Hungarian language proficiency exam ~ Friday, April 30 and Saturday, May 1, 2010
The accredited Hungarian language proficiency examinations will be held on Friday, April 30th and Saturday, May 1st, 2010 this year in the St. Elizabeth of Hungary Church’s school building (432 Sheppard Avenue East, Toronto).
 

The Hungarian Helicon Society, in association with the Centre for Foreign Languages (Idegennyelvi Továbbképző Központ, or ITK) of Budapest, offers the Origó Hungarian language proficiency exams each year. Three of the five available examinations are accredited by the Hungarian government and make them officially recognized exams around the world. Upon successful completion of the accredited exams, the examinee will receive an official document indicating the type of exam completed..

Examinations Offered:

Currently, exams are offered at five levels, as listed below. The exams are also rated according to the European Council’s 6-level scale – these levels are indicated in parentheses (e.g. A2, B1, etc.)

Junior* (Level A2): New. Consists of both an oral and written component. For examinees aged 10 to 16. (information is available at www.itk.hu/junior/vizsgaleiras/ )

Belépõ* (Level A2) - Waystage User/Entry Level: Oral exam, written exam, or both taken together. For examinees aged 14 years or older.

Alapfok (Level B1) - Threshold User/Foundation: Oral exam, written exam, or both taken together. For examinees aged 14 years or older.

Középfok (Level B2) - Independent User/Intermediate: Oral exam, written exam, or both taken together. For examinees aged 14 years or older.

Felsõfok (Level C1) - Competent User/Advanced: Oral exam, written exam, or both taken together. For examinees aged 14 years or older.

Levels A2, B1, B2, C1 are internationally recognized levels as determined by the Council of Europe.

* Please note: the Junior and Belépõ exams are not yet accredited, but serve as a solid entry level into the accredited examination system.

For detailed information about the exams, visit the ITK’s website: www.itk.hu and follow the various links for “magyar mint idegen nyelv”.

Why take the exam?

There are many reasons why you may wish to obtain proof of your language proficiency, including:

• To obtain proof of your knowledge of Hungarian - for personal or professional reasons.
• To determine the level of your knowledge of Hungarian based on a specific and recognized scale.
• To indicate on your resume or job application that you have an accredited certification in Hungarian.
• If you intend to apply for a job in Hungary, your employer may require official proof of your proficiency in Hungarian.
• If you wish to further your studies in Hungary, proof of your current language proficiency may be required by the educational institution.
• If you are currently studying Hungarian, these exams can help gauge your current level and future progress.
• In 2004, Hungary joined the European Union, making Hungarian an officially recognized language in the E.U. Proving one’s proficiency in Hungarian may prove useful in other countries in the E.U. for work or study purposes.

Examination Fees:

The examination fees for 2010 are as follows:

Examination Type	Oral	Written	Complete (Oral + Written)
Junior	n/a	n/a	$70.00
Belépõ	$35.00	$35.00	$70.00
Alapfok	$60.00	$70.00	$130.00
Középfok	$70.00	$90.00	$160.00
Felsõfok	$90.00	$100.00	$190.00

Registration:

Please send in your completed registration form along with your payment to the Hungarian Helicon Society before Friday, April 23, 2010.

Preparatory Textbook:

In addition to the information available at www.itk.hu, the ITK published a preparatory book entitled “Fokrol Fokra Magyarul”, which includes information about the exams, as well as practice questions. The book is available from the Hungarian Helicon Society for a cost of $17.50. To obtain a copy, please download the order form and mail it in with your payment.

About the ITK:

Since 2000, Hungarian as a Second Language examinations have been offered at the Centre for Foreign Languages (Idegennyelvi Továbbképző Központ, or ITK). The Centre has been operating in Budapest as an institute of higher learning and a nation-wide language examination centre. It is an independent not-for-profit institution under the auspices of Eötvös Lóránd University (ELTE).

One of the important tasks of the institution is the standardized assessment of knowledge of the Hungarian language and culture within the framework of a modern system of examinations. The three highest level exams were accredited by the Hungarian government and are therefore officially recognized to determine one’s Hungarian language proficiency.

In 2003, the ITK joined forces with the Hungarian Helicon Society to offer these examinations in Toronto. In November 2006, the Helicon Society became the first accredited site in North America for these examinations.