The Europass CV is a standard CV template widely used in Europe. No matter you intend to study in Europe as an exchange, full-degree or PhD student, or even work while staying with us in Europe, the Europass CV will help you communicate in a compelling and concise manner your academic and work history.
Benefits of the Europass CV
Thanks to the fact that the Europass CV follows a standard structure, you will be able to communicate information about your educational background and work history and have them understood throughout Europe. This is one of the key benefits international students find when using the Europass CV. In addition, through the Europass CV you can describe in a concise manner your personality, social and organizational skills. Many companies and higher education institutions like to learn more about their prospective students and their interests. The Europass CV will help you fulfill that requirement.
How to describe your level of knowledge of a language: the European Language Reference Scale
One of the key things for students to succeed with their studies is to have an appropriate level of command of the language of instruction. Therefore, it is of highly importance that you clearly indicate your level of command of the language used for your studies or courses.
When writing your Europass CV, you can fill in a table where you indicate your level of knowledge of each language you can speak. In Europe, students' knowledge of languages is divided into 6 levels according to the table below:
| Level | Description | Listening | Reading | Speaking | Writing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C2 (This is the highest level) |
Proficient user | You can understand the language even at fast native speed | You can easily read and understand complex texts | You can participate in any conversation and even use idioms | You can write complex texts with an appropriate style |
| C1 |
Proficient user |
You can understand the language even if the speech is not entirely structured | You can read and understand long and specialized texts | You can communicate effectively without much searching for expressions or vocabulary | You write clear, well-structured texts |
| B2 |
Independent user |
You can understand provided the subject is somehow familiar | You can read and understand texts related to contemporary problems | You can engage with fluency in discussions related to familiar topics | You feel confident writing about topics related to your interests |
| B1 |
Independent user |
You can understand the main points of standard speeches | You can read and understand texts with familiar language | You can participate in conversations related to topics of everyday life | You can write simple texts about topics that are familiar to you |
| A2 |
Basic user |
You can understand phrases you are acquainted with | You can read and understand short, simple texts | You can communicate with simple sentences | You can write short messages |
| A1 (This is the lowest level) |
Basic user |
You can understand words of familiar topics provided people speak clearly and slowly | You can read and understand words and very simple sentences | You can communicated with simple words and the other person needs to repeat things at a slower rate | You can write very simple, short notes |
In your Europass CV, you can categorize your language skills in 3 groups: understanding, speaking and writing, and assess your skills according to the table above.
How to create your Europass CV
The European Commission has set up a website where you can create your Europass CV.
