Frequently asked questions

The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) differentiates between six different levels of language proficiency.

A Basic User

A1 (Breakthrough)

A2 (Waystage)

B Independent User

B1 (Threshold)

B2 (Vantage)

C Proficient User

C1 (Effective Operational Proficiency)

C2 (Mastery)

Here you can find more detailed information about the CEFR.

You can complete a whole level in one course.

Our language courses comprise approximately 90 to 120 teaching units, including guided self-study. (1 teaching unit = 45 minutes)

A course takes either one semester (= courses during the semester) or up to 6 weeks (= intensive courses during semester break) to complete.

There are a variety of online placement tests available:

For German, English and several other languages: Teste deine Sprachkenntnisse | Sprachtest

For German: Test your German - Goethe-Institut

For German: Test your German - Klett Verlag

For English: Online English level test | LearnEnglish (britishcouncil.org)

Some courses are only open to THWS students or applicants. You can find this information in the course details, along with details about the prerequisites needed.

A1 courses

There are no prerequisites for attending a beginning-level course (A1).

A2 courses

For the A2 course, you will need to provide proof of A1 proficiency. Accepted proofs of language proficiency include:

→ Proof of language proficiency from the Technical University of Applied Sciences Würzburg-Schweinfurt, at least at A1 level.

→ Language proficiency proof from other institutes, universities, or language schools with documented performance (points, grades, etc.) in the four competence areas of listening, reading, writing, and speaking at level A1 or higher.  

→ Should you not have proof of A1 proficiency but have completed an A1 course or similar, you have the option to take a placement test via this link: placement test. After completing the placement test, the result must be uploaded during the course registration process.

B1-C1 courses

For all other levels (B1-C1), you will need to have completed the preceding level of proficiency. If you are not sure which level you are at, you can take a placement test online before you register for a course. Links to some free placement tests are provided in the section above.

You can find our course offer with all details on our homepage or under each language: 

course offer

German courses

English courses

Chinese courses

Just click on the course offer on our website. You will find the orange registration button next to each course. In case the button is grey, registration is not possible at the given time.

Please note the following registration periods:

Summer semester:

10.03. - 20.03. for semester courses.

(late registration possible if spots are available)

10.07. - 20.07. for intensive courses

(late registration possible if spots are available)

Winter semester:

18.09. - 28.09. for semester courses.

(late registration possible if spots are available)

10.01. - 20.01. for intensive courses

(late registration possible if spots are available)

If there are no more spots available in the course or the registration period has ended, you can check the course offerings to see if a waitlist is open. If the waitlist is open, you will see a "Waitlist" button next to the course in the course offerings. If spots become available later, you will receive a notification from us. If there is no "Waitlist" button, it is not possible to register late.

You pay for the course in a manner similar to online shopping. After completing the registration form, you will be redirected to the payment page, where you can conveniently choose between PayPal and credit card.

Once the payment is successfully processed, you will receive a confirmation email containing both the invoice and a link for cancellation. A cancellation is possible up to 7 days after registration, and in such a case, the full amount will be refunded. Unfortunately, once the cancellation period has expired, a cancellation is no longer possible.

Yes, it is possible to attend the course and not take the final exam. The exam is not obligatory but included in the course fee. The course fee will not be reduced if you decide to skip the exam.

Please note: If you need to hand in a language certificate at the Department of Student Affairs, a certificate of participation does not suffice. You need to pass the exam in order to receive a language certificate.

The Campus for Language Proficiency offers exams as follows:

1. Exam without course: currently not offered
2. Exam within a course with at least 75% attendance: If you enroll in a course with an exam, you can take the associated exam at no additional cost. However, retaking the exam is not free. (See "What happens if I do not pass the exam?")
3. Exam within a course with 0% to 75% attendance: If you enroll in a course with an exam but do not regularly attend, you can still register for the associated exam. However, note that the exam is not entirely conducted as a final exam; part of it is completed during the course. Furthermore, a minimum attendance of 75% is required both to participate in a retake exam and to obtain a UNIcert® certificate. (See "What happens if I don't pass the exam?" and "Is a UNIcert® certificate better than a THWS language certificate?")
4. Exam without re-enrolling in a course: only in exceptional cases, see "What happens if I do not pass the exam?")

* An exam consists of four parts: Listening Comprehension, Reading Comprehension, Written Production and Interaction, and Spoken Production and Interaction.

If you are unable to attend the exam, you can retake it, provided that the reasons for your absence are beyond your control. In such a case, you must inform the Language Campus promptly, typically before the exam, but no later than the following day, and provide documentation for the reasons. An appropriate confirmation would be a medical certificate that includes the date of the exam.

Exam preparation and stress management:

Are you looking for help to effectively prepare for exams or manage stress? Contact the Student Health Management team at THWS. They offer helpful workshops and consultations.

Compensation for disadvantages in examinations:

You can find detailed information about support and compensation for disadvantages in examinations on the "Studying with Disabilities or Chronic Illnesses" webpage, under the appropriate sections. Be sure to apply for compensation for disadvantages in examinations early, ideally by the time you register for the exam. 

