German Exams

The detail pages linked here are written in Turkish.

From academic requirements in Turkey to university and work in Germany — choose the exam that best fits your goal.

Which exam is right for you?

There are different exams for proving your German, each with a different purpose. The right choice depends on your goal (academia, university, work, migration) and on which institution asks for the certificate.

On this page you will find the three major exams we offer thorough preparation for. From each one you can open its detailed page.

TURKEY • ACADEMIC

YDS German

The Foreign Language Proficiency Exam (Yabancı Dil Bilgisi Seviye Tespit Sınavı), held in Turkey by ÖSYM. It is the required language certificate for academic careers, public-sector appointments, PhD programmes and associate professorship applications.

🔵 Who is it for? Academics, PhD candidates, civil servants, and anyone applying for a foreign-language allowance.
🔵 Scoring: Scored out of 100; the thresholds of 80, 90 and 95 apply to different grades.
🔵 Format: Multiple choice, with no listening or speaking section — mainly reading and grammar.

GERMANY • UNIVERSITY

TestDaF & DSH

Test Deutsch als Fremdsprache and Deutsche Sprachprüfung für den Hochschulzugang — the two standard language exams for international students applying to German universities.

🔵 Who is it for? Anyone who wants to do a bachelor's, master's or PhD in Germany.
🔵 Level required: TestDaF TDN 4 or higher, and DSH-2 or DSH-3, are the thresholds generally accepted.
🔵 Format: The four skills are scored separately; the content is mainly academic.

INTERNATIONAL • PROFESSIONAL AND ACADEMIC

telc Deutsch

Issued by the Frankfurt-based The European Language Certificates, this international German certificate is valid in Germany, Austria and Switzerland and recognised in Turkey by YÖK/ÖSYM. It is offered at every level from A1 to C2.

🔵 Who is it for? Permanent residence, citizenship, job applications, recognition of professional qualifications (healthcare, engineering), applying to German universities (C1 Hochschule).
🔵 Specialised exams: Medizin (healthcare), Pflege (nursing and care), Beruf (the workplace), Hochschule (university).
🔵 Format: Four skills; B1 is modular (you can retake individual parts); taken digitally in Turkey.

Quick decision guide

🔵 In Turkey, for academic appointments, the public sector or a PhD → YDS German

🔵 In Germany, for a bachelor's, master's or PhD → TestDaF or DSH (depending on what the university accepts)

🔵 In Germany, for residence, citizenship, work or professional recognition → telc Deutsch (in the version for your field)

🔵 Applying to a German university and looking for a flexible alternative to TestDaF → telc C1 Hochschule

Note: the institution or employer you are applying to may require a specific exam. Check their admission criteria directly before you apply.