Placement Exams

The Department of the Classics offers placement exams in Latin, ancient Greek, and modern Greek. Students with prior experience in a language who wish to continue their study here should take the relevant placement exam. This allows the faculty to guide you toward the most appropriate course(s). Unless their placement score so indicates, students with one year or more of recent, formal study may not enroll in introductory language courses (Latin 1, Ancient Greek 1).

Exams are offered in Latin, ancient Greek, and modern Greek.

Students may fulfill the College language requirement by earning a sufficiently high score on one of the placement exams. To learn more about the language requirement, please view this information from the Office of Undergraduate Education.

Latin

In order to provide the best possible advice on placement into Latin classes, the Department of the Classics asks that all students who did not begin their study of Latin here take the Harvard Latin placement exam. Other standardized test scores (such as SATs and/or APs) are also helpful in determining course recommendations, but all students should take the placement exam, if possible.

Questions about Latin placement should be directed to the Senior Preceptor in Ancient Greek and Classical Latin, Dr. Ivy Livingston (livings@g.harvard.edu).

Greek, ancient

Placement into ancient Greek classes is based on Harvard placement exam scores. The Ancient Greek placement exam includes only Attic Greek.

Questions about ancient Greek placement should be directed to the Senior Preceptor in Ancient Greek and Classical Latin, Dr. Ivy Livingston (livings@g.harvard.edu).

Greek, modern

Placement into modern Greek classes is based on Harvard placement exam scores. Questions about modern Greek placement should be directed to the Preceptor in Modern Greek, Dr. Andrew Ntapalis (andrewntapalis@fas.harvard.edu).

Placement exams and the Harvard language requirement

Sufficiently high scores on Harvard placement exams can be used to satisfy the Language Requirement. After you receive your placement exam score(s), you will be notified whether any of them meet the minimum required score. 

Scores from the online tests that are high enough to satisfy the language requirement are subject to additional, in-person verification.