The following is a non-exhaustive list of standardized tests that assess a person's language proficiency of a foreign/secondary language. Various types of such exams exist per many languages—some are organized at an international level even through national authoritative organizations, while others simply for specific limited business or study orientation.
The Foreign Language Achievement Testing Service at Brigham Young University offer both BYU and non-BYU students the opportunity to test their ability in the language
Avant Amharic WorldSpeak Test[2] is a monolingual language proficiency test created for Amharic language learners to meet the growing need for heritage language communities to have rigorous, professionally scored, and affordable assessments based on the ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines.
The Foreign Language Achievement Testing Service at Brigham Young University offers both BYU and non-BYU students the opportunity to test their ability in the language
The Arabic Language Proficiency Test (ALPT)[3] is a standardized Arabic proficiency test designed by Arabic Academy and endorsed by the Islamic Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI). There are 56 member countries under ICCI that cover all 22 Arab countries as well as 34 countries in Africa and the Far East. The ALPT started in 2002 and measures the student's level of proficiency in Arabic. The ALPT has five sections: Listening Comprehension, Reading, Structure, Writing, Speaking.
Berlitz Language Institutes offer a competency test in reading, writing, speaking & listening assessing the proficiency in the Arabic language according to the CEFR benchmark.
Eton Institute offers its own "Arabic Language Competency Test" (ALCT), a 4-skills (reading, writing, speaking, listening) exam which generates a band-score result similar to the IELTS model, but for Arabic.
The AL-ARABIYYA-TEST[4] by the AL-ARABIYYA-INSTITUTE, is an Arabic language proficiency test conducted online that measures a learner's level according to the CEFR benchmark.
CIMA (Certificat International de Maîtrise en Arabe)[5] is a standardized Arabic proficiency test developed by the Institut du Monde Arabe in Paris, and is offered since 2018 in Paris (at the institute) and in several accredited centres around the world.
Avant Arabic Proficiency Test (APT) [6] is a monolingual language proficiency test in Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) created for native Arabic Speakers who need to function effectively in the Arabic speaking world.
ILA - Certificazione Lingua Araba.[7] Arabic proficiency test of the 'Centro Studi' of Milan (Italy).
The Foreign Language Achievement Testing Service at Brigham Young University offer both BYU and non-BYU students the opportunity to test their ability in the language by a non-repeatable 144-question exam, the so-called Khmer Exemption Exam
Certificats de valencià - Junta Qualificadora de Coneixements de Valencià.[14] Valid in most Catalan-speaking territories, usually the first option in Valencia.
The Foreign Language Achievement Testing Service at Brigham Young University offer both BYU and non-BYU students the opportunity to test their ability in the language
HSK - Hanyu Shuiping Kaoshi. Official test of Mandarin in mainland China, consisting of reading, writing, listening and comprehension
HSKK - HSK Speaking Test. HSKK assesses the test takers’ oral Chinese abilities. HSKK consists of three levels, HSKK (Primary level), HSKK (Intermediate level) and HSKK (Advanced level). HSKK is conducted in the form of audio recording.
TOCFL - Test of Chinese as a Foreign Language. Test used in Taiwan for Mandarin as a foreign language.
Certificados en Lenguas Extranjeras (CLE). Certificate of proficiency in six foreign languages, Mandarin Chinese being one of them, issued by the Ministry of Education, City of Buenos Aires (Argentina). Tests the four skills. Targeted at primary and secondary-level students in the City of BA, for whom it is free of charge.
TSC - Test of Spoken Chinese was conducted under the leadership of YBM, the largest language institute in Korea. Most large South Korean companies now require Chinese employees to pass the TSC.
BCT - Business Chinese Test, as an international, standardized test of Chinese language proficiency, focuses on assessing non-native Chinese speakers’ abilities to use the Chinese language in real business or common working environments and evaluating the language tasks they are able to complete. The BCT, as a test series, consists of three independent tests: BCT (A), BCT (B) and the BCT Speaking Test.[17]
Avant STAMP[18] and STAMP Pro[19] Cantonese adaptive assessments utilize actual cultural texts and audio you would encounter in the real world such as articles, advertisements, and news. All Avant Cantonese proficiency tests are aligned to the ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines.
