Are you planning an Erasmus or non-European exchange trip? As soon as you enter the university, you can prepare yourself properly to be in the best conditions.
Language aspects of your stay
- Prove your language skills
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Some universities may ask you to prove your language level in order to be accepted into their institution. In this case, you must respect their wishes and obtain a document proving your language level. Before you start any steps, always try to find out if a simple letter of recommendation from a ULB professor will be sufficient. Here are your options, in order:
- Obtain a letter of recommendation from your language teacher at ULB. If another test is not required: obtain a certificate via the F9
- Take the test requested by your host university (TOEFL, IELTS).
- Go to the websites of these organisations to register and take the corresponding test. If you can, attach the result to your application, or proof that you have registered. If your score is not high enough, the host university may reject you, so prepare properly!
NB: Does not apply to students who will be studying in their mother tongue. - Get ready and get better!
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Administrative obligations aside, we warmly invite you to check out the ULB Langues website which offers several types of preparation. There are conversation tables and Tandems that could be very interesting for future Erasmus students.
Students participating in the Erasmus+ programme (courses or internships) will also be able to take advantage of the OLS platform free of charge to follow online courses adapted to their level, in more than 20 languages of the European Union. Access is available to selected students a few months before their departure.
Specific information for Erasmus+ stays
- OLS – Online Linguistic Support
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The EU Academy platform enables students to take the compulsory OLS tests (or EU Academy language placement tests), but also offers free study material as well as tailored online language courses.
Who must take the test ?
The OLS language tests and online courses were implemented by the European Commission to assess Erasmus+ students' language proficiency before and after their stay abroad. Every Erasmus+ student is required to take one test before departure and another upon their return (unless the student is exempt because the main language of their courses abroad is their native language).
The OLS language test is a mandatory self-assessment, but it is not eliminatory. In other words, nothing will happen if you get the lowest score, but you will not receive the first installment of your grant until you have completed the first test, nor the balance until you have taken the second test. The tests are taken online, once you receive the invitation from the OLS platform, and must be completed before the given deadline.
EU Academy also provides you with access to a wide range of interactive activities tailored to each learner's needs, and we hope it will help you make the most of your Erasmus+ experience. The optional online courses will be in the same language as the test you took and will be adjusted to your level, based on your results.
The tool is available in Bulgarian, Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, Estonian, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Hungarian, Irish, Italian, Latvian, Macedonian, Maltese, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Slovak, Slovenian, Spanish (Castilian), Swedish, and Turkish. - Refund of the tests
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For Erasmus+ stays only: if - and only if - in your host university procedures requires a mandatory language certificate, the Student Mobility Office will reimburse the cost of the test (only one reimbursement per student, after verification that the test was mandatory). You will need to submit a request to Mrs Gloria Cavasin, providing proof by email (to gloria.cavasin@ulb.be ) that the test was compulsory, and proof of payment. Refunds are not immediate, but will be made before your departure.