Placement tests

C-Test

Placement tests (C-tests) are authentic language tests to measure general language skills in a foreign or native language. They are highly accurate and the results generally correspond to examination results. The method of testing allows language skills to be assessed quickly and efficiently.

Registration

Current information: If you would like to take a placement test (C-test), please contact our information desk by email.

Please allow at least 30 minutes for the test to take place. If you take the test in-house, please note the current opening hours. Participants must provide their correct student ID number or, in the case of employees, date of birth, followed by the initials of the first and last name (DDMMYYYFL). Please take the placement test as early as possible before registration.

Please note:

• The test can only be taken once per testing period.
• Tests are valid for one calendar year once taken. After this, another test must be taken. It is possible to take another test in each new test period if you would like to be reassessed.
• Placement test results from other institutions cannot be recognized.

Please refer to the bottom of this page for more details about the placement test (C-test).

IMPORTANT: For the moment, we do no longer offer placement tests in written form. Please make sure to check the course description to find more information concerning course requirements.

Self-assessment tests for language courses for employees can be taken online at any time via ILIAS: Online self-assessement test.

An additional C-test (as required for student courses) is not generally required.

^{Please note that FSZ language courses for students have different course requirements. To participate in these courses you will need to take a placement test (C-test or paper format) during our opening hours to determine the appropriate course level. The online self-assessment test on ILIAS is intended only as a guide for employee courses, but not for courses from our program for students.}

Information on testing periods for C-tests can be found on the Dates and deadlines page.

The test can only be taken once per testing period. The testing periods are usually from mid-January to the end of April and from mid-June to the end of October.

Tests are valid for one calendar year once taken. After this, another test must be taken. It is possible to take another test in each new test period if you would like to be reassessed.

Placement test results from other institutions cannot be recognized.

If you have any further information or questions, please do not hesitate to contact us during our opening hours.

Test format and procedure

A C-test consists of six short testlets each with 25 gaps in varying degrees of difficulty according to the C-test principle: from the second sentence onward, about half of every second word is missing (Example of a C-test (pdf)). The participant has 30 minutes to complete the missing parts of the words. Five of the texts are included in the assessment, one of the texts is for calibration purposes and is not included in the result.

Upon completion of the test, the system will automatically notify you of the C-test result on the screen. The test result is automatically stored in our database and transferred to ALMA. However, please remember to write down the result for your own information. It is unfortunately not possible for the Foreign Language Center to provide written confirmation of the results.

Online C- tests for practice
With the kind permission of the University of Münster we can provide C-Tests for practice purposes. We would like to take this opportunity to thank the University of Münster once again.

• The following applies to English, French, Spanish and Italian: The score of the C-test taken at the FSZ must correspond to the score stated in the course description (note the minimum and maximum scores).
• Swedish, Russian and Japanese courses and language courses for employees have their own course placement procedures.