Placement Tests

You can test your own knowledge of German, take a placement test or sit for a certificate or language examination. Self-tests and placement tests for your own orientation can be found on the Internet in various educational establishments or institutes offering language courses. Language institutes also often offer placement tests for allocating their students to courses at an appropriate level.

Trial test on the Test-DaF-Institut´s website under "Fit für den TestDaF?"

Placement test of the Goethe-Institut (multiple choice)

General language gap test (vocabulary/grammar)

Gap test with emphasis on commercial German (vocabulary/grammar)

DaF-placement test of the Klettverlag

Dialang (http://www.dialang.org/english/index.htm) is a European project which develops diagnostic language tests in 14 European languages. The tests are available on the Internet free of charge. There are tests of reading and listening comprehension, writing ability, grammatical structures and vocabulary: www.dialang.org

Tests

As a rule, there are two possibilities for studying in Germany:

First: Many degree programmes require proof of adequate German language skills as a requirement for admission to studies in Germany. This applies, above all, for the first-degree courses (Diplom, Bachelor's, Magister and Staatsexamen). One of the following examinations is necessary:

Deutsche Sprachprüfung für den Hochschulzugang ausländischer Studienbewerber (DSH)

Test Deutsch als Fremdsprache (TestDaF)

Zentrale Oberstufenprüfung (ZOP) des Goethe-Instituts

Kleines Deutsches Sprachdiplom (KDS) des Goethe-Instituts

Großes Deutsches Sprachdiplom (GDS) des Goethe-Instituts

Deutsches Sprachdiplom der Kultusministerkonferenz (DSD), Stufe II

Second: There are also other scenarios in which you can be exempted from having to prove your proficiency in the German language. As a rule, this depends on your subject of study, on the goal of your studies and on the length of your studies. At some universities, however, exemption is only granted for exchange students or students of German language and literature studies. Many universities demand a language qualification as a matter of principle. So, please be sure to check the precise requirements of the university of your choice.

An overview of the German language examinations which are accepted by German Universities can be found under www.sprachnachweis.de and DAAD.