In early May, PLaCE will email departments with a list of incoming international students sorted into an appropriate course option based on their English proficiency scores. PLaCE will also share this information with the Office of the Registrar, who will pre-enroll qualifying students in SCLA 11000 before the students meet with their advisors over the summer. 

 Notes on communication with Advisors:  

• PLaCE uses Filelocker to securely share the list of students by college with advisors (and sends a separate email to notify them) 

• Lists are typically sent to Head Advisors to distribute in their unit, but PLaCE can add other advisors or department staff on the contact list if requested (such as advisors who work with international students). 

• Questions for PLaCE? Advisors with questions about their students can email place@purdue.edu or contact Nadezda Pimenova or Holly Hamilton on Teams. During this time, we monitor these channels closely and try to respond quickly. 

• After the initial sorting in early May, PLaCE continues to review and update students and advisors as needed (typically every few weeks). Typical changes: New students accepting from waitlist, admitted students provide updated test scores, transfer students provide transcripts, student withdrawals (summer melt), etc. 

Incoming international students from non-English speaking countries will be enrolled in SCLA 11000 if they do not provide official proof of English proficiency. 

Students without TOEFL iBT, IELTS, or Duolingo English Test (DET) scores will be contacted to provide these scores if possible.  

If students do not have TOEFL iBT, IELTS, or DET scores, they may take one of these three three commercial English proficiency tests and submit test results before an early August date included in the initial course-placement email they receive at the beginning of May. A new placement decision will be made based on the submitted TOEFL iBT, IELTS, or DET scores.  

Rationale: The Evidence-Based Reading and Writing section of the SAT, as well as the ACT English and Reading sections, are designed to measure academic readiness and English literacy. However, they do not assess speaking or listening proficiency. In addition, because these tests are normed primarily on native English-speaking populations, they do not provide the type of detailed, standardized information about English language proficiency captured by dedicated assessments such as the TOEFL iBT, IELTS, or Duolingo English Test (DET). 

As a result, SAT and ACT scores are not reliable indicators of where an international student falls along the English language development continuum or what level of language support they may need when studying in an English-medium academic environment. 

Incoming international students may submit new English proficiency scores until the beginning of August 2026 (or January 1 if admission is in the Spring). This deadline ensures that placement decisions can be made before the semester starts, giving students time to register for the appropriate courses and begin their program without delay.  

After students are enrolled in SCLA 11000, PLaCE uses its internal English proficiency test (the ACE-In) and related criteria as needed, to inform decisions about exemption from the second course, SCLA 11100. Retaken English proficiency test scores (TOEFL iBT, IELTS, or DET) will not be considered after a student has begun the SCLA 11000 course. 

Transfer students may be exempt from taking SCLA 110/111 if they have completed any of the following: 

• An equivalent ENGL 106/108 Written Communication course (4 credits), 
• Two 3-credit college-level English courses, or 
• 45 or more college credit hours. 

For additional guidance or to discuss specific students, email PLaCE at place@purdue.edu. 

Super scores are calculated when a student takes a test multiple times, and the best sub scores from each test attempt are used. Purdue does not accept super scores or MyBest score results. PLaCE uses the most current attempt for placement purposes. 

PLaCE generally welcomes any interested incoming international student (e.g., first-year, transfer, or study abroad) who would like the additional support of the SCLA 11000 and SCLA 11100 classes at the start of their studies at Purdue, with the caveat that PLaCE gives priority to students who are qualified by their English test scores.  

Upper division undergraduate students (and incoming graduate students) may request to add the course(s) but generally must meet with a member of the PLaCE administrative team (Director or Associate Director) and have the approval of the instructor.  

Interested students can learn more by contacting the instructor of the section or email the PLaCE office at place@purdue.edu.  

In most cases, incoming international students should not register for SCLA 11000 or SCLA 11100 concurrently with their Written and Oral Communication courses. Incoming international students who are placed into SCLA 11000, but who also register for a Written or Oral Communication course concurrently will be notified they need to drop that course until they successfully complete the PLaCE requirements. Advisors will be copied on this notification email. 

Rationale: Because these courses are language-intensive, they are best taken in a sequence rather than in the same semester to provide optimal conditions for long-term academic and language development: 

SCLA 110 -> SCLA 111 -> WC and/or OC (refer to options in student’s plan of study and UCC list).  

