Dear EF,

I am in the process of applying for a C Permit and they are asking for language certification (A2 and A1).

Does anybody know if my high school UK "O" Level exam certificate is sufficient, or must I go take a certification exam?

Thank you!

AFAIK there are several recommended schools that can provide the certificate. Having an O level is not listed.

Almost certainly not, it won't reference the European language levels that are needed.

Usually there are three companies that provide the exams - Göethe, ÖSD and Telc - and many schools administering them.

Oh dear, no. Even if other countries' qualifications were to be considered, which they are not, British O level wouldn't come anywhere close to the required level. Even A level German (university entrance level, for those unfamiliar with the British system) would probably only equate to an A1 or A2.

And O'Levels were replaced by GCSE's about 20 years ago ...later edit- 33 years ago! So must be a bit rusty by now




As for A'Level, I don't agree Ace. Having taught A'Level French and German in the UK for many many years, it is well above A1/A2- depends on the teacher/board/student, I'd say between B1 and B2.

I guess it depends on what grade the 'O' level is as to what the equivalent ABC level would be but I don't think the requirements are very high. I know people who've gotten C permits or even naturalisation who can still barely order a meal in a restaurant. I've seen some of these people now even offer terrible 'mini-courses' in German online.

You may be right - I didn't do A level languages, but I base it on a relative of mine who was a French teacher (in the UK, 25+ years ago) up to A level, but whose spoken French was appalling. Sure, she could probably have improved with practice, but as it was she, the teacher, would probably have only achieved a B1/2 in the spoken test, so I assume the spoken requirement for her students was lower than that.

I agree. A1-A2 would be around O level. B1-B2 A level. My daughter has a bachelors in French and German and that was considered locally to be C1.

Here the very official list of recognized language certificates:

Information in German:
https://www.fide-info.ch/doc/08_Spra...ertifikate.pdf

Information in French:
https://www.fide-info.ch/doc/08_Spra...tsReconnus.pdf

Information in Italian:
https://www.fide-info.ch/doc/08_Spra...conosciute.pdf

(The lists are all the same, just the information is in an other language. There is no English version)

LOL- I have worked with many colleagues teaching A'Level in the UK, and all were fluent. Not the case for some who taught GCSEs and even less, O'Levels which were mainly based on writing and nit picking grammar and vocab. My first Head of Department was a Chief Examiner for one of the O'Level boards, and could not string 2 sentences together orally- but could do all the silly grammar exercises. He also used to cheat, and pre teach his students lists of vocab and structures that would come up in the exam. So his students got good grades- until he was found out.