Language Exams by CEFR
Which certificate proves each CEFR level, across eight languages.
For university admission the usual requirement is DSH-2 or TestDaF TDN 4 in all four sections; the two are treated as equivalent.
Certificates tied to a single CEFR level — DELF, DELE, Goethe, CILS — map exactly. Scored tests such as IELTS, TOEFL, TCF, and the JLPT map to bands, and those boundaries vary a little between publishers. Always check the requirement your institution states.
Some certificates map to exactly one CEFR level — DELF B2, Goethe-Zertifikat C1, DELE A2 — while scored tests such as IELTS, TOEFL, TCF, and the JLPT map to bands. For German universities, C1 usually means DSH-2 or TestDaF TDN 4 in all four sections.
Two kinds of qualification
Language certificates split into two families, and confusing them causes most of the trouble on applications. Level certificates — DELF, DALF, DELE, Goethe-Zertifikat, CILS, CELI — are each built for one CEFR level. You sit the B2 exam and either earn a B2 certificate or you do not; there is no score to interpret, and the certificate normally does not expire.
Scored tests — IELTS, TOEFL, TCF, TEF, JLPT, SIELE — measure you on a scale and leave the CEFR band to be read off from the score. They suit candidates unsure of their level, and they are what immigration authorities usually prefer, because a score carries a date and a recency requirement.
Why the boundaries are not universal
Where a scored test meets the CEFR, the boundary is a judgement rather than a fact. Different publishers place IELTS 6.5 at the top of B2 or the bottom of C1, and institutions set their own thresholds accordingly. The CEFR itself defines what a learner can do, not what score a particular test should award, so any score-to-level table is an alignment study rather than a definition.
How to read a requirement
Work backwards from what the institution actually asks for:
- 1 Find the exact wording. A requirement of “C1” is not the same as “DSH-2” or “IELTS 7.0”. Institutions usually name the exams they accept.
- 2 Check whether a specific exam is required. German universities typically name DSH or TestDaF rather than accepting any C1 certificate, and medical or legal programmes often add their own.
- 3 Check the per-section requirement. TestDaF asks for TDN 4 in all four sections, not on average, and many English requirements set a minimum per skill.
- 4 Check recency. Level certificates rarely expire, but institutions often impose a two-year limit regardless — a valid certificate can still be too old to accept.
- 5 Allow time for the result. Results take weeks and sittings are scheduled months apart, so the exam date usually has to be set well before the application deadline.
Level certificates by language
Each certificate corresponds to exactly one CEFR level. These are the qualifications most commonly named in admission requirements.
| Language | A2 | B1 | B2 | C1 | C2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| English | A2 Key | B1 Preliminary | B2 First | C1 Advanced | C2 Proficiency |
| German | Goethe A2 | Goethe B1 | Goethe B2 · DSH-1 | Goethe C1 · DSH-2 | Goethe C2 · DSH-3 |
| French | DELF A2 | DELF B1 | DELF B2 | DALF C1 | DALF C2 |
| Spanish | DELE A2 | DELE B1 | DELE B2 | DELE C1 | DELE C2 |
| Italian | CILS A2 | CILS Uno B1 | CILS Due B2 | CILS Tre C1 | CILS Quattro C2 |
Scored tests and their CEFR bands
Approximate correspondences. Boundaries differ between publishers and institutions set their own thresholds.
| Test | B1 | B2 | C1 | C2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| IELTS | 4.0–5.0 | 5.5–6.5 | 7.0–8.0 | 8.5–9.0 |
| TOEFL iBT | 42–71 | 72–94 | 95–120 | Not distinguished |
| Cambridge Scale | 140–159 | 160–179 | 180–199 | 200 and above |
| TCF | 300–399 | 400–499 | 500–599 | 600–699 |
| TestDaF | — | TDN 3 | TDN 4–5 | — |
| JLPT | N3 104+ · N2 90–111 | N2 112+ · N1 100–141 | N1 142+ | Not covered |
The cases that catch people out
German university admission is the most rules-bound. A Goethe C1 certificate proves C1 but is often not accepted in place of DSH-2 or TestDaF TDN 4, because those two are the qualifications the admissions framework names. The two are treated as equivalent to each other, and TDN 4 must be reached in all four sections rather than on average.
The JLPT assesses reading and listening only, so an N1 certificate does not evidence speaking or writing at any level. Where a role or programme needs production skills, expect a separate interview or writing task.
HSK publishes CEFR claims that independent assessors dispute, particularly above HSK 4. Quoting the HSK level itself is safer than translating it into a CEFR band that the reader may discount.
And expiry is not a property of the certificate so much as of the institution. DELF, DELE, and Goethe certificates do not expire, yet a university may still refuse one issued four years ago. Check the recency rule separately from the level requirement.