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Language Requirements for International Students to Study in Germany

Sushant Gulia
Sushant Gulia
Updated Oct 3, 2024

Education in Germany is financed by the state government, which the taxpayers obtain. Therefore, public universities in the country provide top-quality programs to students without paying any tuition fees. The students must pay an admission fee at the start of the year. Although there is a major catch, taking into consideration the citizens of the country, most of the courses and programs offered in German universities are taught in Germany. This is done to make education available to a large number of people in the county.  Therefore, as the country enjoys a 100 per cent literary rate, international students are required to have proficiency in the German language in case they are looking to study in the public universities of Germany that offer a variety of courses with German as a mode of instruction Therefore in this blog, we will focus on the German language requirements for studying in Germany for the international students. The article will help in answering the following question.

  • What is the level of German language required to study in Germany?
  • Are you required to speak in German to study in Germany?

Is the German language mandatory to study in Germany?

The students willing to study in Germany, in a course that is instructed in Germany will have to show their proficiency in the German language. Candidates enrolling in international programs in different universities in Germany that have a mode of instruction in English, in this case, the candidates have to show their proficiency in English. Therefore, I prefer to answer the question of whether German is compulsory, then the answer is Yes. Therefore the students who are admitted to German universities where the mode of instruction is partially German, the candidates are required to know the German language. The major reason behind this requirement is to remove the language barriers in educational institutions.

Recognized German Language exams for international Students

Students taking admission in courses that are not longer than one or two semesters, are not required to have proficiency proof in the German language unless demanded by the university. Therefore, it becomes important for the candidates to check the requirement of German language for each program in the university before going ahead with the application process in the university. 

International students willing to showcase their proficiency in the German language are required to pass any of the following exams. 

  • TestDaF language exam
  • Deutsche Sprachprüfung für den Hochschulzugang DSH
  • Telc Deutsch C1 Hochschule exam
  • Deutsches Sprachdiplom II
  • Goethe C2 certificate

Among all the different German language exams mentioned above, The TestDaF and the Deutsche Sprachprüfung für den Hochschulzugang DSH are some of the most popular exams for international students. 

TestDaF Language exam

The TEstDaF is one of the most popular German Language exams for international students and is an important aspect for students looking to study different courses in German universities where the medium of instruction is German. The certificate of TestDaF will prove that the students are ready to start their studies in German universities. The language certificate provided by TestDaF is valid for a lifetime. The official website for TestDaF is https://www.testdaf.de/de/

Deutsche Sprachprüfung für den Hochschulzugang DSH

DSH- University Level Language Proficiency Test, is conducted every year by different German universities individually and has a uniform pattern of testing the proficiency of the students in writing, reading, comprehension/listening and speaking skills in the German language. It has a marked difference in its structure regarding the weightage given for each part and the time taken for the completion of the exam. The official website for the DSH exam is http://dsh.de/

German language requirements to study in Germany

In this section, we will focus on the German language requirements for study in German universities. 

Entrance Exam For German University  

German language requirements to study in Germany: Candidates willing to study for the German language degree program are required to show their skills in German language required in higher education institutes by showing the certificate of German language.  Candidates can apply for TestDaF or the DSH. However, the students are not required to submit the  German language skills for the English study programs. 

German Language requirement for working in Germany: Candidates looking to work in Germany may also be required to submit the proficiency in German language. Also, the certificate in the German language helps in making the CV more professional and committed toward working in Germany and increases the chances of getting a job. 

German Language Requirements for Healthcare Professionals: Candidates traveling to Germany to work as a healthcare professional are required to know the German language and it is compulsory. They will be required to have an official language certificate showcasing their proficiency in the German language. As per the requirement shown by the German federal state, the candidates are required to have Level B1 or B2 of theCommon European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR)”.

Requirement of German language for spouses: Candidates joining their spouses who will also be working in Germany are also required to have a certain level of German language skills to handle their daily activities of life. Although this may only be required for third-world countries, knowing the beginner level of German is always helpful. German language skills of level 1 of CEFR are required. 

What level of German language is required for studying in Germany?

As we talk about the German language requirements, no matter whether the candidate appears for the TestDaF or the Deutsche Sprachprüfung für den Hochschulzugang (DSH), the proficiency of the candidates will be measured as per the “ Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR).” It defines the different levels of language proficiency:

Level AI and A2: The levels showcase the basic knowledge of the German language. In case you have no previous knowledge, having an AI level of proficiency is considered very important. 

Level B1 and B2: This is the advanced level of the German language. At this level, the candidates improve their language skills, and after completing level B2 the candidates can easily communicate and carry out their daily normal activities very easily. 

Level C1 and C2: This is considered as the highest standard of German Language. After the completion of this level, the candidates master the German language and have the ability to speak German as spoken by the natives of Germany. 

Conclusion

Therefore international students looking to study in German universities are advised to check the requirements for their selected universities. As you are planning to study or work in Germany it is advisable to get a perfect level of minimum B2 as power the “Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR)”. This helps the international students to work independently, increases their chances of a social environment and also get career prospects in case they are planning to stay in Germany. Also in case you want further help regarding university admission in Germany or any other country you can ask for help from our panel of experts