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 document 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 scheduled dates of the Language Placement Test are as follows:

January 21-22-23-24, 2025
Reservation required by January 16, 2025 10 a.m.
Reservations and instructions for taking the test on CLA's Elly portal on the LANGUAGE PLACEMENT TEST JANUARY 2025 page.

From the same page it will be possible to download the document related to the level achieved in the test.
 

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

• Call for European and International Mobility for Study Purposes 2025-2026
• Call for European and International Mobility for Internship Purposes 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 and attestations 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 provided for in one's study plan, certified by Self-Certification of enrollment with exams taken. If the Self-Certification does not clearly state the CEFR level, the relevant certification must be requested from the relevant Student Secretariat. Please note that, generally, curricular language proficiencies issued at the Bachelor's degree level are equal to B1 CEFR level, while curricular language proficiencies acquired at the LM level are equal to B2 CEFR level.
2. Language level certificate from one of the extracurricular language courses provided by the University of Parma Language Center. The certificate, for courses that provide it, can be downloaded independently from the Elly page of the course attended and is valid for these purposes within two years from the date of passing the final test, limited to the language and level of the course;
3. Passing the “BUSINESS ENGLISH B1” exam. “BUSINESS ENGLISH B1” is recognized as equivalent to ‘English language B1’;
4. Passing the examination of “BUSINESS ENGLISH B2”. “BUSINESS ENGLISH B2” teaching is recognized as equivalent to ‘English language B2’;
5. Passing the “ENGLISH FOR ENGINEERING” exam. Teaching “ENGLISH FOR ENGINEERING” at L level is recognized as “English language level B1”. Teaching “ENGLISH FOR ENGINEERING” at LM level is recognized as “English language level B2.”
6. Passing one or more of the “Language and Translation” examinations of the Course of Studies in Civilization and Modern Foreign Languages, according to the table provided by the DUSIC Department;
7. Passing the examination of “English Language and Translation (1005558)” of the L course in “COMMUNICATION AND CONTEMPORARY MEDIA FOR CREATIVE INDUSTRIES.” Teaching is recognized as “English Language B1” competency.
8. Enrollment in one of the University of Parma's Courses of Study entirely taught in English, provided that at the preferred locations the use of English (either as mother tongue or vehicular language) is provided. In this case, the student does not have to show any certification, as proficiency is already verified by the Course of Study;
9. Official language certification provided by one of the MUR-approved Bodies for the Certification of Language-Communication Skills. Duolingo English Test, IELTS, Cambridge IGCSE, CORDA Project, European Baccalaureate (European Baccalaureate), EsaBac certifications are also accepted. Certificates are considered valid if acquired within a period of 5 years from the date of use;
10. Mother tongue corresponding to the language used at the chosen destination location (in this case, the student(s) must attach a copy of the passport to the application for the mobility call in which they are participating);