C-Test at HU Berlin: English placement test
At the language centre of Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, every English course except A1 needs a placement test, and that test is an online C-Test. You take it with your HU or Charité email address before the registration day. What is here comes from the language centre’s page and from the test page itself.
Last checked:
C-Test Prep is not part of any university. Dates and rules can change; the university’s own page is always authoritative.
Key facts
| Format | C-Test, that is a gap text; HU does not say how many texts or gaps there are |
|---|---|
| Time | 30 minutes |
| Who | everyone who wants to book a language course, except A1 and beginner courses |
| When | in good time before the registration day |
| Access | only with your HU or Charité email address; your result is linked to it |
| Device | a PC with Chrome or Firefox only; smartphones, tablets and Safari do not work, and pop-ups must be allowed |
| How often | one placement test per language per semester |
Source: Sprachenzentrum der HU Berlin: Einstufungstests und Tests zum Üben
Rules
- According to the test page, the test is graded as soon as you start it.
- The test page advises working on your own and without aids, since only then is the recommendation realistic.
- Enter your first and last name using only letters of the German alphabet, exactly as you will later when registering for a course.
- The test only places you in the language centre’s courses and does not count as a language assessment (Sprachgutachten).
- For a technical error, contact the responsible office; questions about your result or course level go to that language’s teachers before registration opens.
Source: Sprachenzentrum der HU Berlin: Einstufungstests und Tests zum Üben
What this means for your preparation
- Thirty minutes is more than the 25 of the C-Test Prep simulation. How many texts HU fits into that time is unknown, so treat the simulation as pace training, not as a copy of the HU test.
- The language centre links an English practice test. Do it first, because the real test counts from the moment you start and you only get one per semester.
- Practise on the same computer and browser you will test with: the HU test does not run on a phone or in Safari at all.
- HU does not describe its gap rule. Check in the practice test how many letters are missing each time, and compare with the C-Test Prep texts.
Frequently asked questions
How long is the placement test at HU Berlin?
30 minutes. The language centre asks you to take it in good time before the registration day.
Can I take the HU test on an iPad or in Safari?
No, smartphones and tablets do not work, and Safari is not compatible. Use a PC with Chrome or Firefox.
Can I use my HU result as proof of my English?
No, it only places you in the language centre’s courses and does not count as a language assessment.
Do I need the test for a beginner course at HU?
No, you can book A1 and beginner courses without a placement test.