ALTA is the trusted leader in language testing services for government agencies, healthcare organizations, and businesses nationwide. As a language testing company, we develop and administer thousands of valid, reliable proficiency tests in over 100 languages each year. Organizations looking to create a multilingual workforce partner with ALTA to access a reliable and affordable language assessment platform. We have over four decades of experience providing language skills assessments that objectively measure and report performance for all types of bilingual positions, including customer service representatives, nurse practitioners, law enforcement officers, sales representatives, flight attendants, personal bankers, physicians, government linguists, and legal document reviewers.
There is no single global standard for measuring language performance, so assessment begins by defining clear performance levels. ALTA has developed a comprehensive performance scale that spans the full range of language ability, from no knowledge to native-level proficiency, with clear criteria for what individuals at each level can do.
Using this framework, ALTA can deliver testing on its own scale, the U.S. Government’s Interagency Language Roundtable (ILR) scale, the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR), or custom scales by mapping ALTA performance levels to the target scale. Learn more about ALTA’s scale here.
ALTA is the trusted leader in language testing services for government agencies, healthcare organizations, and businesses nationwide. As a language testing company, we develop and administer thousands of valid, reliable proficiency tests in over 100 languages each year. Organizations looking to create a multilingual workforce partner with ALTA to access a reliable and affordable language assessment platform. We have over four decades of experience providing language skills assessments that objectively measure and report performance for all types of bilingual positions, including customer service representatives, nurse practitioners, law enforcement officers, sales representatives, flight attendants, personal bankers, physicians, government linguists, and legal document reviewers.
We offer language tests to assess various language skills like speaking, writing, reading comprehension, and more. We also offer standard language proficiency tests for all job types, across a variety of industries. Contact us to determine the corporate language testing solution that best meets your needs.
This language fluency test measures how well candidates can understand spoken language, speak clearly, and engage in conversation.
This test measures the candidate’s ability to write in the target language.
This test evaluates the candidate’s ability to read and comprehend the language at the required skill level.
This test verifies whether or not the candidate can provide consecutive professional interpretation services between two speakers in English and the target language.
This test verifies whether or not the candidate can translate material written in English into the target language, or material written in the target language into English.
Two decades of developing and administering language proficiency tests has helped us gain a deep understanding of the language needs across distinct industries, from government at the federal, state, and local levels to healthcare, legal, financial, global recruitment, travel, and hospitality. We tailor our linguistic testing services to meet the specific language demands of each industry—incorporating job requirements, industry-specific terminology, and custom-designed assessments.
Our thorough Job Analysis process defines the language requirements for any job in any industry, recommends the best test, and sets a legally defensible cut-score.
For industries that rely on specific language skills and terminology, we have developed custom suites of language tests, such as our award-winning language assessments developed in partnership with Kaiser Permanente for Healthcare organizations, and our custom Government and Legal language testing solutions.
Recruitment and Training: ALTA language tests are a valuable tool in the recruitment and training processes for major airlines, financial institutions, non-profit organizations, U.S. government agencies, and businesses of all sizes that serve a multilingual clientele or are looking to expand internationally.
We provide language-proficiency testing in 100+ languages worldwide by harnessing the expertise of linguists and subject-matter specialists we’ve worked with for over thirty years in translation, language training, and language testing solutions.
We offer assessments for English, Spanish, Chinese (Mandarin and Cantonese), Tagalog, Vietnamese, Arabic, French, Korean, Russian, and German — among 100+ other languages. Whether you only need to assess Spanish-speaking customer service representatives or require a custom exam for a niche language, ALTA has the right solution.
See the full list on our Languages We Test page. If you don’t see the language you need, contact us to learn about our custom test development process.
ALTA adheres to the Standards for Educational and Psychological Testing when developing and validating our assessments. Among the organizations that rely on us to measure and report the language proficiency of their multilingual workforce are U.S. government agencies, global corporations, national healthcare providers, financial institutions, and global non-profit organizations.
