The Language Placement Test (LPT) for European and international mobility

The LANGUAGE PLACEMENT TEST (LPT) is a test introduced by the University of Parma as a tool to support participation in European and international mobility calls, both within the ERASMUS+ Community Program (KA131 SMS, KA131 SMP, KA171, etc.) and within the University's opportunities (OVERWORLD Program, Dual Degree Programs, etc.).

The Language Placement Test allows students who want to participate in a European or international mobility project to:

• check their level of language proficiency prior to their application

• obtain a certificate indicating the language level achieved, which can be downloaded independently from the Elly portal.

  The result of the Language Placement Test is to be considered valid exclusively for participation in international mobility projects.

The document issued, if accepted by the partner university of destination, can be presented at the application stage (application for incoming mobility student(s)) as proof of meeting the language requirement.

Proficiency testing is scheduled for the following languages: ENGLISH, FRENCH, PORTUGUESE, SPANISH, GERMAN.

The levels provided are as follows:

• ENGLISH B1, B2, C1
• FRENCH A2, B1, B2
• SPANISH A2, B1, B2
• GERMAN A2, B1, B2
• PORTUGUESE A1, A2, B1

In order to reach the language level required by the host universities, it is recommended that you attend free extracurricular language courses of various languages and levels organized by the University Language Center (see also point 2 of accepted certifications/certificates). It is recommended that you plan your language training well in advance, as it takes time to learn a language or to move from one level to another.

The tests are organized by the University Language Center, which is responsible for administering the tests. For other information related to specific European and international mobility calls that require the Language Placement Test, please refer to the  U.O. Accoglienza, Mobilità e Studenti Internazionali. 

The next Language Placement Test session will take place from 9 to 11 December 2025. If there are a large number of registrations, the test will continue the following day.

• Reservations are required starting from 10:00 a.m. on 20 November 2025 and must be made by 11:59 p.m. on 3 December 2025;
• Reservations and instructions for taking the test can be found on the CLA Elly page LANGUAGE PLACEMENT TEST DECEMBER 2025. 

You can download the certificate showing your test results from the same page.

The Language Placement Test for the December 2025 session is valid for:

• Single Call for European and International Mobility for Study Purposes 2026-2027 (publication: end of November 2025; deadline for applications: 23 December 2025). For this Call, language levels achieved in LPTs taken in the calendar years 2024 and 2025 are valid;
• Single Call for European and International Mobility for Internships 2024-2026 (5th deadline).

PLEASE NOTE:

Taking the Language Placement Test is strongly recommended for all those who intend to apply for one of the University's calls for European and International Mobility.

In addition to the LPT, the following certifications are valid for the purpose of participation in the Mobility Calls.

PLEASE NOTE: Possession of a certification or attestation among those listed on this webpage does not automatically guarantee acceptance at the assigned destination location. It is the sole duty of the applicant(s) to verify, prior to application, the language level required by the host location, the type of certification/attestation accepted by the host location, and the timeframe within which the certification/attestation must be sent to the host location.

1. Curricular language proficiency required by your study plan, as reported in the self-certification of enrolment with exams taken, which is part of the mandatory attachments for the application to the Call for Applications. If the self-certification does not clearly indicate the CEFR level of proficiency, the relevant certification must be requested from the relevant Student Secretariat;
2. Passing the examination for a language course that awards a CEFR level at the end of the course, as reported in the self-certification of enrolment with examinations taken, which is part of the mandatory attachments for the application to the Call for Applications. If the self-certification does not clearly indicate the CEFR level of the course, the relevant certification must be requested from the relevant Student Secretariat or the course lecturer;
3. Language level certificate for one of the extracurricular language courses offere d by the Language Centre of the University of Parma. For courses that require it, the certificate can be downloaded independently from the Elly page of the course attended and is valid for these purposes within two years of the date of passing the final test;
4. Passing one or more of the ‘Language and Translation’ examinations of the Modern Foreign Languages and Civilisation Degree Programme, according to the table provided by the DUSIC Department.
5. Passing the exam in ‘English Language and Translation (1005558)’ of the LT course in ‘CONTEMPORARY COMMUNICATION AND MEDIA FOR THE CREATIVE INDUSTRIES’. The course is recognised as ‘English language B1’ competence;
6. Enrolment in one of the degree programmes at the University of Parma taught entirely in English, provided that English is used at the preferred locations (either as a mother tongue or a vehicular language). In this case, students do not need to provide any certification, as their proficiency has already been verified by the degree programme;
7. Official language certification issued by one of the bodies approved by the MUR for the certification of language and communication skills. Duolingo English Test, IELTS, Cambridge IGCSE, Progetto CORDA, European Baccalaureate (European Baccalaureate), and EsaBac certifications are also accepted. Certificates are considered valid if obtained within a period of 5 years from the date of use;
8. Native speaker of the language used at the chosen destination (in this case, the student must attach a copy of their passport to the application form for the mobility programme in which they are participating).

