German Language Programs – Part I

May 08, 2025

Image credit: Gerrit Wilcke via Pexels.com

This two-part blog series discusses two very different types: language proficiency tests after completing a language training program and summer school language immersion programs taken through German higher education institutions.

Language programs are popular for students worldwide, and Germany is a popular choice. More than 100 million people worldwide speak German, with estimates ranging widely from 130 to nearly 290 million speakers. German, Austria, Switzerland, Brazil, and France make up the largest share of native German speakers worldwide. However, significant numbers of residents consider German a mother tongue or language spoken at home who live in the United States, Italy, Canada, Poland, Spain, Australia, and many other countries across every continent.

German is one of the most popular languages in the world, and an estimated 15 million people worldwide are currently learning German as a second or foreign language. German is also considered the second most popular foreign language, after French, in much of the Western World.

Many students worldwide enjoy combining travel with educational experiences and pursue summer school programs in culture and language worldwide. Others may decide to complete all their language studies in a singular immersive program to better their chances of retaining the information. Still others take the opportunity to intensively learn a new language for current or future employment, living, or travel options.

German language learning can be done through a variety of options, ranging from phone apps with cute cartoon characters to university degrees in the language. In the world of international credentials, we are especially interested in standardized qualifications or academic credentials. At Transcript Research, we are most likely to receive credentials from language immersion programs or language departments at universities or training institutes.

One version of a language proficiency examination was the Kleines Deutsches Sprachdiplom/KDS (German Language Diploma) from the Goethe-Institut. This represents completion of German language proficiency at various levels and is not an academic qualification, though the examination is created in cooperation with the university.

The KDS was replaced by the Goethe-Zertifikat C2: Goethe-Zertifikat C2: Großes Deutsches Sprachdiplom/GDS examination in 2012. This is also known as the Goethe Certificate C2: Large German Diploma or just Large German Diploma.

In particular, this qualification entitles foreign students to study at a German university or institution of higher education without taking a German language exam at the university. At many German universities, students who do not have a KDS or comparable advanced German language exam, such as the Deutsche Sprachprufung fur den Hochshulzugang/DSH (German language test for university entrance) level 2, can register for limited classes but cannot be admitted to a degree program.

This access is determined by the Standing Conference of the Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs of the Lander in the Federal Republic of Germany, or Kultusminister Konferenz/KMK. In particular, the Conference of Ministers identifies the proof of German language skills at a university-level for non-Germans according to European standards for language proficiency.

The Council of Europe created the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages: Learning, teaching, assessment (CEFR or CERFL) as a guideline to describe the achievements of European language learners, but it is also used elsewhere for the languages spoken in Europe. This allows employers and educational institutions to evaluate language qualifications via a standardized system of language proficiency examinations. The designates foreign language proficiency at six successive levels: A1 (breakthrough), A2 (waystage), B1 (threshold), B2 (vantage), C1 (advanced), and C2 (mastery). There are also three additional sub-levels: A2+, B1+, and B2+.

The A levels refer to basic language skill users and require 80-350 instructional hours, B is designated for independent users of the language with 350-800 instructional hours, and C refers to proficient or advanced users of the language who have completed 800-1000 hours. University admissions usually requires a C-level examination. In addition, the C-level qualifications allow degree holders to teach in Germany.

For some perspective, according to the Council of Ministers, German proficiency of fourth-grade German studies is at level A1 on the CEFR, B2 aligns with the end of lower secondary school, and B1 refers to the end of upper secondary. The Ministry offers its own German proficiency examination, the Deutsches Sprachdiplom der Kultusministerkonferenz/DSD (German Language Certificate of the Conference of Ministers of Education), which is offered at two levels.

DSD I is comparable to the the command of German language usage at A2/B1 level on the CEFR and grants access to Studienkolleg, or study colleges for international students who want to continue their secondary education with the goal of university admission. The DSD II serves as proof of German proficiency at the B2/C1 level. DSD II is used as the primary German language proficiency examination for admissions to higher education for foreign applicants. The German International Abitur (secondary school leaving certificate and higher education entrance qualification) actually includes CEFR levels on its secondary school records.

The KDS is a German language proficiency test accredited by the Goethe-Institut for non-native speakers of German who wish to have their level of proficiency certified for professional or academic purposes. It is somewhat like a German version of the TOEFL. The Goethe-Institute offers language training programs throughout Germany, partnership institutes in other countries, and distance learning courses, but students can also take any of their language proficiency examinations after independent study. Entry into this program only requires being 18 years old and proving they have an overview of German culture and regional studies; there are no academic requirements.

At the time of the applicant's enrollment, the Goethe-Institute offered five exams at the C1/C2 advanced levels, including the Kleines Deutsches Sprachdiplom at the C2, or mastery, level. The C2 level indicates that students can understand nearly everything they hear and read easily, can summarize information from varied written and spoken sources, and can express themselves fluently and precisely with complex meanings.