ALTA’s language tests are developed in-house by an experienced team of test developers who specialize in creating reliable language performance measurement tools. Our language assessments are delivered through a secure online and telephonic testing system, in many cases available 24/7, that decreases administrative burden and streamlines the testing process. Setting us apart from other affordable language solutions, our assessments are scored by trained expert evaluators who are educated native speakers of the target language – not by an algorithm or a person who speaks the target as a second language. Our evaluator training program and strict quality assurance system provide for the highest levels of inter-rater reliability in the language testing industry. With little or no scheduling time required, and results guaranteed within two business days or sooner, our unparalleled suite of language testing tools will provide value to your organization as you define and implement your language strategy.
Contact ALTA Languages Services at 1-888-624-6165 or fill out the form above to discuss your language testing needs.
A standardized way to measure how well a person uses a language — in speech, listening, (listening & speaking) or writing.
Yes — we have off-the-shelf tests for industries such as healthcare, law enforcement , behavioral health, dental professions, and document reviewers. We develop new industry-specific tests as needed.
Standard tests measure general language ability. Customized tests are built after interviews and job-document review to measure the specific language skills and terminology required for a role; they include development and beta-testing with current incumbents to set defensible pass/fail criteria.
Language testing provides an objective, standardized measure of language ability so you can be confident that hires have the proficiency required for real job tasks — for example, answering customer calls in another language, accurately completing translated paperwork, or safely following multilingual instructions.
An independent tester (like ALTA) has no stake in outcomes, reduces bias or conflicts of interest, and provides legally defensible, valid, and reliable assessments.
Yes — clients can test candidates in multiple languages when job requirements demand it.
After registering, schedule either by email or by phone. Scheduling is Monday–Friday, 9am–6pm ET. Verbal live tests begin on the hour or half hour; common languages can often be scheduled with one day’s lead time, rarer languages may need two days’ notice.
Yes — but you must cancel or change by 6:00 p.m. ET on the business day prior to the test. Tests not canceled before that time are charged in full.
Registered organizations receive portal access and a password; instructions for assigning tests are emailed to authorized portal users.
Evaluators are first-language/native speakers who were born, raised, and university-educated in the target language culture. Evaluators are trained on ALTA’s archived evaluation sessions; evaluator identities are kept confidential.
Language testing measures skills such as speaking, listening, reading, and writing to give objective evidence of someone’s communicative ability. Organizations use tests for hiring, placement, certification, and to reduce risk from poor communication.
Employers should choose job-relevant tests that match the communication tasks of the role (e.g., customer calls, documentation, clinical conversations) and apply consistent scoring standards. Combining objective assessments with role-based simulations gives the most reliable picture of fit.
Healthcare organizations should combine validated proficiency testing, qualified interpreters, translated materials, and documented workflows to ensure clear, safe communication with patients who speak other languages. Regular testing ensures staff remain competent as language demands evolve.
Pricing depends on the test type, the language, and annual testing volume. Test types include listening and speaking, writing, reading, translation, interpretation, and more.
Most clients estimate their expected volume when requesting a quote. Per-test pricing typically improves at higher volumes.
Contact us for a free, no-obligation quote tailored to your organization’s specific testing needs.
Yes. We work with organizations of all sizes, with testing volumes ranging from under 50 tests per year to 500+, so there’s no need for a large annual hiring volume to get started. The one requirement is that testing be arranged through an organization. we do not offer direct-to-consumer testing for individual test-takers. Small businesses receive the same validated tests, native-speaking evaluators, and fast turnaround (results within two business days) as ALTA’s largest government and enterprise clients.
No — ALTA provides testing only through organizations (we don’t accept individual test-takers).
Yes — we provide practice tests and prep information on our site.
Instructions and access links (or phone number + access code for telephone tests) are in the notification email sent to you.
Click the link in the notification email (“ALTA’s online portal” or “online”), or go to www.altatesting.com. Your user ID is your email address.
Your notification email will state whether your session was scheduled by your organization or if you need to schedule it in the ALTA portal. Follow your notification email’s instructions.
You take the test at home in a quiet place; a live ProctorU proctor monitors via webcam. The notification email includes required documents and instructions.
The link becomes active exactly at the scheduled test time. Refresh the page at test time so the link can activate.
No — scheduling and taking the test is done via ALTA’s portal (www.altatesting.com), not in the ProctorU portal.
