language exam – Diplomátszerzek

Degree without language exam – Parliament will soon vote on the final exemption

Parliament will hold its final vote on the amendment to the higher education law, one important element of which is the abolition of the language examination required for graduation, in the week starting 21 November, according to the Parliament’s agenda on its website.

The government’s intention to drop the language exam requirement was already mentioned by János Csák, Minister of Culture and Innovation in the summer. 

Photo: 123rf

There is no similar regulation elsewhere in the EU

Speaking in last week’s parliamentary debate on the amendment of the Higher Education Act, László György, State Secretary for Innovation, Higher Education, said that the bill „addresses a long-standing problem” by settling language examination requirements.

[kiemelt]”The compulsory language examination attached to the degree was a unique Hungarian regulation, there is no similar regulation elsewhere in the European Union,” he said.[/kiemelt]

He highlighted that under the new rules, higher education institutions will be able to decide on the acquisition and assessment of foreign language skills appropriate to the qualification. He stressed that there is no doubt that foreign language skills are necessary for a university graduate, but the government’s position is that the „mechanical attachment” of a degree to the intermediate language examination has not lived up to expectations.

According to the explanatory memorandum to the bill, „the language examination as an administrative requirement does not in itself provide sufficient foreign language skills to enable graduates to meet the requirements of the labour market, and it is therefore appropriate that higher education institutions – which analyse and study labour market trends – should have the competence to decide on the acquisition and measurement of foreign language skills appropriate to the qualification”.

You will not even need a language exam to start your doctoral studies

Under the amended law, the language examination requirement for the start of doctoral studies will be dropped and replaced by „language proficiency in accordance with the doctorate regulations”. 

You can also read our articles on language learning and language exams below:

It is not compulsory everywhere, but don’t try to get away with it: learn languages!

Learn languages at the university!

Don’t just talk, understand why and how!

It is not compulsory everywhere, but don’t try to get away with it: learn languages!

You have probably found out that speaking foreign languages is obviously very important when looking for a job. Nowadays, almost all major companies require you to be able to speak at least basic or even intermediate English with foreign partners (English is the common „world language” everywhere in the corporate world or at institutional level in Europe and mostly in Asia), but also, for example, in the hospitality industry, you are required to be able to take a table service order in a foreign language.

Of course, it is also important to note that a language exam is not the same as language proficiency. If you have a certificate, but you cannot use the language, it will not help you in a job interview in, say, English, because if you apply for a position for which language skills are a must, the employer will probably interview you in English (too). On the other hand, of course, if they are looking for someone for a position that does not require you to speak a foreign language, the employer is unlikely to ask if you have a certificate.

We recommend that you learn another language on top of English, if possible at a higher level, one that is less widely spoken. Of course, before you start, check what is useful and relevant in your field of work! You will be a valued employee of the company if, for example, you can speak Czech, Polish, Slovak or Finnish fluently on your own and the company has partners in these regions. In the long run, this could even lead to a promotion.

Language skills are not only useful for finding a job. For example, who wouldn’t like to spend more time outside Hungary on vacation or traveling? And if you’re already embarking on such a trip, you’ll want to get to know the culture and the landmarks of your chosen country.

A Hungarian-speaking tour guide is usually only organised for group trips (although some people pay a tour guide to show them around a country, but it costs a small fortune, or they download an app). It’s much more convenient to just pick a country and explore it on your own or with your friends (maybe your partner), and you don’t need anyone’s linguistic assistance, you can basically understand everything on your own.

Speaking of choosing a partner… You may as well miss out on the love of your life if you can’t speak the same language. Festivals, for example, attract a lot of foreigners, but on a perfectly normal Thursday morning you might find that after swiping someone right on Tinder, they’ll text you in English… It would be a shame to miss out on getting to know this person just for language reasons!

We hope we have made you realise how important it is in today’s world to understand and speak foreign languages, or at least English.

 

Learn languages at the university!

At the Budapest University of Technology and Economics (BME), students can sign up to 0-credit language courses in the Neptun system. These are free during two semesters, after which a fee is charged for the courses. At present, BME offers eight languages: English, French, Spanish, Dutch, Japanese, German, Italian and Russian.

At Corvinus University of Budapest, you can choose courses in nine languages, some of which are accessible free of charge in Neptun, while others are offered as fee-paying.

At Budapest Metropolitan University, language courses are available with a credit value, and you have to pay for the credits. Courses are offered in 12 languages: Arabic, Chinese, English, French, German, Greek, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish and Swedish. Metropolitan also offers various language courses, such as refresher, professional proficiency, and language exam preparatory courses.

Károli Gáspár University organises courses in 13 languages at all levels, and offers general and specialist courses in English and German, according to the different degree programmes.

A diversity of language tuition at university level also exists outside the capital. For instance, students at the University of Szeged can choose between seven languages, including Latin, and can sign up to 16 units free of charge.

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