The KDS is comprised of both written and oral examinations. The oral exam lasts approximately 20 minutes and requires the student to read a prepared text and present a short lecture chosen from three topics and hold a conversation. The written exam is much longer, lasting approximately 5 hours, and includes approximately 90 minutes of reading comprehension; 1 hour of grammar and vocabulary; 20-30 minutes of dictation; and approximately 2 hours of reading tasks based on two prescribed books.

In 2012, the Goethe-Zertifikat C2: Grosses Deutsches Sprachdiplom replaced the three previously existing C2 qualifications offered at the Goethe-Institute, including the Kleines Deutsches Sprachdiplom.

Kleines Deutsches Sprachdiplom is at Level C2 on the CEFR, the highest level attainable for a European language certificate, and it represents a high level of mastery of German grammar and an extensive vocabulary of words, usually reached after studying the language for approximately 1000 hours.

Return next week for more information about German language programs.

Resources:

Common European Framework of Reference for Languages: https://www.coe.int/en/web/common-european-framework-reference-languages/level-descriptions and https://www.coe.int/en/web/common-european-framework-reference-languages and https://www.coe.int/en/web/common-european-framework-reference-languages/reference-level-descriptions-rlds-developed-so-far

Common European Framework of Reference for Languages: Learning, Teaching Assessment. Council of Europe, 2020. https://rm.coe.int/common-european-framework-of-reference-for-languages-learning-teaching/16809ea0d4

Deutsche Sprachprufung fur den Hochshulzugang/DSH: https://en.dsh-germany.com/index and https://en.dsh-germany.com/info/#dsh-generally/ and https://en.dsh-germany.com/info/#dsh-levels/ and https://en.dsh-germany.com/language-course/german#language-certificates/

The Exams of the Goethe-Institut. Goethe-Institut, 2025. https://www.goethe.de/pro/relaunch/prf/de/Pruefungsordnung.pdf

Geographical Distribution of German Speakers. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geographical_distribution_of_German_speakers

German Academic Exchange Service/DAAD: https://www2.daad.de/deutschland/studienangebote/sommerkurse/en/ and https://www2.daad.de/deutschland/studienangebote/sommerkurse/en/result/?q=&fos=&langExamLC=&langExamSC=&degree%5B%5D=5&lang%5B%5D=&modStd%5B%5D=&dat%5B%5D=&cit%5B%5D=&tyi%5B%5D=&ins%5B%5D=&sort=4&dur=&subjects%5B%5D=&limit=10&offset=&display=list&scholarshipLC=&scholarshipSC= and https://www2.daad.de/deutschland/studienangebote/sommerkurse/en/result/?q=&fos=&langExamLC=&langExamSC=&degree%5B%5D=6&lang%5B%5D=&modStd%5B%5D=&dat%5B%5D=&cit%5B%5D=&tyi%5B%5D=&ins%5B%5D=&sort=4&dur=&subjects%5B%5D=&limit=10&offset=&display=list&scholarshipLC=&scholarshipSC= and https://www2.daad.de/deutschland/studienangebote/international-programmes/en/

German as a Foreign Language World, 2020. Goethe-Institut. https://www.goethe.de/de/uun/pub/dlz.html and https://www.goethe.de/resources/files/pdf328/bro_deutsch-als-fremdsprache-weltweit-v2.pdf

German Language Exams. Europa Pages. https://www.europa-pages.com/german/exam.html#KDS

Goethe-Institut: https://www.goethe.de/en/spr/prf.html and https://www.goethe.de/ins/de/en/kur.html and http://web.archive.org/web/20041209070126/http://www.goethe.de/dll/prf/bes/enindex.htm and http://web.archive.org/web/20041205071248/http://www.goethe.de/dll/prf/pba/kds/deindex.htm and http://web.archive.org/web/20041209025953/http://www.goethe.de/dll/prf/pba/kds/bst/deindex.htm and http://web.archive.org/web/20041205124131/http://www.goethe.de/dll/prf/pba/kds/vor/deindex.htm

The European Language Certificate: https://www.telc.net/en/language-examinations/ and https://www.telc.net/en/language-examinations/certificate-exams/ and https://www.telc.net/en/language-examinations/why-telc-certificates/ and https://www.telc.net/en/language-examinations/why-telc-certificates/the-cefr-for-languages/

Lingoda Online Language School: https://www.lingoda.com/blog/en/german-language-levels/#:~:text=The%20CEFR%20divides%20German%20language,and%20C2%20describe%20proficient%20users and https://www.lingoda.com/blog/en/how-many-people-speak-german/#How-many-German-speakers-are-there-in-the-world?