Language proficiency
During your semester abroad, you should be able to successfully participate in lectures and seminars, give presentations and write term papers. Therefore, it is important that you have sufficient language skills, which is why the International Office checks your language skills by means of a standardized language test when you apply. The international partner universities also expect exchange students to have a certain language level in order to be able to study there without any problems.
Some partner universities have special requirements, which are listed in the database of the corresponding partner universities.
Studying abroad is not primarily for language learning, but for studying at a foreign university. Therefore, advanced knowledge of the respective language of instruction is required in order to be able to follow the courses.
An orientation aid for self-assessment is provided by the European Framework of Reference for Languages, which is divided into six levels of competence - from beginner level (A1/A2) through intermediate level (B1/B2) to very good command of the language (C1/C2).
In order to study successfully abroad and to pass exams, the minimum requirement is usually a command of the B2 level.
At Pforzheim University, the requirement for a semester abroad is a TOEFL ITP test of at least 560 points, which corresponds to the B2 level. An equivalent test can also be submitted.
If studying in a language other than English, a B2 certificate is required.
For a successful application for the semester abroad, an official language certificate is required. The Language Center of Pforzheim University offers the TOEFL ITP test every semester, which can be used as a language certificate for the semester abroad with a minimum score of 560 points.
We accept the following language tests:
Cambridge Certificate Advanced
For languages other than English, a B2 certificate is required, which can also be obtained in French and Spanish at the Language Center of HS Pforzheim.
The Language Center at Pforzheim University offers the TOEFL ITP test every semester.
For more information and test dates, please visit the Language Center website.
The language test score can also be submitted after the application deadline. If you have already registered for a TOEFL test (the test still needs to be taken by the deadline) and your result will be available after the deadline, please upload a Word document listing your matriculation number and the date and institution where you are taking this TOEFL test.