Who can participate in the English courses?
The English courses are open to all bachelor's and master's students at the WiSo Faculty as well as to students on the study programmes in which the WiSo Faculty is involved (e.g., BA/MA Media Studies with media management or media economics and Regional studies with business administration, social sciences or economics).

How do I pass the course?
To pass the course, you will need to pass the end of semester exam and meet the minimum attendance requirement. Students must attend at least nine out of 12 sessions throughout the semester. The CEFR grade on your certificate will take both the exam and your work throughout the course into consideration. 

How does the final exam look like?
The final exam usually takes place in the penultimate or last session. It is a written test inlcuding multiple choice as well as open questions and further exercises. The oral grade is determined through the mandatory presentation and the participation throughout the semester.

Can I receive credit points for successful participation in the English course?
The English course is worth 6 credit points. For bachelor's students of most study programmes of the WiSo Faculty (except students of business education [Lehramt BK1]), the course is part of Studium Integrale (SI). Credit points cannot be regognised for master's students. However, they can attend the course as part of the extracurricular modules option (EA = Extracurriculares Angebot) and a successful completion of the course will be acknowledged in their ToR. Additionally, all students receive a certificate at the end of the course indicating their language level if they pass the end of semester exam.

Where do I find general information on Studium Integrale or extracurricular modules?
Please refer to the information on the Studium Integrale website.

How can I register for a course?
You cannot register for Business English via KLIPS 2.0 during the course registration period (Belegungsphase) directly. A link to the ILIAS registration page will be published on our homepage as soon as registration is available. As part of the registration process, you will either need to take a placement test or provide a valid English certificate. If you need to take a placement test, you can register for this on ILIAS. After participating in the placement test, you will be allocated a place in a course matching your current level. Registration for the placement test counts as registration for the course.

When can I register?
Registration for the spring term starts mid-January and for the fall term mid-June. Students register via ILIAS, the link to which will be published on the website once the registration phase has started. Slots are limited and allocated on a 'first-come, first-served' basis.

How is the placement test structured?
The placement test consists of two parts: a written test and a short conversation with one of the English language teachers at the English Institute of Cologne. Preparation for the placement test is generally not necessary as the aim is to determine your current level of English.

Do I need to take the placement test if I already have an English language proficiency certificate?
If you already hold a valid certificate, there is no need to participate in the placement test. In this case, please register for the course on ILIAS and join the ‘Students with valid certificates’ group. Please remember to send a short email with a scan of your certificate to wirtschaftsenglisch(at)wiso.uni-koeln.de. The language level allocation will be based on your test results.
Only the following certificates are accepted:

• TOEFL Test (iBT, CBT, PBT)
• TOEIC Test
• TELC Certificate
• IELTS Test
• Cambridge Certificate
• FILTERtest of the Englisches Institut Köln

I have already taken the placement test before. Do I need to retake it?
No. If you have already taken it, please register in the 'Students with placement test results from previous semesters' group in order to submit your data and send a short email to wirtschaftsenglisch(at)wiso.uni-koeln.de stating which semester you took the test in.

Do I need to register if I already hold a valid certificate or have completed the placement test before?
Yes, please register on ILIAS in the 'Students with valid certificates' or ‘Students with placement test results from previous semesters’ group and send us a short email to wirtschaftsenglisch(at)wiso.uni-koeln.de. Please either include a scan of your certificate or a note stating which semester you took the placement test in. This helps us to store your data in our database.

Can I register for several placement tests?
No, you can only register for one placement test at a time. Your account will be locked once you have registered. We try to accommodate as many students as possible so please make sure you are able to attend the placement test that you registered for.

How can I deregister from the placement test?
If it is before the deadline for that specific test, you can deregister and register for a different date in ILIAS. If the deadline has passed, please send an email to wirtschaftsenglisch(at)wiso.uni-koeln.de. After receiving a confirmation email of your deregistration you will have the opportunity to register for another date.

I missed the placement test. Is there another opportunity?
Once you register for a placement test, your account will be locked. If you missed the placement test for any unforeseen reason, please email wirtschaftsenglisch(at)wiso.uni-koeln.de. If there are still placement test dates available, your test registration will be cancelled so that you can register for another date.

I have been placed on the waiting list. Will I automatically be considered for the next semester?
No, you will have to register again for the next semester once the registration period has started.

I am not able to participate in the allocated course. Can I switch to a different course?
If you are trying to swap before the de-registration deadline, please check the available options in the ILIAS course. It is not possible to swap courses after the deadline. You will receive information about course selection and the deregistration deadline via email if we can allocate you a course place.

