The PrepDaF blog
Guides to the German exams, how the levels work, and what happens behind the scoring — written to make your prep less of a guess.
CEFR levels explained: what A1–C1 mean (and how to find yours)
What the CEFR levels mean, why self-rating is so often wrong, and how the PrepDaF placement test gives you a more objective starting point.
How we score the placement test: a CEFR level for each skill
Getting 40% can mean A1 or A2, depending on which answers were right. This post walks through the logic behind your placement result: a CEFR ladder, a stricter bar for C1, a safety net for careless slips, and how speaking fits in.
TestDaF, telc, Goethe or DSH: which German exam do you actually need?
Four German certificates get you into a German university, but they aren't interchangeable. This guide compares how TestDaF, telc C1 Hochschule, DSH and the Goethe-Zertifikat differ on recognition, format, cost and retakes, and a simple rule for choosing the right one.