Foreign language certification

Study type
BACHELOR'S DEGREES
Who can apply?
Students enrolled in bachelor's degrees at the ETSETB.
Requirements

Accreditation of knowledge of a foreign language (German, English, French or Italian) with a Level B2 certificate (the entire level or B2.2) or a higher level of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR).

Valid certificates are those established in the table of certificates approved by the Interuniversity Council of Catalonia (CIC) and published in the DOGC.

The certificate may have been obtained before beginning your studies or during your studies. If the certificate was obtained during your studies, you may also request recognition of elective credits for languages.

Procedure

1. Obtain your Level B2.2 or higher certificate to accredit your knowledge of a foreign language (German, English, French or Italian). It is recommended that the document has a digital signature.

2. Access the UPC Electronic Office and register the request "Application for accreditation of a third language" where you must attach the required documentation.

3. The application will be processed. If it is correct, the attainment of the foreign language competency will be reflected in the student's academic record, and the completion of the procedure will be communicated. In case of doubt regarding the suitability of the certificate provided, the school will consult the UPC Language and Terminology Service, which will assess the documentation provided by the student following the agreements and criteria of the CIC and ACLES.

Additional relevant information

Attainment of the foreign language competency is a requirement for obtaining an official university bachelor's degree.

The school recommends that you obtain a Level B2.2 certificate or higher, preferably in English, as in addition to attaining the foreign language competency, you will need it:

  • to apply for a mobility stay in the bachelor's degree
  • to access an ETSETB master's degree

In the case of double degrees between UPC studies, given that the attainment of the foreign language competency is a requirement associated with the student, it must be accredited only once.

Deadlines

The application for accreditation of a foreign language can be made once you have formalised your first enrolment in the bachelor's degree or as soon as you possess a Level B2.2 or higher, and at the latest before applying for the bachelor's degree certificate.

Check the "Deadline to request credit recognition for languages and attainment of the cross-disciplinary competency in a foreign language: BACHELOR'S DEGREES" and the "Resolution of applications for credit recognition for languages and attainment of the cross-disciplinary competency in a foreign language: BACHELOR'S DEGREES" in the Enrolment and academic procedures calendar for non-new students enrolled in your bachelor's degree.

Economic cost
This procedure has no economic cost.
Applicable regulations
3.3. Attainment of the cross-disciplinary competency in a foreign language on bachelor's degrees
3.3.1. Certification with an official Level B2 certificate or above
Publication date June 2026

Procedure
Attainment of the cross-disciplinary competency in a foreign language: Bachelor's Thesis (TFG)
Study type
Bachelor's degrees
Who can apply?
Students enrolled in bachelor's degree studies at the ETSETB.
Requirements
Write the bachelor's thesis in its entirety and defend it in English, preferably, or, if the prior approval of the teaching staff on the committee and the school management is obtained, in another foreign language (German, French, or Italian).
Procedure details

During the defence, the committee specifies the document language (the language in which the bachelor's thesis report is written) and the defence language (the language in which the student conducts the oral presentation of the bachelor's thesis report). If both the document language and the defence language are in English (or in German, French, or Italian, provided it has been previously agreed upon with the committee), the cross-disciplinary competency in a foreign language is automatically achieved in the student's academic record when the committee signs the assessment report for the bachelor's thesis (provided the bachelor's thesis is passed).

The student does not need to submit an application.

Additional relevant information

Attainment of the competency in a foreign language must be achieved as a requirement to obtain the official university bachelor's degree.

In the case of double degrees between UPC studies, since the attainment of the foreign language is a requirement associated with the student, it must be accredited only once.

Deadlines
There is no established deadline as it depends on the time when the bachelor's thesis is assessed.
Economic cost
This procedure has no economic cost.
Applicable regulations
3.3 Attainment of the cross-disciplinary competency in a foreign language on bachelor's degrees
Publication date June 2026

Procedure
Attainment of the cross-disciplinary competency in a foreign language: minimum of 9 ECTS
Study type
Bachelor's degrees
Who can apply?
Students enrolled in bachelor's degree studies at the ETSETB.
Requirements

Obtain at least 9 ECTS corresponding to one or a combination of more than one of the following options:

a) Take subjects in UPC studies taught entirely in a foreign language, preferably in English, in which the student must have used the language orally and in writing.

b) Complete a stay at a university or company abroad within the framework of a mobility programme or an educational cooperation agreement in which the activity is carried out in a foreign language.

c) Take and pass, during the degree, activities with credit recognition from the language and communication pathway, focused on learning German, English, French, or Italian. These activities must be recognised in the corresponding bachelor's degree academic record.
In accordance with the regulations on activities with credit recognition, a maximum of 6 ECTS may be obtained. The following options are available:
• Language courses (German, English, French, or Italian) of all CEFR levels, the completion of which is accredited with certificates recognised by the CIC, corresponding to Catalan universities (see also Idiomes UPC) and the Official School of Languages (EOI). Every 10 hours, 1 ECTS.
• Accreditation examinations (German, English, French, or Italian), the completion of which is accredited with CEFR certificates of all levels recognised by the CIC and, in the case of levels below B1, by the Association of Language Centres in Higher Education (ACLES). 4 ECTS per certificate.
• Activities for practising and improving English included in the language and communication pathway, the completion of which is accredited via certificates issued by the UPC or other universities, corresponding to activities of at least 20 hours, including assessment. Every 20 hours, 1 ECTS.

Procedure details

For option a)

Once the student passes the subject or subjects taught in a foreign language, preferably in English, with a minimum of 9 ECTS, the cross-disciplinary competency in a foreign language is automatically attained in the student's academic record.

The student does not need to submit an application.

For option b)

Once the academic recognition of the mobility programme with a minimum of 9 ECTS is processed (provided that the academic content of the mobility agreed upon in the learning agreement has been passed), the cross-disciplinary competency in a foreign language is automatically attained in the student's academic record.

The student does not need to submit an application.

For option c)

This option requires a combination with some of the previous options, given that the maximum number of credits to be recognised for languages is 6 ECTS, while the attainment of the cross-disciplinary competency in a foreign language requires passing a minimum of 9 ECTS.

The student must contact the ETSETB Academic Secretariat.

Additional relevant information

Attainment of the competency in a foreign language must be achieved as a requirement to obtain the official university bachelor's degree.

In the case of double degrees between UPC studies, since the attainment of the foreign language is a requirement associated with the student, it must be accredited only once.

Deadlines
There is no established deadline as it depends on the time when the subjects are assessed.
Economic cost
This procedure has no economic cost.
Applicable regulations
3.3 Attainment of the cross-disciplinary competency in a foreign language on bachelor's degrees
Publication date June 2026