Taking multiple language-intensive courses at the same time can be overwhelming and counterproductive. By spreading courses across several semesters, students can give each course the attention it deserves while also ensuring they have language support across a longer stretch of time without adding undue pressure on top of their other coursework. 

Incoming international students admitted for Spring or Summer whose English proficiency test scores qualify them for PLaCE courses will be enrolled in SCLA 11000, following the same procedures as the fall cohort of incoming students. 

The number of sections of SCLA 11000 and SCLA 11100 is based on the number of qualifying students and the campus location. 

At the Purdue West Lafayette location, both classes are typically offered in both the fall and spring semesters. Multiple sections of SCLA 11000 are offered to meet the number of incoming fall cohort of qualifying international students. A limited number of sections of SCLA 11100 are offered for students admitted in the previous spring semester and for students who need to retake SCLA 11100.  

At the Purdue Indianapolis location, currently only SCLA 11000 is offered in the fall and SCLA 11100 is offered in the spring. Compared to West Lafayette, Indianapolis has a much lower number of international students, which means that PLaCE has not been able to fill sections of SCLA 110 in spring and sections of SCLA 111 in fall.  

SCLA 11000 and 11100 are not typically offered during the summer sessions. 

Yes, if a student has been pre-enrolled in a section, they may change the section themselves during open enrollment. PLaCE offers sections on different days and times during the week to help students find sections that fit their schedules, as feasible based on number of students and instructor availability. 

There are various reasons why a qualifying incoming international student does not appear on the list for your college, including a late admission decision, change of major, citizenship status, or AP credit that makes them appear as a transfer. Please contact the PLaCE administrative team via email (place@purdue.edu) to discuss or verify individual students’ placement. Advisors can also refer to the placement information of this guide.  

Yes, if a student has credit that satisfies the UCC Written Communication requirement, SCLA 11000 will not be required, so the student will not be automatically enrolled in the SCLA 11000 and 11100 sequence. However, many incoming international students find SCLA 11000 to be valuable as they transition to Purdue, so the students can choose (or be encouraged) to take SCLA 110. Additionally, SCLA 110 is an option to satisfy the UCC HUM requirement.   

If the AP test score is approved to satisfy the UCC requirement for Written Communication, then the student does not need to enroll in SCLA 110. NB: IB (International Baccalaureate) credit is not currently accepted as satisfying this requirement. 

International students in FYE can take SCLA 110 and 111 during their first year to stay on track with the requirements for FYE: See Requirement 8 on this page. Students typically complete the WC and OC requirements in later semesters, as a Gen Ed Elec. Also note that SCLA 110 satisfies the UCC requirement for the Human Cultures: Humanities (HUM). 

PLaCE offers a test out option to some qualifying students, based on scores on English language proficiency tests used for admissions. To qualify for the test-out option, students must have one of the following: 

1. TOEFL iBT: total score of 100 with 25 or above on speaking and writing  
2. IELTS: overall score of 7.5 with 7.5 or above on speaking and writing 
3. DET: overall score of 130 with 130 or above on speaking and writing 

Students who meet these criteria will be notified and provided with details about the internal screening process using the PLaCE ACE-In test. Completed ACE-In tests will be scored, and updated  placement decisions will generally be communicated within five business days after the final ProctorU® ACE-In testing session. For tests completed during BGR, every effort will be made to provide results before the start of classes. Advisors will be copied on notifications of ACE-In test results. Students should remain enrolled in SCLA 11000 until they receive official notification from PLaCE confirming that they have successfully tested out of the SCLA 1100–11100 course sequence. 

The Assessment of College English-International (ACE-In) is a locally developed, locally rated, Internet-based test of academic English proficiency for international ESL undergraduate students at Purdue. The current version contains four modules and eight comparable test forms. All items on the ACE-In are timed to evaluate examinees' real-time abilities to comprehend, read, and speak English. The ACE-In has been used in the Purdue Language and Cultural Exchange (PLaCE) for critical program functions:

1. to inform high-stakes administrative decisions on course placement and exemption;
2. to document students’ proficiency development through pre-post study designs;
3. to gather information for program evaluation.