The short answer
For a visa, residence or citizenship, Goethe, telc and ÖSD are the usual choices, and the integration course ends with its own test, the DTZ. For a degree taught in German, TestDaF and the DSH are built for exactly that, alongside Goethe C2, ÖSD C2 and telc Deutsch C1 Hochschule. For work, telc has exams for specific jobs, such as nursing and medicine. Whatever you choose, check the list of the office that will receive your certificate first.
Five exams, three kinds of goal
Most people do not take a German exam for its own sake. They need it for something: a visa, a residence permit, a German passport, a university place or a job. That is why the first question is never “which exam is best?” but “which exam does the office I am applying to accept?” Very often the answer is already written on its website.
The five exams in this article fall into two families. Goethe, telc and ÖSD are general exams: one exam for each level of the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR), from A1 to C2, used for visas, residence, citizenship and work, and in their highest versions for university as well. TestDaF and the DSH are academic tests: they exist only to show that your German is good enough to study at a German university, and they test the German of lectures, seminars and academic texts.
This article compares the five. If you want to know how the Goethe exams work level by level, with their modules, timings and pass mark, our guide to the Goethe certificate covers that in depth.
Who runs each exam
Goethe-Zertifikat
The Goethe-Institut is Germany's cultural institute abroad, and its exams are held at Goethe-Instituts and partner exam centers around the world. There is one exam per level from A1 to C2, starting with Start Deutsch 1 and ending with the Großes Deutsches Sprachdiplom at C2. Each exam certifies one level: you choose the level, and you either pass it or not.
telc Deutsch
telc gGmbH is a nonprofit exam provider based in Germany, and its German exams are held at licensed exam centers in many countries. telc has the widest range of the three general providers. Besides general exams from A1 to C2, it offers versions for school students, exams for work such as telc Deutsch B1·B2 Beruf, exams for nurses and doctors, and telc Deutsch C1 Hochschule for university admission.
Some telc exams cover two levels in one sitting, such as A2·B1, B1·B2 and B2·C1. The tasks are set at both levels, and depending on your result you receive a certificate at the lower or the higher one. That makes them a good fit when you are not sure whether you will reach the higher level on the day.
ÖSD
The Österreichisches Sprachdiplom Deutsch (ÖSD) is the Austrian provider, a nonprofit organization with offices in Vienna and Klagenfurt. It offers exams from A1 to C2 for adults and young people, and some special exams: the ÖSD Zertifikat Deutsch Österreich B1 for immigrants to Austria aged 16 or over, a B2 exam for nursing and medical professions and a C2 exam in business German. The ÖSD Zertifikat B1 was developed jointly by the ÖSD, the University of Fribourg in Switzerland and the Goethe-Institut, and it can be taken at Goethe and ÖSD centers.
TestDaF
TestDaF stands for Test Deutsch als Fremdsprache, German as a foreign language. It is run by the TestDaF-Institut, part of a society called g.a.s.t., whose founding members include the German Rectors' Conference, the DAAD and the Goethe-Institut. The test is written and marked centrally by the TestDaF-Institut and taken at licensed test centers in Germany and abroad, on paper or digitally. TestDaF says that all German universities recognize its certificate.
DSH
The DSH, Deutsche Sprachprüfung für den Hochschulzugang, is not run by one organization. Each university writes its own exam, following a national framework agreed by the German Rectors' Conference and the Standing Conference of Education Ministers (KMK). It is offered by universities and state-recognized Studienkollegs, the preparatory colleges for international students, which means it is usually taken in Germany, at or near the university where you want to study.
And the DTZ?
The Deutsch-Test für Zuwanderer (DTZ) is the language exam at the end of the integration course in Germany. It was developed by the Goethe-Institut and telc, and since 1 January 2023 it has been administered by g.a.s.t. on behalf of the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF). You take it as part of the course, not as a free-standing choice.
