Last updated on  May 17, 2024

There are several reasons why people from non-German speaking countries may be required to take a German language proficiency test. In most cases, foreign nationals need to pass a German language exam in order to move to Germany to join their spouse, to study or to work. Sometimes they have to pass an exam even before their arrival in Germany. There are numerous language tests given by different German institutions to certify an individual’s German skill level that people can take in Germany or in their home country. Most of them follow the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) for languages but despite their common basis are used for different purposes. You may be wondering which of them apply to your particular situation. Read on to learn more.

Types of German Language Certificates

In general, standard German language proficiency examinations include those that have been developed by highly respected educational institutions in the German-speaking world such as the Goethe Institute, telc gGmbH and the testDAF Institute in Germany or Verein ÖSD in Austria. However, some institutions in Germany and outside Germany issue their own German language certificates. These may not be as widely accepted as the standard ones, though some schools and employers (especially in non-German speaking countries) do accept them. But in most of these cases, standard certificates (e.g., those issued by the Goethe Institute) will also be accepted alongside other, non-standard types of German language certificates. The reverse, however, is not true, so you better take the standard German exams.

German Language Certificates for the Purpose of Family Reunification in Germany

Foreign spouses and family members from the so-called third countries (that is countries outside of the European Economic Area and excluding nationals of Australia, Canada, Israel, Japan, Korea, New Zealand and the USA) must demonstrate their ability to speak some basic German (level A1) when applying for a residence permit for the purpose of family reunification in Germany. They will need to pass one of these German language examinations before departing to Germany:

German Language Certificates for German Residents of Foreign Nationality

German Language Proficiency Certificates for Foreign Students

The general requirement for admission to a German-language degree programme at a university is the language competence level B2 but for some programmes the minimum requirement can be set at C1. That is, different universities in Germany may have different requirements for international applicants regarding their language proficiency levels. It is best to get the information directly from the university itself. Some may accept more than just one type of German language certificate, while others may require specific tests not mentioned here. The most common German language proficiency tests for foreign students wishing to apply to German universities are:

However, students who have already passed any of the following exams will most likely be exempt from the DHS and TestDaF examination:

In summary, there are four major authorities issuing German language certificates that are accepted by German universities as proof of language competence. They include TestDAF, Goethe Institute and TELC in Germany and the Austrian society ÖSD. This is in addition to the DSH test provided by many German universities. And last but not least, there is a test DSD II that is also widely recognized as proof of German language proficiency for admission to German universities. Check with your university which of them they will accept.

German Language Certificates for Foreign Employees in Germany

Some employers in Germany may require a proof of German language competence from employees whose native language is not German. The most commonly accepted tests that international applicants may need to take to find employment in Germany include:

* Please note that Goethe Institute is periodically adjusting their portfolio of exams to reflect the new requirements of their customers which necessarily leads to changing the structure of their website. However, sometimes their webmasters forget to redirect the old pages to their new destination. Moreover, the Goethe Institute runs separate websites in each country where they operate while these sites are not the exact copy of the parent website. As a result, some information by the Goethe Institute can be hard to find. Should any of the links to the Goethe Institute’s website found at this webpage result in a 404 error, check these two important webpages instead: “Our Certificates for German Exams” and “Exam Preparation“.

Free Training Materials for German Language Examinations

Moreover, if you wish to see how some other oral examinations are conducted and what will be expected from you, visit these youtube channels for telc exams, German Language Test for Immigrants (DTZ) and for TestDaF. For an independent assessment of your German language proficiency you can also choose from free German online tests provided by various institutions, including some private language schools.

Which Exam to Choose

Remember, if you do not know yet where exactly you are going to use your German language certificate, take a German language proficiency examination provided by one of the major certificate issuing authorities (Goethe or telc for Germany, ÖSD for Austria) and aim for the highest level you can comfortably pass. If you manage the level C1 that should be good enough for any university and any major German employer while the level B2 is accepted by most German employers. There are no significant differences in terms of difficulty, structure, format or focus between the equivalent tests provided by the two major certificate-issuing institutions from Germany (Goethe and telc), so choose by their location, exam schedules or price the one that suits you best. Alternatively, you may need to take the TestDAF levels 3, 4 or 5 (equivalent to B2-C1) if you wish to study at a German university.