Orientation guide on the comparability of internationally recognised language tests to determine English language proficiency at FAU
This overview is based on information given by the well-known language test providers, which we determined using various comparison methods and existing empirical values. As there is no binding legal framework at German universities regarding the assessment of language proficiency of applicants wishing to start a degree programme taught in English2 the information below can only be seen as a guide on admission criteria.
The required language levels or certificates for your degree program can be found in the document Master’s degree programs at FAU – Application deadlines and language certificates. Generally it is within the decision-making authority of the faculty in question to assess the English language proficiency required for a degree programme.
| Language test provider | B2, CEFR | C1, CEFR |
|---|---|---|
| UNIcert level | UNIcert II | UNIcert III |
| TOEFL 3 | 80 iBT, 210 CBT, 547 PBT | 95 iBT, 230 CBT, 570 PBT |
| IELTS 4 | 5,5 | 7.0 |
| TOEIC 5 | 785-944 | 945-990 |
| Cambridge certificates 6 | First Certificate in English (FCE), Business English Certificate (BEC) Vantage | Cambridge Advanced Certificate (CAE), Business English Certificate (BEC) Higher |
| LCCI Examinations Board 7 | Level 2 grades “Merit” and “Distinction” + Level 3 grades “Pass” | Level 3 grades “Merit” and “Distinction” + Level 4 grade “Pass” |
| GMAT 8 | 540 | 570 (?) |
| TELC 9 | TELC English B2, TELC English B2 Business, TELC English B2 University | TELC English C1, TELC English C1 Business, TELC English C1 University |
2 Universities may freely determine which language tests are accepted and which minimum score applicants must achieve in the respective examinations.
3Source: https://www.ets.org/toefl/score-users/ibt/compare-scores.html; please note: TOEFL scores are valid for two years.
4Source: https://takeielts.britishcouncil.org/teach-ielts/test-information/ielts-scores-explained; please note: IELTS scores are valid for two years.
5 Source: https://estudyme.com/en/toeic-score-what-you-need-to-know/
6 Cambridge certificates do not expire; source: https://www.cambridgeenglish.org/exams-and-tests/
7 Source: https://www.languagetests.org/english/lcci-sprachzertifikate/;
please note: Level 2 is defined as ‘B1/B2’ and level 3 is defined as ‘B2/C1’; a clear conversion is thus not possible.
8 clear focus on Business English; GMAT results do not correlate to CEFR levels B2 or C1; the average GMAT score of all test takers is about 540; scores are given in increments of 10; source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graduate_Management_Admission_Test
9 Source: https://www.telc.net/en/language-examinations/certificate-exams/