TestDaF — Deutsch als Fremdsprache is an international exam that evaluate German knowledge of non-native German speakers who want to enter prestigious German universities. As many other language exams, TestDaF consists of 4 equal parts that cover 4 key skills:
writing, reading, speaking and
listening. The exam is held 6 times a year in officially accredited test centers all around the world. The result of TestDaf is not marked as simply "pass" or "fail". Since the question papers are the same for candidates, and the test needs to separate the examinees into different levels, the results of the examinees are given in three different levels:
- TestDaF-Niveaustufe 3 (TDN 3)
- TestDaF-Niveaustufe 4 (TDN 4)
- TestDaF-Niveaustufe 5 (TDN 5)
If a candidate does not reach the lowest level and receives less than 3, it means that the exam is failed. The test consists of four parts, each of which is graded separately, and the sub-grades are also shown on the certificate. TestDaF exam lasts 3 hours and 10 minutes, not including breaks.
Resources and materials for TestDaF preparation
| Site | Description |
|---|
| TestDaf | Exam official site where sample tests with explanations are given. |
| Startdeutsch | The list of the most common and widely-used German words. |
| Vorbereitung material | A huge repository of materials for TestDaF preparation. |
| Fabouda | Official materials for TestDaF preparation. |
| Amazon | A selection of the best coursebooks. |