For foreigners learning German,
If you are already in a level of understanding and using quite basic German well, then we can say you are at least at B level. This might be okay for someone who does not want to learn German in academic way and has no problem on daily communication in workplace and living society.
But the problem is that B level would be not enough for people who want to be a student living here a while as foreigners.
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Most of German academic course and university require at least B2 level proven by official language certificate when they enroll. However, What is worse is that they continuously require more than C1 level of German when some semesters pass after enrolling. Therefore, the students mainly target to reach their German level to be at C1.
As you can see, if you are eager to study for Bachelor, Master and any higher degree in Germany, Importance of proving German skills can’t be emphasized any more.
That is why most of the students kind of have to choose any type of examination to get the proof.
For this reason, There are two representative official German language exams and I am going to introduce you “telc” and “Testdaf”.
Well, there is another exam called DSH (The Deutsche Sprachprüfung für den Hochschulzugang). This is a language proficiency test required for entry to a German university and to undertake all classes in the German language. It consists of a written and an oral examination, the written part being a precondition for the oral one. BUT, I do not recommend this one, in my perspective, route to enroll classes in universities and other process seem complicated for me.
1.telc
*You can click above logo to get connected to telc portal website.
The European Language Certificates, or telc language tests, are international standardised tests of ten languages. telc GmbH is a language test provider based in Frankfurt am Main. The non-profit company is a subsidiary of the German Adult Education Association (DVV).
telc Deutsch C1 tests general German language competence at a very advanced level. The exam is suitable for adults who use German socially, professionally or academically in their studies. At level C1 you can express yourself spontaneously and fluently. You are familiar with idiomatic phrases and can vary your style of language as appropriate. You can use the language with a high degree of grammatical accuracy.
There are three exams in telc C1, and those are C1 allgemeine (general), C1 Beruf (professional) and C1 Hochschule (academic). Most of studetns choose allegemeine or Hochschule type.
The examination consists of a written and an oral part. The written examination lasts 3 hours and 40 minutes (incl. a 20-minute break). Before the oral examination, you have 20 minutes of preparation time. The oral examination can take place on the day of the written examination or on another day
| Min | ||
|---|---|---|
| Written examination | Reading Comprehension | 90 |
| Break | 20 | |
| Listening Comprehension | 40 | |
| Writing | 70 | |
| Oral Examination | usually a group exam with to or three candidates | 16 or 24 |
You can get the most efficient and representative learning books for the test from clicking below image!
2.TestDaf
*You can click above logo to get connected to TestDaf portal website.
The central task is the creation of the test German as a foreign language – TestDaF.
The TestDaF is available worldwide and is recognized by all universities in Germany as a language test for the admission of foreign students. It measures language skills differentiated according to the skills of reading comprehension, listening comprehension, written expression and oral expression. The TestDaF levels TDN 3, 4 and 5 correspond to levels B2 and C1 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (GER). The TestDaF is also part of the Goethe-Institut’s range of exams.
The examination consists of as below.
You can get the most efficient and representative learning books for the test from clicking below image!
3.Differences between telc and TestDaf
Now, I guess you would like to figure out which exam would fit you better.
Let me help you give some examples that you consider for. You will know what difference they have.
Q / If you are way good at reading part on a language test?
A / You can choose telc, because, from reviews of people who also took it, difficulty of telc on reading part is quite high. You would get competitiveness on the part.
Q / If you are weak on listening part ?
A / telc would be better for you, as it tends to be said, like listening part of telc is much easier than TestDaf, as people who already took both usually say that talking speed of telc listening is slower and its related text seems much easier to understand.
Q / If you think you are more like rational than emotional ?
Q / If you type of person who rather go for newspaper/comment behind novels?
A / In this case, you better choose TestDaf. Followed by Students studying German and experiencing grading more than 2 times on the tests, TestDaf usually tend to grade writings as simple and clear as possible, whereas telc prefer many meaningful and suitable words on each sentence.
Q / If you feel uncomfortable to talk to machine like computers ?
Q / If you are not so fan of self talking with no one ?
A / You should choose telc, as speaking test of it will take for discussions to solve any related questionnaires with human opponents on test site. But on the other hand, if you could become more confident when you talk alone on a test than talking to someone, TestDaf would be the best choice, because it is taken by software program in computer.
*Summary of difference !
1.telc : Be in details, use as much studied skills as you can.
2.TestDaf : Be clear so there would be no misunderstanding on your expression at all.
Until we pass a exam, Toi Toi Toi !
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