French
The exam for foreigners seeking to study and work in France is called DALF (Diplome Approfondi de Langue Francaise). The certificate of passing confirms language proficiency at a level sufficient for higher education in France. You need to prepare seriously and, no matter how confident you are in your abilities, be sure to study a special guide for preparing for the DALF. And it is best to hedge your bets and enroll in preparatory courses. In case of failure, you will have to wait a whole year for the retake.
DALF is an exam that must be taken step by step. That is, you cannot skip the "lower" level - without it you will not be admitted to the "higher" one. So first you have to take the access test (acces au DALF), consisting of two parts. The first task is to write a review (compte-rendu) of one or more articles from the French press. This tests text comprehension, knowledge of grammar, and the ability to use the technique of review writing.
The second task is oral - it involves describing an illustration and commenting on it. This determines the level of spoken language knowledge and the ability to conduct a dialogue on the proposed topic.
Only after scoring the required number of points are you admitted to the main exam. The DALF itself consists of four parts-levels, but they are independent of each other and you can take them separately, in any order, and at any exam center. If you fail one part, not all is lost: the next year you will only have to retake that part. But you will receive the certificate only after passing all four parts.
The two initial levels test general knowledge of French, both spoken and written, and as a rule, do not present much difficulty, as they are very similar to the test for access. But at the third and fourth levels, in-depth knowledge of French in a specific specialty is assessed, in one of four areas: humanities and social sciences, economics and law, natural or technical sciences. Topics from other disciplines may also be introduced: art, literature, architecture, etc.
At the third level, you must compose a coherent written narrative from several excerpts from the press or literature, avoiding the vocabulary from the documents as much as possible (except for terms). You have one and a half hours for this, after which you must answer questions on the topic in writing within 45 minutes.
The fourth level is the most difficult. You will be required to give a presentation on your chosen specialty and answer the examiners' questions. You are given one hour for preparation, and the same for the presentation and conversation. The examinee must know the terms and specialized vocabulary well; simplified and unprofessional language will lead to a lower score.
So, in addition to general language proficiency, you need to be able to perform certain types of exercises: summarizing a text (compte-rendu), synthesis of documents, listening comprehension, and oral presentation. Perhaps you cannot do without preparatory courses.
DALF is held once a year in April, and the access test in February. You can prepare for the exam at courses of the French Cultural Center, as well as in some language schools.
Spanish
If the language associated with your plans is Spanish, then you will have to take the D.E.L.E. exam (Diploma de Espanol como Lengua Extranjera) and obtain the corresponding certificate. The exam tests are developed by the Instituto Cervantes and the University of Salamanca. Reception centers are located not only in Spain itself but also in 147 cities around the world.
There are three levels of D.E.L.E. The first is C.I.E (Certificado Inicial de Espanol) - it confirms language competence at an elementary level of communication. The second is D.B.E. (El Diploma Basico de Espanol) - it attests to language proficiency in current everyday situations. Finally, by passing D.S.E. (Diploma Superior de Espanol), you prove you can manage in any situation requiring fluent Spanish and knowledge of Spanish culture. To study at a Spanish university, D.B.E. is usually sufficient.
Each level of D.E.L.E. includes five types of tests and language exercises, and the complexity, volume of tasks, and time for completion depend on the level. In any case, you will face reading (reading a text and choosing the correct answer to the questions); writing (essay); listening (listening to a recorded cassette and choosing the correct answer to a question); lexico-grammatical exercises (various tasks on selecting the required structure, word); speaking (conversation with members of the commission).
The exam is considered passed if you receive a passing grade (apto) for each task. One "fail" (non apto) - and the entire exam is considered failed.
To take the D.E.L.E., you need to obtain a certificate that you are not a citizen of a country where Spanish is an official language, register, and pay a fee. Only persons aged 16 and above are admitted to the third level (Superior) exam. You come to the exam with a certified copy of the registration sheet and an information sheet indicating the place, date, and time of the exam, as well as your passport.
The D.E.L.E. is administered twice a year - in May and November. Pre-registration is 16 weeks before the exam.
Italian and others
Foreigners wishing to study in Italy can choose one of two international Italian language exams: CILS (Certificazione di Italiano come Lingua Straniera) or CELI 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 (Certificatos di Conoscenza della Lingua Italiana at five levels). The first is issued by the University for Foreigners of Siena and is recognized at the state level in Italy, based on an agreement between the university and the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Those who pass the CILS are given the opportunity to continue their studies at an Italian university. CELI certificates are issued by the University for Foreigners of Perugia. The exams are conducted in accordance with ALTE requirements (in most countries, an official scale of language proficiency levels developed by a serious organization called ALTE is in effect. – editor's note).
The CILS exams have 6 levels: A1, A2, B1, B2, C1, C2, but the certificate is only issued starting from level B (which in certification qualification is called the first). Each exam consists of five sections: listening comprehension, reading, analysis of language structure, writing, and speaking. The exams are held twice a year, in June and December, with registration beginning one and a half to two months before the exam date. Exam costs: CILS 1 (B1) - €40, CILS 2 (B2) - €45, CILS 3 (C1) - €50, CILS 4 (C2) - €60. To ensure success on the exam, it is better to take a special preparatory course beforehand.
The opportunities to take international language exams are truly limitless. For example, there is an official state exam in Hungarian called Kozepfok, necessary, among other things, for admission to Hungarian universities. This fact may be noted by our compatriots, because Hungary is close, studying in Hungarian is inexpensive, the cost of living is not as high as in the West, and students are allowed to work part-time.
The few originals dreaming of an education in exotic Japan will have to take the 'Noreku shiken' exam, which tests vocabulary, kanji, listening, and reading. Those aiming for no less exotic China will have to take the HSK. For those wishing to settle in a Portuguese or Brazilian university, the Portuguese exam PLE has been developed. Of its four levels - DEPLE, DIPLE, DAPLE, DUPLE - for admission, of course, only the last one is suitable.
The world is vast, and the diversity of languages is great. So choose, prepare, take the exam. With proper preparation, no exam is scary, not even an international one.