Use of ECL Language Certificates

 The ECL language certificate at levels A2, B1, B2, and C1 is recognized by numerous authorities, institutions, and universities as an official proof of general language competence. The required level and the validity period of an ECL certificate depend on the intended use and are usually determined by the respective recognition authority.

Due to the numerous and diverse institutions, the following list is not an exhaustive one but is continuously updated. We recommend checking with the respective institution in advance for the currently applicable requirements.

• Visa Procedures and Migration
  Germany:

  • Federal Foreign Office: Recognition of the ECL certificate as proof of German language proficiency in visa procedures. (Visa Handbook)
  • Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF): Acceptance as an alternative to the “German Test for Immigrants.” (bamf.de)

    The language certificate should not be older than one year, especially for visa applications. (https://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/)

  Switzerland:

  • State Secretariat for Migration (SEM): ECL certificates are included in the list of recognized language certificates for residence and settlement permits as well as for naturalization procedures. (sem.admin.ch)

  Austria:

  • ECL certificates are NOT officially recognized for residence and settlement permits. (oesterreich.gv.at)
• Labor Market

  Hungary:

  • ECL exams at levels A2, B1, B2, and C1 in English, Hungarian, and German are state-accredited and recognized by all universities and employers as proof of language proficiency.
  • ll certificates in other ECL languages can be recognized through a nostrification process by the Hungarian education authority.

  Germany:

  Some examples of institutions that recognise ECL language certificates:

  Recognition of Professional Qualifications in Healthcare

  • Bavarian State Office for Nursing: The State Office for Nursing accepts the ECL B2 language certificate in German for recognition procedures in the nursing sector. (https://www.lfp.bayern.de/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Merkblatt_Sprachnachweis_Stand_20241030_bf.pdf )
  • Berlin Senate Department for Health:Berlin Senate Department for Health: For foreign professional qualifications in healthcare (e.g., medical and preparation assistants), the ECL certificate is accepted as proof of German language proficiency. (service.berlin.de, State Office for Health and Social Affairs)
  • Arnsberg District Government: For the recognition of midwives and social professions, a German ECL certificate at level B2 is accepted (https://www.bra.nrw.de/integration-migration/migration/anerkennung-auslaendischer-bildungsabschluesse-und-berufsqualifikationen/ )
  • Stuttgart Regional Council: In the recognition procedure for academic healthcare professions as well as for nursing and general healthcare professions, a B2-level certificate in German is accepted (additional specialist language skills may be required!) (https://rp.baden-wuerttemberg.de/rps/ )

  Skilled Workers Immigration Act and Professional Qualifications

  Central Office for Skilled Worker Immigration North Rhine-Westphalia (ZFE NRW)

  • The ZFE NRW accepts ECL certificates at levels A2, B1, B2, and C1 as proof of language proficiency under the Skilled Workers Immigration Act. (ZFE NRW)

  Arnsberg District Government

  • For the recognition of foreign professional qualifications, particularly in healthcare, the ECL certificate is accepted as proof of language proficiency.
  • The Arnsberg District Government is also responsible for recognizing teaching qualifications from EU member states in North Rhine-Westphalia. (bra.nrw.de)

  Stuttgart Regional Council

  • The Stuttgart Regional Council recognizes language certificates that comply with ALTE standards for various recognition procedures. (https://rp.baden-wuerttemberg.de/rps/)

  Other authorities and offices that recognize the ECL certificate:

  • Amt für Migration, Hamburg
  • Ausländerbehörde Hannover
  • Ausländerbehörden in Thüringen
  • Ausländerbüro in Offenburg
  • Landesamt für Einwanderung Berlin
  • Zentrale Ausländerbehörde (ZAB) des Freistaates Sachsen
  • Zentrale Ausländerbehörde für Fachkräfteeinwanderung Rheinland-Pfalz
  • Zentrale Ausländerbehörde im Saarland
  • Zentrale Ausländerbehörde Schleswig-Holstein in Neumünster
  • Zentrale Stelle für die Einwanderung von Fachkräften (Bayern)
• University Recognition
  Germany:

  German universities generally do NOT recognize the ECL certificate in German as official proof of language proficiency required for university studies.

  However, there are some exceptions where the certificate is accepted as general proof of language proficiency – for example when applying to certain programs, receiving conditional admission, enrolling in language courses, or in non-academic contexts.

  • European Campus Rottal-Inn (ECRI) der Technischen Hochschule Deggendorf  [for German-language degree programs at the levels B2 or C1 (depending on the subject), for English-language degree programs B1 (Bachelor) or A2 (Master), certificate must not be older than 2 years]
  • Technische Universität Braunschweig (for applications to degree programs without admission requirements, proof of a German course at level B2 must be provided)
  • Technische Universität Kaiserslautern(at least level B1 for application to study)
  • Universität Bamberg (at least level B1 for the application to the preparatory German course, at least B2 for participation in the DSH exam and for the application to the Studienkolleg)
  • Universität Göttingen[for application to study at least level A1 (ECL exams from level A2)]
  • Universität Hannover (for application for all Bachelor’s degree programs at least level B1)
  • Universität Kassel (at least level B1 for application to the DSH preparatory course and for the Studienkolleg)   
  • Universität Kiel (at least level B1 for admission to the preparatory German course)
  • Universität Oldenburg (for some Master’s degree programs, a certificate of German language proficiency at level B2 or C1 is sufficient, otherwise at least level B2 for application to the preparatory college, at least level B1 for participation in a preparatory German course)
  • Universität Paderborn (at least level A1 for application to a preparatory German course)
  • Universität Regensburg (at least level B2 for the application to study)
  • Universität Saarbrücken (all levels for the application for the preparatory German course)
  • Universität Siegen ((at least level B1 for the application for the preparatory German course)
  • Universität Trier (at least level B2 for admission to the DSH exam)
  • Universität Würzburg (at least level B2 for some Bachelor’s degree programs, for all other degree programs at least level B2 for admission to the DSH exam or application for the preparatory course)

  Austria:

  • ECL certificates are NOT accepted as official proof of language proficiency for admission to German-language degree programs.

  Hungary:

  • ECL exams in English, Hungarian, and German at levels A2, B1, B2, and C1 are state-accredited and recognized by all universities.
  • ECL exams in English, Hungarian, and German at levels A2, B1, B2, and C1 are state-accredited and recognized by all universities.

  Romania:

  • In Romania, ECL exams in English, German, French, Italian, Spanish, and Russian at levels B1, B2, and C1 are recognized as equivalent to the national high school language exam.

  Vietnam:

  • Replacement of mandatory language courses and final exams at vocational schools with certificates up from level B1, but with limited acceptance for academic or professional purposes.

  • Preliminary verification by the respective institution or authority is recommended.