---
title: "C-Test at the University of Duisburg-Essen · C-Test Prep"
description: "English placement test at UDE: 5 texts of 20 gaps, 25 minutes online in JACK3, the result as a CEFR level. Who must take it and the rules, with sources."
canonical: https://ctestprep.de/en/c-test-uni-duisburg-essen
last_updated: 2026-10-27
---

# C-Test at the University of Duisburg-Essen

At the University of Duisburg-Essen, the Institute for Academic Key Competences (IwiS) places students in English courses with a C-Test. The test runs online and shows your level straight away. Here are the facts from the university’s page.

Last checked: 27 October 2026

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: 5 short texts of varying difficulty with 20 gaps each, 100 gaps in total |
| --- | --- |
| Time | 25 minutes |
| Where | online in JACK3, signed in with your university ID (Uni-Kennung) |
| Who | everyone who wants to take an English level course (A1 to C2), beginners included |
| Exemption | if you passed the previous level’s course at IwiS no more than two semesters earlier |
| Result | the CEFR level you should take, shown directly in JACK3 |
| When | before course registration |

Source: [Universität Duisburg-Essen (IwiS): Einstufungstests](https://www.uni-due.de/iwis/einstufungstests.php)

## Rules

- Some gaps have more than one correct answer.
- Work somewhere quiet without interruptions, and not on a phone or tablet.
- Only register for courses that match your result.
- If your placement is clearly too high or too low, teachers can move you, but only if there are free places in the other level.
- Without a place at the right level, you get no certificates or credits in that round; you take a suitable course in the next registration period.

Source: [Universität Duisburg-Essen (IwiS): Einstufungstests](https://www.uni-due.de/iwis/einstufungstests.php)

## What this means for your preparation

- Five texts of 20 gaps: slightly shorter than the C-Test Prep texts (25 gaps), with the same gap rule. Plan 5 minutes per text.
- You take the test on your own computer: use a laptop or PC, find a quiet place and put your phone away.
- Your level decides which course you may take. If you land too high and there is no free place to move you, you may lose that round’s credits.

[Practise a free text](https://ctestprep.de/en/c-test-english-practice) · [English Pass: €12](https://ctestprep.de/en/pricing)

## Frequently asked questions

### Do I have to take the test as a beginner?

Yes. At UDE everyone who wants to take an English level course from A1 to C2 takes the placement test, beginners included.

### Can I take the test on my phone?

No. The university asks you not to use a phone or tablet. The test runs online in JACK3 on a computer.

### When can I skip the test?

If you passed the previous level’s course at IwiS no more than two semesters earlier.

[The C-Test at other universities compared →](https://ctestprep.de/en/c-test-english)