German Language Proficiency tests in India
The German language is the most essential component for your successful admission to German Universities or successful employment in Germany. It is one of the major criteria that people have to fulfill when they want to study or work in Germany. So learning German language is very much essential for everybody, but learning itself is not sufficient ultimately you have to prove it through some valid certification in order to prove that you are proficient in German language. So there are various German language exams in India and abroad. Now let us understand what exactly is the German Language proficiency test.
What is German Language proficiency test?
German Language proficiency test is an Internationally recognized test that evaluates the German proficiency of an individual who is not a native speaker of German. There are no specific criteria to take these tests and they are open to all who want to check their proficiency level in the German Language or who want to get certified in it.
What is the purpose of taking German language proficiency test in INDIA?
Is it mandatory to take German proficiency exam soon after learning German language?
In general, people take German language proficiency exams in India for a variety of reasons, such as admission to German universities, employment, or meeting certain German visa requirements. However, it is not always necessary for everyone to take the test unless it is mandated. For example, some people may learn German simply to be involved in something or as a hobby, and some universities or employers in Germany may not require any German language certification, so people may choose to learn simply to survive in Germany or to be able to manage basic conversations with peers, friends, and work clients, etc. So one thing is clear having a German language certification is not mandatory or not always necessary, it is up to the individual’s interest and purpose.
Why it is important to take up German proficiency tests in India or what are the benefits of taking up German language proficiency tests in India?
Just saying I know German will definitely have less impact than being certified, when you learn something and get certified in the same will make you feel it is worth it and you feel confident about it. So there need not be a strong reason always to take up the German Language proficiency test.
Benefits of taking up German Language proficiency tests are:
- You can prove at any point in time how good is your German language proficiency
- You don’t need to demonstrate every time to prove that you know German well
- It will add more weightage to your Resume or CV
- Your admission chances will increase though it is not part of the admission criteria in Universities of your choice in Germany.
- Employers give more preference to candidates with a German Language certification
- You can build your career as a German Language tutor, Translator, Freelancer or Language specialist.
Most popular German Language exams in India
What are the German Language proficiency exams available in India and Abroad?
These are some most popular German language proficiency exams available in India and abroad;
- Zertifikat Deutsch
- TestDaF
- DSH
- TELC
- ӦSD
- ӦIF
These are the German language exams that are commonly accepted worldwide, each exam has its own exam format and fee structure and is conducted by different Institutes or Examination centers. After successfully passing these exams respective institutes will provide you with the official certificate which can be used for various purposes.
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Zertifikat Deutsch
“Zertifikat Deutsch” is an ideal German language proficiency exam to test your German language proficiency in India, as it is recognized by the Federal Government of Germany and commonly accepted by all the German universities as a German Language proficiency proof.
It is conducted for each level of the German Language from A1 to C2 as per the CEFR standards.
This exam is conducted by Goethe-Institut or Max Mueller Bhavan across 6 centers in major cities such as Bangalore, Chennai, Kolkata, Mumbai, New Delhi and Pune. Also in partnership with Goethe-Zentrum, they also conduct exams in Ahmedabad, Coimbatore.
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TestDaF Exam
“TesTDaF” exam is accepted by most of the German universities for your Bachelor’s or Master’s degree admission. This certificate is valid lifetime and there is no expiry for it and you can take this German language exam as many times you want without any limit.
Basically, this exam tests your Listening, reading, Comprehension, Written production and Oral production skills. It is necessary to clear each skill with minimum passing credentials. And fee for this exam is 85 Euros in Indian Rupees it will be Approx.8,500/-. Results are announced after 6 weeks from the date of your exam.
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DSH Exam
This exam is conducted by German universities and the pattern is almost similar to TestDaF exam. DSH exam is accepted by all the German Universities for Bachelor’s or Master’s Admissions and can only be taken at German Universities.
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TELC GmbH- The European Language certificates
TELC GmbH is conducted by the Federal Government of Germany in association with European Language certificates and it evaluates German skills of students.
The TELC exam evaluates the skills of individuals in 11 European languages with 80 different certificates provided.
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ӦSD – German Language certificate Austria
ÖsterreichischesSprachdiplom Deutsch known as the Austrian German language diploma is a German language proficiency exam recognized by the Austrian Federal Government and is accepted by Universities and some universities in Switzerland and Germany as proof of German Language proficiency.
