[Translate to EN:] Pflanzen in verschiedenen Größen

Placement

When you start learning a new language with us, you will automatically be allocated a place at A1 level.

However, if you are not a beginner in the language, you will need to take a placement test (“Einstufungstest”) to help determine the right language course for your language skills.
The placement test indicates the starting level of the course you can take (e.g. placement level B1 in Spanish = Spanish course at level B1).

Please note that at level A1.2 and above, a placement test is compulsory for the first language course that you enrol in.

The Language Center does not issue a certificate documenting your participation in, or the result of, the placement test.

Information on the Oxford Online Placement Test (OOPT) is available in the FAQ.

You do not need a placement test,

  • if you have no previous knowledge,
  • if you have already successfully completed a French course at h_da or
  • if you have already taken the placement test at h_da in a previous semester.

You need a placement test if you have previous knowledge of French and would like to take part in a French course at h_da for the first time (from level A1.2).

Further information will be published in September.

You have to take the placement test if you have learned Chinese, Italian or Portuguese at any time outside the university (at school, at another institution, at the VHS (“Volkshochschule” - adult education centre), during a semester abroad, etc.)

You do not need to take a placement test:

  • if you are a beginner in Chinese, Italian or Portuguese (enrol for A1.1 course),
  • if you have already successfully completed a Chinese, Italian or Portuguese course at h_da, or
  • if you have already taken the placement test at h_da in a previous semester.

There is a consultation before the online test itself.

Contact Dr. Alessandra d'Aquino Hilt 

She will then give you the link to the online test and explain the procedure.

Beginners in Chinese, Italian or Portuguese do not need to take a placement test. You can apply directly for the A1.1 course via my.h_da / Course Overview.

Please note that it is only possible to apply for courses that match your placement test result. If a student applies for a higher or lower level, the application will be rejected. For example, if the result of your placement test is A2.1, this means that you can apply for an A2.1 course and will only be admitted for that level.

However, the placement test only tests passive knowledge. For this reason, the level will be reassessed in class, where teachers might upgrade or downgrade students if their actual knowledge appears to differ from the test result.

You must take the placement test if you have already studied Spanish at some point (at school, at another institution, at the VHS, in a semester abroad, etc.)
You do not need a placement test if you have no previous knowledge of Spanish (register directly for A1.1), if you have already successfully completed a Spanish course at h_da or if you have already taken the placement test at h_da in a previous semester.

Further information will be published in September 2025.