UNIcert® certification levels
Our language training concept contains five levels which are equivalent to the UNIcert® framework. Certification is offered at the end of each level. Subject-related courses are also offered for UNIcert® levels III and IV. Further information is given on the Language courses for specific purposes page. General information on the UNIcert® system can be found under UNIcert® or on the UNIcert® webseite.
Information on individual UNIcert® levels
Training objectives
UNIcert® level | Training objective |
| UNIcert® Basis certificate | Basic language skills for exchanging information easily and directly in routine situations. |
UNIcert® I certificate | Extension of basic language skills oriented towards general and intercultural communication |
UNIcert® II certificate | Adequate communication skills in study and professional situations. General language or initial focus on language for specific purposes General language |
UNIcert® III certificate | Similar to UNIcert® II, only at a higher level. Graduates of this level should be able to study abroad in their target language. General language or specific purpose |
UNIcert® IV certificate | Expert foreign language skills, effortless communication in the foreign language and close to the ability of an academically qualified native speaker. Specific purpose |
Course requirements
UNIcert® level | Course requirements |
| UNIcert® Basis | Our elementary courses are designed for participants without previous knowledge. Individuals who already have previous knowledge must take a placement test and will be assigned to a specific course. |
| UNIcert® I | Our beginner courses (Spanish I, Swedish I, etc.) are designed only for participants without previous knowledge. Individuals who already have previous knowledge must take a placement test and will be assigned to a specific course. |
| UNIcert® II | You must have first completed UNIcert® I or achieve a suitable score in the placement test (C-test) before you can take courses at this level. |
| UNIcert® III | You must have first completed UNIcert® II level or achieved a suitable score in the placement test (C-test) before you can take courses at this level. |
| UNIcert® IV | This module is open to all students who a) have obtained the UNIcert® level III certificate or b) have achieved 100 points or more in the placement test (C test). The latter must also pass an oral and written assessment held by the language teaching team at the FSZ.
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Please refer to the course structure to find out whether the languages are offered at the above levels.
Certificate levels/requirements for obtaining certificates
UNIcert®-Stufe | Certificate levels/requirements for obtaining certificates |
| UNIcert® Basis | Cumulative* Language training for the UNIcert® I certificate can be divided into two sections; the first section must be worth at least 8 SWS and the second section must be worth at least 4 SWS. The UNIcert® basis certificate can be awarded on completion of the first section. Training of at least 8 SWS in contact hours as well as appropriate preparation and follow-up tasks amounting to a course workload of at least 240 hours must be completed. Exceptions may be made on consideration of the distance between initial and target skill levels. |
| UNIcert® I | Cumulative* Requirements for obtaining a UNIcert® I certificate:
For employees of the University of Tübingen (academic and administrative staff), we offer a separate program for English up to B2/C1 (see language courses for employees) |
| UNIcert® II | Cumulative* Requirements for obtaining a UNIcert® II certificate:
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| UNIcert® III | In order to complete this level and obtain the UNIcert® III certificate, all mandatory UNIcert® III courses and a separate UNIcert® III examination must be successfully completed. The examinations for UNIcert® III assess the same level of proficiency but differ in terms of content. |
| UNIcert® IV | The UNIcert® IV module Economics and Ethics consists of two modules that can be taken in any order. After successfully completing a single module and completing a project or assignment (min. 2,000 words), you will receive a certificate for 8 ECTS. If you complete both modules and successfully complete the UNIcert® IV module examination, you will receive a UNIcert IV® certificate in Economics and Ethics. |
* Certificate based on course examinations and assessments. The courses are consecutive and must be taken in the specified order (language course I, language course II, language course III ...).
** The grades of the UNIcert® courses attended at the corresponding level will be included in the overall grade
Further information on the course structures for each language is given on the Languages/Course structures page.
Issue of UNIcert® certificates
The following cumulative UNIcert® certificates are issued after personal mail request:
- UNIcert® Basis
- UNIcert® I
- UNIcert® II
Please write a message to unicert@fsz.uni-tuebingen.de and request the corresponding UNIcert® certificate. You will then be informed by e-mail when the certificate can be collected from the information desk during the current opening hours or sent to you on receipt of a prepaid return envelope. To issue the certificate, we need:
- Your "Transcript of Records." Please send us your "Transcript of Records" as soon as the results of your language courses of the summer semester 2023 have been registered.
- or the scans of the certificates of your successfully attended language courses of the summer semester 2023 .
If you cannot provide any of the above-mentioned proofs, please let us know. We will then find another solution.
UNIcert® certificates III and IV, which you can obtain by taking an examination will continue to be issued automatically.
Detailed information on training objectives for UNIcert®levels:
Comparison of UNIcert® and CEFR levels (pdf)
Certificates/languages
| UNIcert® level Certificate | English | French | Italian | Japanese | Russian | Swedish | Spanish | Catalan |
| UNIcert® Basis General language | X | X | X | |||||
UNIcert® I General language | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | |
| UNIcert® II General language | X | X | X | X | X | X | ||
UNIcert® III Business language | X | X | X | |||||
| Work and Study | X | X | X | |||||
Englisch for Academic purposes | X | |||||||
| Natural Sciences | X | X | ||||||
| UNIcert® IV Economics and Ethics | X | X |