German Language Tests for German Universities: TestDaF, DSH, Goethe and telc Compared (2026–2027)

For a German-taught degree, every German university must accept two certificates: TestDaF with TDN 4 in all four sections and the DSH with at least DSH-2. The German section of the Studienkolleg exit exam (FSP), telc Deutsch C1 Hochschule, Goethe or ÖSD at C2 and the school-based DSD II are also recognised nationwide (for DSD II the university sets the level per section). Goethe-Zertifikat C1 and ÖSD C1, by contrast, are accepted only by some universities: Hamburg yes, TUM no. TestDaF is offered at licensed centres worldwide (the digital test costs $240, or €210, in Germany), while the DSH is held only in Germany by universities.

Below you will find a decision table, the recognition rules, formats and levels, fees, upcoming dates and a preparation plan.

Which test should you take?

In short: if you have not moved to Germany yet, TestDaF is the sensible default. The DSH makes sense once you are in Germany and your university lets you sit it before enrolment.

What every university must accept: the RO-DT rules

Which certificates are sufficient is set by the national framework regulation on German language examinations for university study (RO-DT), adopted by the German Rectors' Conference (HRK) and the Standing Conference of Education Ministers (KMK). The current version dates from November 2025.

Two consequences applicants often miss:

1. Universities may ask for more or less. RO-DT allows a programme to require DSH-3 (or TDN 5), or to lower the bar to DSH-1 (TDN 3). A lowered bar applies only at that university and does not carry over if you switch programme or institution.
2. A DSH must be registered. A DSH certificate is recognised nationwide only if the university's exam is registered with the HRK. Bonn, for example, publishes its registration number on its DSH page.

How three universities differ

If TUM or TU Berlin is on your list, a Goethe C1 will not meet the requirement. The certificate all three accept without conditions is a TestDaF 4×4 achieved in a single sitting, or a DSH-2.

Hamburg adds another rule: language certificates must not be older than three years on 1 June (winter semester) or 1 December (summer semester). TestDaF itself never expires, but a university may limit how old a certificate can be.

TestDaF: format, levels and fees

TestDaF is a standardised exam for prospective students, developed and marked by the TestDaF Institute within g.a.s.t., a non-profit association set up by the HRK, DAAD, Goethe-Institut and several universities. There are more than 500 test centres in about 100 countries.

Four sections: reading, listening, writing and speaking. In the digital version everything happens on a computer: you type listening answers and essays and record spoken answers through a headset. You cannot go back to a finished task. According to the Bochum test centre, the exam takes just over three hours plus breaks.

Scoring. Each section receives its own level: TDN 3, TDN 4 or TDN 5 (B2–C1). There is no overall grade. The digital TestDaF also shows a score from 0 to 20 per section. Anything below TDN 3 is reported simply as "below TDN 3".

A weak section cannot usually be offset by a strong one. Some universities allow it anyway or admit applicants on a points model of 14–16 (the sum of the four TDNs). Hamburg accepts 15 points; Frankfurt admits candidates to its DSH with a TestDaF total of 14.

Fees depend on the country: the institute uses three price groups, and the exact amount is shown at the centre or during online registration. If you withdraw before registration closes you get a refund minus up to 15%; if you miss the test through illness, the fee is not refunded.

Combined certificate. Since May 2026 you can merge your best results from several digital TestDaF sittings taken within six months (sittings from November 2025 onwards count) for $33 (€29). Recognition is up to each university, and TU Berlin explicitly rejects it. A 4×4 in one sitting remains the safe option.

Result review. You can request a review within four weeks of the results: $46 (€40) for one section, $17 (€15) for each additional section, or $97 (€85) for all four. The fee is refunded if the result changes.

TestDaF dates and how to pick yours

Dates are set centrally, but a given centre does not run every date and may close registration earlier.

*Central g.a.s.t. deadline; DKU in Almaty, for example, closes registration for 12 November 2026 on 30 October.

For winter semester 2027/28, many universities and uni-assist accept applications until 15 July 2027. The last date whose results arrive in time is 8 June 2027. March or April is safer: if one section lands at TDN 3, you still have a second attempt before the deadline. For a summer semester with a 15 January deadline, the November and December 2026 dates fit.

DSH: an exam held only in Germany

The DSH (Deutsche Sprachprüfung für den Hochschulzugang) is set by each university or Studienkolleg. Formats vary, but the structure is the same: a written part (listening, reading with academic grammar tasks, text production) and an oral part, which you sit only if you pass the written part.

Levels depend on the share of tasks completed, in both the written and the oral part:

Who may sit it. This is the main trap. Many universities admit only their own future students: Freie Universität Berlin requires an admission letter and does not test external candidates. Marburg opens registration to external candidates, while Frankfurt requires a C1 certificate or its own preparatory course.

