The purpose of the Placement Skills Assessment is to help ensure that every student begins their certificate or diploma program in the English and/or Math course that best matches their current skill level.
For example, the English assessment has the following overall scores:
| Non-ESL Communications (COMM) Levels* | ESL Communications (COMM) Levels* |
|---|---|
| 158 | 159 |
| 160 | 161 |
| 170 | 171 |
If a student were to score 161 on their English assessment, for example, the first Communications (COMM) course that they would complete while studying their certificate or diploma program would be COMM 161.
To confirm how many English and/or Math courses you are to take while studying at the College, please refer to your Program Outline.
*For English placement, there are two streams: Non-ESL (Non-English as a Second Language) and ESL (English as a Second Language).
The non-ESL stream is geared toward students whose first or most used language is English. These students have typically studied in Canada in English or a country where English is the primary language.
The ESL stream is geared toward students whose first language is NOT English. These students may not have studied in Canada in English or a country where English is the primary language. While both the non-ESL and ESL streams focus on similar content by level, the ESL stream focuses on developing not only language skills, but familiarity with the Canadian culture.
Identifying demographic questions within the English assessment will indicate which stream is the best fit for you. If you believe that you have been placed in the incorrect stream, please email a PASS (English) Advisor at: pass@centennialcollege.ca for support.
Once you have accepted your offer to Centennial College, completing your Placement Skills Assessment should be one of your first steps. This will help confirm your course placement and ensure that you are able to fully build your timetable during the registration period.
The Assessment Centre offers English and Math Placement Skills Assessments year-round for your convenience.
- Arrive at the Assessment Centre (Room D2-01, Progress Campus), or the designated testing lab noted on your booking confirmation at least 30 minutes before your scheduled assessment start time. Progress Campus parking information, directions and campus map.
- Bring a valid government-issued photo ID. This can include one of the following: a valid passport, driver’s license, provincial photo ID card, proof of citizenship card, Permanent Resident Card, or a Centennial College student photo ID. Note: If you do not have valid photo ID, you will not be able to take the Placement Skills Assessment, and our staff will help you rebook for another time.
- All supplies needed during the Placement Skills Assessment are provided by the Assessment Centre.
- Clear water bottles are allowed in the Assessment Centre. No other food or drinks are permitted.
To cancel or reschedule an in-person Placement Skills Assessment, you can make changes by logging into our Assessment Booking Page, or contact us.
To cancel or reschedule an online Placement Skills Assessment please log into the ProctorU website.
As Placement Skills Assessments are required for most certificate and diploma programs at the College, the cost of these assessments are included in your program's ancillary fees. No additional payment is required to write your Placement Skills Assessment.
Your Placement Skills Assessment results are typically ready within 48 business hours. During the registration period, if you have already built a timetable, your English (COMM) and Math courses will automatically update to reflect your results. You will also receive an email with the test results.
If your courses have not updated to reflect your Placement Skills Assessment results after 72 business hours, please submit a ticket on CASS to have your courses updated.
In some cases, a Placement Advice for Student Success (PASS) Advisor may contact you to discuss your results and next steps.
Your English and Math Assessment results are valid for a period of 2 years (24 months).
A PASS (English) Advisor will contact you by email within two business days to discuss your next steps based on your English assessment results. You may be required to take extra English courses with your program in order to improve your reading, writing, speaking and/or listening skills.
If you have not been contacted within two business days, please email: pass@centennialcollege.ca, and a representative will connect with you.