| Programme |
Certificate of Competence in Modern Greek
• What is it and why it is useful
The Ministry of National Education and Religious Affairs and the Centre for the Greek Language (C.G.L.), responding to a steady request of the Greek language speakers around the world, have developed a State Certificate of Competence in Modern Greek.
• The Certificate of Competence in Modern Greek
- provides the user of Modern Greek language the opportunity to obtain official recognition of his level of language competence
- proves the holder’s level of attainment in Modern Greek at the labor market
- is considered to be prerequisite for various professions in Greece
- foreigners who obtain the certificate at level C are able to enroll in a Greek Higher Education Institution
- the certificate of D level enables the citizens of E.U. countries to prove fluent use of Modern Greek, in order to be appointed to state posts.
* However, the certificate, even at D level, does not prove the holder’s proficiency to teach Greek as a second or foreign language.
• Examinations
To obtain a certificate, candidates are tested on four levels of proficiency (A, B, C, D) and assessed in four skills at each level: comprehension and production of written language, comprehension and production of spoken language, examinations for all levels take place once a year, usually the second ten days of May. Registration for the examinations usually takes place from the beginning of February to the end of March. The relevant application forms are submitted to the local examination centers. The exact dates are announced to the examination centers and the candidates at the beginning of each academic year and are common for all examination countries.
Candidates (foreign citizens of Greek origin or foreigners) can sit for the examination, provided that they have completed the 12th year of age on the day of examination. Students under the age of sixteen are recommended not to sit for the exams at C and D levels, as the subject matters of the exams are beyond their range of knowledge.
C.G.L., in consultation with the examination centers, can arrange special adjustments for candidates with special needs, following a relevant request, submitted by the candidate to both the examination centre and C.G.L., together with the application form.
Mistakes on the application form, concerning the level, are not recognized, once the application form is forwarded to C.G.L. Candidates can sit for the examinations at more than one level, provided they pay the proper fees for each level. Candidates are allowed to change examination centre only in special cases.
Apart from the application form, candidates must complete a questionnaire and also attach a certified copy of a valid identification document.
To obtain the Certificate of Competence in Modern Greek, candidates must succeed in all four skills tested.
Detailed results of the Examination Centers are sent during the second fortnight of July. The certificates reach the examination centers by the end of October or the beginning of September.
• Examination Centers
Examinations take place in examination centers both in Greece and abroad (Europe, U.S.A., Canada, S. America, N. Africa, Asia and Australia).
The Language Centre, School of Modern Languages and Cultures, in cooperation with the Consulate General of Greece, the Ministry of National Education and Religious Affairs, and the Centre for the Greek Language (C.G.L.) are looking forward to becoming an examination centre, the only one in Hong Kong as well as Mainland China!!!
• Certificate of Competence in Modern Greek for vocational use*
Those interested may take the examination for the Certificate of Competence in Modern Greek for vocational use, which are held three times a year (May, November and January) for level A. Candidates are tested at the following skills: comprehension of spoken language, comprehension of written language, production of spoken language.
