Catalan courses

Before starting a Catalan course, you can take a level test to find out what course is best for you. Ask your university’s Language Service for information. You can also find out your Catalan level by taking the test on the Catalan virtual learning platform Parla.cat (you will need to register on the website first, this is free). The results of the test will enable you to pick the right course for you. The Consorci per a la Normalització Lingüística also offers a level test you can take before registering for one of its courses.

University of Barcelona

UB

The Catalan courses offered at the UB begin at the introductory levels of the CEFL: A1, partially free and with cultural activities and guided visits, and A2, designed particularly with visiting students in mind, as well as anyone joining university life who does not speak Catalan. They then progress to the more advanced levels: C1, C2 and Catalan legal language.

On-site and blended courses are offered at the different UB campuses, and fully online courses are also available. Our teaching staff adapts the classes and methodology to each group depending on their level of knowledge and student profile.

Courses are taught at three different times during the academic year: September (enrolment period opens in June), July (with enrolment starting in April) and January (enrolment as of November).

In addition to language courses, the UB makes a range of complementary materials and activities available, such as the CATclub and the language exchange service, aimed mainly at beginner-level students.

For more information, contact sl.catala.inicial@ub.edu and sl.formacio@ub.edu.

See courses

Autonomous University of Barcelona

UAB

The UAB offers Catalan language courses to new students at beginner’s level. The courses aim to facilitate linguistic and socio-cultural immersion at the UAB and offer a progressive introduction to the language, tailored to the need of the students.

See courses

Polytechnic University of Catalonia

UPC

We offer Catalan courses for all levels, from beginner to advanced. For a first taste of our language, sign up for an introductory beginners' course.

See courses

Pompeu Fabra University

UPF

Idiomes UPF provides Catalan courses with a range of formats and timetables for all levels, from beginner (A1) to proficient (C2), according to the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR). The courses available are constantly updated to meet students’ needs, and may be provided by the Pompeu Fabra University (UPF) itself or by others. Students can access courses held every term covering levels A1, A2 and B1, enabling them to study an entire CEFR level in just 45 hours, while courses are provided every month to prepare for the official inter-university exam for level C1, or once every six months for level C2.

See courses

Ramon Llull University

URL
See courses

University of Lleida

UdL

The UdL offers Catalan courses at all levels, with the possibility of obtaining an official certificate. For those who have had no contact with the Catalan language, at the beginning of each semester an intensive introductory course is organised, so that learners can acquire the basic knowledge they need to attend the university.

See courses

University of Girona

UdG

As a continuation of the training received in the initial welcome, or if you already have any prior knowledge of Catalan, you can follow an A2 level Catalan course. This course consists of a virtual online block of tutored work, and a face-to-face conversation block.

See courses

Rovira i Virgili University

URV

At the URV you can study Catalan (in face-to-face or online classes) and obtain an official Catalan language certificate. The Language Service offers a range of courses at levels A1, A2, B1, B2, C1 and C2 (as well as other, specific, courses).

See courses

Open University of Catalonia

UOC

The online Catalan courses organised by the UOC are aimed at those who wish to study the language at a basic level (A1 or A2) or who are able to use Catalan in everyday or relatively formal situations (levels from B2 to C2). All online courses are asynchronous and at all levels learning is adapted to your availability and day-to-day activities.

See courses

University of Vic

UVic

Did you know that the main language spoken in Vic and the surrounding area is Catalan? If you are on an international exchange programme, you will, of course, attend classes in other languages, but you will be aware that your fellow students communicate among themselves in Catalan. Get learning! Sign up for a free course with the Language Service. If you already speak a romance language, you will find there are many similarities. Learning Catalan will help you meet new people and discover a new culture.

Find out about courses at sl@uvic.cat.

See courses

International University of Catalonia

UIC

It does not matter if you have just arrived in Catalonia and don’t know any Catalan at all. At UIC Barcelona, we offer one-semester Catalan courses at all levels, using different types of learning. You can also take the official examinations linked to our courses to obtain an official Catalan language certificate.