This exam is conducted across 200 test centers in Austria and 200 centers in other countries and 2 test centers located in Chandigarh and Bengaluru in India.
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ÖIF – Austrian Integration Fund
This is also a similar kind of German language exam like ӦSD which evaluates the German language skills of people across Austria and is also used to evaluate the German Language proficiency level of immigrants. This was introduced in 1960. An exciting thing is that the Austrian Integration Fund(OIF) will refund 50% of the course fee of students who have successfully passed the exam.
Which German exam should I take? Which German proficiency exam is best?
After learning that there are numerous German exams available, you may be perplexed as to which to take, which German language exam is good, which German language exam is widely accepted, or which is less expensive. So you must select the German language exam that best meets your needs because some German universities accept only certain exams and some employers and German embassies may prefer a specific German language proficiency exam, so it is your responsibility to check with your university or employer for the German language exam that they accept and that you must take. In case neither your purpose is studies nor a job then you can choose some popular German language proficiency exam in your country.
German A1 Exam:
What is German A1 exam?
German A1 level exam measures the German Language skill of an individual corresponding to A1 Level as per the CEFR standards. People who pass German A1 exam are considered to be able to manage a basic conversation in German.
Where can I take German A1 exam in India? Who conducts German A1 exam in India?
In India, Goethe Zertifikat is the most commonly chosen German language exam as it is recognized by the Federal Government of Germany and accepted by all German universities. So you can choose Goethe Institute to take up your German A1 exam in India, but still, there are many exams like TestDaF, DSH, TELC, etc. You have the complete freedom to choose the one which suits best for your situation.
How German A1 exam is conducted? How is the Goethe German A1 Exam Pattern?
Goethe German A1 Exam Pattern:
Goethe German A1 exam comprises 4 modules or sections Reading, Writing, Listening and Speaking. Usually speaking exam is conducted in groups.
In each section, students are given or asked to do a set of tasks or exercises based on which their skills will be evaluated.
Skills will be measured out of 60 points (15 points for each module) in which the candidate has to score minimum 36 points i.e. a minimum of 60% to pass the exam.
Goethe German A1 Exam Pattern:
| Reading
You will be given some texts such as notes, Advertisements, Signposts and posters to read, you have to read them and complete exercises on those texts. Duration:25 minutes |
Writing
You will be asked to fill out simple forms and write a simple text about yourself on an everyday topic. Duration: 20 minutes |
| Listening
You will be asked to listen to the audios of everyday conversations, telephone messages, public announcements, etc., and complete exercises on what you heard. Duration: Approx.20 minutes
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Speaking
You will be asked to introduce yourself to the group before starting with question and answer session on everyday matters and ask someone in the group for something Duration: 15 minutes |
German A1 exam criteria:
What are the eligibility criteria for German A1 exam?
- Goethe-Zertifikat A1 is meant for adults who are above16 years of age, and below 16 years can take up Goethe-Zertifikat Fit in Deutsch.
- To take up the Goethe German A1 exam candidate should have German language skills corresponding to at least A1 level of CEFR standard.
- To successfully pass the Goethe German A1 exam candidate must have completed at least minimum 80 hours of training with a standard syllabus followed.
You may still have some questions, we have answered them below in FAQs;
FAQs
What is the passing mark for German A1 exam?
A student has to score a minimum of 60% to pass the Goethe German A1 exam.
What is the validity of Goethe German A1 certificate?
This certificate comes with lifetime validity.
How much does the German A1 exam cost in India?
Goethe Zertifikat exam costs 7,600/- (Subject to change)
Is it easy to pass the Goethe German A1 Exam?
It depends on the individual’s proficiency level, but Goethe German A1 exam format is very simple without too much complexity. If you have done the German A1 course from a recognized training institute like the Indian Institute of Foreign Languages who follow the standard syllabus and training methodology as per the CEFR standards, definitely you can crack the German A1 exam very easily.
Are there any tricks to pass the Goethe German A1 exam?
Take the German A1 course from an Institute which follows the standard syllabus and course materials and practice your German on daily basis and solve as many Model test papers as you can which are available on Goethe’s website, these will prepare you enough for the German A1 exam.