Computerized Oral Proficiency Assessment (COPA) - assessment of oral and comprehension skills only[21]
Diploma Programme in Chinese as a Foreign/Second Language (Cantonese) - Chinese University of Hong Kong; levels: Foundation, Certificate, Diploma, Advanced[22]
MSC - Minnanhua Shuiping Ceshi (simplified Chinese: 闽南话水平测试; traditional Chinese: 閩南話水平測試; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Bân-lâm-ōe Chúi-pêng Chhek-chhì; lit. 'Hokkien Level Test'). This is the first, and the only one for now, official standardized test of a variety of Chinese other than Mandarin in mainland China. It is a speaking test with four parts: reading out words, sentences, a passage and speaking on a topic. There is no preferred dialect of Hokkien for the test; any dialect may be used as long as the pronunciation is proper in that dialect. The first test was held in Xiamen on 19 November 2016 to select future examiners, and so it was only for people in the education, broadcasting and cultural sectors who have received prior trainings.[23][24][25] The first test open to the public was held on 9 and 10 December 2017 in Xiamen and a free 2-day pre-test training was provided to test-takers.[26]
General Taiwanese Proficiency Test (GTPT) is a standardized proficiency test for speakers of Taiwanese designed by the Center for Taiwanese Languages Testing at National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan. In addition to GTPT, there is another International Taiwanese Proficiency Test (ITPT) for speakers of Taiwanese as a second language.[27]
Since 2005, the Hakka Affairs Council of Taiwan has conducted the Hakka Proficiency Certification (客語能力認證). The test is divided into 6 levels and participants take a written and speaking exam. The speaking exam is conducted in the 5 main Taiwanese Hakka dialects to cater to each dialect's distinct intonations and vocabularies.
Nederlands als Tweede Taal (Dutch as a second language, abbreviated NT2). A two-part examination required in the Netherlands to study at the tertiary level. Part I is less thorough than II. Successful completion gains a NT2-I or NT2-II diploma
Certificaat Nederlands als vreemde taal (CNavT). A set of six exams, each aimed at confirming proficiency for specific fields. "Profile Tourist and Informal Language Proficiency (PTIT)" is equal to ECF A2, and "Profile Language Proficiency Higher Education" is equal to ECF B2 (both are accepted by most higher-level education institutions in Belgium and the Netherlands).[29]
NZL: New Zealand Immigration [30] offers over half-dozen categories of visa types that relate to specific test types and scores.
USA: For United States Immigration, Cambridge observes that:[31] "Unlike Australia, Canada and the UK, if you want to work or study in the USA you do not need to fulfil an English language requirement for your visa. However, you may need to prove your level of English when applying for college or employment. Cambridge English certificates are often used for this purpose." Each individual educational institution must be researched on any proficiency test requirement, since, for example, the Graduate School at Texas Tech University exemplifies this matter by having published [32] its own list of so-called "English Proficiency-Exempt Countries"—whose citizens do not need to pass one of these proficiency tests when they seek admission into TTU.
ZAF: South Africa Immigration
List of Identified Tests
ACTFL TEP - ACTFL Test of English Proficiency
AMIR - English Proficiency Test for Higher Education in Israel
Anglolinguist Language Certificate
Avant STAMP,[18] STAMP Pro,[19] and STAMP WS[33] adaptive English assessments utilize actual cultural texts and audio you would encounter in the real world such as articles, advertisements, and news. All Avant English proficiency tests are aligned to the ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines.
Babbel English Test powered by Cambridge English
Berlitz Telelangue Language Audit
Berlitz GTEC English Language Assessment
CAL BEST Literacy
CAL BEST Plus 2.0
CAL English Proficiency Test for Teachers (CAL EPT Teachers)
CAL English Proficiency Test for Students (CAL EPT Students)
CAL English Proficiency Test: Diagnostic for Students (CAL EPT Diagnostic
UCELA - University of Cambridge English Language Assessment
A2 Key - UCELA (University of Cambridge English Language Assessment)
B1 Preliminary - UCELA (University of Cambridge English Language Assessment)
B2 First - UCELA (University of Cambridge English Language Assessment)
C1 Advanced - UCELA (University of Cambridge English Language Assessment)
C2 Proficiency - UCELA (University of Cambridge English Language Assessment)
Canadian English Language Proficiency Index Program (CELPIP) – an English language proficiency test designated by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) for permanent resident status in Canada and Canadian citizenship.
