One of its strategic objectives of ERASMUS+ is to strengthen linguistic skills and support language learning.

The Online Linguistic Support (OLS) supports language learning for Erasmus+ mobility participants. The OLS offers participants in Erasmus+ long-term mobility activities (Key Action 1) the opportunity to assess their skills in the foreign language(s) they will use to study, work or volunteer abroad. In addition, selected participants may follow an online language course to improve their competence.

OLS offers online language assessments and courses. The flexibility of the tool allows you to work at your own pace and adapt your learning experience to suit your needs. OLS provides a wide variety of opportunities to improve your language skills. You can follow thematic ‘Massive Open Online Courses’ (MOOCs) or benefit from online tutoring sessions with native-speakers and other Erasmus+ participants. OLS is available in 24 languages.

The OLS language assessment is mandatory for all participants of Erasmus+ student mobility activities of at least two months (studies/traineeships/EVS volunteering) with one of the following languages as the main language of instruction, work or volunteering: German, English, Spanish, French, Italian and Dutch (with the exception of native speakers).

Erasmus+ Study Mobility participants must take the assessment twice - before and at the end of their mobility period - in order to monitor their progress in the language of mobility.

The online assessment assesses participants' language skills - listening, reading and writing - according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR).

What are the assessment steps?

Participants must complete the first language assessment before the mobility to assess their language competences. For higher education students, taking the OLS language assessment before their departure is a pre-requisite for the mobility, except if duly justified. Assessment results do not prevent participants from taking part in the mobility programme, but can be used by the sending institution/coordinating organisation to identify the participants most in need of linguistic support.

Based on their language proficiency, participants may have the opportunity to access the OLS learning platform to follow an online language course before and during their mobility period. This should be agreed between the participant and the institution/organisation in charge of his/her selection.

At the end of their mobility period, participants will be requested to take a second assessment to assess the progress made.  Participants may follow an online language course to improve their competence.

For more information regarding the Online Linguistic Support (OLS) visit: http://erasmusplusols.eu/