Key takeaways
  • Goethe, telc and ÖSD certificates are widely accepted for work and visas.
  • TestDaF and DSH are mainly for university admission.
  • Choose by availability of dates near you and your deadline.
  • Healthcare professions need special medical language exams too.

"Which German exam should I take?" depends on what you need it for. Here is a simple guide.

The main exams

Goethe-ZertifikatA1 to C2; widely known worldwide
telc DeutschA1 to C2; common in Germany, also for job and medical German
ÖSDA1 to C2; Austrian, accepted in many places
TestDaFUniversity admission, B2 to C1 range
DSHUniversity admission, taken at universities

How to choose

  1. For visas and the Opportunity Card. A recognised certificate at the required level, such as Goethe, telc or ÖSD.
  2. For jobs. Any recognised certificate; employers care most about your real level.
  3. For university. TestDaF, DSH or what your programme lists.
  4. For doctors, nurses and other health professions. General B2 plus the specific medical language exam in your state.

Tips

  • Book early; exam dates fill up in India.
  • Practise with official model tests on the Goethe and telc sites.
  • Check whether you need all modules or can resit single ones.

Common questions

Does the certificate expire?

Certificates don't expire, but some offices want recent ones.

Is an online exam accepted?

Usually only exams taken at official centres are accepted for visas.

Is Goethe better than telc?

Both are widely accepted. Choose by dates and location.

Sources

Written by Swapnil (Samadhan Mule)

I moved to Germany for my master's, collected more than 1,000 rejections, and then got multiple job offers within six months. I work in digital marketing in Germany and help international professionals get hired in Europe. Read my story.