1. I have a language certificate that is not included in the list above. Can I submit it when applying for the mobility call?

   Certificates not included in the list above will not be evaluated for the purposes of applying for mobility calls. It is possible that the host institute you have chosen will accept the document as proof of your language proficiency (see FAQ no. 8), but it will not be evaluated for the purposes of your score in the mobility call.

2. Which LPT sessions are valid to participate in mobility calls?

   To participate in the Single Call for European and International Mobility for Study Purposes 2026-2027 and the Single Call for European and International Mobility for Internship Purposes 2024-2026 (5th deadline only), LPT sessions from the calendar years 2024 and 2025 are valid.

3. If I have one of the above certifications, do I automatically meet the language requirement for admission to the host institute I have chosen?

   No. The certifications and qualifications listed above are only valid for participation in the call for applications and may not necessarily be valid for the subsequent stages of mobility (application and admission to the host institute) (see FAQ 8).

4. If I take or have taken the LPT in 2024 or 2025, do I need to upload my LPT certificate to Esse3 when I apply for the call for applications?

   No, the results of the LPT sessions valid for active calls for applications are automatically shared by the Reception, Mobility and International Students Unit with the selection committees.

5. I took the Language Placement Test in previous sessions in 2024 or 2025, but I don't remember the result: where can I find the level I achieved?

   On the Elly page for the session corresponding to the test you took, you will find the level achieved for each language.
   Here are the links: September 2024; January 2025; September 2025.

6. I took the Language Placement Test in previous sessions in 2024 or 2025 – how do I retrieve my certificate?

   If you took the LPT in 2024, you can request your certificate from the Reception, Mobility and International Students Office (erasmus@unipr.it).

   If you took the LPT in 2025, you can download your certificate from your Elly page for the session corresponding to the test (January 2025; September 2025).

7. I took the LPT in previous sessions in 2024 or 2025 and am taking it again in the December 2025 session: which result can I declare in my application?

   In your application (Annex F), you can declare the best result you have obtained.

8. How do I know if my certificate is valid for admission to the host institution I have chosen?

   You must independently verify the language requirements for admission to the host institute. We recommend that you carefully check: 1. the language level required by the host institute, 2. the type of certification/attestation accepted, and 3. the deadline for submitting the document.

   This information is usually available on the host institution's website, in the section dedicated to mobility for study or internship purposes. You can also contact the host institution's mobility/international office to clarify any doubts.

9. The language requirements of the host institute I have chosen are listed in Annex A (List of available institutions) of the Call for Applications (calls for study purposes). Why do I need to check them again?

   The language requirements of the host institute may change after the Call for Applications is published, or there may be more specific requirements for attending certain courses or departments/faculties/schools within the host institution. For this reason, it is good practice to make sure that you already have the required certificate, or that you can obtain the necessary document in a timely manner.

10. Is it possible to take the Language Placement Test outside of the scheduled dates?

    No, the Language Placement Test is organised and advertised in conjunction with the publication of the Mobility Calls (Ordinary and Supplementary); hence it's not possible to take the test outside of the dates listed on this web page.

11. I did not take the Language Placement Test on the scheduled dates and I do not have any of the certifications listed above. Can I still apply for the Mobility Call (for study purposes only)?

    Yes, the Call for Mobility for Study Purposes provides for the possibility of additional points for those who already meet the language requirement (see Annex D - Specific Criteria for Departments), but applying without a language requirement does not automatically result in exclusion; it may simply mean a lower score.

12. I do not meet the language requirements for admission to the location I have chosen, but I have been selected for that location as part of the Call for Applications. Am I still entitled to participate in the mobility programme at that location?

    No, if you do not meet the language requirements of the host location (or any other admission requirements), the location has full discretion to reject your application. The University of Parma has no decision-making power regarding the acceptance or rejection of applications by partner universities.

13. Can I use my LPT certificate to apply for jobs or for other purposes?

    No, the LPT test is valid exclusively for participation in European or international mobility programmes and is not valid for other purposes.