Placement Testing
A page within Counseling & Testing
Placement Test Requirements
University of Wisconsin System Center for Placement Testing Logo
All new students are required to take the Math and English placement tests. World Language Tests are only required of your degree or major has a language requirement.
Don't delay taking the UW Placement Tests as they are used to help you register & progress toward a degree.
Math Test A: UWL Students should take this un-proctored, online, on demand, math test. You can take the exam from home on your own computer 24/7 once registered. UW-L will accept either Math A or Math B, but recommends Math A as the more flexible option.
Math Test B: This is proctored and may incur an additional fee for proctoring.
Content covered is the same, but Math Test B is proctored, either remotely or live, in a group or individual test setting.
Online testing (option 1) will not pay a fee when you register or when you test but you will be billed on your first campus bill. This fee covers the authoring, development, administration and scoring of the tests.
- Fall 2025 new student fee $50
- Fall 2026 new student fee $60
Individual private appointments (option 2) will incur an additional fee of $33.50 for convenience of flexible scheduling and immediate scoring.
See below for information on retaking the UW Placement test.
Review test content and access sample exams
UW Madison students who need Math Test B
For additional information visit the UW Center for Placement Testing
Placement Test Options
Option 1: Regional testing online on-demand
Registration for spring 2025 testing cycle opens March 15, 2025
- Delivery:
- Online and not proctored
- Test is taken at home from your computer or tablet. Do not use a cell phone.
- Register at UW Placement tests
- You must have an active UWL NetID to register for the on-line exam.
- For information about NetID visit Password reset page.
- For step-by-step directions with screenshots see UWL Placement Registration Screen shots.
- Please use a personal email account that you will have continual access to and not a school email. You will receive several emails with registration and directions.
- Email confirmation will be sent upon successful registration from regionaltesting@exams.wisc.edu. Please use a personal email account you will have continued access to, not a school account.
- When your registration is confirmed you will be emailed instructions from the test provider, Meazure Learning. candidatesupport@meazurelearning.com
- Check spam or junk folders for both emails
- Scoring: Designate UWL as the score recipient when you register.
- Scores will be added to your WINGS record between10 days to 2 weeks after you submit your test. Scores are loaded to WINGS on Friday afternoon.
- Contact the Test Center if your scores do not appear in WINGS after 2 weeks
- Remember to submit the exam at the end
Option 2: Individual private testing at UWL Test Center
- Registration:
- Register on-line at REGISTER BLAST at least 72 hours in advance of your desired test appointment. Choose Proctored Exams (Paper/Pencil UW Placement)
- All on-line registrations are final and no refunds will be given. We will reschedule your exam once for free, but you must contact our center in writing at least 24 hours before your scheduled exam.
- Upon successful registration, you will receive an email confirmation. IMPORTANT: If you do not receive an email confirmation, there may be a problem with your registration. Check that you entered a valid email address. Then check your spam folder. The confirmation email may be blocked by your spam blocker. If none of these conditions exist, please contact our Testing Center.
- Schedule one 2 hour appointment for each exam you need.
- Print your confirmation receipt and bring it with you on your test date.
- Fee:
- Individual private appointments incur an additional fee of $33.50 for the convenience of flexible scheduling and immediate scoring.
- Payment options for private individual appointments include VISA, Discover, Mastercard, and AmEx. All on-line registrations through RegisterBlast are final and no refunds will be given.
- Scoring:
- This concierge service includes immediate hand scoring and entry of scores into your WINGS record.
- Dates:
- Individual appointments are available year round, Monday - Friday, at 9:00 am, 11:00 am, & 2:00 pm.
- You will receive an email reminder two days before your scheduled appointment date.
- Delivery:
- Paper based at Counseling & Testing Center 2106 Centennial Hall
- Rescheduling:
- Please contact the UWL Testing Center in writing at least 24 hours before your scheduled exam and we will reschedule your exam once for free
Retake policy
The policy for retaking the Placement test varies by school. The online exam allows for only one attempt.
At UWL the most recent test score is used for placement. Students wishing to retake any UW Placement test
- May retake the test only once
- Must retake it at the UWL Testing Center
- Must wait 30 days between initial exam and retest
- Must take an alternate form of the exam (paper instead of online)
- The most recent scores are used for placement.
If you want to retake a UW Placement Test you must retake in person. See Option 2 for Individual Private Testing for how to register.
Placement Test Resources
To help you feel prepared and confident, we've compiled a few key things to keep in mind before starting your placement tests. These tips will help you set up your space, understand the format, and avoid common issues during testing.
- Browser: Most browsers work well but we recommend using Chrome, Edge, Firefox, or Safari.
- Device: Use a computer or tablet not a cell phone. The test is web-based and works on both PC and Mac platforms. Cell phone screens are too small.
- Calculator: A built-in Calculator is available during the Math test
- Scratch paper: You are allowed scratch paper and a pencil for rough work and preliminary calculations.
- Test environment: We recommend to choose a quiet locations where you won't get distracted or interrupted.
- Test Timing: There will be a visible timer on the screen during each test.
- Math & English are 90 minutes each
- World Languages is 60 minutes.
- Availability and Flexibility: once you register tests are available 24/7 for 6 months. You do not need to take all the placement tests at one time.
- Make sure you submit the test when you are done.
We want to make the test accessible to all students so everyone can perform at their best and fully demonstrate their skill level.
To request accommodations due to a disability on the University of Wisconsin placement tests, please follow these instructions:
Email the following information to Tim O’Connor at tnoconno@wisc.edu. This process is completed electronically, so it is very important to list an accurate email address and one that you will check regularly.
- Name
- Email address you will use for placement testing registration
- Date of birth
- Campus you are planning to attend
- Accommodations being requested
- Documentation verifying the disability and need for the accommodations. This should be either a letter on high school letterhead from your counselor or someone else at the school familiar with your accommodations stating what those accommodations have been for tests such as the ACT or a current 504 plan or IEP (Individualized Education Plan). The 504 plan or IEP must be from within the last three years.
Do not register for the placement tests online until you have emailed the information below and received a response from the UW Center for Placement Testing in Madison.
- You will receive several emails both for registration and with instructions from the test provider
- UW Registration regionaltesting@exams.wisc.edu
- Meazure Learning candidatesupport@meazurelearning.com
- If you do not see emails after registration check your spam or junk folders.
- It is important when you register that you use an email that you will have continual access too. Do not use your old high school account. Do use a personal email like Gmail or Outlook.
- For details on registering, with screenshots see UWL Placement Registration Screen shots.
- If you have problems with your exam Tech Support is available from the test provider, Meazure Learning:
- Phone: 919.572.6880
- Email: candidatesupport@meazurelearning.com
- If you have any other questions contact the UWL Testing Center
- testing@uwlax.edu
- 608.785.8968
