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The Challenge Exam is for current SPAN 206 and 321 students.

Caution
Do NOT sign up for the Challenge Exam until AFTER the add/drop deadline in any given semester/term.
  • If you are enrolled in SPAN 206 or SPAN 321, you will receive an email sent to your BYU Outlook account (outlook.byu.edu).
  • You must be enrolled in SPAN 206 or SPAN 321 to take the Challenge Exam.
  • You must complete and pass SPAN 206 or SPAN 321 to receive Challenge Exam credit.

Overview

The 16-credit Challenge Exam consists of two required proficiency assessments:

  • Speaking Test (OPIc)
  • Writing Test (WPT)

The speaking and writing tests will be used to calculate the five grades (16 credits) you will receive.

The Challenge Exam tests skills relevant to 100- and 200-level courses.

  • You do not need these credits for the language certificate, minor, or major.
    • Therefore, you will not need to take these courses if you choose not to take the exam or choose not to accept these grades.

Graded credit may be awarded for the following courses:

SPAN 1054 credits
SPAN 1064 credits
SPAN 206*4 credits
SPAN 211R2 credits
SPAN 212R2 credits

*Students enrolled in SPAN 206 will not receive credit for SPAN 206 through the Challenge Exam.

Registration and Exam Process

Students enrolled in SPAN 206 or 321 will receive an email after the Add/Drop deadline with registration information.

STEP 1: REQUEST EXAM APPROVAL

After the Add/Drop deadline:

  1. Go to Enrollment Services to request a Challenge Exam.
    1. Click "Request an Exam" and follow the Steps.
      1. Note: The last day to request an exam is Nov. 5, 2026, but this step should be completed as early as possible.

NOTE: DO NOT REQUEST THE EXAM BEFORE Sept. 11, 2026. Doing so may cause your exam to be rejected.

STEP 2: REGISTER FOR YOUR EXAMS

Three business days after receiving your approval email:

Payment

  1. Go to My My Financial Center.
  2. Pay the Challenge Exam registration fee.

Writing Test (WPT)

  1. Sign up for the WPT (WPT details).
    1. The test will be held in the Humanities Testing Lab, B153 JFSB.

Speaking Test (OPIc)

  1. Sign up for the OPIc (OPIc details). Request the OPIc Oral Proficiency Interview-Computer.
    1. The test will be held in the Language Sciences Lab, B163 JFSB.

DEADLINE: Both exams must be completed by Nov. 19, 2026.

STEP 3: SET REMINDERS

  1. Add both test reminders to you calendar.
  2. Set reminders in advance.

NOTE: If you are more than 10 minutes late for either appointment, you will lose your spot and may not be able to make up the exam.

STEP 4: TAKE THE EXAM

  • Take the exam Sept. 14–Nov. 19, 2026.
  • All exams must be completed by Nov. 19. NO LATE EXAM REQUESTS WILL BE APPROVED.

NOTE: Students may only take the exam one time.

STEP 5: CHECK YOUR GRADES

  • You can see these grades and choose which ones to add to your transcript after the Withdraw deadline.

Requirements and Eligibility

  • Once students have graduated, they are no longer eligible for challenging any additional credit at BYU unless it is specific to the graduate program to which the students have been admitted. This applies to graduate students and postbaccalaureate students.
  • According to University policy, if a student has taken an exam at another university, through BYU's Off-Campus Testing Office, or has IB or AP credit, the student may still take the exam at BYU. The Challenge Exam will not replace those former grades or credits.  All test credits will be added to student’s total credits earned.

Preparing for the Exam

About the OPIc

About the WPT

Scores and Credits

  • You decide which credits you want to put on your transcript.
    • The graded credits you accept WILL affect your overall GPA and your total credit hours but WILL NOT affect credit caps for scholarships, applying to programs, etc.
    • If you do not accept the Challenge Exam grade(s), then you will not receive credit for the course(s) the exam challenged, but you will still receive credit for SPAN 206 or SPAN 321.
  • If it is your first semester/term at BYU, the scores you have accepted will appear a few days after this semester/term grades are posted.
  • If it is not your first semester/term at BYU, your scores will appear within three weeks.
  • Challenge Exam credits are taken into account when priority registration dates are calculated so long as the credit has already been posted to the student’s record when the calculation is made.

  • Challenge Exam credits DO NOT COUNT towards the requirement for students to declare a major by the time they have earned 60 credit hours or prohibit them from changing their major when they reach 75 credit hours.

    • Additionally, students are not charged a higher “Advanced Study Tuition” rate for having too many credit hours because of Challenge Exam credits, although, Challenge Exam credits ARE COUNTED in the student's total BYU credit hours and GPA's on their transcripts.
FAQ & Checklist
Common Questions
Checklist
    1. Submit request
    2. Check for approval email
    3. Pay fee
    4. Schedule WPT
    5. Schedule OPIc
    6. Confirm deadline
    7. Set reminders
    8. Take WPT exam
    9. Take OPIc exam
    10. Accept or decline grades