The five side by side
| Exam | Run by | Levels | Whole or in parts | Typical use |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Goethe-Zertifikat | Goethe-Institut and partner centers | One exam per level, A1 to C2 | A1 and A2 whole; B1 to C2 in four modules | Visas, residence, citizenship, work; C2 for university |
| telc Deutsch | telc gGmbH and licensed centers | A1 to C2, plus two-level exams and job exams | Taken whole; from B1 a failed written or oral part can be retaken | Visas, residence, citizenship, work; C1 Hochschule for university |
| ÖSD | Österreichisches Sprachdiplom Deutsch | A1 to C2 | B1 and C2 in four modules; other levels written and oral modules | Austria and Germany: visas, residence, work; C2 for university |
| TestDaF | TestDaF-Institut (g.a.s.t.) | One test, results TDN 3 to 5 (B2 to C1) | Always all four parts in one sitting | University admission |
| DSH | Each university, under a national framework | Results DSH-1, DSH-2 or DSH-3 | Written and oral exam | University admission |
Recognition is decided by the office or university that receives the certificate. Check its current list before you book.
One exam per level, or one test for a range
Goethe, telc and ÖSD work like a ladder: you pick the rung. A B1 exam tests B1, and passing it gives you a B1 certificate. If your goal asks for B1 and you are solid at B1, that is simple and clear. The risk is booking a level above where you are and failing, so a placement or level test before you book is time well spent.
TestDaF works the other way. Everyone takes the same test, and each of its four parts, reading, listening, writing and speaking, gets its own result: TDN 3, TDN 4 or TDN 5. TestDaF places these levels at B2 and C1 of the CEFR. Below TDN 3 the certificate simply says “unter TDN 3”, below TDN 3. On the digital version you also get a score from 0 to 20 for each part and a total from 0 to 80.
The DSH gives an overall result based on the written and the oral exam. You reach DSH-1 with at least 57% of the requirements in both the written and the oral exam, DSH-2 with at least 67% in both, and DSH-3 with at least 82% in both. The certificate also shows your result in each part.
Modular or whole exam
This is one of the most practical differences, because it decides what happens when one skill lets you down. At the Goethe-Institut, the exams from B1 to C2 are modular: reading, listening, writing and speaking can be taken alone or in any combination, and each module you pass gets its own certificate. A1 and A2 are single exams with one result.
ÖSD is modular too. The B1 and C2 exams have four modules, while its other exams have two modules, a written one and an oral one, and each can be taken and certified on its own. To receive a full certificate, you pass all the modules on one date, or within one year at the same exam center; otherwise you get a certificate for each module.
telc exams are meant to be taken whole. If you fail, though, the exams at B1, B2, C1 and C2 let you retake only the written or only the oral part within twelve months and keep the part you passed. You cannot retake a single subtest, and this does not apply to A1, A2 or the two-level exams such as B1·B2.
TestDaF can only be taken with all four parts on one date, and you can retake it as often as you like. The DSH is a written exam followed by an oral exam, and each university's own regulations say when and how often you can repeat it.
Modules and visas
Modules save you from retaking skills you have already passed, but watch the dates. For a visa, the Federal Foreign Office says that if modules were retaken, the date of the oldest passed module counts when it checks how recent your certificate is.
What the exams look like
All five test the same four skills, reading, listening, writing and speaking, but the setting is very different. Goethe, telc and ÖSD use everyday, work and public-life topics, rising in difficulty with the level. TestDaF and the DSH use the German of higher education: lectures, academic articles, graphs and arguments.
TestDaF
TestDaF has four parts of equal weight, taken on one day. The pure exam time is 3 hours and 15 minutes, on paper and digitally, with a break after each part. No dictionaries or other aids are allowed. Results of the digital test are available after about three weeks, and those of the paper test about six weeks after the exam date.
DSH
The written DSH has three parts: understanding a lecture-style listening text, which you hear twice; understanding a reading text together with academic language structures; and writing a text from a given task. The written exam lasts no more than four hours, and you may use a monolingual paper dictionary. The oral exam lasts up to 20 minutes, with 20 minutes to prepare a short talk.
telc exams for work
telc Deutsch B1·B2 Beruf tests the German of the workplace at two levels at once. It has a written part with listening, reading, language elements and writing, and an oral part of about 16 minutes, usually with two candidates, after 20 minutes of preparation. telc Deutsch B2·C1 Medizin is the exam for doctors: in writing, you complete a doctor's letter and write an email to a colleague, and in speaking you take part in a doctor-patient interview, a conversation with another doctor and a talk with relatives. Neither exam can be taken in parts.
