Those codes everyone meets when looking for an English course — A1, A2, B1, B2, C1, C2 — belong to the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) developed by the Council of Europe. Its purpose is simple: instead of a phrase like "I speak good English", which means something different to everyone, it establishes a single scale that everyone reads the same way. When an employer or a school says "we expect B2", they know exactly what the candidate can do.
Six steps, one logic
CEFR levels describe not how "full" your knowledge is but what you can do with the language. That is why each level is written as a series of "can do" statements.
A1 – Breakthrough. You introduce yourself, say where you are from and manage basic exchanges with someone speaking slowly and clearly. You work in fixed phrases.
A2 – Elementary. You handle routine situations such as shopping, directions and simple work correspondence. You can describe your background and surroundings in simple sentences.
B1 – Intermediate. This is a threshold. You speak independently on familiar topics, deal with most situations that arise while travelling, and describe your experiences and plans. You are not fluent, but you are understood.
B2 – Upper-intermediate. You read technical texts in your own field without reaching for a dictionary and hold a conversation with a native speaker without strain on either side. You can state and defend a view in a meeting. For most people studying a vocational programme abroad, this is the real target.
C1 – Advanced. You understand long and complex texts, speak without pausing to search for words, and use the language flexibly in academic and professional settings. Presenting and negotiating become comfortable at this level.
C2 – Mastery. You understand virtually everything you hear and read without effort. You distinguish fine shades of meaning and express yourself very fluently and precisely.
Why do people misjudge their own level?
Most people estimate their level either too high or too low, for two reasons. First, reading usually runs one or two steps ahead of speaking; because you follow a series, you assume you are B2, then stall at B1 the moment you have to speak. Second, an unused language rusts — having been good at school says little about where you are today.
So your level should be measured, not guessed. That is exactly what the placement test is for: it measures grammar, vocabulary and reading at once and puts you on the right step.
How does this affect your programme?
With us the length of the preparation class depends directly on that measurement. Based on your result you are enrolled in a 3, 6 or 9-month term. In A1–A2 groups half the lesson runs with Turkish support, while at B1 and above teaching is entirely in English. Once you complete the preparation successfully, you move on to your vocational programme in the UK or France — where instruction is 100% in English.
So the placement test is not a filter but a placement tool. Its aim is not to push you but to give you the time you genuinely need. Without taking it, nobody can tell you which term you will start in; after it, your calendar is clear the same day.