No — we don’t place the call. You dial the provided phone number and enter your access code to connect.
We notify your organization that you did not call in; you must contact your organization to reschedule.
Candidates (or organizations) can call us or email our testing team for additional help (phone and email contacts are provided on the FAQ page).
ALTA has developed and administered language proficiency tests in-house since 1998, not generic, off-the-shelf, or algorithm-only assessments.
Our assessments are built and maintained by an on-staff team of test developers and a psychometrician, so test design, scoring standards, and ongoing quality review all happen under one roof rather than being outsourced.
ALTA provides role-specific testing, with assessments validated against the actual language demands of the positions they serve. That means results show not just general proficiency, but whether a candidate can use the language effectively in the job they were hired to do.
With 46 years in language services and support for more than 100 languages, ALTA brings deep experience serving federal agencies, healthcare systems, and state and local government.
ALTA also builds legally defensible testing programs through a formal Job Analysis process. This process involves reviewing job documentation and interviewing subject-matter experts, and it ties test selection and cut scores directly to real job requirements.
ALTA is 100% employee-owned, so the team that develops and scores your tests has a direct stake in getting them right.
ALTA’s tests are developed and validated in accordance with the Standards for Educational and Psychological Testing, the industry benchmark for defensible assessment design.
Before recommending a test, we conduct a Job Analysis, which involves reviewing job documentation and interviewing subject-matter experts. This process confirms that the test measures the language skills the role actually requires and helps set a legally defensible cut score.
Scoring accuracy is maintained through a rigorous evaluator training program and ongoing quality assurance. Together, these produce inter-rater reliability scores that exceed industry standards.
ALTA pairs validated test design with consistent, expert scoring. This combination is why organizations rely on ALTA results for hiring, compliance, and legal defensibility. These organizations include U.S. government agencies and national healthcare providers.
Yes, we offer several Spanish proficiency tests that measure reading, writing, listening, and speaking skills for Spanish speakers. We also offer job-specific Spanish proficiency tests ideal for businesses or agencies hiring bilingual staff and verifying Spanish language competency.
Most ALTA tests are scored by trained, native-speaking evaluators, who are professionals born, raised, and university-educated in the target language and culture, rather than by algorithms or non-native speakers.
Evaluators are trained on ALTA’s library of archived, expert-scored sessions and held to a strict quality assurance process that maintains consistency across raters. Evaluator identities are kept confidential.
For selected English and Spanish assessments, primarily writing and some listening and speaking tests, ALTA also uses AI-assisted scoring. ALTA trains this scoring on thousands of responses previously scored by its certified human raters, and it is designed to support, not replace, human evaluation.
Scoring considers factors such as comprehension and meaning, grammar, vocabulary, and mechanics, depending on the skill tested. Most results are delivered within two business days.
ALTA uses artificial intelligence (AI) in a limited and carefully controlled way to support specific parts of the testing and scoring process. Currently, AI-assisted scoring is only used for certain English and Spanish assessments, primarily writing and select listening/speaking tests. These models are trained on thousands of responses previously scored by ALTA’s certified human raters using our established scoring standards.
There is no single global standard for measuring language proficiency, so we report results on whichever scale an organization needs by mapping ALTA scale with the required scale.
ILR Scale: The Interagency Language Roundtable scale is the U.S. federal government’s standard for language proficiency. Agencies such as the State Department and the Department of Defense use this scale. It ranges from Level 0, no practical proficiency, to Level 5, native or bilingual proficiency, with “plus” levels available between 0 and 4 for finer distinctions.
CEFR: The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages is the standard used across Europe and increasingly worldwide. It defines six levels — A1, A2, B1, B2, C1, and C2 — grouped into three bands: Basic User (A1–A2), Independent User (B1–B2), and Proficient User (C1–C2).
ALTA Scale: ALTA’s own proficiency scale spans the full range of language ability, from no knowledge of the language to native-level proficiency, with clear criteria for what a test-taker can do at each level. Because organizations need results in different formats, ALTA maps its scale directly to ILR, CEFR, or a custom scale. For example, an ALTA 6 corresponds to ILR 1+, Intermediate-High.
View our test prep materials or FAQ’s for common questions about taking a test.
