ETECT (English Teaching Competency Test)
English Language Teachers
The ETECT (English Teaching Competency Test) is a standardized examination for novice and more experienced Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL). Successful ETECT candidates are awarded a certificate accredited through the Hellenic Accreditation System (ΕΣΥΔ).
ΕΣΥΔ, the Greek national accreditation agency, is authorized to accredit certification and control agencies and is a member of the European Cooperation for Accreditation. ΕΣΥΔ has approved the Hellenic American Union to serve as a Persons Certification Body in the voluntary area.
Developed by Hellenic American University, the ETECT is the first teaching certificate to be accredited in Greece.
Who is the ETECT for?
The ETECT is useful for both novice and more experienced English language teachers.
Novice Teachers
If you are a novice teacher with little teaching experience or you have not yet been formally hired you will find that taking several methodology courses, attending training workshops and team-teaching a course in a language school will help develop your career. An accredited certificate in TESOL like ETECT is a way for you to demonstrate the skills and competence you have acquired.
Experienced Teachers
If you are a more experienced teacher you can also benefit from accredited certification. You may have logged hundreds of teaching hours and completed numerous training programs and seminars in continuing professional education but you may lack formal qualification at an advanced level. The ETECT provides an accredited qualification of your competence that is recognized throughout Europe.
Description of the ETECT
The ETECT can be taken at level 5 or level 7 of the European Qualifications Framework (EQF). Adopted by the European Parliament in 2008 as part of the continuing effort to promote workers’ and learners’ mobility in Europe, the EQF is a framework of 8 qualification levels defined in terms of knowledge, skills and competence. This framework enables professional and vocational qualifications earned in one country to be related to those earned in another.
Level 5
At level 5 the ETECT assesses the candidate’s ability to apply sound principles and effective practices in TESOL. It also examines language awareness, the knowledge of how English functions, and the ability to convey that knowledge to students in a way that facilitates learning.
Certification at level 5 is appropriate for entry-level professionals. It signifies the acquisition of knowledge and skills that would be taught in a post-secondary teacher-training program of at least 120 hours that includes a Practicum.
Level 7
The Level 7 ETECT assesses the candidate’s specialized knowledge of contemporary theories of language acquisition and principles of language teaching. The test also certifies the candidate’s knowledge of the English language at an advanced level. Candidates must show that they can articulate links between research and practice in a coherent text supported by academic references.
Certification at Level 7 is for professionals with a recommended three years of teaching experience who wish to develop a critical awareness of knowledge issues in the field or begin graduate studies in TESOL. It signifies the acquisition of knowledge and skills that would be taught in a post-secondary teacher-training program of at least 200 hours that includes a Practicum.
LEVEL 5
The ETECT – Level 5 consists of two 2-hour papers, one on Methodology and the other on Language Awareness.
Paper 1: Methodology [2 hours]
This Paper is comprised of multiple-choice questions and/or open-ended, short-answer questions and is divided into the following 5 sections:
- Section 1: Reflecting on Classroom Scenarios
- Section 2: Spoken Error Correction
- Section 3: Lesson Planning
- Section 4: Recognizing Strengths and Weaknesses in Students’ Writing
- Section 5: Methods and Techniques in TESOL
In the open-ended questions, candidates are asked to apply their knowledge and skills to particular teaching situations. The scenarios and lesson extracts for these situations include factors such as the age and level of the learners, and the skill(s) being focused on. Candidates are also required to give reasons for the course of action they take.
The Methodology Paper examines the candidate’s competencies in areas such as classroom management; presentation and practice; lesson planning; knowledge of learner characteristics and needs; assessment of learning; and teaching reading, writing, listening, speaking, pronunciation, grammar, and vocabulary.
Paper 2: Language Awareness [2 hours]
This Paper is comprised of multiple-choice questions and/or open-ended, short-answer questions and is divided into the following 6 sections:
- Section 1: Verbs: Form and Use
- Section 2: General Errors
- Section 3: Pragmatic Competence
- Section 4: Semantic Differences
- Section 5: Grammatical Terminology
- Section 6: Reading Comprehension
ETECT Level 5 Sample Test
- ETECT Paper 1 Methodology Sample (January 2015)
- ETECT Paper 2 Language Awareness Sample (January 2015)
LEVEL 7
The ETECT – Level 7 consists of three papers, two 2-hour papers, one on Methodology and the other on Language Awareness, and a 1.5-hour paper of Essays.
