Math Placement

UTA’s Math Placement Program utilizes the ALEKS assessment in which a series of individualized questions are used to determine readiness for mathematics courses.

How to know if ALEKS is required?

ALEKS is required prior to advising for all majors in the Colleges of Science, Engineering, Architecture, and Business, as your scores may allow you to skip over some prerequisite coursework. Students in all majors may use ALEKS to review and prepare for their upcoming math course. If ALEKS is not required for your major, see our Math Preparation page for tips on using ALEKS to get ready for your math course.

Students who have completed all required math courses, who have college-level credit for Calculus I, or who will not be taking math at UTA do not need a math placement assessment.

Check for messages from UTA Admissions, Advisement, Enrollment, or Orientation.

Why complete the assessment?

Students come to UTA from a wide variety of backgrounds. Math Placement helps ensure students are enrolled in a course with the best opportunity for success.

And this doesn’t just affect math; other courses in your degree plan may have a math course pre-requisite. To ensure you are eligible to take those courses, it is important to take care of your math requirement as soon as possible.

What is ALEKS?

UTA’s ALEKS assessment can be taken online or on campus by appointment (see tutorial in Canvas for instructions). The ALEKS system also provides a personalized learning module designed to help improve your math skills. Work through the module and then retake the assessment to improve your score.

McGraw Hill ALEKS P P L logo

  • Take up to 3 times during 1-semester free access.
  • AI powered "Smart test" learns what you know and what you need to review
  • Provides a Prep & Learning Module based on assessment results to help you prepare for upcoming classes

When to take ALEKS?

You will have access to only one of the following timeframes:

  • Students registering for Summer or Fall classes may access ALEKS starting February 1 and must complete all assessment attempts before the last day of late registration in Fall.
  • Students registering for Spring classes may access ALEKS starting September 1 and must complete all assessment attempts before the last day of late registration in Spring.

You will be expected to have completed ALEKS prior to advising and registration.

NOTE: Seniors in high school do not have to wait to graduate before taking the assessment. ALEKS for Summer/Fall registration will open February 1st. After that date, once you have your UTA email, take ALEKS!

How to start?

Below are the recommended steps to have the best chance of retaking the assessment for higher placement and securing a seat in your preferred class. 

  1. Click here to enroll in our Math Placement and Preparation Tutorial in CanvasLog into Canvas with your student email and password. At the end of the tutorial and FAQs, the ALEKS link will take you to the placement assessment.
  2. Take the ALEKS assessment.
  3. Want to place higher? Work on your learning module and retake the assessment.
  • You can take the ALEKS assessment 3 times total. This means 2 more attempts after your initial assessment.
  • Five hours of study with the ALEKS learning module and waiting 3 days are required to unlock each attempt.
  • Important! The waiting period between attempts means that if you end up needing to use all 3 attempts, it will a minimum of a week to complete all attempts. It is best to get started early to give yourself plenty of time to raise your score.
  1. Meet with your advisor to discuss the math course options for your degree program.

Note: You must satisfy your TSI requirements before you register for classes. https://www.uta.edu/student-success/tsi.

Which math courses correspond with ALEKS scores?

ALEKS Score MATH Courses
0 – 60 1301 Contemporary Math
1302 or 1402 College Algebra
1308 Elementary Statistics or 1309 Statistical Literacy
1315 Business Algebra
61 – 75 1303 Trigonometry
1316 Business Calculus
1421 Preparation for Calculus
76 – 100 1327 Architectural Calculus
1426 Calculus I*

Courses in green (scores 0 – 60) may be taken without any prerequisite coursework or minimum placement score.  

Courses in blue (scores 61 and up) require either the corresponding ALEKS score or prerequisite coursework. Placing into these courses with ALEKS does not earn credit toward the prerequisite course; it simply allows students to start with these higher-level courses.

For Summer 2026, Calculus I requires a 76 or higher on ALEKS regardless of prior coursework, test scores, etc.

Students, please complete the Math Placement Tutorial and read through the FAQs first, and then if you still have questions or run into issues, be sure to email from your UTA email address and include your Student ID and NetID within the email. All correspondence pertaining to math placement should be directed to mathplacement@uta.edu.

UTA Advisors, please click here for our full Math Placement Program Guide for Advisors.