Certificados en Lenguas Extranjeras (CLE). Certificate of proficiency in six foreign languages, English being one of them, issued by the Ministry of Education, City of Buenos Aires (Argentina). Tests the four skills. Targeted at primary and secondary-level students in the City of BA, for whom it is free of charge.
(CAEL) The Canadian Academic English Language Assessment
GEP English Exams - United Kingdom - Online and paper based English proficiency exams based on the CEFR. All four skills are tested, affordable, reliable and valid. A set of 10 exams based on the CEFR A1, A2, B1, B2 and C1 levels for children, teens and adults.
Estonian Language Proficiency Examinations, a.k.a. Eesti keele tasemeeksamid [38] This exam is for those applying for Estonian citizenship, and/or in whose position, proof of a certain level of proficiency in the Estonian language is required.
The YKI system for National certificates of language proficiency is the Finnish government's official system for language proficiency testing. A YKI certificate can be used for many purposes, such as:applying for a job or a university, applying for Finnish citizenship (certificates in Finnish and Swedish), or demonstrating your language skills for an employer.
Various, Yleiset kielitutkinnot from Opetushallitus[39]
Avant STAMP,[18] STAMP Pro,[19] Place,[40] and Avant STAMP WS[33] adaptive French assessments utilize actual cultural texts and audio you would encounter in the real world such as articles, advertisements, and news. All Avant French proficiency tests are aligned to the ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines.
Certificados en Lenguas Extranjeras (CLE). Certificate of proficiency in six foreign languages, French being one of them, issued by the Ministry of Education, City of Buenos Aires (Argentina). Tests the four skills. Targeted at primary and secondary-level students in the City of BA, for whom it is free of charge.
Le Diplôme de Compétence en Langue des Signes Française (DCL) (The French Sign Language Proficiency Diploma)[41] is a national diploma that was created specifically for adults.
LanguagesCert.com Georgian Language Certificate Test (GLCT) - "the LanguagesCert test uses: multiple-choice questions test, essay, video, where you’ll be asked to record a video response, file uploads."
Avant STAMP,[18] STAMP Pro,[19] and Place,[40] adaptive German assessments utilize actual cultural texts and audio you would encounter in the real world such as articles, advertisements, and news. All Avant German proficiency tests are aligned to the ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines.
DSD II, DSH, and TestDaF are accepted by any university in Germany. They are officially recognised as university entrance qualifications. Other tests may be considered, but no guarantees are given. In other German-speaking countries the situation varies.
Certificados en Lenguas Extranjeras (CLE). Certificate of proficiency in six foreign languages, German being one of them, issued by the Ministry of Education, City of Buenos Aires (Argentina). Tests the four skills. Targeted at primary and secondary-level students in the City of BA, for whom it is free of charge.
Euroexam International at CEFR levels A2 to C1
ILCE CEFR Exam System
ILCE German A0+ CEFR
ILCE German A1 CEFR
ILCE German A1 / A2 CEFR
ILCE German A2 CEFR
ILCE German B1 CEFR
ILCE German B1 / B2 CEFR
ILCE German B2 CEFR
ILCE German A1 / A2 / B1 / B2 CEFR
ILCE German C1 CEFR
ILCE German C1 / C2 CEFR
ILCE German C2 CEFR
ILCE German A1 / A2 / B1 / B2 / C1 / C2 CEFR
ILCE German A1 / A2 CEFR only speaking
ILCE German A2 / A2+ / B1 / B1+ / B2 CEFR only speaking
ILCE German B1 / B1+ / B2 / B2+ / C1 CEFR only speaking
ILCE German B2 / B2+ / C1 / C1+ / C2 CEFR only speaking
ILCE German A1 / A2 CEFR only writing
ILCE German A2 / A2+ / B1 / B1+ / B2 CEFR only writing
ILCE German B1 / B1+ / B2 / B2+ / C1 CEFR only writing
ILCE German B2 / B2+ / C1 / C1+ / C2 CEFR only writing
ILCE German A1 / A2 CEFR only listening
ILCE German A2 / A2+ / B1 / B1+ / B2 CEFR only listening
ILCE German B1 / B1+ / B2 / B2+ / C1 CEFR only listening
ILCE German B2 / B2+ / C1 / C1+ / C2 CEFR only listening
ILCE German Tourism and Hotel Sector A1 / A2 / B1 / B2 / C1 CEFR
Avant STAMP[18] and STAMP Pro[19] adaptive Hebrew assessments utilize actual cultural texts and audio you would encounter in the real world such as articles, advertisements, and news. All Avant Hebrew proficiency tests are aligned to the ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines.
