Exam Dates & Fees
📢NEWL Exam Administration Update (Effective 2026)
Beginning in 2026, American Councils will partner with Honorlock Inc. to administer the NEWL exam. Honorlock is a secure, high-quality online exam monitoring service that ensures smooth and fair exam administration.
With Honorlock, schools and families are no longer required to provide an in-person proctor. Students may take the exam in any quiet location, including their home, without a live human proctor.
Honorlock uses screen lockdown technology and advanced exam monitoring to help students remain focused and prevent distractions. During online registration, students will be asked to sign a consent form acknowledging the use of Honorlock for NEWL administration.
After registration is complete, students will receive step-by-step instructions on how to access Honorlock on their scheduled exam date.
Increased Flexibility in 2026
By integrating secure online exam technology, NEWL can offer increased flexibility through multiple exam dates and start times, instead of one fixed test date as in the past.
2026 Exam Dates & Fees
Exam dates and registration link will be posted soon. Please check back for updates, and thank you for your patience.
Our Valued School Partners
Below is a list of institutions that have successfully administered the NEWL exam in recent years. We are grateful to our partner schools for their continued collaboration and invite additional institutions to administer NEWL exams in Arabic, Korean, Portuguese, and Russian. By offering NEWL, schools provide students with the opportunity to demonstrate their language proficiency, earn the Seal of Biliteracy, and potentially receive college credit or advanced placement.
Prospective NEWL Sites | City | State or Country |
| A1 College Prep | Los Angeles | CA |
| Abington Heights High School | Clarks Summit | PA |
| Academia de Studii Economice a Moldovei | Chisinau | Moldova |
| Alpharetta Testing Center | Alpharetta | GA |
| American Community School Amman | Amman | Jordan |
| American English College | Rowland Heights | CA |
| Andalusia School | Yonkers | NY |
| Appleby College | Oakville, ON | Canada |
| Bishop Connolly High School | Fall River | MA |
| Booker T. Washington High School | Tulsa | OK |
| Boston Latin Academy | Boston | MA |
| Brackenridge High School | San Antonio | TX |
| Buckingham Browne & Nichols | Cambridge | MA |
| Ca' Foscari University of Venice | Venice | Italy |
| C.D. Hylton High School | Woodbridge | VA |
| C.E. Jordan High School | Durham | NC |
| Cherokee High School | Marlton | NJ |
| Cps Global | Gurgaon | India |
| Cps Global | New Delhi | India |
| Dartmouth High School | Dartmouth | MA |
| East Side High School | Newark | NJ |
| Edward R Murrow High School | Brooklyn | NY |
| Erudite Russian Language Club | Mequon | WI |
| Escola Amadeu Correia | Elizabeth | NJ |
| Franklin High School | Portland | OR |
| Gulliver Preparatory School | Pinecrest | FL |
| Hendrickson High School | Pflugerville | TX |
| Hilmar High School | Hilmar | CA |
| Hudson Public Schools | Hudson | MA |
| Indiana University | Bloomington | IN |
| International School of Advanced Learning | Lexington | MA |
| John A. Rowland High School | Rowland Heights | CA |
| John F. Kennedy High School | La Palma | CA |
| Johns Hopkins University | Rockville | MD |
| Langley High School | McLean | VA |
Language Acquisition Resource Center-San Diego State University | San Diego | CA |
Lighthouse International School | Ilsan City | South Korea |
| Lincoln Park High School | Chicago | IL |
| Lindblom Math and Science Academy | Chicago | IL |
| Ludlow High School | Ludlow | MA |
| MAC Medway Academy for Children | Milford | MA |
| Martha's Vineyard Regional High School | Oak Bluffs | MA |
| MatryoshkaRTP | Cary | NC |
| Mineola High School | Garden City Park | NY |
| Newton South High School | Newton | MA |
| Nova Classical Academy | St. Paul | MN |
| Nur Ul Islam Academy | Cooper City | FL |
| Online Edugo, Inc. | Los Angeles | CA |
| Portuguese United for Education-Discovery Language Academy | New Bedford | MA |
| QTS Testing Center | Anaheim | CA |
| Roland Park Country School | Baltimore | MD |
| Russian School of Dallas | Dallas | TX |
| Carthage Classical Academy | Tunis | Tunisia |
| San Francisco Pacific Academy | San Francisco | CA |
| San Jose State University - Testing Office | San Jose | CA |
| SchoolPlus | Manhattan | NY |
| St. Anne-Pacelli Catholic School | Columbus | GA |
| Star International Academy | Dearborn Heights | MI |
| Staten Island Technical High School | Staten Island | NY |
| Sunflower Center | Roslyn | NY |
| Syosset High School | Syosset | NY |
| Thomas Jefferson Arts Academy | Elizabeth | NJ |
| Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology | Alexandria | VA |
| University of Richmond | Richmond | VA |
| Virginia International University | Fairfax | VA |
| Walt Whitman High School | Bethesda | MD |
| NY Smart Start | Brooklyn | NY |
EXAM OVERVIEW & SECTIONS
NEWL measures functional proficiency in the interpersonal, interpretive, and presentational modes of communication. It does not assess knowledge of specific curricula, literary works, or cultural and historical content. The exam is based on the ACTFL scale and covers Novice High to Intermediate High levels.
The exam has four sections: Reading Comprehension, Listening Comprehension, Integrated Speaking, and Integrated Writing.
Reading (60 min): Examinees read short, culturally and linguistically authentic texts, such as lists, ads, schedules, brochures, and paragraphs, followed by 1–3 multiple-choice questions in English. Topics range from daily routines and social interactions to formal announcements and more advanced content.
Listening (45 min): Examinees listen to brief audio scenarios, including dialogs, newscasts, and radio shows, and answer questions on similar topics as the reading section. All content follows ETS Fairness and Equity guidelines (2009).
Speaking (45 min): Prompts (audio and written) require spoken responses on everyday topics like school, friends, and social situations. Responses are recorded via the browser; no software installation is required. Scratch paper may be used.
Writing (45 min): Prompts (audio and written) require written responses, such as notes, emails, letters, or expressing opinions in the target language. An appropriate keyboard layout is supported on both Mac and Windows, and scratch paper is permitted for use.
Total Exam Time (without accommodations): ~3½ hours