Department of Global Languages & Cultures
Foreign Language Competency at Rollins FAQs:
Yes. The only students who enter Rollins with the language competency fulfilled are:
1. International students who have been admitted to the College based on their TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) score.
2. Students who have been admitted to the College based on an overall band score of 6.5 or higher on the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). This test must be taken before admission to serve as a means of exemption.
3. Students who transfer to Rollins with an AA degree from a regionally-accredited community college or state college.
4. Students who have scored a 4 or 5 on the AP exam in a modern foreign language, or a 5 on the AP exam in an ancient language.
5. Students who have scored a 6 or 7 on the IB exam in a modern foreign language course.
Native speakers or heritage speakers of any language other than English who have NOT taken the TOEFL or CBT before entering Rollins can complete an adequate 200-level course (a one-semester course designed for heritage speakers) or complete ONE course in international culture at any level. (Example: A native speaker of Farsi (no TOEFL) can take one internationally-focused culture course (such as LAC 200: Foundations of Latin American Culture and Society). In order to determine which students possess the level of linguistic proficiency of a native speaker in the languages regularly taught at Rollins College (Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Latin, and Spanish), students shall consult the Department of Global Languages and Cultures.
Students who have scored a 4 or 5 on the AP exam in a modern foreign language, or a 5 on the AP exam in an ancient language, as well as students who have scored a 6 or 7 on the IB exam in a modern foreign language will have their “F” competency automatically satisfied. We highly encourage these students to continue with their language studies at Rollins to further master their language and cultural abilities.
Only students who meet one or more of the following criteria can be exempted from the Foreign Language Competency upon admission to Rollins College:
1. International students who have been admitted to the College based on their TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) score.
2. Students who have been admitted to the College based on an overall band score of 6.5 or higher on the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). This test must be taken admission to serve as a means of exemption.
3. Students who transfer to Rollins with an AA degree from a regionally-accredited community college or state college.
4. Students who have scored a 4 or 5 on the AP exam in a modern foreign language, or a 5 on the AP exam in an ancient language.
5. Students who have scored a 6 or 7 on the IB exam in a modern foreign language.
Note 4: Any additional language requirements in a student’s major beyond the “F” competency may or may not be fulfilled by the above exemption criteria. Students must consult with their academic advisors or their major departments to ensure that they are fulfilling all major requirements related to language study in their particular majors.Having a high score on the placement test will not exempt you from having to complete the F-requirement. A high score in the 0-900 scale might indicate that the student is a heritage or native speaker of that particular language. In that case, the student can request permission from the Global Languages and Literatures department to register for any 300-level course. Native speakers or heritage speakers of any language other than English who have NOT taken the TOEFL or CBT before entering Rollins can complete an adequate 200 or 300 level course (a one-semester course designed for heritage speakers) or complete ONE course in international culture at any level.
Example: A native speaker of Farsi (no TOEFL) can take one internationally-focused culture course (such as LAC 200: Foundations of Latin American Culture and Society).An updated list of these courses is available on the following link from the Registrar’s office: https://www.rollins.edu/registrar/documents/foreign-language-substitutions.pdf