The Hebrew Proficiency Test (YAEL) takes place in Israel and is taken by students who seek to demonstrate a sufficient knowledge of Hebrew for the sake of university admissions.
ECL - European Consortium for the Certificate of Attainment in Modern Languages.
Georgetown University offers proficiency testing in this language for its own students.
Avant STAMP[18] and STAMP Pro[19] adaptive Hindi assessments utilize actual cultural texts and audio you would encounter in the real world such as articles, advertisements, and news. All Avant Hindi proficiency tests are aligned to the ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines.
ECL - European Consortium for the Certificate of Attainment in Modern Languages.[44] The certificate examinations are staged on four levels of language proficiency according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages:
A2 – beginner;
B1 – basic;
B2 – intermediate;
C1 – advanced.
ELTE Hungarian Language Courses from complete beginner (A1) to proficiency levels (C2)
ORIGO Egynyelvű vizsga (Hungarian-only exam) by Idegennyelvi Továbbkepző Központ levels B1, B2 and C1 recognized by the Hungarian State
According to the Ministero degli Esteri (Italian Foreign Affairs), there are four officials Italian certifications approved CLIQ (Certificato di Lingua Italiana di Qualità): CILS, CELI, PLIDA and .IT ROMA TRE
AIL (Qualification) - Accademia Italiana di Lingua, Diploma Elementare di Lingua Italiana DELI A1 A2, Diploma Intermedio di Lingua Italiana DILI B1 B2, Diploma Avanzato di Lingua Italiana DALI C1, C2, Diploma Commerciale di Lingua Italiana DILC B1 DALC C1
Avant STAMP,[18] STAMP Pro,[19] and Place[40] adaptive Italian assessments utilize actual cultural texts and audio you would encounter in the real world such as articles, advertisements, and news. All Avant Italian proficiency tests are aligned to the ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines.
Certificados en Lenguas Extranjeras (CLE). Certificate of proficiency in six foreign languages, Italian being one of them, issued by the Ministry of Education, City of Buenos Aires (Argentina). Tests the four skills. Targeted at primary and secondary-level students in the City of BA, for whom it is free of charge.
ILCE CEFR Exam System
ILCE Italian A0+ CEFR
ILCE Italian A1 CEFR
ILCE Italian A1 / A2 CEFR
ILCE Italian A2 CEFR
ILCE Italian B1 / B2 CEFR
ILCE Italian A1 / A2 / B1 / B2 CEFR
ILCE Italian C1 / C2 CEFR
ILCE Italian A1 / A2 / B1 / B2 / C1 / C2 CEFR
ILCE Italian A1 / A2 CEFR only speaking
ILCE Italian A2 / A2+ / B1 / B1+ / B2 CEFR only speaking
ILCE Italian B1 / B1+ / B2 / B2+ / C1 CEFR only speaking
ILCE Italian B2 / B2+ / C1 / C1+ / C2 CEFR only speaking
ILCE Italian A1 / A2 CEFR only writing
ILCE Italian A2 / A2+ / B1 / B1+ / B2 CEFR only writing
ILCE Italian B1 / B1+ / B2 / B2+ / C1 CEFR only writing
ILCE Italian B2 / B2+ / C1 / C1+ / C2 CEFR only writing
ILCE Italian A1 / A2 CEFR only listening
ILCE Italian A2 / A2+ / B1 / B1+ / B2 CEFR only listening
ILCE Italian B1 / B1+ / B2 / B2+ / C1 CEFR only listening
ILCE Italian B2 / B2+ / C1 / C1+ / C2 CEFR only listening
ILCE Italian Tourism and Hotel Sector A1 / A2 / B1 / B2 / C1 CEFR
Avant STAMP[18] and Place[40] adaptive Japanese assessments utilize actual cultural texts and audio you would encounter in the real world such as articles, advertisements, and news. All Avant Japanese proficiency tests are aligned to the ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines.
