Language courses for visiting students, organised by the Vice-Rectorate of Basque, Culture and Internationalization, are the result of an important effort on the part of the University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU) aimed at favouring the learning or improving of the level of Spanish or Basque on the part of exchange students. The ultimate aim of these courses is to facilitate students with the necessary linguistic and cultural tools so that both their stay at the University as well as their integration into Basque society is as productive as possible.

Both the approach and the academic recognition which attendance at these courses implies mean that (although because of their characteristics it is not possible for them to form part of the curriculum of the different degrees) they are equal in importance to any of the subjects taught in those degrees. It is for that reason that the Vice-Rectorate considers it fundamental that students attending these courses are aware of their importance and that they maintain at all times a respectful attitude, in the same way as for any other subject, when it comes to registration, class attendance, teaching and administrative staff, classmates, etc.            

Target students:

Students in exchange programs (undergraduate or postgraduate) managed by the Vice-Rectorate of Basque, Culture and Internationalization at UPV/EHU: Free

International students enrolled in postgraduate programs at the UPV/EHU, research staff or visiting faculty at the UPV/EHU: They will have to pay a registration fee of 120 euros (intensive Spanish course) and/or 180 euros (academic year courses in Spanish and/or Basque – per course).

Students that have no connection to the UPV/EHU, including relatives or kins of the abovementioned groups, will not be allowed to participate in the courses.

Attendance to the Spanish courses:

When attending the courses for the first time, students will have to (within the deadlines indicated for that purpose on the specific website of each course):

• fulfill the online registration form that gives access to the courses.
• if they do not know Spanish and prefer to be set directly in the beginner level, send an e-mail to cursosidiomas@ehu.eus
• if they already know Spanish, take the level test or provide a certificate stating their level to the same e-mail address (cursosidiomas@ehu.eus)

Completing the online registration form does not exempt students from the above mentioned obligations (level test, providing a certificate, etc. on the stipulated dates.
Before arriving, students should check course attendance dates as well as the timetables for the different tests.  

Moving on/up to a another level:

Students having already completed one course –intensive or extensive— and willing to take a second one, are exempted to take the level test again, since their level to follow will be indicated in the evaluation obtained in the first completed course.

It should bear in mind that the fact of having passed a course does not guarantee a place in the following one if the condition of fulfilling the registration on that second course within the deadlines is not met.

Attendance to the Basque courses:

When attending the courses for the first time, students will have to (within the deadlines indicated for that purpose on the specific website of each course):

• fulfill the online registration form that gives access to the courses.

Given that this course is only offered in a beginner level (starting from zero), students registered will just have to go to the corresponding room depending on the campus where they are studying (check the list of rooms on the specific website of this course).

Moving on/up to a another level:

Students having already completed the first semester course and staying for the whole academic year, will have the possibility to follow the classes of this course online if they are already registered for it.

Enrolment:

Students will have to complete their registration in these courses following the instructions given in the section "enrolment procedure" on the specific website of each course. It is the responsibility of students to assure they are correctly registered in our Spanish and/or Basque language courses.

Adding these courses to the learning agreement, does not imply to be registered in them. The fact of having these courses validated when coming back to the home university or not, do not affect the obligation of students to complete the registration. It is not allowed to go to class or log in the platform of the courses without being correctly registered.

When courses are being held online, it is absolutely forbidden to pass or exchange the links of the classes to other students without the express consent of the Language Courses office, being this a possible cause of expulsion of the students involved.

Dates and timetables:

The dates and timetables of the courses displayed here may be changed according to holidays and academic calendars on each campus. Any change, as soon as it may take place or we will be informed of them, will be announced to the students through their teachers at class or via e-mail. The same is true for any classroom change that may take place.

Levels:

Changes of level:

In the event of not being in agreement with the level assignment, students will be able to ask for a change to a lower or higher level group within a determined deadline. Students interested will have to contact directly via e-mail the language courses Office through the e-mail: cursosidiomas@ehu.eus and explain their case.

The language courses office will evaluate each case on its own merits in accordance with the opinion of the teachers involved, the results obtained in the admission test or the knowledge demonstrated via official certifications. The final decision will be sent by e-mail to the student.

The assistance, face-to-face or online, of any student to a level different to the one assigned and approved officially by the language courses Office will not be valid and, therefore, no certificates will be given even if the tests or tasks of that other level are passed by students.

Repetition of a level:

A level will only be able to be repeated when:

• the extensive course at that level has not been passed and there are free places in the following term in the extensive course at that level.   
• the intensive course has been taken and there is a wish to repeat the level in the autumn course –because of the different characteristics and length of both courses.

Likewise, in either case it will not be possible to take a second course at a lower level than that passed during the first course.

Neither of these options previously mentioned is automatic. Each case will be valuated individually so that any students wishing to opt for repeating a level will have to contact the Courses Office so that their request may be evaluated.