Fees. The University of Hamburg puts the national range at $0–$285 (€0–250). Examples for winter 2026/27:

Retakes. How often you may sit the DSH is set by each university's regulations, not by the framework. Read them before registering: if attempts are limited, a failed sitting narrows your options at that university.

Getting to a DSH from abroad. You need to be in Germany: on a language-course visa, a prospective-student visa or a student visa with conditional admission. For prospective-student status the missions expect at least $1,245 (€1,091) per month. See our German student visa guide.

Goethe, telc, ÖSD and DSD II: when they work

Goethe-Zertifikat. Only C2 (Großes Deutsches Sprachdiplom) is accepted everywhere. Some universities, like Hamburg, take C1; TUM and TU Berlin do not. The certificate is issued for one level, and topics are general rather than academic. Each institute or partner centre sets its own fee.

telc Deutsch C1 Hochschule. A C1 version designed for university study, listed in RO-DT as exempting from other tests. The general telc C1 or telc C1 Beruf does not have that status, although Hamburg accepts them.

ÖSD. The Austrian diploma; C2 is accepted everywhere in Germany, C1 at the university's discretion.

DSD II. The KMK school diploma, taken at schools in the DSD programme (more than 1,000 schools in 65 countries). It is free and held once a year on a central date. Levels B2 or C1 are shown per section, and the university decides what is enough.

FSP at a Studienkolleg. If you go through a Studienkolleg, the German section of the FSP counts as language proof on its own. See our Studienkolleg guide.

Where to sit the test

Worldwide. Every TestDaF centre issues the same certificate. Use the official centre search on the TestDaF website to see which centres near you run which dates.

Germany. Both TestDaF (Hamburg alone has seven centres) and the DSH are available. This suits applicants already attending a language school or Studienkolleg.

Kazakhstan. The German-Kazakh University (DKU) in Almaty is a licensed TestDaF and TestAS centre, with digital TestDaF dates on 12 November and 10 December 2026. TestAS costs $171 (€150) there.

Russia. On 7 September 2026 the Russian authorities ordered the Goethe-Instituts in Moscow, St Petersburg and Novosibirsk to cease operations from 13 September, so Goethe exams can no longer be taken at the institute. Applicants from Russia should check current TestDaF centres in the official search before every registration and consider sitting the test in a neighbouring country or in Germany.

A preparation timeline

Common mistakes

• Taking Goethe C1 "for university" without checking lists. TUM and TU Berlin will not accept it.
• Relying on the combined TestDaF certificate. It is new, and some universities reject it.
• Planning a DSH from abroad. The DSH is held only in Germany, often only for admitted students.
• Sitting TestDaF at the last minute. Digital results take three weeks, paper six. One weak section without a back-up date can cost you a semester.
• Confusing TestDaF with TestAS. TestAS measures study aptitude, not language, and does not replace a language certificate.
• Ignoring higher requirements. Some faculties, especially in medicine, award extra selection points for DSH-3 or TDN 5. See studying medicine in Germany.

FAQ

Next step

List your programmes and note for each which certificates it accepts, which level it needs and whether it limits certificate age. Then pick a TestDaF date that leaves room for a second attempt before the deadline. For the wider picture, see studying in Germany.

StudyU does not run language exams or influence their results: the exam institute or university grades your test, and the university decides on admission. Under a contract, we help you shortlist programmes, check their language requirements and fit your exams into the application calendar.

Sources

• HRK and KMK: RO-DT framework regulation, 2025 version, HRK: proof of German — checked 23.09.2026
• TestDaF: digital format, scoring, general FAQ and fees, registration, withdrawal, results and combined certificate, dates and centre search — checked 23.09.2026
• Ruhr University Bochum: TestDaF centre, test duration — checked 23.09.2026
• DKU, Almaty: TestDaF and TestAS centre, 2026 dates and fees — checked 23.09.2026
• TUM: recognised language certificates — checked 23.09.2026
• University of Hamburg: proof of German — checked 23.09.2026
• TU Berlin: German language requirements — checked 23.09.2026
• DSH: Bonn, Frankfurt, FU Berlin, Hannover, Mannheim, Marburg — checked 23.09.2026
• KMK: German Language Diploma (DSD) — checked 23.09.2026
• Goethe-Institut: press release on ceasing operations in Russia from 13.09.2026 — checked 23.09.2026
• German missions: proof of funds, including prospective students — checked 23.09.2026
• Exchange rate: ECB, 23.09.2026, €1 = $1.1411

During the free initial consultation, we clarify your goal, profile, timing, and budget and identify the next realistic step.