Placement tests

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.

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

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.

• 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.
• The placement test is only used to assign a course level. It does not constitute a generally valid language certificate.
• No language certificate can be issued on the basis of a placement test, e.g. for scholarship applications.

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

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 until the end of February and from mid-June until the beginning of September.

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.