Choose the exam your target accepts, not the one with the best reputation.
Not sure which level you are?
The level test places you from A1 to C1 in a few minutes, and shows the class that fits you.
Where each certificate is accepted
Visas
For a German visa, the Federal Foreign Office accepts only certificates from standardized exams that meet the standards of the Association of Language Testers in Europe (ALTE). It names the Goethe-Institut, telc, ÖSD, TestDaF (only from B2 up), ECL and the Deutsches Sprachdiplom of the KMK. Certificates from other language schools do not count, even from schools approved to run integration courses. As a rule, the exam should not be more than one year old.
Spouses joining a partner in Germany usually need A1, shown before they enter the country. German missions name Start Deutsch 1 from the Goethe-Institut or telc and the ÖSD Zertifikat A1 as accepted proof. There are exceptions, so read the page of the mission that handles your visa.
The integration course and residence
If you live in Germany and take an integration course, it ends with the Deutsch-Test für Zuwanderer (DTZ). It has a written part of 100 minutes, with listening, reading and a short letter, and an oral part of about 15 minutes with another candidate. The result is A2 or B1: you need speaking plus at least one of the other two parts at a level to reach it overall. Below A2 you get a notice of your result, not a certificate.
With B1 in the DTZ and a pass in the Leben in Deutschland test, a 33-question test on life and society in Germany, you receive the Zertifikat Integrationskurs. According to the BAMF, it certifies sufficient German, the B1 level that German law asks for in several residence and citizenship decisions.
Citizenship
To become a German citizen, you need sufficient German, and the Nationality Act says this is met when you fulfill the requirements of a B1 language exam. A B1 certificate from Goethe, telc or ÖSD, or the DTZ at B1, is the usual way to show it. If you passed a modular exam in separate sittings, ask your naturalization office whether it accepts module certificates or wants all four skills on one certificate.
University
For a degree taught in German, the framework agreed by the German Rectors' Conference and the KMK lists the proofs. A DSH passed with at least DSH-2, or a TestDaF with at least TDN 4 in all four parts, counts as proof for admission to all degree programs. TDN 5 is above the level needed for admission. Universities may set a lower bar, such as DSH-1, or a higher one, such as DSH-3, for particular programs, but an admission based on a lower bar does not carry over to another program or university.
The framework also exempts holders of some general certificates from the DSH and TestDaF: the Goethe-Zertifikat C2: Großes Deutsches Sprachdiplom, the ÖSD Zertifikat C2 and telc Deutsch C1 Hochschule. The DSD II, the German diploma taken at schools abroad, and the German part of the Feststellungsprüfung at a Studienkolleg count as well. Each university then publishes its own list, often course by course, so read the admission page of your program.
Work and professional recognition
For most jobs, the employer decides what level it wants, and any general certificate that names the level will do. For regulated professions, the authority that grants recognition sets the rules. telc builds exams for these situations: telc Deutsch B1·B2 Beruf for the workplace in general, telc Deutsch B1·B2 Pflege for nursing professionals and telc Deutsch B2·C1 Medizin, which telc describes as the exam for doctors trained abroad who need to prove their German for recognition and the license to practice. ÖSD has its B2 exam for nursing and medical professions.
Each German state has its own recognition office, and they do not all accept the same certificates. Check the list of the office in the state where you will work before you book, especially for health professions.
Austria
ÖSD says its certificates are accepted as proof of German by all Austrian universities and many German ones, at the level each university and program asks for. For immigrants to Austria, the ÖSD Zertifikat Deutsch Österreich B1 is built for people aged 16 and over. If you are moving to Austria, check with the Austrian authority which certificates it accepts for your permit.
Do German certificates expire?
Most do not. The Goethe-Institut says its certificates have no time limit. telc prints no validity period on its certificates and says that the institution asking for one decides whether an older certificate is still good for its purpose. ÖSD certificates are in principle valid without a time limit, and TestDaF says its certificate is valid indefinitely.
The catch is the receiver. The Federal Foreign Office usually wants a visa certificate that is no more than a year old, ÖSD notes that some authorities ask for certificates no more than two years old, and TestDaF says some universities accept only a recent result. For the DSH, ask the university that will read it. So the practical rule is to take the exam close to the moment you need it.
