Admitted students without prior Chinese coursework at Harvard must complete an online Placement Exam before the program begins. This ensures enrollment in the most suitable course. You will be contacted directly by a faculty via email if you need to take this exam.
The exam includes three sections:
1) Multiple Choice
2) Writing (typed)
3) Oral Interview
No preparation is necessary. Its purpose is to assess your current Chinese proficiency and ensure we place you in the most suitable course to optimize your learning experience this summer, and thus, we encourage you to demonstrate your Chinese competence objectively.
Both simplified and traditional versions will be provided. You can also choose to type either. Handwriting is NOT required for this exam. The writing part will be finished by typing. Make sure a Chinese input system is installed.
During the exam, you may not use any external resources, including ChatGPT, dictionaries, or translation tools such as Google Translate. Communication with others is strictly prohibited, as is switching to other browser windows or tabs.
The 2025 HTA Placement Exam is scheduled on May 28th (Wed) 11am-2pm (EDT).