Prepare online for TestDaF, your proof of German for university in Germany

TestDaF (Test Deutsch als Fremdsprache, or Test of German as a Foreign Language) is a language exam for people who want to study at a German university. It is developed by the TestDaF-Institut, part of g.a.s.t. (Gesellschaft für Akademische Studienvorbereitung und Testentwicklung). According to the TestDaF-Institut, all German universities accept TestDaF for all degree programmes. You take it at one of more than 500 test centres in 100 countries, usually before you move.

German universities ask international applicants for proof that they can follow lectures, read academic texts and write assignments in German. The rules are set out in the RO-DT, the framework regulation on German language exams for study at German universities. The German Rectors' Conference (HRK) and the Standing Conference of education ministers (KMK) adopted it together.

TestDaF reports each of the four skills separately. According to the RO-DT, this gives universities a detailed profile of every applicant. That matters to universities because a degree demands all four skills, from listening in lectures to writing term papers.

You take the digital TestDaF on a computer at a test centre. The four parts come in a fixed order, namely reading, listening, writing and speaking. You can work faster, but you cannot go back to earlier tasks. You do the speaking part with a headset.

The figures come from the TestDaF-Institut. Some parts may contain trial tasks that are not scored. The test is still the same length for everyone.

In reading you complete a gap text, put text sections in order, answer multiple-choice questions and find errors in a summary, among other tasks. In listening you work with audio and video recordings, for example a lecture for which you complete outline points.

In writing you produce an argumentative text of at least 200 words. You then summarise information from a reading text and a chart in about 100 to 150 words. You type both texts into a text field.

In speaking you hear seven situations from student life through the headset, such as a study group, a seminar or a city information event. After a fixed preparation time you speak to a fictional person, and the system records your answer. Speaking time per task ranges from 45 seconds to two and a half minutes.

TestDaF marks each of the four parts separately. The system scores reading and listening mostly automatically, and trained raters mark a few short answers in listening. Trained raters mark writing and speaking against fixed criteria. Each part result is converted to a scale of 0 to 20 points, so 0 to 80 in total.

The three TestDaF levels TDN 3, 4 and 5 cover roughly levels B2 to C1 of the CEFR, the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages. According to the RO-DT, TDN 5 exceeds the level needed for admission. Individual universities may set lower requirements for certain purposes, for example TDN 3 in one part.

A strong part does not make up for a weak one. A worked example shows the effect. With 17 points in reading, 14 in listening, 11 in writing and 9 in speaking, you reach 51 points. In speaking, however, you are only at TDN 3, so you do not meet the rule of TDN 4 in all parts.

Besides TestDaF, German universities accept other proofs. The admission rules of each university state which ones count.

The DSH (Deutsche Sprachprüfung für den Hochschulzugang, the German language exam for university entrance) is run by the university itself. It ends with DSH-1, DSH-2 or DSH-3, and DSH-2 is the usual level for admission. Because the DSH mostly takes place at the university, applicants travel to Germany for it.

TestDaF has a practical advantage. You take it in your home country and submit the result with your application. Every German university knows the certificate, and it never expires. For degree programmes taught entirely in English, universities often ask for an English test instead of proof of German.

In Germany, TestDaF costs about 210 euros in 2026. The Goethe-Institut in Dresden and the University of Regensburg, for example, both list this amount as test centres. The fee differs abroad. In China, you register directly with the exam authority NEEA in Beijing and pay there.

The digital TestDaF runs several times a year. According to the TestDaF-Institut, the next dates are 12 November 2026, 10 December 2026 and 20 January 2027. You register online in the g.a.s.t. participant portal. There is no at-home version, so you always take the test at a test centre.

Results for the digital TestDaF arrive after about three weeks, and for the paper-based TestDaF after about six weeks. According to the TestDaF-Institut, the TestDaF certificate is valid without time limit. Universities check that it is authentic through a QR code or a web form. Leave at least two months between the test and your application deadline, so that you can take a second date if needed.

TestDaF tests German for university, with lectures, seminars, statistics and academic texts. Targeted preparation therefore pays off only once your German is at least at level B2 of the CEFR, the Common European Framework of Reference. The online courses of Deutsch-Uni Online (DUO), a g.a.s.t. service, require a good, advanced level of B2 or C1.

A self-test shows whether you are ready. The TestDaF-Institut points to its self-test called Fit für den TestDaF. If you are still at B1, take a general German course up to B2 first and then start exam preparation. The general course covers everyday language and grammar. TestDaF preparation adds university vocabulary, for example for statistics, study organisation and academic discussions.

This plan assumes your German is at least at level B2 of the CEFR, the Common European Framework of Reference. It counts on eight to ten hours of study a week.

1 Get to know the format in week 1

Watch the TestDaF-Institut video tutorials on all task types. After registering, you find two free model tests in the participant portal. Take the first one in full and note your points for each part.

2 Speed up reading and listening in weeks 2 to 4

Read academic texts and study guides under time pressure. Listen to recorded lectures from German universities and note their structure.

3 Practise writing on a computer in weeks 3 to 6

Type two argumentative texts of at least 200 words each week. Also summarise charts and short texts in 100 to 150 words.

4 Train speaking with recordings in weeks 4 to 7

Record your answers and stick to the speaking times of 45 seconds to two and a half minutes. A teacher rates your recordings against the TDN 4 criteria.

5 Take the second model test in week 8

Take the second model test in one sitting under exam conditions.

An online course for TestDaF, the German test for university admission, should mirror the digital format. These seven signs help you choose.

1. The course trains on a computer in the digital TestDaF format, including the integrated tasks.
2. Teachers rate your texts and speaking recordings against the levels TDN 3 to TDN 5.
3. You get separate feedback for each of the four parts.
4. The course trains time management, because you cannot go back in the test.
5. Writing exercises run with a word counter, as in the exam's text field.
6. The provider states price, hours and duration up front and keeps the course fee separate from the exam fee.
7. The provider does not promise a particular result, because the TestDaF-Institut does the marking.

Through Deutsch-Uni Online, g.a.s.t. itself offers three course types, namely a one-to-one course with a tutor, an express group course and a training course without a tutor. All use the original format and an original model test.

Six mistakes in the digital TestDaF, the German test for university admission, can be avoided with practice.

1. You practise writing only by hand. In the exam you type, and slow typing costs time.
2. You do not use the full speaking time. An answer that is too short shows too little of your ability.
3. You overlook the chart in the summary task. The task asks for information from both the text and the chart.
4. You lose time on a difficult task. You cannot go back, so decide quickly and move on.
5. You focus on three strong parts. A single part at TDN 3 breaks the rule of TDN 4 in all parts.
6. You register too late. Plan the test so that your result arrives before your application deadline.