German language examination (DSH examination)

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Overview

The DSH exam

The DSH exam consists of two parts:

  • a written section
  • an oral section

You may only take the oral exam if you have passed the written part. The oral exam takes place about one week after the written exam. Both parts of the exam are held in person on campus.

The DSH exam is offered a few weeks before the start of the semester so that you receive your results in time:

  • before the winter semester: usually in mid-September
  • before the summer semester: usually in mid-March

You can find the current exam dates further down on this page.

Prerequisite for admission to the examination

  • You must have a current conditional admission from the University of Kassel.
  • You must demonstrate German language proficiency at the C1 level. Proof of this can be provided by a certificate or a certificate of attendance with a graded course completion. The document must include grades. Proof without grades will not be accepted.

Exception

  • For applicants to the Academy of Fine Arts, level B2 is sufficient.

Register for the exam

1. Please fill out the application form and upload the following documents there:

  1. A scan of your current conditional admission letter from the University of Kassel.
  2. Proof of your B2 language proficiency (B2 certificates from telc, Goethe, ÖSD, or similar).

What happens after I submit my application?

  • After we have reviewed your documents, we will notify you by email whether you have been admitted to the DSH exam.
  • If you are accepted, you will receive two links: one for registration and one for payment via PayPal.

Important: Your spot is not firmly reserved until you have registered and paid the fee immediately. Once payment is received, you will receive a registration confirmation.

If your application is rejected:

If you do not meet the requirements, we cannot accept your application. If your German language skills are not yet sufficient, we recommend that you take another German course.

Examination result and certificate

Depending on the percentage achieved, your result is divided into three levels:

  • DSH 3 (≥ 82%): Excellent knowledge.
  • DSH 2 (≥ 67 %): Good level sufficient for enrollment at the University of Kassel.
  • DSH 1 (≥ 57 %): A partial success, but usually not sufficient for direct matriculation.
The worse result always counts for the overall result. Examples:

  • Written DSH 1, oral DSH 2 → overall result DSH 1
  • Written DSH 3, oral DSH 2 → overall result DSH 2
Requirement for the degree course: For most degree courses at the University of Kassel, the overall result DSH 2 is required.

Examination result and certificate: Find out your result after the test here

Supplementary intensive training

We offer special training courses for the DSH exam:

Duration and Scope
The course lasts three weeks and takes place during the break between semesters (February/March and August/September). It consists of 60 class hours. Classes are held Monday through Friday.

Content
The course provides targeted preparation for the DSH exam. You will become thoroughly familiar with the exam format and practice typical tasks in all sections of the exam: listening comprehension, reading comprehension, academic language structures (grammar and typical linguistic features in academic texts), writing (task-based text production), and the oral exam.

Dates
: See below for current course offerings.

Current dates

Examination Regulations

The DSH exam at the Language Center of the University of Kassel is officially recognized and registered with the German Rectors' Conference (HRK) (No. 142-06/15). It is conducted in accordance with the nationally valid rules for DSH examinations.

Contact person(s)

Name, ForenameContact
Schill, Heike

Telephone +49 561 804-7049

Email 

Schill, Heike