Proof of language proficiency

If you are planning to go abroad as part of your studies, you will usually have to provide proof of your language skills when applying. On this page you will find information on language certificates for students who wish to study at partner universities and/or apply for DAAD scholarships.

Studying at partner universities

To apply for an exchange program all applicants (including those from English-language programs) must prove sufficient knowledge of the instruction language for their first and second choice.

Native speakers are exempt from this rule.

Unless otherwise stated in the announcement, students will need to provide evidence of at least B2-level proficiency in English and B1-level in all other languages of instruction.

Students, whose test scores do not show sufficient knowledge of French, Spanish or Italian at the time of application, may receive a "conditional acceptance" with the condition to provide the necessary proof of language proficiency at a later date.

English: 3 Options

Option 1: The language placement test is free of charge and can be taken during the opening hours in the Self-Access Center. Students are asked to bring their own laptop with compatible headphones. Students will receive a “Language Confirmation for the International Office” or feedback on the test in the Self-Access Center after the test. This certificate is valid for 2 years and must be done no later than 2 years before the application deadline. Please note the English placement test can only be taken once a semester.

Additional dates outside opening hours:

Wednesday, March 19 C5.326, 2-3 pm
Thursday, March 27 C5.326, 2-3 pm

Please bring your laptop and suitable headphones. If you would like to attend one of the sessions, you must register in advance. 

Registration at: https://terminplaner6.dfn.de/de/b/c1575d6eb61596aceb8ab41a0a6bdc29-1132270

If you have any questions or problems, you can contact us by e-mail: slz@leuphana.de

Option 2: Students who have successfully completed a course with the Language and Culture Team in English during the last 2 semesters before applying can get a corresponding certificate from the instructor or Lynette Kirschner. Please contact the correct person.

Option 3: If students have successfully completed one of the tests listed below no later than 2 years before the application deadline, they can upload it with their application.

Internet-Based TOEFL 61 (B1), 72 (B2), ab 95 (C1)
IELTS Academic Version 4,5 (B1), 5,0 (B2), 7,0 (C1)
Cambridge B2 First (ehemals FCE-Test)
Cambridge C1 Advanced (ehemals CAE)
TOEIC Listening & Reading 650 (B1), 785 (B2), 945 (C1)
TOEIC Speaking & Writing 280 (B1)

French, Italian & Spanish: 2 Options

Option 1: For the written part, the placement test can be taken free of charge during the opening hours of the Self-Access Center. Additionally the written part is complemented by a conversation with a lecturer. Students will receive further information from the tutors at the Self-Access Center on the day of the Test. Please bring your own laptop for the test in the Self-Access Center. If you have already taken the Test this semester or last semester, you can contact Christophe Hohwald (French), Valentina Concu (Italian) or María del Carmen Suñén Bernal (Spanish) directly for the oral part of the test.

Option 2: In case you successfully completed a course of the International Center in French, Italian, or Spanish during the last two semesters, you can get a corresponding certificate from Christophe Hohwald (French), Valentina Concu (Italian) or María del Carmen Suñén Bernal (Spanish).

Japanese

Students who have been offered an exchange place at Aichi University or Dokkyo University must provide proof of basic knowledge of Japanese (JLPT N5) when applying to the host university. You can take the written part of our test at the Self-Access Center and then contact Xuemei He.

Applying for a DAAD scholarship

The International Center/ Language and Culture does not conduct language proficiency exams for English. If you require a language certificate for your DAAD application, you can take a certificate exam officially recognized by the DAAD. In the following link you will find a list of the certificate exams.

https://static.daad.de/media/daad_de/pdfs_nicht_barrierefrei/im-ausland-studieren-forschen-lehren/liste-befreiende-pruefungen.pdf

Register for a test date with the relevant test provider as early as possible. The details of the exam can be found on the website of the respective test provider. Please note that the International Center/ Language and Culture is not a test center for certificate exams.