Who is telc?
telc gGmbH is a recognized and respected organization in the field of language testing and assessment. telc stands for “The European Language Certificates”, and the organization is headquartered in Bad Homburg, Germany. telc specializes in providing language proficiency assessments and certifications for various languages, including English, German, Spanish, French, and many others. All telc examinations are based on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR), and contents are specifically tailored to the requirements of different groups of people.
telc language exams are designed to assess the language skills of individuals in reading, writing, listening, and speaking. The certificates are widely used to prove language proficiency of a certain level for purposes, such as university admission, employment, and immigration. telc certificates are widely recognized in Europe but are also accepted in other parts of the world. We cooperate with a broad network of institutions. These include ministries and government offices, educational networks, publishers, other test providers and quality networks. telc gGmbH is a full member of ALTE (Association of Language Testers in Europe), an organisation of internationally recognised test providers.
telc gGmbH plays a significant role in promoting language learning and standardized language testing thus providing successful test takers with certificates to prove their language skills, a valuable asset for academic and professional purposes.
About the test
The telc EPSO exams are offered in all 24 official languages of the EU and can only be taken by employees of the European Union and its associated institutions, bodies, and agencies.
The telc EPSO examinations are standardised language tests at CEFR Level B2. They are developed according to stringent scientifically recognised methods of test development and conform to the task-based communicative approach central to the CEFR.
The telc EPSO examination is an online test and is delivered remotely. Test takers are required to turn on their camera and microphone during the examination. It takes approximately 120 minutes to complete.
Exam Preparation: useful hints and material
telc provides different types of material in English, French and German to help you to familiarize yourself with the exam format and to prepare specifically for the exam. As the format is identical across all 24 languages, test takers can use any or all three model tests to practice. Click on the tiles to access all materials in each language.
telc strongly advises that you also familiarize yourself with the technical environment and test the audio recording in advance of your test date.
Technical information and requirements
- PC/Laptop with headphones
- integrated/external webcam
- integrated/external microphone
- Single-Display-Modus
- Processor 1.80GHz or faster
- RAM 4GB as a minimum and 8 GB as the recommended
- Internet Browser (Google Chrome, Edge, Mozilla Firefox, Safari)
- Supported operating systems: Windows, macOS, Linux
- At least one week before the exam, please upload a photo of yourself, try the mock tests and check that the audio playback (Listening subtest) and video recording (Speaking subtest) on your computer are working properly. It is, however, best to do the technical check in the environment you will be taking the exam in, i.e. by using the same computer and internet connection.
- During the exam, the invigilator appears at the top of the screen, and you can live video chat with her/him.
- If you want to speak to your invigilator, click on the hand icon and wait for them to speak to you or type a chat message in the right corner at the bottom of the screen.
- If the invigilator is talking to someone else, you will see a message at the top informing you that your speaker has been muted so as not to disturb you.
- If you lose your internet connection, scan the QR code on your mobile phone and you will be instantly connected to the support via video link (click on the icon in the top left corner to see the QR code). In rare cases, you will not be moved directly to the support, but will need to click on option (the three dots) and then choose open link in browser.
- If you wish to leave the exam venue during the exam, please inform the invigilator.
- 15 minutes before the exam, check in and have your ID ready and present it to the invigilator.
- You can start the examination at any time within the time window, but you must open and complete the subtests, Reading, Listening, Writing and Speaking, in this order. Only within the Reading and Writing subtests you can switch back and forth between parts.
- Before starting the subtest Listening, test if your speaker works by clicking on the sound test button on the home page.
- For special characters (e.g., á é í ó ú ü ñ ¿ ¡) please pre-install the appropriate keyboard driver on your computer. Alternatively, you will find a "Characters" button at the bottom of the exam interface, which you can click to display the accented characters. Here you can click on the letter to copy the letter into the text. Alternatively, you can use an Alt Keyboard Sequences to input special characters. Most current browsers have some level of Unicode support.
- For Bulgarian and Greek please pre-install the appropriate keyboard driver on your computer.
FAQs
The protection of participants' personal data is very important to telc gGmbH. It goes without saying that the processing of personal data is conducted in accordance with all applicable data protection laws (see data privacy statement). The technical and organisational requirements for ensuring compliance are regularly updated with the latest technologies.
Please be sure to access the trial version prior to initiating the test, and to verify proper functionality. If your speakers are not working during the exam, please contact your invigilator.
In everyday situations, individuals often have access to dictionaries or digital translation tools when they encounter words or phrases they don't understand. Allowing dictionaries in language exams can better simulate real-life language use and prepare students for practical communication. We feel that this language exam should primarily measure a test-takers ability to understand and express ideas effectively. Thus, by allowing a dictionary we hope to shift the focus from rote memorization to comprehension, critical thinking, and the application of language skills. Especially in our collaboration we want to acknowledge and accommodate the multilingual and multicultural reality of today's global society.
Even though dictionaries are allowed in the EPSO exam, we want to stress that when test-takers are permitted to use dictionaries, they may spend a significant amount of time searching for words or phrases they don't immediately understand. This can lead to slow progress through the exam, leaving less time for answering other questions or completing tasks. Ultimately, the decision to use a dictionary in your language exam should be made carefully, considering your specific goals of the assessment and the potential impact on time management and fairness. Please budget your time wisely!
We allow monolingual, bilingual and multilingual dictionaries both in paper and electronic form.
The test has four parts, each part is worth 45 points:
| Reading | 45 Points |
|---|---|
| Listening | 45 Points |
| Writing | 45 Points |
| Speaking | 45 Points |
The test has 180 points in total. To pass the test you would have to have a minimum of 108 points. This corresponds to an overall score of at least 60%.
Please refer to our examination specifications "Information for test takers" for more detailed information.
You have several options to familiarize yourself with the testing platform and the types of questions which will arise:
- Please click on the tab Practice above.
- Once you have been registered for an exam, you will be able to log in to the EPSO Testing platform and you can try the test out on our examination software.
You can contact us at any time at the following email: epso@telc.net. We are available Monday to Friday between 9 am and 4 pm. During the exam you can contact an online invigilator immediately.
telc sends the results to EPSO after the examination period closes and you get the result directly from EPSO.
Yes, officially you are allowed to take a break between the sub-tests. You have three hours in which to complete the test.