Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Language courses (or lektoraty, as we call them in Polish) are provided by the AGH University of Krakow subject to the provisions of AGH Senate Resolution no. 57/2019 on the principles of teaching foreign languages at the AGH University of Krakow (24 April 2019).

Language courses (Lektoraty) are offered in many languages by SJO. However, you need to continue the language you took at your end-of-secondary school exam (Matura/ A-Levels) until you have successfully passed our B2 exam, unless you have registered one of the international language certificates officially recognized for exemption from lektorat. Students who have been awarded an official exemption based on the registered certificate as well as those who have passed our early B2 exam (after the first semester of the course) may enrol on any language /level course taught here at SJO. If you are a student at a second-cycle programme, you will also attend a one-semester technical language course in the same language as the one you did at your first-cycle programme, unless your Faculty decides otherwise.

The full language course spans 3 semesters for first-cycle (undergraduate) students and 1 semester for second-cycle (Master) students.

If you have not taken Matura (the Polish secondary school-leaving exam), you will need to sit a placement test, based on which we will assign you to the most suitable group for you. Placement tests are held as needed during the period of language group enrolment (normally February). To find out the dates of our placement tests visit our website. If your situation is specific, contact one of our Directors of Studies (for English or for other languages - respectively), who will provide you with further information.

You may register your international language certificate (REMEMBER - there is a closed list of certificates recognized by AGH, not every certificate will grant you an exemption!) only if it is not older than 3 years. To do it - use our dedicated online form. Remember: to complete the registration process you must deliver the original paper version of the certificate to our staff in room 313, building D-11 during their business hours. You can register a certificate for exemption only before you start your first semester of lektorat - moreover, do pay attention to any specific deadlines as announced on our website.

Any decisions regarding transfer of grades or learning outcomes achieved at another university are taken by Faculty Deans. Learning outcomes achieved previously upon completing a part of or an entire language course provided by AGH SJO may be transferred by a Faculty Dean in consultation with us (SJO). To obtain further information contact one of our Directors of Study in charge of the language that interests you.

First and foremost, read the relevant announcements published on the SJO website, where you will find details of enrolment for students who have missed one or more semesters of the language course.

Repeating a semester with the so called “Course retake group (grupa pościgowa) is one of the ways in which you can make up for a semester you have missed.

Students resuming regular attendance after a period of Dean’s leave - if they have not been assigned to any language group - should contact the Director of Studies responsible for the language in question - in person or by email (for addresses and office hours go to the SJO website). If contacting via email, make sure you attach our full student data (name, student’s registration number /numer albumu/, faculty name and your field of study), information on which semester you have missed, the title and the level of the coursebook covered in previous semesters prior to your leave, print-screens of any previous credits obtained for the language course at AGH.

You can sit the early B2 exam if you have obtained a credit for the first semester of the language course (lektorat) in a B2 or C1 group. You will also qualify if you have obtained a credit for the first semester of the language course in a group other than B2 or C1, if your Matura score for the written extended-level English is at least 75% or 56% - for the bilingual Matura.

Yes, if you have passed the early B2 exam you can continue learning the same language in which you took the B2 test - at the same or higher level. You can also opt to learn another language at any level - to do so, use a dedicated online form. For more information contact your language teacher (Lektor).

Documents certifying foreign language competence for international exchange programmes are issued for students who have already passed a B2 or C1 exam or those who are attending a B2 or C1 course. To request and collect such a document contact our Student Services in room 313, Building D-11 during their office hours.

You can obtain your certificate of foreign language competence after passing your foreign language exam organised by SJO. We issue such certificates for both first- and second-cycle language courses. If you need more information - your teacher will be happy to help you.

The full language course (lektorat) for first-cycle (undergraduate) students spans 3 semesters and focuses on the broadly understood workplace and university/internship communication. Second-cycle language courses are more specialized in nature and are closely adjusted to the specific needs of individual programmes and areas of study. The learning outcomes are for different for first- and second-cycle courses, yet they all finish with compulsory exams.

If your USOS does not show the language course, it is probably due to technical reasons and it is quite likely you have been manually added to the group through a referral from a Director of Study. If you feel concerned, start by reporting the problem to the teacher assigned to your group and making sure he or she has registered you as a member of the group. Please note that a lack of entry for the language course in the USOS system during the period of language group enrolment should not be a reason for concern, especially if you have been referred to the group by one of our Directors of Study and if your teacher confirms they have added you to the group.

ACERT 1 is an academic certificate of foreign language competence for advanced (C1) speakers, issued by universities - members of SERMO. AGH students are entitled to sit the ACERT C1 test of English if they have completed a full three-semester language course in a C1 group or if, after passing the early B2 exam, they have completed the remaining two semesters of our C1 language course. Those who successfully pass the test obtain a NULTE-certified certificate of language competence, recognized by academic language centres belonging to NULTE.

No. First, you will need to obtain the required credit for the first foreign language at the B-2 level . This can be done in two ways: you can pass the early B2 exam after your first semester of the language course (subject to eligibility criteria) or you can register one of the recognized B2 (or higher) certificates before starting the official language course (lektorat).

No. Exams in a second foreign language are organised only for those students who wish to obtain certificates confirming their skills in the language and at the level of the course they have attended.

You may enrol on an additional free language course not later than in your sixth semester of study.

Yes, provided you have passed a non-compulsory exam at the level of the second foreign language course you have attended.

You can choose any level between A1 and C1. Most students opt for English B1 to C1, French, Russian and Spanish A1 to B2 and German A1 to C1.

Yes, first-cycle (undergraduate) foreign students must complete two semesters of the course, 60 hours each. If you are a second-cycle (Master) student, you will attend a one-semester, 60-hour course.