LANGUAGES
LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY
Language proficiency in the first and second teaching language
You can enrol for undergraduate degree courses if you can certify adequate language proficiency (minimum level required: B2 of the Common European Framework of Reference) in at least two of the three official teaching languages (English, Italian, German).

The six levels of the Common European Framework of Reference provide descriptors of language proficiency. The lowest level is A1, the highest C2.
A1-A2: Basic Users
B1-B2: Independent Users
C1-C2: Proficient Users.
 
In order to enroll for undergraduate degrees, you must be able to certify proficiency at the B2 level or above in at least two of the three teaching languages (English, German, Italian).
 
Language proficiency in the third teaching language
In order to enrol for the first year, you do not have to certify proficiency in the third teaching language (English, German, Italian). However, you need to have language proficiency in the third language in order to be able to follow your other lectures and pass your faculty exams. By the end of the first year, students must have certified a B1 level of proficiency in the third language.
 
Exit level
By the end of their undergraduate degree, students must be able to demonstrate proficiency in their first language at the C1 level, in their second language at the B2+ level and in their third language at the B2 level.
 

LANGUAGE	MINIMUM ENTRY LEVEL	AFTER ONE YEAR	MINIMUM EXIT LEVEL
1st language	B2	- - -	C1
2nd language	B2	- - -	B2+
3rd language	- - -	B1	B2

Please note: Non-EU citizens resident abroad must also sit a separate Italian language test before they can enrol. Further information is available on the University’ s website www.unibz.it 

HOW TO DEMONSTRATE LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY
Language proficiency can be demonstrated in the following ways:

• a) holding secondary school leaving qualifications (A-levels, Abitur, Maturità, etc) where the main teaching language of the final year was in one of the official teaching languages of the undergraduate degree course. If these qualifications were obtained in one of the trilingual secondary schools in the Ladin valleys of South Tyrol, they will be accepted as demonstrating proficiency in both German and Italian;
• b) holding an undergraduate or postgraduate degree if awarded in one of the three teaching languages of the degree course, or holding a bilingual or trilingual undergraduate or postgraduate degree awarded by the Free University of Bozen/Bolzano;
• c) presenting, for the relevant languages, a recognised qualification or certificate (see www.unibz.it); 
• d) passing a language test organised by the Language Centre of the Free University of Bozen/Bolzano.

 

How can I demonstrate language proficiency?
In order to demonstrate language proficiency, you must first log in to the portal available at www.unibz.it.
Once registered, you can:

• upload your language certificates
• enroll to the language assessment tests offered by the Language Centre
• fill in the pre-enrolment application
• update your personal data.

 

In the menu point concerning the upload of certificates, you must upload recognized language certificates electronically for the languages used in teaching at the university (Italian, German, English). This means:

• if you already obtained your secondary school leaving certificate / university degree: the final certificate;
• if you have not yet obtained your secondary school leaving certificate / university degree: a certificate issued by the school/university attesting the main language used in teaching;
• language certificates recognized by the Language Centre (see www.unibz.it).

 

Please note: in case your final title has been awarded by an Italian public establishment, certificates and diplomas must be substituted by self-declarations. This concerns:

• certificates issued by CELI, CILS, Uni Roma Tre, Società Dante Alighieri and Ufficio esami di bi- e trilinguismo of the Autonomous Province of Bozen-Bolzano; 
• secondary school leaving certificates or certificates attesting the main language used in teaching issued by Italian public schools;
• university diplomas or certificates attesting the main language used in teaching issued by Italian universities.

 

If you cannot upload certificates, you can send them via email to the Language Centre or personally hand them in.

The Language Centre will then check all the submitted certificates and contact you if further information or documentation is required.

How can I enrol for the language tests?
If you do not have recognized certificates attesting language proficiency, you can demonstrate it through the language assessment tests offered by the Language Centre.
You must enroll for the tests through the same portal available for the upload of certificates.
The tests will be taking place on the following dates:

• 3rd April 2012 and the following days
• 8th May 2012 and the following days
• 16th July 2012 and the following days
• 28th August 2012 and the following days.

Candidates can sit the language tests at all dates available. Results will be available immediately after the tests.

How can I prepare myself the language test taking place in August (level B2)?
The Language Centre offers, during the summer, language courses preparing students for level B2 tests. These language courses take place from 31st July to 24th August 2012 (Monday-Friday, four hours/day). The deadline to enrol for these courses is 28th July 2012.

How do I reach the required level of proficiency in the third language?
Before starting your studies:
You can attend the following language courses organised by the Language Centre:

• beginners courses (for absolute or false beginners) which will run from 31st July to 7th September 2012 (Monday to Friday, four hours/day) or
• courses to prepare for the B1 language test which will run from 31 July to 24 August 2012 (Monday to Friday, four hours/day)

The deadline to enrol for these courses is 20th July 2012. If you require further information, please contact the Language Centre (tel. 0471-012400; e-mail: language.centre@unibz.it).

During the first year:
If you do not manage to certify the B1 level in your third language before starting your studies, during your first year you can attend a language course that aims to prepare you for the B1 test at the Language Centre of the Free University of Bozen/Bolzano. Credit points are not available for attendance of these courses.
At the end of the first year, students must have passed the Language Centre’s B1 level test in the third language or have provided the Language Centre with one of the B1 language certificates in the table of certificates, language exams and qualifications recognised by the Language Centre (see www.unibz.it). Only once you have passed this B1 test, or provided a certificate, can you enrol into the second year of your studies.