External Exams We Offer
The German Saturday School is a recognised and accredited institution for offering Goethe Zertifiakt A1/A2 and DSD1 exams.
Goethe Zertifikat A1/A2: fit in Deutsch
Deutsches Sprachdiplom, DSD 1
Goethe-Zertifikat A1/A2: Fit in Deutsch
We also offer our students the Goethe-Zertifikat A1 and A2, which is an internationally recognized credential to measure the students’ language ability on levels A1 (Fit in Deutsch 1) or A2 (Fit in Deutsch 2) in alignment with the levels described by the Common European Framework of reference for languages (CERF).
Deutsches Sprachdiplom, DSD1
The DSD is an official language diploma granted by the Standing Conference of the Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs of the States of the Federal Republic of Germany (Kultusministerkonferenz) to high-school students abroad. We currently offer DSD1, which qualifies students for admission to a Studienkolleg (preparatory course for academic study at university for those whose graduation certificate is not recognised as equivalent to Abitur (high school level) in Germany, Austria or Switzerland). The exam for the DSD can only be offered by schools which fulfill some stringent requirements and that have been accredited by the KMK to conduct exam.
Benefits of DSD1
Official certificate proving German language proficiency level ranging from A2–B1 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages testing students listening comprehension, reading comprehension, writing skills, and oral communication.
DSD1 provides students with the linguistic qualification for study at the German Studienkolleg.
To register for the DSD1 exam, students must be 14-16 years old, and must be at least on a A2 level (Year 9 or higher at the GSS).
In the lead up to the exam, the students are prepared to understand the exam structure and to succeed in all tested modules.
Dates and structure of exam
Students participate in two separate DSD1 exam dates set by German authorities, and will be announced when available. Since exam dates are set by German authorities make -up dates are not negotiable. It is therefore crucial that students signing up for the DSD 1 exam will make attendance in the course and exam dates their semester-long primary commitment.
On the first exam date, students complete a written exam evaluating reading comprehension, listening comprehension, and essay writing. Completed exams are sent to Germany for evaluation. On the second exam date, students present orally before an exam board in both a short a guided conversation and a short student-prepared power point presentation with Q&A.
Scoring
Each of the four sections–Reading, Listening, Writing, (tested on first exam date), and Speaking (tested on second exam date)–account for 25% of the exam. Students can score per section a maximum of 24 points. The maximum point value is 96. The total amount of acquired points of each section will determine the level of language proficiency. Students need to receive 12/24 points on each of the four parts of the exam (listening comprehension/reading comprehension/oral communication and written communication) to receive the B1 diploma. If a student receives less than 12 points for one part, he/she may still get the A2 diploma.
The written examination section is sent to Germany and graded there.
Students will receive a diploma presented by the German Consulate General of San Francisco listing the individual scores of each of the four sections.
The exam is free of charge for students enrolled at the German Saturday School.