What it costs
There is no single price. Goethe, telc and ÖSD fees are set by each exam center, so they vary from country to country and even from city to city. g.a.s.t. sets the TestDaF fee, and universities may charge for the DSH. The DSD II, which is taken at schools, is free. Look up the current fee at the center you plan to use, and compare it with the cost of a retake if you might need one.
Which one should you take?
If you need German for a visa to Germany, start with the level the visa asks for and take a Goethe, telc or ÖSD exam at that level, at whichever center has a date that fits. Take it close to your application, because the certificate should usually be no more than a year old.
If you already live in Germany and attend an integration course, the DTZ is the natural path, since it is part of the course. If you need B1 for citizenship and are not in a course, a B1 exam from Goethe, telc or ÖSD does the job, and the modular Goethe and ÖSD exams let you retake only the skill you missed.
If your goal is a degree taught in German, choose between TestDaF and the DSH. TestDaF is the better fit if you want your proof before you travel, because it is offered at test centers abroad and its result counts at every German university. The DSH suits you if you are already in Germany, for example in a preparatory course at the university where you want to study. If you already hold Goethe C2, ÖSD C2 or telc Deutsch C1 Hochschule, you may not need either.
If you need German for a regulated job, follow the list of the recognition office: for doctors and nurses, the specialist exams such as telc Deutsch B2·C1 Medizin or B1·B2 Pflege are made for this. For any other job, a general certificate at the level the employer names is enough, and a two-level exam such as telc Deutsch B1·B2 Beruf can be a smart choice if you are somewhere between B1 and B2.
Common mistakes
The most expensive mistake is booking an exam the receiver does not list. A Goethe or telc B2 certificate will not do for a university that asks for DSH-2 or TestDaF, and a certificate from a language school's own test will not do for a visa at all, even if the school runs integration courses.
The second is taking the exam too early. A certificate that never expires on paper can still be too old for a visa office that wants one from the last year. The third is assuming that every university treats a C1 certificate the same way. The framework names telc Deutsch C1 Hochschule, not every C1 exam, and for Goethe and ÖSD it names the C2 exams.
How to prepare
Whichever exam you choose, the work is the same: your German has to be at the level you want to prove, and then you learn the format so that nothing surprises you. Use the official sample papers from the provider, do at least one full mock exam under real timing and practice speaking out loud with another person, since most of these exams include a conversation or a talk.
If you are not sure of your level, find out before you pay an exam fee. At Alimun, the level test places you from A1 to C1 in a few minutes, and live classes with a teacher and the same small group, with homework your teacher corrects, help you build the four skills these exams test. Alimun is not affiliated with any of the exam providers in this article.
Test my knowledge
Quick quiz on this article. Pick an answer to see why.
Questions people ask
Is Goethe or telc better?
Neither is better in general. Both are accepted for German visas, residence and citizenship, and both offer exams from A1 to C2. Goethe exams from B1 up are modular; telc has more exams for specific jobs and two-level exams. Choose by what your target accepts, then by dates and the nearest center.
Should I take TestDaF or the DSH?
Both count for admission to German universities, with TDN 4 in all four parts or DSH-2. TestDaF is offered at test centers in Germany and abroad and is accepted by all German universities. The DSH is set by each university and usually taken in Germany. If you want your proof before you travel, TestDaF is usually the practical choice.
Which certificate do I need for German citizenship?
You need B1. A B1 certificate from Goethe, telc or ÖSD, or the DTZ at B1, are the usual proofs. Ask your naturalization office whether it accepts separate module certificates.
Is ÖSD accepted in Germany?
Yes. The Federal Foreign Office lists ÖSD among the providers it accepts for visas, and the university framework exempts holders of the ÖSD Zertifikat C2 from the DSH and TestDaF. ÖSD says many German universities accept its certificates.
Do I have to retake a certificate after two years?
The certificates themselves do not expire, but the receiver can ask for a recent one. Visa offices usually want an exam no more than one year old, and some authorities and universities set their own limits.
Sources: HRK and KMK framework for German exams for study (RO-DT), with DSH and TestDaF regulations, TestDaF FAQ: results and certificate, telc exam regulations (valid from 15 April 2025), ÖSD FAQ, BAMF: integration course final exam, Federal Foreign Office: accepted language certificates for visas.
