Courses and Exams

Registration for the German courses in the winter semester 2025/26 takes place from 13th October, 2025, 5 pm to 15th October, 2025, 9 am via Moodle. The enrolment key is: SPZ_WiSe2025

The German as a Foreign Language department uses the ‘onSET’ placement test. This takes place twice a year, at the beginning of each semester. You must take the placement test if 

• you have previous knowledge and
• are attending a German course at the University of Erfurt for the first time.

The next dates for the winter semester 2025/26:

Monday, 13th October, 4 pm (building C21 / KIZ, PC-Pool 3+4)

Tuesday, 14th October, 8.30 am (building C21 / KIZ, PC-Pool 3+4)

No registration required.

How does the onSET work?

The onSET is a so-called C-test. A text is modified so that the second half of the words in every second sentence are missing. The task is to fill in the gaps in a meaningful way.
 

Beispiel: 
Am Wochene___ habe ich ei___ Ausfl___ in d___ Berge gema___. Das We___ war sch___, die So___ schi___, und d___ Luft w___ fris___. Wir s___ lange gewa___ und ha___ die Aus___ geno___.

Originaltext:
Am Wochenende habe ich einen Ausflug in die Berge gemacht. Das Wetter war schön, die Sonne schien, und die Luft war frisch. Wir sind lange gewandert und haben die Aussicht genossen.

You can find a sample test from onSET under this link. 

12:00 - 14:00

• Kraut-Stuber Deutschkurs B1.2
• Markov Deutschkurs B1.1

14:00 - 16:00

• Kraut-Stuber Deutschkurs B2.1
• Markov Deutschkurs B2.2

08:00 - 10:00

• Werner Deutschkurs A2.2

10:00 - 12:00

• Kraut-Stuber Deutschkurs A1
• Markov Phonetik für Deutschlernende (A2, B1, B2)

12:00 - 14:00

• Werner Deutschkurs A2.1
• Markov Deutsch im Alltag B1

12:00 - 14:00

• Kraut-Stuber Deutschkurs B1.2
• Markov Deutschkurs B2.2
• Werner Deutsch im Alltag A2

14:00 - 16:00

• Kraut-Stuber Deutschkurs B2.1
• Markov Deutschkurs B1.1
• Renziehausen-Espelage Deutschkurs C1.1

16:00 - 18:00

• Renziehausen-Espelage Deutschkurs C1.2

08:00 - 10:00

• Werner Deutschkurs A2.2

10:00 - 12:00

• Kraut-Stuber Deutschkurs A1
• Markov Grammatik Deutsch A2

12:00 - 14:00

• Werner Deutsch A2.1
• Kraut-Stuber Kreativ schreiben - besser lernen (Deutsch B2)

10:00 - 12:00

• Renziehausen-Espelage Deutschkurs C1.2

12:00 - 14:00

• Renziehausen-Espelage Deutschkurs C1.1

The next intensive German courses will take place in March / April 2026.

• international exchange students at the beginning of the exchange semester at the University of Erfurt (priority)
• international students (from the 2nd semester) on English-language Master's programmes at the University of Erfurt or international doctoral students

There are three course groups:

• Intensive course A1
  for international students with no previous knowledge
• Intensive course A2.1
  for international students with little knowledge
• Intensive course B1.1
  for international students with basic knowledge

Information about the registration process will be announced in good time.

• Lessons take place Monday to Friday mornings for four hours.
• If you attend regularly and actively and pass the final exam, you will receive 6 ECTS credits.

The Language Centre of the University of Erfurt offers these examinations to determine the language level according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR).
They consist of four parts: Listening comprehension, reading comprehension, writing and oral expression.
The exams are offered for German as a foreign language from level A2 to C1.

The next level examinations will take place in February 2026.

Students who have not attended a course can also take part. Proof of previous knowledge is required when registering.

Registration is only necessary for students who are not participating in a course. Please send an e-mail to daf@uni-erfurt.de .
 

You can request further information at: daf@uni-erfurt.de 

The German Language Test for University Admission is a language test to prove the required German language proficiency of non-native speaker applicants.
It consists of five parts: Listening comprehension, reading comprehension, academic language structures, text production and oral expression.
The result is issued at three levels: DSH-1, -2 or -3, which is roughly equivalent to level B2 to C1.

The University of Erfurt offers the DSH once a year in September. This guarantees timely enrollment at the beginning of the respective winter semester.

Only applicants with conditional admission to study at the University of Erfurt or Erfurt University of Applied Sciences will be tested. External applicants will not be examined.

The registration period for the current exam has already closed.
The next exam will take place in September 2026. Information about registration will be announced on our website in due time.

No. Applicants are exempt from the DSH,

1. who provide proof of the language skills required for admission to a degree programme as part of a school-leaving certificate that corresponds to a German university entrance qualification;
2. who hold the ‘German Language Diploma (Level II) of the Conference of Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs’ (DSD II) [Resolution of the Conference of Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs of 6 December 1996];
3. who have a certificate confirming that they have passed the Goethe-Zertifikat C 2: Großes Deutsches Sprachdiplom (GDS) or have passed the Goethe-Institut's upper level examinations - Zentrale Oberstufenprüfung (ZOP), Kleines Deutsches Sprachdiplom (KDS) and Großes Deutsches Sprachdiplom (GDS);
4. who have foreign certificates that are recognised in accordance with point 3 (4th indent) of the agreement ‘Access of foreign applicants with foreign educational qualifications to study at German universities: Proof of German language proficiency’ (Resolution of the Standing Conference of the Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs of 2 June 1995, as amended);
5. who have passed the DSH at a foreign university under the organisational and content-related responsibility of a preparatory college or a department of German as a foreign language at a German university;
6. who have completed a German studies programme;
7. who have taken the Test of German as a Foreign Language (TestDaF) with a result of TestDaF level ‘four’ (TDN 4) or ‘five’ (TDN 5) in all four parts of the test;
8. who have passed the ‘German’ part of the assessment test at a preparatory college;

9. who have a certificate of a passed telc C1 examination for the university.

   Language examinations that are more than five years old are not recognised at the University of Erfurt.

1. Framework Regulations for German Language Examinations for Studies at German Universities (RO-DT) of 25 June 2004 as amended on 28 November 2019/23 July 2020
2. Regulations for the German Language Examination for Admission to Higher Education at the University of Erfurt (DSH) as amended on 11 June 2025

If you have any questions about the DSH, please send an email to: dsh@uni-erfurt.de

Information on the general application for studying at the University of Erfurt can be obtained from the International Office.