English

Placement Tests for General English Courses

Placement tests are mandatory for students who:

• have not taken a foreign language course within the past year,
• or do not hold a valid qualification for the desired proficiency level.

Students with a recognized language certificate (CEFR level) are exempt from the placement test. Details on accepted certificates can be found in our overview.

Special Regulations for Department-Specific English Courses

• Placement test or proof of qualification required (Not automatically unlocked; marked in red on the course platform):

  • WiWi Module 6/11 English B2 (Department 11)
  • English for Architecture and Civil Engineering C1 (Department 10)

• No placement test or qualification required (Automatically unlocked; marked in green on the course platform):

  • WiWi Module 2 English B2.2 (Department 11)
  • English for Physics B2 and C1 (Department 2)
  • English for Bio- and Chemical Engineering B2 (Department 6)
  • English for Urban Planning B2 (Department 9)
  • English for Architecture and Civil Engineering B2 (Department 10)

The tests take place online via Moodle. As a student of TU Dortmund University, you are automatically registered with Moodle. To register, you need your UniAccount and the corresponding password.

You cannot register for the placement tests on Moodle yourself. You will be invited by us at the beginning of the test shift.

It is not necessary to prepare for the placement test, as it will test your current language level and place you accordingly. An appropriate placement will promote your learning success in the course. A placement test does not have the character of an exam. If you would still like to prepare, we have some information for you here:

Information on the test format

Tips for preparation

Registration for the placement tests in summer semester 2026 will be possible from 16 February 2026. Please log into our course platform with your personal account and click on "Einstufungstest" in the upper bar. You can only register for one date per language. If you wish to de-register, please click onto "Abmelden" and register for another date if you wish. In case you want to take part in placement tests for several languages, please do not choose dates at the same time because you will have too little time to complete several tests.

If there is a valid reason why you cannot participate during these two weeks, please hand in the respective evidence (internship contracts, doctor's notes etc.) to our office. You will then be given the opportunity to participate at another date.

The result is automatically displayed to you on Moodle. For example, you will receive feedback that you have knowledge at the B2 level. With such a result, you can enroll in our C1 courses. So:

• The placement test result indicates your current starting level (e.g. English proficiency at the B2 level).
• The course title always indicates the target level (e.g. English for Business Communication C1)

The placement test remains valid for two semesters: For the summer semester 2026 the current test results are valid as well as the results from the previous winter semester 2025/26.