Paper 1: Methodology [2 hours]
This Paper is comprised of multiple-choice questions and/or open-ended, short-answer questions and is divided into the following 5 sections:
- Section 1: Reflecting on Classroom Scenarios
- Section 2: Spoken Error Correction
- Section 3: Lesson Planning
- Section 4: Recognizing Strengths and Weaknesses in Students’ Writing
- Section 5: Methods and Techniques in TESOL
In the open-ended questions, candidates are asked to apply their knowledge and skills to particular teaching situations. The scenarios and lesson extracts for these situations include factors such as the age and level of the learners, and the skill(s) being focused on. Candidates are also required to give reasons for the course of action they take.
The Methodology Paper examines the candidate’s competencies in areas such as classroom management; presentation and practice; lesson planning; knowledge of learner characteristics and needs; assessment of learning; and teaching reading, writing, listening, speaking, pronunciation, grammar, and vocabulary.
Paper 2: Language Awareness [2 hours]
This Paper is comprised of multiple-choice questions and/or open-ended, short-answer questions and is divided into the following 6 sections:
- Section 1: Verbs: Form and Use
- Section 2: General Errors
- Section 3: Pragmatic Competence
- Section 4: Semantic Differences
- Section 5: Grammatical Terminology
- Section 6: Reading Comprehension
Paper 3: Essays [1 hour and 30 minutes]
Candidates are asked to write 3 essays: one essay in the section on Language Awareness and Language Acquisition, and two essays in the section on Teaching Skills and Grammar. They are given a total of 90 minutes to write the 3 essays.
Section 1: Language Awareness and Language Acquisition
Candidates select one of two essay topics in this section and write a 200- to 250-word essay on the question they have selected.
One of the two essay questions in this section deals with a topic in linguistics such as morphology, phonetics, phonology, syntax, semantics, language variation, and pragmatics. The other question concerns first or second language acquisition.
Section 2: Teaching Skills and Grammar
Candidates select two of the four essay questions in this section. For each of the two questions they have selected, they are expected to write a 200- to 250-word essay. The questions are related to teaching listening, speaking, reading, writing, vocabulary, pronunciation, and grammar.
ETECT Level 7 Sample Test
- ETECT Paper 1 Methodology Sample (January 2015)
- ETECT Paper 2 Language Awareness Sample (January 2015)
- ETECT Paper 3 Essays Sample (January 2015)
Fees, Dates and Test Venues
The ETECT is administered by the Center for Examinations and Certifications once a year. The test is administered at centers throughout Greece by the Hellenic American Union Center for Examinations and Certifications.
Examination Schedule 2025
|
Examination |
Date |
Exam fees |
Registration Period |
|
ETECT Level 5 |
June 22, 2025 |
150 € |
06/01/2025 - 08/05/2025 |
|
ETECT Level 7 |
225 € |
Administrations upon request
The ETECT Level 5, ETECT Level 7 examinations are also administered for groups of candidates, upon request, at designated test centers in Greece as follows:
- The specific administrations are offered only upon request. (A minimum number of candidates applies.)
- The schedule of the specific administrations is subject to modifications, depending on the needs of examination stakeholders. (Please visit this webpage for updates.)
- The specific administrations are identical in format, allotted time, and procedures to the regular administrations. They are organized in their entirety by the Hellenic American Union Center for Examinations and Certifications, which is responsible for selecting the venues, registering candidates, providing non-standard test accommodations, and selecting and training examinations personnel.
In order to participate in the ETECT, you must hold at least a high school diploma (apolytirio Lykeiou) and a C2-level English language certification or an equivalent or higher qualification.
Register online for your ETECT exam through ORFEAS, our online registration system. Find an examination center close to home from a choice of 100 locations throughout Greece and abroad, and complete your application online with your debit, pre-paid or credit card.
