# Faust Academy ## Goethe vs TestDaF: which proof of German for university? URL: https://www.faustacademy.com/goethe-vs-testdaf Language: en Updated: 2026-09-25 A TestDaF with TDN 4 in all four parts counts as proof of German for every study programme at German universities. The Goethe-Zertifikat C2 exempts you from the language test. Goethe C1 or B2 counts where the university accepts it, so check with your university. The TestDaF is an exam for study in Germany. The TestDaF-Institut runs it, and it is offered jointly with the Goethe-Institut. The Goethe-Zertifikat exams test general German from A1 to C2. The rules for university entry come from the RO-DT, a framework that the HRK and the KMK adopted and last amended in November 2025. It names the TestDaF and the DSH as the main proofs and lists exams that exempt you, such as the Goethe-Zertifikat C2. Faust has 24 TestDaF practice papers in the paper format and 48 Goethe C1 practice papers. One scored online paper per part is free, and every PDF is free. ### Goethe and TestDaF side by side Goethe values are for the C1 exam. TestDaF values are for the paper based TestDaF. | Detail | Goethe-Zertifikat C1 | TestDaF | | --- | --- | --- | | Set by | Goethe-Institut | TestDaF-Institut, offered jointly with the Goethe-Institut | | Made for | General German, exams from A1 to C2 | German for study at a German university | | Result | Points per module, pass with 60 of 100 | A level for each part: TDN 5, TDN 4 or TDN 3. Lower results show as unter TDN 3 | | University rule (RO-DT) | Goethe C2 exempts you from the language test. C1 and B2 count where the university accepts them | TDN 4 in all four parts counts for every study programme | | Parts | Four modules, taken alone or together | Four parts in one exam, each rated on its own | | Lesen | 65 minutes, 4 parts, 30 items | Leseverstehen: 60 minutes, 3 texts, 30 items | | Hören | 4 parts, 30 items | Hörverstehen: 40 minutes, 3 texts, 25 items | | Schreiben | 75 minutes, 2 tasks | Schriftlicher Ausdruck: 60 minutes, 1 task with a chart and an argument | | Sprechen | Pair exam in 2 parts with examiners | Mündlicher Ausdruck: 35 minutes, 7 tasks, spoken at a computer with headphones | | Versions | At a test centre, on paper or on Goethe-Institut laptops | Digital or on paper | | Retake | As often as you want | As often as you want | | Faust practice papers | 48 for C1 | 24 | ### What TDN 3, TDN 4 and TDN 5 mean The TestDaF gives no single pass or fail. It shows a TestDaF level (TDN) for each of the four parts. TDN 4 in every part is the general standard for university entry. TDN 5 is the highest level. TDN 3 is the entry step that some universities accept for some programmes. The TestDaF-Institut places the three levels on the CEFR levels B2 and C1. In the paper TestDaF, the points you need for a level change a little from test to test. For TDN 4 in Leseverstehen you need 20, 21 or 22 of 30 points, and in Hörverstehen 15, 16 or 17 of 25 points, depending on the test. A Goethe certificate works in a different way. You pass each module with 60 of 100 points, and each module is a separate certificate. For university, the level of the certificate matters: C2 exempts you, and for C1 or B2 you need a university that accepts it. ### Which exam fits which goal - You want to study at any German university: TDN 4 in all four TestDaF parts or a Goethe-Zertifikat C2 covers every programme under the RO-DT. - You already know your university: check its language rules. The Goethe-Institut keeps a list of universities that accept Goethe B2, C1 or C2 (status May 2026). - You also need German outside university: a Goethe certificate names a CEFR level from A1 to C2, and German residence law also sets its language rules by CEFR level. - You want to split the exam: Goethe modules can be taken one at a time. The TestDaF is one exam with four parts. ### How to prepare The TestDaF uses topics from university life: seminar talk, lectures, study texts and charts. Train reading of academic texts and describing a chart in writing. In the paper TestDaF, Sprechen runs at a computer, so practise speaking to a recording with a timer. For Goethe C1, practise each module as its own paper. Lesen takes 65 minutes and Schreiben 75 minutes, with two writing tasks. ### Practise both exams - [TestDaF practice papers](https://www.faustacademy.com/testdaf-paper-modelltest) - [Goethe C1 practice papers](https://www.faustacademy.com/goethe-c1-modelltest) - [TestDaF practice online](https://www.faustacademy.com/testdaf-practice-online) ### Questions **Is TestDaF or Goethe C1 better for university?** Under the RO-DT, TDN 4 in all four TestDaF parts counts for every study programme. Goethe C1 counts where the university accepts it. Goethe C2 exempts you from the language test at every German university. **What TestDaF score do I need?** TDN 4 in all four parts is the general standard for admission. Some universities set lower or higher levels for some programmes, so check the rules of yours. **How many points are TDN 4 in the TestDaF?** It depends on the test. In the paper TestDaF, TDN 4 in Leseverstehen needs 20, 21 or 22 of 30 points, and in Hörverstehen 15, 16 or 17 of 25 points. The TestDaF-Institut sets the line for each test. **Which CEFR level is the TestDaF?** The TestDaF-Institut places TDN 3, TDN 4 and TDN 5 on the CEFR levels B2 and C1. The certificate shows the TDN, not a CEFR level. **Can I retake the TestDaF?** Yes. The TestDaF exam rules allow as many retakes as you want. Goethe exams can also be retaken as often as you want. **Does Faust have TestDaF practice papers?** Yes. Faust has 24 TestDaF papers in the paper format, for Lesen, Hören, Schreiben and Sprechen. Faust gives no official TDN result. Faust is independent practice and not a product of the TestDaF-Institut or the Goethe-Institut. ### Sources - [HRK and KMK: RO-DT, framework rules for German exams for university study, version of 27 November 2025](https://www.testdaf.de/fileadmin/testdaf/downloads/Dokumente/2004_06_25-RO_DT.pdf) - [TestDaF-Institut: German for study, TestDaF levels](https://www.testdaf.de/de/hochschulen/der-testdaf-und-hochschulen/nachweis-der-deutschkenntnisse-fuer-das-studium/) - [TestDaF-Institut: structure of the paper based TestDaF](https://www.testdaf.de/de/teilnehmende/der-papierbasierte-testdaf/aufbau-des-papierbasierten-testdaf/) - [TestDaF-Institut: scoring of the paper based TestDaF](https://www.testdaf.de/de/teilnehmende/der-papierbasierte-testdaf/auswertung-des-papierbasierten-testdaf/) - [Goethe-Institut: Anerkennung der Goethe-Zertifikate zum Studium, Stand Mai 2026](https://www.goethe.de/pro/relaunch/prf/de/anerkennung-goethe-zertifikat_B2-C2.pdf) - [Goethe-Institut: Durchführungsbestimmungen C1, Stand 1. September 2025](https://www.goethe.de/pro/relaunch/prf/de/Durchfuehrungsbestimmungen_C1.pdf) - [Goethe-Institut: Deutschprüfungen A1 bis C2](https://www.goethe.de/de/spr/prf.html) - [Goethe-Institut: Prüfungsordnung, Stand 1. September 2025](https://www.goethe.de/pro/relaunch/prf/de/Pruefungsordnung.pdf)