The Centre for the Greek Language and its Function
The Centre for the Greek Language (CGL) was established in 1994 in Thessaloniki, Greece. It is a non-profit organization supervised by the Greek Ministry of Education and cooperating with the Ministries of Culture and Foreign Affairs and the Aristotle University. Some of the aims of the CGL are the overall support and promotion of the Greek language in Greece and abroad, the organization of teaching of Greek to foreigners in Greece and abroad, the support to teachers of the Greek language in Greece and abroad and the production of all relevant materials that may contribute to the promotion and spread of the Greek language. Presidential Decree 363/98 assigned CGL exclusive responsibility for the organization to plan, and administer the examinations for the Certification of Attainment in Modern Greek, the sole title of proficiency in Modern Greek valid -worldwide.
Certificates are issued for successful candidates at any of the following six levels of attainment in Greek: Al (Al for children 8-12 years old, and Al for adolescents and adults), A2, Bl, B2, Γl and Γ2. The levels are linked to the corresponding levels of the Common European Framework (CEFR). All of the four language skills – comprehension of oral and written communication, production of oral and written communication – are examined at each level. The structure of the examination is presented, as well as the amount of time allotted for examination of each skill. A full analysis of the form of examination for each skill is also provided.
Credits
High schools may recognize the Ellinomatheia certificate as valid proof of language proficiency. However, various districts and schools may choose NOT to accept the certification in the place of taking a foreign language in High School. Colleges and universities may also accept the Ellinomatheia certificate, however each has its own governing policies and procedures. Please contact your child’s Greek Language teacher for more information regarding student readiness.
What is the format and content of the examinations?
The examinations cover all four language skills (Listening, Reading, Writing, and Speaking).
Exam questions are meant for the general public and the content is of general interest. The examination is communication-oriented; it emphasizes not only grammatical accuracy and correctness, but also the candidate’s ability to use the language efficiently in a specific place and within a specific linguistic context, whether formal or informal. The skills to be examined are clearly distinguished, the manner and the means of examination are clearly stated, and the number and length of the correct answer(s) are stated.
When are the examinations administered?
Examinations at all levels are held once annually, in mid-May. The exact dates and times of the examination are set in April of each year and candidates are notified by email.
Where are the examinations administered?
The Annunciation Greek School Sacramento has been an accredited testing center since 2019. We welcome all individuals throughout the state of California to test with us.
When is the registration period for the examinations?
Registration takes place from the beginning of February until mid-March. Applications for participation in the examination are submitted only within the time period specified each year by the CGL for every examination period.
Under no circumstances and for no reason whatsoever are examination fees refunded.
Under no circumstances can a candidate be substituted for by another person who has not registered for the examination.
When are the results made available?
The results are announced by the examination centers in late July, and the certificates are awarded to successful candidates at the end of September or beginning of October.
