Basic Definitions
Language exam, language certificate: A language exam is a measuring of level, when the
examination institution measures the level of foreign language competence of candidates. (Only exams recognised
and certified by the state are discussed here.) After the measuring process, the examiner issues a certificate
of the result i.e. the level of language competence.
State language exam: Before the 1st January 2000, the Centre for Foreign Language was
the only institution to conduct language exams recognised by the state. The state granted preferences or
allowances for those passing the exam successfully and holding a certificate. The preference were eg. in case
of performing a certificate the holder did not have to take a school-leaving exam in foreign languages, was
given extra points at the entrance exams, the certificate certified the necessary language competence for
college/universty degrees, the holder was paid language allowance etc.
There used to be other exams and certificated before the 1st January 2000, which the state recognised
”equivalent” to the state language exam. /See the list in the supplements to No. 3/1980 MM decree./
Certified Language exams: After the 1st January 2000, there are several language exams
and (if successfully passed) language certificates which are recognised by the state. The holder of such a
certificate is granted the above mentioned allowances. The list of the institutions which issue the
certificates are listed on our Web-site. Remember that every state language certificate received before the
1st January 2000, is automatically considered to be a certified language exam even after 1st January 2000.
Accreditation: It is the name of the process through which the Board entitled by the
state declares whether an examination run by a language centre is professional and whether it is theoretically
established in general. It is important to remember that during the accreditation it is not language
certificates that are approved or diapproved, but the Board conducts an investigation on the request of the
language centre, and issues a licence. Certified language centres are the institutions which can organise
certified language examinations and, in case they are successfully taken, can give the candidates certified
language certificates.
Accredited language exam: They are language exams conducted at certified language centres.
Equivalence: When a foreign centre conducts certified language exams and issues certified
language certificates, then the foreign centre is equivalent and thus certified in Hungary. There is no difference
between the Hungarian and the foreign centres in the use of their certificates. There can, however, be differences
in their exam fees, as the maximum fees at foreign centres are not fixed by the Hungarian law.
Nationalisation: As the activity of measuring language competence at a language centre becomes
certified in Hungary by the process of accreditation, a foreign certificate can become certified in Hungary during the
process of nationalisation.Thus anyone with a foreign language exam who does not want to retake the exam at a certified
exam centre in Hungary, can try and get this certificate accepted in Hungary as a certified exam. If the certificate was
issued by a foreign centre which, in the meantime, has become equalised in Hungary i.e. can issue certified certificates,
or at a centre which does not conduct exams in Hungary but is well-known by the Board (and is listed among the
international exams on our Web-site, which was collected by the Board), the so called general nationalisation procedure
can be conducted for Ft 5.000 at present, and no additional exam is to be taken. If the centre and the certificate to be
nationalised are not well-known for the Board (it is not listed on the Web-site), the procedure is longer and more
complicated, the result is ambiguous and additional exams might be demanded. This is called an individual nationalisation
procedure at a fee of Ft 10.000 at present.
Monolingual/bilingual language exam(certificate): When taking a language exam, at the written
examination your writing skill and reading comprehension skill are measured. In most cases special written tasks serve
to test your grammar and use of the language. At the oral exam your speaking skills are tested as well as your listening
skills. (This skill is often tested at the written exam or individually, separated from both parts of the exam.) The
main difference between the examinations is the fact that some of them also test your mediation skills between Hungarian
and the foreign language (e. translations in writing), while others do not. The exams which involve written or oral
mediation are bilingual exams. Exams without any mediation tasks are called monolingual.It is also indicated in the
certificate whether it is a monolingual or bilingual exam.For most purposes (extra points at entrance exams, to
substitute school-leaving exams before 2005) both types of certificates are valid, except for the cases when the
Curriculum and Exam Rules of an institution provide differently. It is worth inquiring about at the Department of
Education of the institution.
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