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General Information on Language Certificates

Please note: In connection with the prevention against the spread of SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19 (coronavirus), tests for language certificates can only be conducted online or face to face with one candidate at a time. If you have such a request, please contact the coordinator of that particular language. You can find their email addresses below.

Students and staff members of the university can take the exams to obtain a language certificate as needed for certain degree programs, internships, exchange programs, or scholarships. You will receive the certificate immediately after the exam.

The language certificate will specify your current language level according to the Common European Framework (A1-C2). Note that the Language Center does not carry out exams for international standardized certificates such as Testdaf, TOEFL, IELTS, telc, Cambridge Assessment, DELE, or DELF.

We charge a fee of EUR 20.00 for the language certificate, which will be debited from your account by way of SEPA direct debit mandate. Please fill in the registration form for services of the Language Center.

Please note that you cannot obtain a certificate by merely providing documents mentioning your language skills such as a diploma of secondary education.

The procedure for registering and taking the exam for language certificates varies slightly from language to language. You will find specific information in the section dedicated to each language. Since there may be a high number of requests for language certificates, you should allow for a period of at least two weeks until you can take the exam.

Please bring the necessary certificate template with you, which you can find, along with other important documents and templates, on our download page.

Specific details for each language

  • German as a foreign language

    Your contact person is Astrid Burmester
    The exam itself takes about 75-90 minutes depending on your language level. You first take a listening test and will then work on a reading text with a writing task. At the end, there will be an interview of about 10 minutes about the content of the text.

    Please hand the completed SEPA direct debit mandate to the staff at the Service Center (room 024, Biegenstraße 12) before the scheduled time of your exam or email a scanned copy to sz@staff.uni-marburg.de.

    After the exam, the examiner will fill in and stamp your certificate template. You will receive the original if you can provide proof of payment.

  • English

    The contact person is Dr. Fabienne Quennet. 

    Attention: Until further notice the exams for the English language certificate will take place online only. Please inquire beforehand if and how urgently you need a language certificate. For the test please register online for a date for the oral part of the test, then send the signed SEPA mandate to sz@staff.uni-marburg.de.

    One urgent request: Before contacing me, please carefully read the information presented on this page (including the general information above), and then ask me specific questions about anything you do not understand. Please refrain from asking me about the general procedure as that is explained in detail here.

    The exam consists of a written and oral part.

    Step 1: Please register first for a specific date for the oral part. Go to the registration for the oral test

    Step 2: Send the signed SEPA mandate, which is linked in your confirmation of registration to the Service Center: .

    Step 3: Along with the confirmation of your registration you will receive a password for the written part of the test in ILIAS. Go to ILIAS -> Sprachenzentrum -> ohne Semester/fortlaufend -> Sprachnachweis Englisch Test. There you will find a PDF list of departments and their corresponding tests which will tell you which test to choose (according to your field of study). The test will involve reading a text on a subject of academic or general relevance, writing a brief summary of the information, and answering a set of comprehension questions. The written part of the test must be completed before the oral part.

    Step 4: The oral part of the test usually takes place with two candidates via BigBlueButton. Here you find the links of the BigBlueButton rooms for the oral test of the examiners:
    - Dr. Fabienne Quennet: https://webconf.hrz.uni-marburg.de/b/fab-z4n-y2y
    - Ruben Bieker: https://webconf.hrz.uni-marburg.de/b/rub-pmb-rhv-3tu


    If you wish to go abroad, please inquire with the International Office (ERASMUS and non-European mobility programs), your department, or the school abroad about the specific certificate you will need. Usually it is the language certificate of the DAAD. You can find some other certificates on our download page. The final certificate can be picked up at the Sercice Center, Biegenstraße 12, after booking an appointment. As of the date of your exam the language certificate will be valid for 2 years.


    The registration for the language certificate is binding. Cancellation is possible until four days before the scheduled time of the exam, or else the entire fee is charged. You should register at least three weeks in advance. Do not expect to be able to make an appointment on short notice! Please provide an email address and register for one time slot only. If you block multiple time slots, you will be charged for all of them.

  • French

    Your contact person is Ariane Wenz.

    If you need a “Language Certificate for Candidates from Germany Applying for a DAAD Scholarship Abroad” and do not yet have a template, please download the necessary DAAD document. Contact Ms Wenz to make an appointment for the on-site exam and to receive the login information for the online test.

    With your inquiry, please send the completed checklist. Take the online test before you take the on-site exam.

    Please hand the completed SEPA direct debit mandate to the staff at the Service Center (room 024, Biegenstraße 12) before the scheduled time of your exam or email a scanned copy to sz@staff.uni-marburg.de.

    The exam takes about 90 minutes, and it consists of a written and an oral part. The written part includes tasks on reading and listening comprehension as well as a production task. After the written part, there will be a 10-minute interview.

    You will receive the language certificate immediately after the exam.

  • Italian

    Your contact person is Dr. Paola Pacchioni-Becker.

    If you need a “Language Certificate for Candidates from Germany Applying for a DAAD Scholarship Abroad” and do not yet have a template, please download the necessary DAAD document. Contact Dr. Pacchioni-Becker  to make an appointment for the on-site exam and to receive the login information for the online test.

    With your inquiry, please send the completed checklist.
    Please hand the completed SEPA direct debit mandate to the staff at the Service Center (room 024, Biegenstraße 12) before the scheduled time of your exam or email a scanned copy to sz@staff.uni-marburg.de.

    The on-site test takes about 90 minutes, and it consists of a written and an oral part. The written part includes tasks on reading and listening comprehension as well as a production task. After the written part, there will be a 10-minute interview.

    You typically receive your language certificate about one week after the exam.

  • Japanese

    Your contact person is Akiko Sawatari-Elter.

    If you do not yet have a template for your language certificate, please download a copy of the necessary DAAD document. Inquire with Ms. Sawatari-Elter about available times for an appointment.

    Please hand the completed SEPA direct debit mandate to the staff at the Service Center (room 024, Biegenstraße 12) before the scheduled time of your exam or email a scanned copy to sz@staff.uni-marburg.de.

    The exam takes about 60 minutes. You will read a text and work on a production task. After the written part, there will be a 10-minute interview about the subject of the text.

    You will receive your language certificate immediately after the exam.

  • Spanish

    Your contact person is Dr. Edmund Voges.

    If you do not yet have a template for your language certificate, please download a copy of the necessary document for your specific purpose. The most common certificate used is the language certificate of the DAAD.

    Steps:
    1) Please register online for a date: Go to the registration for an exam date

    2) Then please hand in your SEPA mandate (which is linked in your confirmation email) to the Service Center (room 024, Biegenstraße 12) before the date of the exam or send a scanned copy by email to: .

    3) Please send an email to Dr. Edmund Voges which should include the following information:
    a) What is your university subject?
    b) Where and for how long did you learn Spanish?
    c) Have you ever spent a longer period of time in a Spanish speaking country before?
    d) Please complete the online test of the Instituto Cervantes and send your result along with your email.

    4) Please come to the Language Center on your booked date. The exam will take approx. 90 minutes and consists of a written and an oral part. The written part of the exam covers listening and reading tasks, tasks on vocabulary and grammar and will also contain a written text production. The written part of the exam will be followed by a 10-minute oral interview.

    You will receive the language certificate immediately after the exam.