You will receive all the details for your upcoming exam via email in a single document that you can save, print and take with you on the day of your test. You will also be sent updates on the status of your application and useful support materials. Expect invitations to webinars for tips and strategies that will help you prepare effectively for the exam.
The ORFEAS registration system does away with print application forms and visits to the bank. Start and complete your registration online in a few simple steps. Use your home computer, tablet or smartphone to apply for your exam.
Results
Candidates first receive a score report and then the ETECT Certificate. Candidates should note that they receive the ETECT certificate only if they have obtained passing scores in all papers; if this is not the case then they just receive a score report.
Rescoring
The scoring of the exams administered by the Hellenic American Union is consistent with the latest principles of evaluation that have been adopted by the examining bodies. Quality control at every stage of the scoring procedure certifies the credibility, as well as the validity of the results.
However, if you still wish to have your exam rescored, you may do so at a fee, within 15 calendar days after the official announcement of results. First, you will have to submit the appropriate Rescoring Request Form. Then, all rescoring requests are sent to the respective examination bodies. You will receive by post the rescoring result upon completion of the rescoring procedure.
Please note the following:
- Rescoring Request Forms may be submitted within 15 calendar days after the official announcement of results. After this period, no rescore requests are accepted.
- Any scores resulting after rescoring are final and irrevocable.
- In the case that scores after rescoring are higher than the initial ones, rescore fees are refunded and a new candidate score report is issued.
Language Schools recognizing ETECT as an employment qualification
Following ETECT’ s accreditation by the Hellenic Accreditation System (ΕΣΥΔ), see below for a list of Language Schools that accept the ETECT as evidence of an applicant’s knowledge of English and TESOL principles and practices.
|
Institution |
City |
|
Arvaniti Zafiroula |
Agrinio |
|
Aslani Elfi |
Ioannina |
|
Big Ben - Samantha Louise Neal |
Chania |
|
CosmoDialogos Language Studies - Ch. Tsolakos - M. Kostinos |
Thessaloniki |
|
Educational Dynamics - E. Papaioannou & C. Kanellopoulou - Kyriakopoulou |
Syros |
|
English Language Centre - Spiridakou Rania |
Patra |
|
English School - Rigas Antoniou & Eleni Dimaki |
Volos |
|
Epikoinonia - G. Kalogirou Boutza - V. Letsiou Kosma |
Ioannina |
|
Foreign Language Centers Lambraki - Irene Lambraki |
Iraklio |
|
Galinaki-Barnia - Afoi Barnia O.E |
Iraklio |
|
Glossomatheia - Sachpatzidis Aristeidis |
Ptolemaida |
|
Ionian-Katsimpoki Vasiliki |
Preveza |
|
Kalogirou-Boutza Georgia |
Ioannina |
|
Kokkali Spyridoula |
Kerkyra |
|
Kouniakis Dimitrios |
Patra |
|
Kouros Antonios |
Agrinio |
|
M.C.S (man-centered studies) - Katsardis Ioannis |
Peristeri |
|
My English family - Antonopoulou Anthoula - Gakopoulou Peggy |
Trikala |
|
Ntavou M. & SIA O.E. |
Pallini |
|
Planet Language Centre - Skodra Maria & SIA O.E. |
Ptolemaida |
|
Polychronaki-Kapaidonaki Evgenia |
Rethymno |
|
Sigouna Anna |
Preveza |
|
Siolios - Kougioumtzoglou - AXON Kozani |
Kozani |
|
Siolios Dimitrios - AXON Ptolemaida |
Ptolemaida |
|
Tzikou Evangelia & SIA E.E. |
Mesolongi |
|
Tzouvara Maria |
Arta |
|
Vitalaki Charikleia |
Rethymno |
Please note the following:
- If your school or institution uses the ETECT for employment purposes but is not on this list, please contact the Center for Examinations & Certifications.
- We have made every effort to ensure that this list was accurate at the time of its publication. However, changes may have occurred following its publication that may render some of this information inaccurate.
