German test dates for 2011
For more and more students, the type of certificate they receive at the end of their language course plays a crucial role in deciding which schools and language courses are of interest to them. Official exams for applying to universities or proving language ability when applying for a job are now part and parcel of life.
International House Berlin PROLOG is a test centre for the telc certificates and TestDaF, as well as a preparation centre for the Goethe Institute’s exams.
Some of the most important exams for German language learners are as follows:
Start Deutsch 1 is the first exam that a German learner can take, after approximately 150 hours of learning. This is often the certificate German embassies in many countries will ask for before they will approve an application for a residency visa. So, if a German citizen with family living abroad wants to bring these family members to Germany, the family members will have to take this exam to prove that they have learned German and successfully completed the A1 level. In other words, they have to pass the Start Deutsch 1 examination.
The Zertifikat Deutsch can be taken by successful learners after approximately 450 hours of studying German. This exam, at B1 level, is always a highly regarded entry on any CV as it marks the start of the intermediate levels. The examination is offered jointly by the Goethe Institute and telc. This exam is also officially recognised as certifying that migrants to Germany have successfully integrated themselves linguistically.
telc Deutsch B2 and Goethe Zertifikat B2 are two separate examinations at the same level of the Common European Framework, exams that are often specified as requirements by employers in Germany. In Germany, telc and Goethe are equally well-known. In other countries it may be that the Goethe Institute has a higher profile and that their exams are more widely recognised. It is always a good idea to check in advance exactly which exam would be the right one to take.
The Goethe Zertifikat C1 is also known by a second name, the ZMP (Zentrale Mittelstufenprüfung). This is an internationally recognised exam that demonstrates a high level of language competence. Many German universities require this certificate for student applications to be considered.
The TestDaF is the private sector language exam to take in order to gain admittance to a German university. Candidates have to reach TestDaF level 4 in all four language skills (speaking, listening, reading and writing). Level 4 is equivalent to the C1 level as specified in the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages.
An overview of all the German language exams on offer at IH Berlin PROLOG can be found •here.
2011 dates for all of the exams offered at IH Berlin PROLOG and by the Goethe Institute are • here.