DSH

DSH is short for "Deutsche Sprachprüfung für den Hochschulzugang", which comes into English as "German Language Exam for Transitioning into Higher Education/University Entrance." 

It is one of the standardised German language exams you can take to prove how good your German is. You would sit it if you are applying to university in a country like Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Belgium, Luxembourg or Liechtenstein. In those countries German is the main language, and it is also the language you would be taught in.

What DSH is used for

If you are applying to a university that teaches in German, you have to prove you can study in German. Getting by in it is not the same thing. DSH is one of the recognised ways to show the difference.

The exam is built around what a degree genuinely demands of you. Following a lecture. Pulling the important points out of course material. Answering questions on academic subjects in writing and out loud. Passing it says you are ready to sit in a German-language seminar and keep up.

DSH or TestDaF?

Both are accepted for university applications. They work differently, though, and the difference changes how you should prepare.

TestDaF is standardised. One central organisation designs it and runs it. The exam is the same wherever in the world you sit it.

DSH is not. Individual universities set it and run it themselves. So the format, the task types and what the exam leans on can all differ from one institution to the next.

What that means for you is simple. Generic DSH preparation only takes you so far. Get material from the university you are actually applying to and prepare with that. If someone is teaching you for the exam, pick someone who knows that university's version of it.

Exam structure

DSH has two parts. The written exam comes first, then the oral exam. You need to pass both. A strong written paper will not carry a weak oral one.

The written exam usually tests you in four areas:

• Hörverstehen, meaning listening comprehension
• Leseverstehen, meaning reading comprehension and working with a text
• Vorgabenorientierte Textproduktion, meaning writing a text to a given brief
• Verstehen und Bearbeiten wissenschaftssprachlicher Strukturen, meaning understanding and handling academic language structures

What the listening section is actually like

This is the section that catches people out, so it pays to know in advance. You listen to a passage of roughly 50 to 100 lines, the sort of thing you would hear in a lecture. Before it starts you get a short introduction to the topic, so you are not going in cold. The passage is read aloud once, or at most twice, and you take notes while it is read.

Afterwards you answer questions on it, or you summarise or interpret what you heard. Notice what that means. Your notes are what you work from. So practise taking notes in German, at lecture speed. That is as important as practising your listening.

Scoring

Your DSH result comes back as one of three grades: DSH-1, DSH-2 or DSH-3. The table lines each one up with CEFR, the common European scale for describing language level. That scale climbs from B2 to C1 to C2, so C2 is the strongest of the three.

Result	CEFR	What it means for admission
DSH-3	C2	The highest result. Required by some competitive programmes such as medicine, dentistry and law
DSH-2	C1	The usual minimum for degree programmes taught in German. This is the one most applicants are aiming at
DSH-1	B2	A pass, but not enough for admission on its own. May be accepted where teaching is partly in English, if other conditions are met

For most applicants the number to aim at is DSH-2. If you finish at DSH-1, do not treat it as a near miss. The usual advice is to take a German course and sit the exam again. It is a pass. It just will not open a German-taught degree on its own.

Where DSH is accepted

You can use DSH to apply where German is the language of instruction. That means Germany, Austria and Switzerland, and also Belgium, Luxembourg and Liechtenstein. So if the degree you are looking at sits in one of those six countries and is taught in German, this is one of the certificates universities there accept.

Frequently asked questions

What DSH result do I need for a German university?

DSH-2 is the usual minimum for degree programmes taught in German, so that is the one to aim at. Some competitive subjects ask for DSH-3, including medicine, dentistry and law. DSH-1 is a pass, but on its own it is generally not enough to get you admitted.

How do DSH levels map to CEFR?

DSH-1 matches B2, DSH-2 matches C1 and DSH-3 matches C2. The one to keep your eye on is DSH-2 at C1, because that is the usual minimum for a degree taught in German.

Is the DSH the same at every university?

No, and this is the most important thing to know about it. Individual universities set and run DSH themselves rather than one central body, so the format, the task types and the emphasis vary between institutions. Prepare with material from the specific university you are applying to.

What is the difference between DSH and TestDaF?

TestDaF is standardised. One central organisation writes it and runs it, so it is the same wherever you sit it. Each university runs its own DSH, so that one varies. TestDaF also runs on fixed dates worldwide, while you usually take DSH at the university you are applying to.

What is in the DSH exam?

You sit a written exam first, then an oral exam. The written part typically asks you for listening comprehension, reading comprehension, guided text production, and understanding and working with academic language structures.

Do I have to pass both parts?

Yes. You need to pass the written exam and the oral exam, so a strong written result will not carry a weak oral one.

Does the DSH certificate expire?

Your certificate does not expire. Individual universities may still have their own rules about how recent a result they will accept, so if you sat the exam a while ago, check with the one you are applying to before you count on it.