JLPT - Japanese Language Proficiency Test (N5, N4, N3, N2, N1)
NAT-TEST - The Japanese Language NAT-TEST (N5, N4, N3, N2, N1)
BJT - Business Japanese Proficiency Test (ビジネス日本語能力テスト)
EJU - Examination for Japanese University Admission (日本留学試験)
Nihongo Kentei - Overall Japanese language proficiency test（日本語検定）
The Malay Language Proficiency Certification Test, a.k.a. Sijil Kecekapan Bahasa Melayu Bagi Warganegara Asing (SKBMW), endorsed by The Ministry of Higher Education Malaysia, and governed by Majlis Peperiksaan Malaysia (MPM) a.k.a. Malaysian Examinations Council;
The Malay Language Entrance Proficiency Test (ML EPT), only applicable for applicants being considered for teaching Malay in Singapore.
The Foreign Language Achievement Testing Service at Brigham Young University offer both BYU and non-BYU students the opportunity to test their ability in the language
CELPE-Bras - Brazilian Certificate of Proficiency in Portuguese for Foreigners[58]
Certificados en Lenguas Extranjeras (CLE). Certificate of proficiency in six foreign languages, Portuguese being one of them, issued by the Ministry of Education, City of Buenos Aires (Argentina). Tests the four skills. Targeted at primary and secondary-level students in the City of BA, for whom it is free of charge.
Izpit iz znanja slovenščine. Levels: A1 (Breakthrough), A2/B1 (Basic), B2 (Intermediate), C1/C2 (Advanced).[62] Offered by the Department of Philosophy of the Univerza v Ljubljani
SIELE - Servicio Internacional de Evaluación de la Lengua Española
CELA - Certificado de Español como Lengua Adicional del Centro de Enseñanza para Extranjeros (CEPE) de la Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM). 3 Levels: Independent Level (B1), Advanced Level (B2) and Proficiency Level (C2)
CELU - Certificado de Español: Lengua y Uso, Certificate of Spanish: Language and use.
Certificado de las Escuelas Oficiales de Idiomas, Spain - Diploma de español, level "Básico" - A2, "Intermedio" - B1, "Avanzado" - B2, C1
DELE - Diplomas de Español como Lengua Extranjera. Levels: A1, A2, B1, B2, C1, C2.
ECL - Consorcio Europeo para el Certificado en Lenguas Modernas
LanguageCert USAL esPro Comprensión auditiva y de lectura
Swedex - Swedex consists of three different levels corresponding to the A2, B1 and B2 levels in the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages. It can be taken in examination centres in twenty-five different countries. Swedex tests the skills of the student in five different areas: vocabulary, grammar, listening, writing and reading.
TISUS - Test in Swedish for University Studies is another certificate, often used as a proof of competence in Swedish to gain access to Swedish universities.
Stockholm Chamber of Commerce Certificate in Business Swedish[64]
The Foreign Language Achievement Testing Service at Brigham Young University offer both BYU and non-BYU students the opportunity to test their ability in the language by a non-repeatable 80-question exam, the so-called Tagalog Exemption Exam
The Chulalongkorn University Proficiency Test of Thai as a Foreign Language (CU-TFL) : CU-TFL is a standardized proficiency test for speakers of Thai as a foreign language designed by the Sirindhorn Thai Language Institute, Chulalongkorn University, located in Bangkok.[65]
TPA - The School of Language and Culture of the Technology Promotion Association (Thailand-Japan) offers its own Thai proficiency test.[66]
IVPT - Kỳ Thi Năng Lực Tiếng Việt Quốc Tế (International Vietnamese Proficiency Test) was designed by Center for Vietnamese Studies at National Cheng Kung University (Taiwan) for the speakers of Vietnamese as second language in Taiwan.[74]
ViLT - Kỳ thi năng lực tiếng Việt (実用ベトナム語技能検定試験)[75] by J-TAG (日本東南アジア言語普及交流協会)