The final exam consists of four sections:

Written Exam:

1.     Listening Comprehension

2.     Reading Comprehension

3.     Written Production and Interaction

Spoken Exam

4.     Spoken Production and Interaction

Each part of the exam accounts for 25% of the overall grade.

The written and spoken exams are conducted as final exams at the end of the course. Only the exam section "Written Production and Interaction" is conducted in two stages: one part of this section is assessed during the course, and the second part during the final examination.

To obtain a language certificate, you must pass all four parts of the exam.

The content of the examination is determined individually for each proficiency level. Usually, the topics on the test align with the topics covered in classbook.

In order to inform yourself about the specific content of each proficiency level, please refer to the global scale of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR).

No, we don’t! You are not allowed to use any outside sources like dictionaries or translation tools.

You can best prepare yourself for the exam by regularly attending your language course and by actively participating! In addition, we recommend completing all exercises on your elearning platform (THWS Moodle platform), where you can find additional materials and usefull links (e.g. Deutsche Welle - DW Deutsch lernen)

Do you need help with exam preparation and stress management? Then contact the Student Health Management at THWS.

You have failed the final exam?

• You have missed less than 25% of the classes and failed in one or two exam sections* only?

→ You can register for a retake. The retake exam fee is €139.00. You will receive the retake registration link with the email informing you that you have failed the exam. You only retake the parts you did not pass. Usually, there's only one retake opportunity.

The final exam must not date back more than 2 semesters.

The Campus for Language Proficiency cannot extend the deadlines for handing in language certificates at the Department of Student Affairs.

In UNIcert® courses, can I still obtain a UNIcert® certificate if I pass the retake? Yes, but you need to fulfill all other requirements as well.

• You have missed less than 25% of the classes, but failed in more than two exam sections*?

→ We recommend you register for a new course and attend classes regularely.

You don't have time to wait for the next course? Then you can register to the next exam without re-registration for the course. You just take the exam without attending the course, but you need to take all four exam sections again. Please note, that such an exam costs as much as a course including a final exam (students: €285.00 / external participants: €489.00).

The Campus for Language Proficiency cannot extend the deadlines for handing in language certificates at the Department of Student Affairs.

• You have missed more than 25% of the classes and failed in at least one exam section*?

→ Again, we recommend you register for a new course and attend classes regularely.

You don't have time to wait for the next course? Then you can register to the next exam without re-registration for the course. You just take the exam without attending the course, but you need to take all four exam sections again. Please note, that such an exam costs as much as a course including a final exam (students: €285.00 / external participants: €489.00).

The Campus for Language Proficiency cannot extend the deadlines for handing in language certificates at the Department of Student Affairs.

* An exam consists of four sections: Listening Comprehension, Reading Comprehension, Written Production and Interaction, and Spoken Production and Interaction.

Once you have passed all sections of the examination, you will obtain either a THWS language certificate or a UNIcert® certificate. There are different prerequistes for each certificate. Please inform yourself for the relevant proficiency level under certificates or through the page certificates.)

UNIcert® is an international system of certification and accreditation for various languages learnt in a university context. It is particulary relevant for future graduates. More detailed information can be found on the Webside of UNIcert®.

UNIcert® is an accredited certificate that is signed by the university president. Many universitites and other higher education institutions are members of the UNIcert® training and certification system and thus the certificate is recognized by many German universitites.

An THWS language certificate is not as well-known and it is possible that some other universities may not recognize it. However, if you plan to continue your studies at THWS, an THWS language certificate is sufficient in order to fulfill the A2 language requirement needed during your second semester of your studies or for other fields of study. You can find more information under certificates.

Regulations differ greatly. Please contact the institution directly that is asking for a language certificate.  It is impossible for us to know the specific requirements.

The requirements for the language certificates that have to be provided when applying for studying abroad may vary a lot. Please inform yourself in time!

THWS students who need to prove English language skills for a study or internship abroad can apply for a DAAD language certificate for English via e-mail to the Campus for Language Proficiency (CLP - Campus Sprache).

The issuing of a DAAD language certificate requires a graded proof of a passed exam. If the proof has not been acquired at the CLP but externally (e.g. TOEFL, IELTS, Cambridge FCE, Cambridge CAE, etc.), the CLP must first decide on the recognition of the proof. If no graded proof is available, a mobility test can be taken at the CLP.

The mobility test consists of two parts, both of which must be successfully completed in the following order:
1. online language placement test "onSET-English": the online test takes up to 40 minutes in total and is conducted under supervision at one of the locations in Würzburg or Schweinfurt.
2. oral test: the oral test lasts 10 to 15 minutes and is conducted by an authorized CLP examiner.

How much does it cost to issue the DAAD Language Certificate? The mobility test as well as the issuing of the certificate are currently free of charge for THWS students.

Mobility tests usually take place on two fixed dates per year: November &  June - for the exact dates please contact the Campus for Language Proficiency by mail.