Language Training and Test Preparation

Which one do you need?

If a university or immigration route asks for proof of English, you need a test: IELTS, TOEFL or PTE, whichever your destination accepts. These are heavily format-dependent, and a competent speaker who has never seen the test structure will underperform badly on a first attempt.

If you are applying to a German, French, Japanese, Korean or Chinese-taught programme — or to a route with a language condition, like family reunion to Germany — you need a certified level on that language's own scale. There is no shortcut through format familiarity here; the exam is testing the language.

The CEFR scale, briefly

• A1 and A2 — basic. Enough for everyday transactions. Some family reunion routes require A1.
• B1 — independent. Common minimum for vocational study and several residence routes.
• B2 — the usual entry level for university study in the local language.
• C1 and C2 — advanced and near-native. Required for a few competitive programmes and most professional registration.
• Each language has its own certified exams that map onto this scale. Europass CVs require you to state your level on it.

Plan the timeline backwards

Language levels do not compress. Moving from nothing to B1 is a matter of months of consistent work, not weeks, and applicants who leave it until the offer arrives find the language requirement is the thing that costs them the intake.

Test scores are more forgiving — a focused few weeks moves most people meaningfully — but results still take time to arrive, and universities want them before an admission deadline that comes well before the visa deadline.