See courses

Abat Oliba CEU University

UAO

We offer blended and online courses leading to a certificate in the lower levels, or to refresh or improve communicative competences. Our courses include supervised sessions with tutors and the option to take an official Catalan exam (CLUC).

See courses
Intercat image

Learning Catalan outside Catalonia.

More than 150 universities around the world teach Catalan studies.

The University network for Catalan studies abroad coordinates Catalan university studies outside Catalonia. The network is managed by the Institut Ramon Llull, which promotes Catalan language and culture outside the Catalan-speaking regions. The Institute also provides support for universities, teachers and students.

Learning Catalan outside Catalonia.
I want to learn Catalan. Where can I study?

You can study Catalan through courses offered by public bodies such as Catalan universities,  the Consorci per a la Normalització Lingüística or, if you live outside Catalonia, through the courses organised by the Institut Ramon Llull.

Or you can sign up for the free on-line courses offered by Intercat.

Are there any free Catalan courses?

The online Catalan courses on the Intercat website are completely free, apart from courses taken with a tutor through the Parla.cat website. The Consorci per a la Normalització Lingüística also offers free courses at beginner and basic levels.

Are the online courses at Catalan universities open to anyone?

Each university’s website gives details of the Catalan language courses it offers.Check out this page to find out what courses are available at each university.

I want to take an online Catalan course. Can I learn Catalan on the internet?

Yes, the Intercat website’s resources section lists the free online Catalan courses available. Use the filters to find the course that best suits you.

How can I know my level of Catalan?

Before starting a Catalan course, you can take a level test to find out what course is best for you. Ask your university’s Language Service for information. You can also find out your Catalan level by taking the test on the Catalan virtual learning platform Parla.cat (you will need to register on the website first, this is free). The results of the test will enable you to pick the right course for you. The Consorci per a la Normalització Lingüística also offers a level test you can take before registering for one of its courses.

Where can I learn Catalan if I don’t live in Catalonia?

If you live outside Catalonia, you can use Intercat’s online tools. The Institut Ramon Llull offers face-to-face Catalan courses in many universities around the world.

Can I take a face-to-face Catalan course at a Catalan university, and obtain an official certificate, without being a student there?

Most Catalan universities offer face-to-face Catalan courses and issue certificates which are equivalent to the official qualifications, even if you are not a student there. Contact the language services of each university for details.

The certificates you will be awarded if you take these courses and pass the official examinations are issued by the Catalan universities and are organised by the Catalan Interuniversity Commission for Language Education and Certification (CIFALC). The university where you take the course and exams will issue the official certificate. These certificates are approved by the Language Policy Secretariat (LPS) of the Government of Catalonia.

If I take an Intercat course, will I obtain an official certificate?

The Intercat courses are online tools to help you learn Catalan easily and at your own pace, but they do not lead automatically to an official qualification.

The Courses and certificates page gives details of all the ways to obtain official certificates of Catalan.  

 

Can I study Catalan on my own and then sit an exam to get an official certificate?

The Language Policy Secretariat (LPS) holds official examinations each year. These are announced in the Official Journal of the Government of Catalonia (DOGC), usually before the end of January. The exams usually take place in May or June and the registration period is at the start of the year. The LPS website contains all the information on these exams.

For more information about language certificates, go to: this link.

If you have studied in Catalonia or have any Catalan qualification, diploma or certificate issued by an official body outside Catalonia, see the LPS’ list of equivalent qualifications to the official Catalan certificates.

The Consortium for Language Standardisation (CPNL) runs officially recognised courses that allow students to obtain a certificate equivalent to that of the Secretariat for Language Policy. The courses lead to the attainment of each level of proficiency in the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR): Basic A2, Elementary B1, Intermediate B2, Sufficiency C1 and Superior C2. In these courses, total assessment is the sum of the course assessment (and therefore completion of the tasks proposed by the teacher) plus the final mark for the proficiency test.

If you live outside Catalonia you can find where and when official examinations will be held on the website of the Institut Ramon Llull (IRL). The examinations can be sat by anyone of any nationality who is aged fourteen or over on the date of the test, and who wants an official accreditation of their knowledge of the Catalan language without having studied an official course.