Reading, Listening, and Speaking.
   3. Duolingo test score below 80.
3. Students who completed high school in the United States, for whom English is not a primary language should contact the ESL department to speak with an ESL advisor about placement options.

How do I take the ESL Placement Assessment?

• First, complete the online NOVA application. Then visit the Testing Center on campus to take the ESL placement assessment. Appointments are recommended but not required. Find locations and hours for the Testing Centers here: NOVA Testing Centers.
• It is important to take the placement assessment at a time you can do your best because you cannot immediately take it again.
• You can email the Testing Center with questions about how to take the ESL placement assessment here: NOVATesting@nvcc.edu

How do I get my results for the ESL Placement Assessment?

• You will receive your assessment result by email.
• The results expire after one year.
• Contact the ESL Department for questions about your placement and class registration information or any other follow-up questions.
• Each ESL class will have a diagnostic (pre-test) on the first day of class. Your placement may need to be adjusted based on the results.

How can I prepare for the ESL Placement Assessment?

You may use any online resources to review or check out the links below.

• ESL Review Sheet
• Grammar Tutorials
• Accuplacer Practice Test

Updates have been made to the prerequisites for BIO 141, Human Anatomy and Physiology I. To enroll in BIO 141, students must demonstrate mastery in chemistry, cell biology, and inheritance. Achieve this requirement through one of three options:

• Option 1: BIO 101 Completion
  Complete BIO 101, General Biology I, with a grade of C or higher. This recommended option is transferable and fulfills the science with lab requirement.

• Option 2: NAS 2, Foundations of Life Sciences
  Complete NAS 2 with a passing grade. This choice is suitable for students not planning to transfer to a 4-year institution or those not needing BIO 101 as a course requirement.

• Option 3: NAS 2 (BIO 141) Placement Exam
  Take the NAS 2 (BIO 141) Placement Exam at a NOVA Testing Center, aiming for a 75% or higher grade. This option, allowing a maximum of two attempts per semester, is ideal for students with prior biology and chemistry knowledge.

Eligibility: The student must meet the prerequisite for placement into ENG 111 before taking the NAS2 Placement Test.

Enrollment and Preparation:
To enroll in the NAS 2 self-paced course in Canvas, click here. Review course objectives to assess your understanding of the material, utilizing course materials for exam preparation. When ready, schedule an appointment with a NOVA Testing Center to take the exam.

Ensuring you start at the right level of language learning is crucial for building a solid foundation and progressing toward proficiency. NOVA offers remote placement tests for various languages, including Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Japanese, and Russian.

• Arabic Placement Tests:
  It’s your responsibility to take the exam that’s close to your level and knowledge. Contact NOVAtesting@nvcc.edu to request your placement tests.
• Chinese, French, German, and Japanese Placement Tests:
  These adaptive, timed tests in Canvas consist of multiple sections. Contact  NOVAtesting@nvcc.edu to request your placement tests. You must pass each section with an acceptable score to progress to the next.
• Russian Placement Test:
  This timed Canvas test includes four language tasks and may take up to 2 hours. Request the Russian Placement Test through NOVAtesting@nvcc.edu.
• Spanish Placement Test:
  Spanish Placement Test must be taken in person. The test is adaptive and each section is timed. You must pass each section with an acceptable score to progress to the next. Request the Spanish Placement Test through NOVAtesting@nvcc.edu.

Testing Center Locations:
For in-person tests and other services, visit the NOVA Testing Centers.

Language Waiver for Native Speakers:
Waiver of the foreign language requirement: Students who are proficient in a foreign language not offered by NOVA or through examination may request a waiver. Proficiency is generally indicated if the student has at least the equivalent of a high school diploma from an institution where the primary language is other than English. Credits waived are those normally required course credits for the program which are administratively exempted. Credits waived require election of additional general education credit courses to compensate for the credits waived to meet degree requirements. This waiver is accomplished through the student sending a copy of the foreign transcript along with an email request for a waiver to the College Records Office using the AsktheCRO@nvcc.edu email address. 

VPT English is an adaptive, computerized, untimed test, although this test may take up to three hours to complete. We recommend that students not take VPT English and VPT Math on the same day.

VPT English comprises two sections - a written essay and reading passages with 40 multiple-choice questions. The multiple-choice portion contains questions on a variety of topics including, but not limited to, reading comprehension, grammar, vocabulary and research skills.

Who needs to take VPT English?

Students who have not completed high school or a GED must take either the VPT for English or the English Placement for Multilingual Learners for students whose primary language is not English. Only some students in certain populations, such as students using VA or TA benefits or dual enrollment students without other placement measures, are required to take VPT English. The VPT English Placement Test must be taken on campus at one of NOVA's Testing Centers.

VPT Math is an adaptive, computerized, untimed test, although this test may take up to three hours to complete. We recommend that students not take VPT Math and VPT English on the same day.

• The VPT Math contains questions like free response, matching, multiple choice, true/false, etc.
• The only calculator you may use is the one within the test program. No personal calculators nor the Windows calculator are allowed. Scrap paper will be provided.

Who needs to take VPT Math?

Students who have not completed high school or a GED must take the VPT Math. Only some students in certain populations, such as those using VA or TA benefits or dual enrollment students without other placement measures, must take the VPT Math. The VPT Math Placement Test must be taken on campus at one of NOVA's Testing Centers.

NOVA instructors may request in-person proctoring of Faculty Referred Tests for those students who have missed an exam in class, students who have a NOVA Memorandum of Accommodations (MOA), or NOVA Online students with accommodations (instructor permission required). Remote Zoom proctoring of Faculty Referred Tests may also be made for students who have a NOVA Memorandum of Accommodations (MOA).

Faculty may submit a proctoring request using this online form (NVCC credentials required).

Submission of any and all tests must now be made 48 business hours ahead of time.  Additionally, start and end dates will not be allowed on weekends.  Any attempts to submit exams outside of these parameters will result in an error, prompting the faculty member to choose new test dates.

The SDV ABLE Exam is offered to eligible NOVA students, and the test must be taken in person.  Students can contact NOVATesting@nvcc.edu with questions.   

• The SDV ABLE Exam is a 90-minute timed test in Canvas and includes 50 questions.
• The test is taken with the Respondus Lockdown Browser.
• The test can only be taken one time, and the student must score 38 or higher to pass.