To enroll in a German university or apply for a job with any German company, you need to prove a sufficient level of language proficiency. The official confirmation is the presence of an international language certificate. How to get a certificate of the German language, which types they are divided into, what exams do you need to pass and where? We will answer all questions by touching the most common officially recognized certificates.
TestDAF
Recently, this certificate has become the most requested document confirming a sufficient knowledge of the language. It must be obtained for admission to any university (bachelor, magistrate) of Germany.
To obtain a TestDAF certificate, you must pass an exam, the results of which will confirm your level of German C1 according to the international European scale. Having a lower level, you can not apply to universities in Germany.
TestDAF exam consists of four parts, aimed at checking all the acquired language skills: reading, listening, writing, speaking. Each skill is evaluated separately, the limits – 3-5 balls.
What grades will pass? Before you receive a certificate of German language for admission, you need to know the requirements of a particular university. Having received the “five”, you can apply for a place in any educational institution without exception. Many universities are quietly refer to the “four”. A number of educational institutions accept students with “fours”, provided that they will learn German in addition to university courses.
Delivery, validity, cost
Certificate in German TestDAF has an unlimited expiration date. You need to rent it in specialized licensed centers. Among them: Goethe Institute, DAAD and even more than 100 representative offices in 70 countries. A complete list of places with a convenient interactive map is available on the TestDaF portal. Choose the nearest center and find out when they have sessions.
How to get a certificate for admission to a German university? You need to pay about 130 euros for the exam. The exact amount depends on the country and city. Those who wish can be familiar with the trial version of the exam. If the result is unsuccessful, a repeated retake is allowed.
TestDSH
Certificate option in German, which can be obtained for admission. Obtained DSH certificate confirms that you have learned German at B2 or C1 level.
Exam is different way to conduct. It must be passed directly to the university. The requirements for it are universal, but the tasks are different. They are separately made up directly at each university. To understand what to prepare for, you should write to the selected university, asking to send a demo version of the tests.
The exam consists of two stages: written and oral. In the first part, the skills of listening and reading, as well as the skills of independent writing, will be monitored. In the second part of the interview with the carrier. It is interesting that at the written stage it is allowed to check with the spelling dictionary.
How to get DSH certificate? Only coping with each task. No ratings are given for him – only what is possible or not. The average rating of percentages looks like this:
up to 57% – unsuccessful result;
57-66% – DSH1. The check is passed, but not enough for a result;
67-81% DSH2. Minimum threshold for admission.
82-100% – DSH3. Excellent result. To receive such a certificate is sufficient for admission.
Surrender, cost
How to get a certificate for admission to a German university? Find out the timing of the exam in the selected school. Universities set dates on their own: as a rule, a month or two before the start of the next semester. In many universities, DSH can be donated free of charge, but some may charge a fee of 30-60 euros. The opportunity to retake is almost not available.
ÖSD
Austrian German exam, which is recognized by some universities in Switzerland, Germany. The certificate is suitable not only for admission, but also for applicants for German citizenship.
The exam can be passed, applying for any level of study (A1-C2). It is only necessary to declare this level and confirm it by passing a 4-step test (listening, reading, writing, and speaking). If at one of the stages you scored few points, you can retake only this part of the language exam.
Surrender, cost
How to get a German ÖSD certificate? You can take the exam at any licensed center. The entire list is available on the official website. There you can find information about the timing of the tests. The cost of receipt depends on the level claimed and varies between 30-80 euros.