If you cannot switch courses and have to withdraw, please send an email to wirtschaftsenglisch(at)wiso.uni-koeln.de before the deadline indicated in the email. If you do not deregister before the deadline, we will no longer be able to accept future registrations from you for English courses.

I am not able to participate in the allocated course. How can I deregister?
If for any reason you have to withdraw from the course, please send an email to wirtschaftsenglisch(at)wiso.uni-koeln.de before the deadline indicated in the email. Should you not deregister before the deadline, we will no longer be able to accept future registrations from you for English courses.

Why do I need to deregister if I am not going to participate in the course?
We aim to provide the course to as many students as possible. As places are limited and the demand is higher than capacity, we ask you to deregister so that another student on the waiting list can take your place.

What happens if I miss a class?
You should contact one of your fellow students to make sure you come prepared for the next class. To pass the course, you need to attend a minimum of 9 of the 12 sessions. Excused absences are excluded from that rule. In order to excuse your absence please send your doctor’s note or an officially confirmed positive Covid test result to wirtschaftsenglisch(at)wiso.uni-koeln.de.

Please do not rely on agreements with your teacher. If you fail to hand in your excuse during the official period of the course, we cannot guarantee that we will still be able to account for it.

Can I participate several times in the English courses offered by the WiSo Faculty?
No. Students can only take part in an English course free of charge once during their studies. However, if you bear the cost of the course yourself, you may participate again. Please contact the Englisches Institut Köln directly for further information regarding procedures and fees.
Please note: bachelor and master studies count as separate studies. Furthermore, students who fail to deregister from the course before the deadline will not be entitled to participate in future courses free of charge.

I am assigned to a B2 course; will this course level appear on my transcript?
No, the course allocations reflect your average starting-level based on your placement test or English certificate. Neither the level you are allocated nor the final level you achieve in the exam will appear on your transcript. However, the level you attain at the end of the course in the final exam will appear on the certificate from the English Institute of Cologne. 

Will the course allocation level that I have been assigned be my final English level for Business English?
Not necessarily. The course allocation reflects your average starting-level. At the end of the course, you will sit a final exam for Business English. The CEF English level you attain in that exam and the assessments throughout the course will be taken into consideration for the final level that is noted on your certificate.

I am unhappy with the level of my course allocation. What can I do?
The course allocations are based on either your placement test results or the English certificate you provide and reflect your current English level. We can only allocate you courses which match your current English level. 

Our aim is to assign you to a course level, which is most appropriate for you, so that you can have the opportunity to learn most effectively. Please also bear in mind that your course allocation reflects your average starting-level and that this level may change throughout the course.

Do I need any course materials?
Yes, you will need course materials, which will be provided by the Englisches Institut Köln. You will be informed where to collect them once the course allocations have been finalised. The course materials will be free of charge and will become your property after collection.

Do I need to collect course materials if the course is online?
If the course is running online due to COVID-19 measures, we will provide online resources for the course. You will be given all the necessary information and access to participate in the course during the first week. 

When will I receive my certificate for the English course?
We will provide you your digital certificate by email as soon as the certificates are issued. Please note: as of winter semester 2021 we do no longer provide hardcopies of certificates. Participants of the precedent three semesters can still collect their certificates at the WiSo Student Service Point reception during opening hours.

How can I receive credits for the course to the Studium Integrale or extracurricular section of my programme?

Given that your Studium Integrale section has not yet been completed, you need to fulfil the requirements to pass and register for the exam via KLIPS 2.0. The same applies for master's students taking the course as part of their extracurricular modules section should they want the course's completion to be acknowledged within their ToR. Registration for the exam takes place separately after the courses have commenced. Everything else will be taken care of by the Business English Team after the end of the course.

Can I use the Business English certificate from the current winter term for the current WiSo@ or STAP Bachelor application?

As of 2022, we have new regulations concerning the WiSo@ programmes and STAP Bachelor offered by the WiSo Faculty. Students who are taking part in the Business English Course on at least level B2 can now apply during the STAP application round of the same term even if they have not completed the Business English course until the STAP application deadline. The following criteria need to be fulfilled:

· You need to be enrolled in a Business English course of level B2 at least

· You need to have a participation of 9/12 lessons

· You need to pass the exam of the Business English course

If one of these criteria is not met, the STAP application with a preliminary Business English Course will be invalid (criteria not fulfilled). Your application will not be considered for further selection.

For Bachelor students applying for WiSo@, it is only necessary to indicate the minimum B2 level on the final certificate implying that students may also be allocated to a B1 course group during the semester.