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Free University of Bozen-Bolzano

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Study in three languages

Nowadays, a degree is not enough. To seize the opportunities available on the global job market, you need to match the specific skills acquired during your studies with your language skills.

Study in the three languages

We offer you a unique opportunity in Europe to study in Italian, German and English and to live in South Tyrol, a region at the crossroads between a Mediterranean culture and the German-speaking world.

Thanks to our international community of staff and students, speaking foreign languages is an everyday reality for all of us: students, professors, researchers and administrative staff.

Language levels: entry and exit

In order to gain admission to unibz, you need to provide evidence of specific language levels based on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages by the application deadline. Your level needs to be verified with one of the recognised language certificates.

Please read the list of recognised language certificates carefully: as you will see, unibz recognises multiple certificates, but certificates older than five years from the date of issue will not be accepted. We also accept other forms of certification which are permanently valid (for example, if you have graduated or will graduate from a school with English as the main language of instruction, then this would be the equivalent of a C1 level). However, we cannot accept any certificates of attendance of language courses.

The main goal of trilingual study is to foster plurilingualism, that is, to ensure that you leave the university as a more proficient and effective communicator in all of your languages. For this purpose, the Language Centre offers target learning paths to help you meet the language requirements of your degree program.

Providing proof of your language levels

The language proficiency requirements for admission must be met by the stated pre-registration deadline. You can provide evidence of your language proficiency in the following ways:

  • by providing a document that proves, when you apply online, that the main language of teaching during the last year of secondary school is/was Italian, German or English (this corresponds to a C1 level of competence);
  • by providing a document that proves, when you apply online, that you have obtained a bachelor's or master's degree in Italian, German or English;
  • by uploading, when you apply online, a language certificate accepted by our Language Centre or submitting an affidavit in lieu of certificate;
  • by passing the computer-based language test administered by our Language Centre.

Apply here

Language Exams

If you are not able to certify your language level with a certificate referred to in the previous paragraph (in order to meet the minimum language requirements for admission to the degree course you are interested in), you can take the language exams offered by the Language Centre at unibz.
N.B. It is not possible to take exams at different levels for the same language.

During the language and admission tests, you will be able to benefit from compensatory and/or exemptive measures: e.g., you will be given extra time for tests and you will be allowed to use extra IT tools. Please inform us about your needs and hand in your disability certificate to our Advisory Service at least 15 days before the date of your tests and by the application deadline.

Deadlines and Dates

The next language exam sessions for admission to the academic year 2024/25 will take place online.
For information and deadlines click on the application session you are interested in:

  • 18/03/2024– max. 160 spots - Fully booked
  • 17 - 18 - 19 and 22 - 23/04/2024
    Registration: 25/03-09/04/2024

The system automatically recognizes which module(s) you will need to complete:

  • If you take the full exam or you retake modules II and III:  the exam will take place in the morning and in the afternoon;
  • if you retake module II: the exam will take place in the morning;
  • if you retake module III: the exam will take in the afternoon.

Once you have completed your registration, you will receive a confirmation e-mail with instructions on how to access the exam online (technical equipment and software required).

Registration

You can register for a language exam session during your application for one of our study programmes in the application portal. The registration is only possible during the above mentioned periods.

Important information for taking the exam

Important information for taking the exam

Technical equipment

In order to take the examination, it is necessary to have the following technical equipment to take the exam remotely:

  • a stable internet connection with the following minimum characteristics: 2Mbit/sec bandwidth: you can test your bandwidth via https://fast.com;
  • PCs or laptops (no tablets - no mobile phones!) with the following system requirements: Windows 10 or 11, macOS 10.15 (Catalina) or later, 4 GB RAM;
  • working webcam connected to the PC/laptop;
  • headset, with integrated, working microphone, connected to the pc/laptop.

You must also have downloaded and installed the following software in the days prior to the exam:

  • Chrome;
  • Zoom: check the software version and download the latest version of Zoom. Please note that the online version of Zoom does not allow you to take the exam and you must download the respective app to your device.

Exam structure and important information

We strongly recommend that you look at the examination structure and read the important information, which will help you understand which steps you have to take during the language exam.

Rules of conduct

Before you take the exam, you are required to read the rules of conduct to be followed during language exams.

Mock Test

Once you have registered for the language exam via the application portal, you will be able to take only module I as a mock test, which is one part of the full exam.

If you click on "the button Register for the Mock Test" on the application portal in the section "Register for the language exams" you will be sent the credentials to access the mock test. This button can be found next to your exam registrations.

We strongly recommend that you take the time to complete the mock test to become familiar with the structure of Module I and to test your technical equipment is compatible (computer, headphones).

Please note that this mock test

  • may only be taken once (it is not a platform for practicing the language) and
  • if you leave the test, it is possible to continue from the point at which the exam was interrupted but it cannot be started from the beginning again). It is strongly recommended that you complete the exam in one uninterrupted session.

The mock test can be taken until the day before the beginning of the language exam session for which you have registered and will be accessible again after the publication of the exam results.

Please note that neither the mock test nor the actual exam can be taken on a tablet or on a mobile phone.

Exam Structure and Info (PDF)

Rules of Conduct during Language Exams

Important information Language Exams

Learning languages

The Language Centre will support you during your study programme, by offering free language courses in different levels and formats (intensive courses before the first term and between the first and second term, and also 40-hour courses during the two semesters).

Learning Paths

Pre-semester courses

In order to prepare freshers, the university holds pre-sessional courses every year in September which enable students to attend classes that are taught in the third language. 

Attendance of these courses is highly recommended for all students who have not certified B2 in their third language. These courses are particularly important for absolute beginners in their third language, because beginner courses are offered exclusively during the pre-sessional September session, and are never offered during the academic year.