Exams

German exams for your studies

Formats, scoring rules and recognition for the main German exams — taken from the official documents, each linked with the date we last checked it.

Independent and unofficial

German Prep is not affiliated with any exam provider. Universities decide which certificates they accept, so always check the requirements of your programme. Exam preparation here is kept separate from general practice: calculators work with the published rules, practice questions are German Prep material.

Overview

Exam	Organiser	Levels / results	Calculator
TestDaF	TestDaF-Institut (g.a.s.t. e. V.)	Results per part: TDN 5, TDN 4, TDN 3 or “below TDN 3”	Yes
DSH	Individual universities and state-recognised Studienkollegs	DSH-1, DSH-2 or DSH-3	Yes
Goethe-Zertifikat	Goethe-Institut	B1, B2 and C1 covered here (A1–C2 exist)	Yes
telc Deutsch C1 Hochschule	telc gGmbH	C1	Yes
ÖSD Zertifikat C1	Österreichisches Sprachdiplom Deutsch (ÖSD)	C1 (ÖSD also offers A1–C2)	Yes
DSD	Kultusministerkonferenz (KMK)	DSD I: B1 · DSD II: B2/C1	No
Studienkolleg	State and private Studienkollegs	Entrance requirements are set by each Studienkolleg	No

Guides

TestDaF-Institut (g.a.s.t. e. V.)

Test Deutsch als Fremdsprache

A standardised academic German test for university admission, taken on a computer (digital TestDaF) or on paper.

Results per part: TDN 5, TDN 4, TDN 3 or “below TDN 3”

Individual universities and state-recognised Studienkollegs

Deutsche Sprachprüfung für den Hochschulzugang

A university entrance exam set by each university under a common framework (RO-DT). It has a written and a compulsory oral part.

DSH-1, DSH-2 or DSH-3

Goethe-Institut

Goethe-Zertifikat B1, B2 and C1

Modular general-language certificates. Reading, listening, writing and speaking can be taken separately or together.

B1, B2 and C1 covered here (A1–C2 exist)

telc gGmbH

telc Deutsch C1 Hochschule

An academic C1 exam for university admission with a written part (166 points) and an oral pair exam (48 points).

Österreichisches Sprachdiplom Deutsch (ÖSD)

Österreichisches Sprachdiplom Deutsch – Zertifikat C1

An Austrian C1 certificate with a written module (70 points) and an oral module (30 points) that can be certified separately.

C1 (ÖSD also offers A1–C2)

Kultusministerkonferenz (KMK)

Deutsches Sprachdiplom der Kultusministerkonferenz (DSD I and DSD II)

School-based exams taken at accredited schools abroad after several years of German lessons.

DSD I: B1 · DSD II: B2/C1

State and private Studienkollegs

Studienkolleg entrance test and Feststellungsprüfung

If your school-leaving certificate does not give direct university access in Germany, a Studienkolleg prepares you for the Feststellungsprüfung.

Entrance requirements are set by each Studienkolleg