Erasmus Online Linguistics Support (OLS)

As part of the Erasmus academic semester, a mandatory language assessment has to be undertaken both before and at the end of the mobility period in order to monitor students’ progress in language competences. The Online Linguistic Support (OLS) is the platform used to assess students’ level of the language they will use to study at the host institution.

The Online Linguistic Support is currently available for the following languages:

Bulgarian, Czech, Danish, German, Estonian, Greek, English, Spanish, French, Croatian, Italian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Hungarian, Dutch, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Slovak, Slovenian, Finnish, Swedish.

Note: The results of the assessment carried out before departure will not impact on students’ acceptance at the host institution.

In addition, a number of students will be given the opportunity to follow a free online language course during their stay in the host country to improve their linguistic competence.

The OLS language assessment is mandatory for UL students studying in a country where their main language of instruction is French, German or Spanish.

Students whose main language of instruction is English are encouraged to take the OLS test for the language of their host country. This will give them access to the online language course.

Students must take the assessment twice - before and at the end of the mobility period - in order to monitor progress. The student’s language skills (listening, reading and writing) are assessed according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR).

ATTN: Students who scored C2 in their first language assessment will not have to take a final language assessment.

Prior to the start of the ERASMUS+ mobility period, students will receive a login and password to access the OLS platform.

Students must complete the first language assessment before the mobility period. Taking the OLS language assessment before departure is a pre-requisite for the mobility, except if duly justified.

At the end of the mobility period, students will be requested to take a second assessment to assess the progress made.

Only the students and the home institution receive the results of the assessments. The results will not be communicated to the host institution and do not prevent students from taking part in the Erasmus exchange.

The assessment results may be used by UL to identify the participants most in need of linguistic support. Those students will be given access to the OLS learning platform to follow an online language course before and during their mobility period.

For more detailed information on how to participate, please consult the OLS website: http://ERASMUSplusols.eu/