All incoming first-year students to the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign are required to take the ALEKS PPL Math Assessment Exam prior to registration. There are no exceptions, even if you are expecting advanced placement (AP) or International Baccalaureate (IB) course proficiency credit.

All transfer students who intend to enroll in a Calculus I or lower-level math class are also required to take the ALEKS PPL Math Placement Exam. If you are transferring to Illinois with math credit earned elsewhere, you should check with your college to verify what other math courses, if any, your program requires.

Proper course placement is critical. Research suggests that college student success in their first math course is indicative of success in degree completion. Students placed in academically appropriate courses can increase their chances of successful college careers; it also helps bridge opportunity gaps between students who have had varying levels of access to mathematical learning opportunities.

For incoming freshmen and transfer students, ALEKS PPL is offered free of charge.

Students who might take a second placement course in the spring of their first year of enrollment will need to use one of the 5 included assessment exams or pay for an additional assessment fee. The cost per issuance of ALEKS PPL to current students is $11.01.

After you complete the ALEKS PPL assessments, you can view your score and the math course(s) you qualify for via the ALEKS PPL Assessment Score Viewer. Please note that scores are loaded daily, so there may be a 24-hour delay before you see your course placement.

Your score is also automatically added to your Proficiency and Placement (PNP) Student Profile. That’s where your advisor can view both your best math score and your math course placement.

Students wishing to enroll in MATH 112, 115, 220, 221, or 234 are required to obtain a minimum ALEKS PPL assessment score before registering for their desired course. Passing scores are 80% for Math 220 and 221, 65% for Math 115 and 234, and 40% for Math 112.

If you do not reach the minimum score, you have the following options:

• Retake the ALEKS PPL assessment exam and/or use the learning module to attempt to improve your score
• Enroll in a prerequisite course:
  • MATH 112 is the prerequisite course for MATH 115 and MATH 234.

MATH 115 is the prerequisite course for MATH 220 and MATH 221.

For the purposes of course placement in a math course at UIUC, an ALEKS PPL scores are valid only if obtained during the placement window. Please see the established placement windows to ensure your score will be valid for the semester you wish to enroll.

ALEKS PPL includes 5 assessment exams and access to the learning module within a 12-month period. For incoming students, assessments 4 and 5 are initially password protected; these two assessments will become available prior to spring semester registration.

If your first ALEKS PPL account has expired or if you need to make additional attempts, you may need to purchase a second account. Visit the ALEKS PPL math placement portal to purchase a second ALEKS PPL account.