CEFR and MELAB Exam 2025 - Eligibility, Process, Pattern

Note: MELAB exam has been discontinued from June, 2018. CEFR stands for Common European Framework of Reference for Languages. CEFR is among the various language test frameworks that exist today. Canadian Language Benchmarks (CLB), Interagency Language Roundtable Scale (ILR), and American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages Proficiency Guidelines (ACTFL) are some of the other comparable frameworks. CEFR is an international language scale, which was specifically designed for use in European languages such as English. CEFR is associated with any given language test, and most of these tests give CEFR equivalents. Learn more about MELAB and CEFR exams through this article along with CEFR Levels in IELTS and other details.

This Story also Contains

1. What is CEFR?
2. The EF-SET
3. Why is the CEFR Important?
4. Who Uses the CEFR?
5. How Can You find Out Your CEFR Level?
6. What is CEFR level in IELTS?
7. Who Takes the MELAB test?
8. What Makes you take the MELAB Test?
9. What is the MELAB Exam Pattern?
10. How Can you take the MELAB Exam?

What is CEFR?

CEFR full form is the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages that is equivalent to CLB (Canadian Language Benchmarks), ILR (Interagency Language Roundtable Scale), or ACTFL (American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages Proficiency Guidelines). It has levels of English proficiency of C2 to A1 which are evaluated against major English language proficiency scores to assess the English language proficiency of a candidate.

The EF-SET

The EF-SET is calculated based on the CEFR proficiency achieved. The CEFR gives you six proficiency levels of the foreign language and accordingly, the EF-SET is also provided. Find below the table for CEFR and EF-SET foreign language scores:

Why is the CEFR Important?

The CEFR is becoming more and more common as a technique to demonstrate your competency in a foreign language, particularly in academic settings. The CEFR is a good tool for listing two or more languages on a resume because most European students study more than one language. The CEFR is applied differently at the business and educational levels. The CEFR is freely usable in academic settings, but not so much in the workplace. You must include a level descriptor and a score from a nationally normed exam if you plan to utilise the CEFR on your resume for professional purposes.

Best countries to study abroad:

Who Uses the CEFR?

The CEFR is used as the language leveling system for teaching foreign languages in both public and private language institutions. For their CEFR score, school children are assigned predetermined goals. For instance, B2 in their first foreign language, B1 in their second, and so forth. Job searchers can demonstrate their level of English proficiency by using a standardised score system like the TOEIC. The CEFR is becoming more and more well-known throughout Europe, as well as in Asia and Latin America.

How Can You find Out Your CEFR Level?

Taking a standardized test that is connected to the CEFR, like the EF-SET, is the best approach to determine your CEFR level. To finish the EF-SET and determine your CEFR level, it takes 50 minutes. These days, the CEFR equivalent is available for even the most common English assessment tests. To find out if they provide a CEFR equivalent, you can also get in touch with the official websites of the Alliance Française for French, the Instituto Cervantes for Spanish, or the Goethe Institute for German. Among other assessments, the HSK Chinese Proficiency Test provides the CEFR equivalents for non-European languages.

What is CEFR level in IELTS?

For perspective students who are planning to study in Europe must understand the relationship between CEFR and IELTS. Every level of CEFR from C2 to A1 has a corresponding IELTS score range. For example, CEFR level C1 refers to IETLS score range of 7.0-8.0. Refer to the following table for a deatailed CEFR level IELTS.

CEFR Level in IELTS: Comparison

Who Takes the MELAB test?

The Michigan English Language Assessment Battery (MELAB), a higher level English language proficiency test provided by the English Language Institute at the University of Michigan, is more difficult than both the ECCE and the ECPE. The MELAB exam's goal is to provide non-native adult English speakers with a platform to demonstrate their language skills in order to pursue further education possibilities in English-speaking nations. As a result, the admissions committee typically uses it to determine if a candidate is qualified for admission to a university-level English course.

What Makes you take the MELAB Test?

The MELAB test is available to non-native English speakers who are applying to higher education programmes in English-speaking nations like the UK, USA, Canada, etc. Professionals who need to obtain an English language competence certificate for work purposes can also benefit from MELAB test. This test replicates the American English used at the university level, making it valuable for commercial dealings with the USA, job promotions, and applications to language schools.

What is the MELAB Exam Pattern?

The MELAB test has three sections namely composition, listening and reading as well as a speaking test, which is optional.

1. You must compose a 200–300 word response to one of the two questions in the composition section, which is a writing section. The allotted time is 30 minutes.

2. You have 35 minutes to complete the Listening part in MELAB test, which consists of 60 multiple-choice questions concerning conversations, radio interviews, and other audio passages.

3. In nearly 80 minutes, the Reading part assesses your reading, grammar, vocabulary, and cloze skills. Multiple choice sentence completion exercises are used to assess your grammar, vocabulary, and cloze skills, while the reading component evaluates your reading and comprehension of brief pieces.

4. The optional Speaking segment, which is a one-on-one interview between the candidate and the examiner, lasts for 15 minutes. It might go on at length about the candidate, their viewpoints, or their experiences.

5. The final result is the average of the scores secured in each section.

How Can you take the MELAB Exam?

Only the University of Michigan and authorised locations in North America are authorised to administer the MELAB exam. Without the speaking test, the exam costs US$80; with the speaking test, it costs US$120. The speaking test cannot be taken on your own. Candidates can take the MELAB up to six times per year as of March 1, 2009, thanks to a new policy that permits applicants to take the MELAB exam every other month.