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EPE · English
Ergänzungsprüfung aus Englisch
VWU students whose admission letter (Zulassungsbescheid) prescribes English as a required supplementary exam, most often because their school-leaving certificate doesn't already cover English to the required Austrian standard.
EPE is one of the Ergänzungsprüfungen (supplementary exams) held at the Vorstudienlehrgang der Wiener Universitäten (VWU), alongside EPM (mathematics), EPD (German) and EPPh (physics). If your university admission letter lists English as a required subject, you need a positive EPE result to complete your admission requirements, within the 4 semesters VWU gives you to finish all prescribed exams.
The exam has two stages: a written part, then an oral part, but the oral part is only offered once you pass the written part.
- Format
- Written (3 parts) + oral, oral only after a positive written result
- Passing (written)
- At least 9/20 in each of the 3 parts and at least 36/60 overall
- Frequency
- 3 times per semester, on VWU's shared exam calendar
- Fee
- €66
- Grading scale
- 1 (sehr gut) to 5 (nicht genügend / failed)
What the written exam tests
- Leseverstehen (reading comprehension): up to 20 points
- Sprache im Kontext (language in context / use of English): up to 20 points
- Textproduktion (writing / text production): up to 20 points
- Oral part, only if the written part is passed: a short interview before the exam commission, by analogy with the other VWU Ergänzungsprüfungen
How to prepare
- Practice reading comprehension on non-fiction and general-interest English texts under time pressure
- Review grammar and vocabulary in a use-of-English / language-in-context style, not just isolated grammar rules
- Practice timed writing tasks (essays, letters, reports) and get feedback on structure and language
- Work through sample written-exam materials to get used to the VWU task format
- If you're also preparing for EPM, EPD or EPPh, plan your English preparation alongside those: VWUPass already covers all three
Frequently asked questions
Who needs to take EPE?
Students admitted to a Viennese university via VWU whose Zulassungsbescheid (admission letter) prescribes English as a required Ergänzungsprüfung, alongside subjects such as mathematics, history or geography.
What happens if I fail the written part?
You can't sit the oral part in that sitting. Like other VWU Ergänzungsprüfungen, up to 4 retakes are allowed, so you can register again for one of the following exam dates.
How much does EPE cost?
The fee is €66, the same tier as EPD and EPM. No separate fee is charged for the oral part.
How often is EPE held?
3 times per semester, on VWU's shared calendar for all Ergänzungsprüfungen (roughly September, November and January in winter; March, April/May and June in summer).
Are the numbers on this page official?
The written-exam structure and point thresholds are corroborated by several independently shared copies of a VWU exam guideline document, but VWU's own current pages don't publish the exact point breakdown themselves. Treat the numbers as a reliable indication rather than a guaranteed-current official rule, and check the official VWU / oead.at pages before an exam sitting.
Sources
The written-exam structure (3 parts, 60 points, 9-per-part and 36-overall thresholds) is drawn from a VWU exam guideline document shared independently by several students (a COVID-era version), not from a live official page. The exam's existence, its written + oral structure and the €66 fee are confirmed on VWU's own pages.
Trainer in progress
We're building the practice trainer for EPE · English. Get notified on Telegram as soon as it launches.
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