Proof of language proficiency for student exchange purposes

Table of Contents:

  1. Who can apply for the certificate for scholarship purposes
  2. What should be included in the European Language Portfolio and where to submit it
  3. How the qualification interview proceeds
  4. DAAD form

1. Who can apply for the certificate for scholarship purposes

The Centre for Foreign Language Teaching issues a language proficiency certificate for individuals applying for foreign scholarships. This certificate confirms that the person has sufficient proficiency in a foreign language for the purposes of such a scholarship, i.e. studying at a foreign university. The certificate is not equivalent to the Language Proficiency Certificate of the University of Warsaw. Only academic teachers and students who are required to present language competency documents during the recruitment process for foreign scholarships and who do not possess:

      • Language Supplement to Diploma
      • Language Proficiency Certificate from the University of Warsaw
      • Other recognized certificates from external institutions, listed in the Rector’s Ordinance No. 59 of the University of Warsaw on December 1, 2014, regarding language proficiency certification

can apply for the certificate. A prerequisite for applying for the certificate is to present a fully completed European Language Portfolio to the Centre for Foreign Language Teaching commission. After the Portfolio is accepted, the candidate proceeds to the qualification interview at a date specified by the Centre’s authorities.

2. What should be included in the European Language Portfolio and where to submit it

The European Language Portfolio can be downloaded from here. It should be submitted to the Student Affairs Office of the Centre for Foreign Language Teaching (CNJO) by January 11th or May 23rd.

The “Dossier” section of the Portfolio should include the following documents in a foreign language:

    • Copies of language certificates and formal documentation of language proficiency acquired by the candidate within the last 5 years. Documents other than the Language Supplement to the Diploma, UW Language Proficiency Certificate, or certificates listed in Rector’s Ordinance No. 59 of December 1, 2014, on language proficiency certification are accepted in both foreign languages and Polish;
    • A CV formulated in a foreign language according to the European CV format;
    • A cover letter addressed to the Director of the Centre for Foreign Language Teaching, located at ul. Nowy Świat 69, 00-046 Warszawa, formulated in a foreign language according to the European CV format. The letter should provide information about the candidate, the university they wish to study at, the reasons for choosing that university, the subjects they wish to study, how the scholarship will impact their future education or career, and the benefits that the university will receive.
    • A self-written summary of a selected scientific article from a professional journal or website in a foreign language related to the candidate’s field of study. The article should be 2-5 A4 pages long, and its copy should be included in the Portfolio. The summary should be 300-350 words (word count should be provided) and include the precise bibliographic data of the article or the relevant website addresses.
    • A declaration confirming that the summary of the selected article was written independently.
    • A description of intercultural experiences and intercultural communication.

The carefully completed Portfolio is a prerequisite for admission to the qualification interview. After the interview, the Portfolio is returned to the candidate.

3. How the qualification interview proceeds

The qualification interview takes place at the Centre for Foreign Language Teaching, ul. Nowy Świat 69, 00-046, Warsaw, tel./fax 022 55 20 128 or ul. Krakowskie Przedmieście 26/28, 00-927, Warsaw, tel./fax 022 55 20 523. Candidates will be informed of the exact date and location of the interview well in advance. The interview is conducted by a two-person committee from the Centre for Foreign Language Teaching. The interview, which lasts 15-20 minutes, consists of two parts:

    • a presentation by the candidate, in which they introduce themselves, present their interests and academic achievements, and describe the scholarship they are applying for; they present their plan for their stay at the host university, points of contact between the scholarship offer and their current course of study or work in an academic environment, the differences between them, and the benefits that their participation could bring to themselves or the university;
    • a conversation with the committee on everyday topics, during which the candidate demonstrates sufficient knowledge of the language for non-academic purposes such as travel, the culture of the country, life in the country, and handling daily matters, for example at the dean’s office, at the doctor’s, at the immigration office.

The language proficiency level required for a positive interview evaluation is B2, according to the European Framework of Reference for Languages. Below is a description of language skills at the B2 level:

UNDERSTANDING

Listening: I am able to understand longer speeches and lectures and keep up with even complex arguments – provided that the topic is familiar to me. I understand most television news and current affairs programs. I understand most movies in standard language.

Reading: I can read articles and reports about contemporary world issues with understanding, where the writers present specific positions and opinions. I understand contemporary literary prose.

SPEAKING

Communicating: I can communicate well enough to hold fairly fluent conversations with native speakers of the language. I can take an active part in discussions on familiar topics, presenting my opinion and defending my views.

Speaking independently: I can formulate clear, detailed statements on various topics related to the fields that interest me. I can explain my point of view on a given issue and present arguments for and against possible solutions.

WRITING

I can write understandable, detailed texts on any topic related to my interests. I can write an essay or report, conveying information or discussing arguments for and against. I can write letters, emphasizing the significance that certain events and experiences have for me.

You can find a description of language proficiency at other levels here.

4. DAAD form

The Centre for Foreign Language Teaching at the University of Warsaw would like to inform the public about the language proficiency certification procedure for potential DAAD scholarship recipients who are employees or Ph.D. students of the University of Warsaw:

The language proficiency certification issued on the form provided by DAAD authorizes only the application for DAAD scholarships. For individuals who have appropriate entries in the USOS system confirming completion of language courses or passing a foreign language exam, the procedure involves filling out a form by the appropriate foreign language teacher and, if necessary, conducting a short interview in the foreign language.

For individuals who have not studied at the University of Warsaw and do not have any recognized language proficiency certificates, the procedure is the same as for study trips under the Erasmus/Erasmus+ program. The candidate should present a paper written in a foreign language, indicate the chosen reading, and based on this, a short interview should be conducted (also regarding the purpose of the scholarship, research plans, etc.), which will enable the completion of the DAAD form.

The above task, which includes checking familiarity with the presented text, conducting an interview with a potential DAAD scholarship recipient, and filling out the form, is carried out by authorized language teachers during their office hours.