Course Placement
Intro Heading link
Incoming first-year placement into math courses is done through the ALEKS Math Placement exam. If you are continuing student, not an incoming first-year or transfer student, please contact the undergraduate studies for assistance:
Contact us about placement Heading link
Placement for incoming Freshman and Transfer Students Heading link
The University of Illinois at Chicago requires the UIC Math Placement Exam through ALEKS to assess a student’s prerequisite knowledge for course placement. ALEKS is a powerful artificial-intelligence based assessment tool that zeros in on the strengths and weaknesses of a student’s mathematical knowledge, reports its findings to the student, and then if necessary provides the student with a learning environment for bringing this knowledge up to an appropriate level for course placement.
Math Placement Policy Using
Assessment and Learning in Knowledge Spaces (ALEKS)
All incoming first-year students must complete an online math assessment using ALEKS prior to attending Summer Orientation and Registration. Optional retakes of the online assessment are available in ALEKS through 5 pm on Friday of the first week of each term. Students are eligible for a maximum of five retakes within six months of creating an ALEKS account before taking a math course at UIC. Once credit has been earned in a mathematics course at UIC, students are not eligible to retake the exam.
ALEKS scores are valid for one academic year.
Transfer Student Policy
- All transfer students intending to take mathematics at UIC at the Calculus I (Math 180) level or below who do not have math transfer credit awarded must complete an ALEKS assessment prior to registration.
- If a transfer student is awarded credit for Pre-Calculus (Math 121) or Calculus (Math 180) by UIC, they are eligible to enroll in any course requiring these courses as a prerequisite without taking the ALEKS Placement Exam.
- As a note, it is helpful and recommended for all transfer students to complete the ALEKS Placement Exam as their prior credit may not satisfy major requirements.
If you have questions about receiving transfer credit from another college or university and/or how this effects your ability to enroll in Math courses at UIC please contact our Undergraduate Studies staff.
AP Credit Policy
If UIC has received student AP results prior to the student attending the required Orientation and the student is awarded AP credit for Calculus I (Math 180), then the student is still required to take the ALEKS Placement Exam for advising purposes but is eligible to enroll in any course with Math 180 as a prerequisite.
Please consult the undergraduate catalog for information on what AP scores are required to receive course credit.
Placement in advanced courses
ALEKS scores do not place students at the Calculus II (Math 181) level or above. Students beginning at the Math 181 level or above must satisfy the prerequisite using transfer work, AP/IB/A-Level credits, or UIC proficiency exam.
Transitional mathematics courses
Transitional math courses are currently not being used for mathematics placement.
ALEKS scores required for course enrollment Heading link
| Course | Minimum ALEKS percentage to enroll |
|---|---|
| Math 180 | 80 |
| Math 170, STAT 130 | 75 |
| Math 121, 125, 160, 165 | 60 |
| Math 110, 140, STAT 101 | 46 |
| Math 110 with Math 109 (concurrent registration) | 40 |
| Math 090, 105* | 30 |
| Math 105* with Math 104* (concurrent registration) or Math 090 with Math 088 (concurrent registration) | all lower percentage scores |
Extra Info Heading link
* Note: As of Fall 2021, placement into Math 105 replaces placement into Math 118 and placement into Math 104 replaces placement into Math 077.
ALEKS scores do not place students at the Calculus II (Math 181) level or above. Students beginning at the Math 181 level or above must satisfy the prerequisite using transfer work, AP credit or UIC proficiency exam.