It is recommended to plan ahead as regards the number of courses and credits in which one wishes to register during their stay, given that it is the responsibility of students to assure they register correctly. In order to do that, following the abovementioned recommendations, students will have to take into account the fact that, for example, if they have taken and passed in the first term the advanced level of Spanish, they will not be able to take it in the second, given that there is not a higher level available in the second term.

Evaluation and grading:

• Students that complete 85% attendance:
  Continuous and accumulative valuation, in which all aspects specified in the syllabus of the courses will be evaluated. Grading will be obtained by passing all aspects and tasks carried out throughout the course; as well as the parts, skills and competences valuated in the exams.

• Students that do not complete 85% attendance:
  Grading will be obtained by taking a final examination on the content taught during the course. In order to pass the course, it will be necessary to take part in all parts of the exam and pass each and every one of the skills and competences valuated.

Important: participation in the online courses will have to be made with the computer camera on. Identification of students is necessary to know if the person assisting to class and taking the exams is the same person registered in them. If it is not made that way, the assistance to class will not be proved nor, in its case, given the exam for passed.

Students may only request a change in the date of the exam in very justified cases such as medical issues or a coincidence with other exams, either at their host centre at the UPV/EHU or at their university of origin. Students must always present an official receipt to the course office sufficiently in advance to be able to verify what is stated therein. Provided that the cause is admissible and the teaching staff can do it, an alternative date or method of examination will be found for the students to take the exam. In no case shall this date be later than the end of the course. All exams and tasks or activities that have to be evaluated should be fulfilled before the final day of the course. If any of these requirements are not met, no change will be authorised and, in the event that the student does not attend the exam or test, the grade will be no-show.

In order for students to be assessed on a continuous basis, they must at least attend 85% of the teaching hours and complete all the sections of the continuous assessment mentioned in the syllabus (including exams). In accordance with UPV/EHU regulations, if students wish to voluntarily waive continuous assessment, they must send an email to cursosidiomas@ehu.eus at least one month before the end of the course.

It is important for students to bear in mind that there is no repeat examination in these courses.

Certificate:

Once each course has finished, the University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU) will issue a CERTIFICATE OF ATTENDANCE and PROGRESS to the students who have passed the evaluation of these courses. The issue of this certificate is conditional to passing the course in which students have enrolled. No other certificate will be issued except this one. 

Enrolment in the courses is mandatory and an indispensable condition for obtaining the certificate.

The certificates issued by the UPV/EHU are not an official proficiency test/diploma. Their value is purely academic and are just valid to justify the grades and credits obtained in order to get the courses´ credits validated when coming back to the home university.

Credits:

The certificate for each course will include a numerical mark (from 5 to 10) and the level of each student according to ability (listening, reading, spoken and written comprehension) based on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR: A1-A2, B1-B2, C1-C2). Likewise, the credits corresponding to each course will be listed:

• Intensive Spanish course: 4.5 credits.
• Autumn and spring courses:
  • Spanish courses: 6 credits (both the autumn and spring course, per course/semester).
  • Basque courses: 6 credits (both the autumn and spring course, per course/semester).

Communication of the results of the evaluation and sending out of the certificates

The results of each course will be sent to the International Relations coordinator at each UPV/EHU Faculty/School so that they may be included in the academic records of each student, in the event that it is necessary.

Likewise, the printed certificates will be sent by post to each International Relations coordinator so that students may collect them and hand them in at their home institutions as proof of the qualification obtained, if necessary. In the event students cannot go in person to the offices to collect them, they will be sent by e-mail together with their academic records, to their home institution.

Students of the Enlight Alliance and payment students taking part in these courses will receive their certificate via e-mail.

Besides that, during the Farewell Celebration that will be held on 10 May 2024 in Vitoria-Gasteiz for all the UPV/EHU´s incoming exchange students, students passing the course will have a recognition.

Material:

Students will receive the specific programme of their level at the beginning of each course. The programme is also available to download at our website.

It is the responsibility of students to acquire the rest of the necessary materials, like for example the textbook, which will allow them to follow the classes correctly.

Photographic and audio-visual material:

It is possible that, during the activities, photographs or other audio-visual content may be taken to be published on our website. In order to do so, the appropriate authorisation will be asked of students during the course.

Other considerations:

As these courses cannot be registered through GAUR, they do not have a code such as the other subjects they will follow in their host faculties/schools do. If students have to add these courses on their OLA (Online Learning Agreement), they have to put any letter in the box of the code (X, E…).

The activities that might be organized outside the classroom, have the same value and importance as the others (online or face-to-face).

The secretary’s office of the courses reserves the right to expel anyone in those cases in which the regulations stipulated are not met or should it be necessary to do so in order to maintain the correct working environment in the class.

Likewise, dishonest behaviour will not be tolerated: any students who copy during examinations will be expelled and will receive the classification failed. The events occurred will be communicated to the International Relations coordinator of their Faculty/School at UPV/EHU.