Is IELTS required to study in Germany?

MSM Unify
2 min readAug 1, 2024

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Are the scores of IELTS mandatory while trying out for a study in Germany opportunity? When thinking about studying in Germany, students often ask themselves whether they have to sit for an IELTS test. IELTS is an abbreviation for the International English Language Testing System, which is a tested or standardized measurement of the skills in English language usage. Numerous countries insist on an IELTS score while granting student visas, which makes it a subject of concern to anyone planning to study overseas.

The good news about IELTS is that it is often not required for admittance into educational institutions in Germany. Particularly, unlike countries like Great Britain, Australia, or Canada, Germany does not usually expect international students to provide IELTS scores. However, there are a few exceptions here and there as we shall discuss in the following sections and chapters

Study in Germany: IELTS requirement

As much as some graduate programs require IELTS in Germany, then they are mostly those master’s programs that are taught in English. A few other specialized programs also require IELTS as well. Although the list of universities and programs that require IELTS is quite lengthy, it is not inclusive of all the programs in all the universities around the world that require the test.

However, for the majority of bachelor’s and master’s degrees that are taught in German, having an IELTS certificate is not mandatory. However, you still must provide proof of your knowledge of the German language through tests like the TestDaF or DSH.

The rationale is that most courses are conducted in German, which makes it unnecessary for Germany to use IELTS. This is because the universities anyway require a German language test for admission, so they relax regarding your academic language skills. With this said, a good IETLS score will improve your chances of application even if they are not highly considered. It proves that you possess a good grasp of the English language in general, and we know that it is highly appreciated in academic/workplace settings.

In a nutshell, it is important to note that IELTS, is not a requirement for entry into most programs for students wishing to study in Germany. An exception to this is English-taught programs or degrees where the applicant is expected to have English proficiency through tests such as IELTS or TOEFL. If the degrees were taught in German, essentially, the only thing that you have to do in your language is to pass the standardized German tests as the requirement. Even though it is not necessarily a requirement in most cases, a certifying English exam can still work in your favor for the German university admission process.

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