TestAs

🇩🇪 What is TestAS?

TestAS = Test for Academic Studies (Test für Ausländische Studierende).

It is a standardized aptitude test for international applicants who want to study at a German university.

It measures your general cognitive abilities and, depending on your chosen subject module, abilities relevant to a particular field of study.

A good result can improve your admission chances where a university considers TestAS.

Important: TestAS is not automatically required for every university or every program in Germany.

A university decides whether and how it uses TestAS in admission.

1. Who should take TestAS?

You may need or benefit from TestAS if you are:

An international student

Planning to apply for a Bachelor's/undergraduate program in Germany

Applying to a university/program that considers or requires TestAS

Wanting to strengthen your application with an aptitude result

For applicants in India, TestAS can be relevant when the German university requires it.

If your target university does not require or consider TestAS, taking it may not provide an admission advantage.

2. Is TestAS an entrance exam?

Not exactly.

Academic qualification + language requirement + university requirements + possibly TestAS → admission decision

TestAS measures your aptitude, rather than simply testing your school/university syllabus.

There is also no universal pass/fail score.

3. TestAS has two main parts

Part 1 — Core Test/Core Module

Logical thinking

Analytical thinking

Numerical reasoning

Abstract thinking

Pattern recognition

Working with information

Part 2 — Subject Module

This measures abilities relevant to your intended academic field.

You select one subject module per test.

4. Subject modules

Humanities, Cultural Studies & Social Sciences — Digital: Yes — Paper-based: Yes

Engineering — Digital: Yes — Paper-based: Yes

Mathematics, Computer Science & Natural Sciences — Digital: Yes — Paper-based: Yes

Economics — Digital: Yes — Paper-based: Yes

Medicine — Digital: Yes — Paper-based: No

Life Sciences — Digital: Yes — Paper-based: No

For you as a Computer Science Engineering student

The most obvious module to investigate is:

Mathematics, Computer Science and Natural Sciences

However, don't select it just because you study CSE. You should check the admission requirements of the specific German university/program you're targeting.

5. Digital TestAS

The digital TestAS is conducted on a computer at a licensed TestAS test centre.

You can take it in German or English.

Core Module

Figural Sequences — 25 min — 20 questions

Mathematical Equations — 25 min — 20 questions

Latin Squares — 25 min — 20 questions

The Core Module takes approximately 90 minutes including instructions.

Subject Module

The Subject Module takes approximately 90 minutes.

It contains around 10–15 testlets, with 4–8 questions associated with each testlet.

So you should expect a fairly intensive reasoning-based exam.

6. What is tested in the digital Core Module?

🔷 Figural Sequences

You see a sequence of figures and need to determine the missing/next figure.

Pattern recognition

Transformations

Logical relationships

Visual reasoning

🔢 Mathematical Equations

You solve mathematical relationships/equations.

The emphasis is on reasoning and applying mathematical relationships rather than advanced university-level mathematics.

🟦 Latin Squares

You identify relationships between symbols/numbers arranged in a grid.

Logical reasoning

Working memory

Pattern recognition

Systematic thinking

7. Paper-based TestAS

Solving Quantitative Problems — 45 min

Inferring Relations — 10 min

Completing Patterns — 20 min + instructions

Continuing Numerical Series — 25 min + instructions

There are 22 tasks in each group.

The paper-based Core Test therefore takes about 110 minutes.

After the Core Test, there is a 30-minute break outside the examination room.

The Subject Module takes approximately 150 minutes, depending on the module.

8. Digital vs Paper-based TestAS

Computer — Digital: Yes — Paper-based: No

Paper — Digital: No — Paper-based: Yes

English — Digital: Yes — Paper-based: Yes

German — Digital: Yes — Paper-based: Yes

Core section — Digital: ~90 min — Paper-based: ~110 min

Subject section — Digital: ~90 min — Paper-based: ~150 min

Engineering — Digital: Yes — Paper-based: Yes

Mathematics/CS/Natural Sciences — Digital: Yes — Paper-based: Yes

Medicine — Digital: Yes — Paper-based: No

Life Sciences — Digital: Yes — Paper-based: No

9. Which language should you take?

TestAS is offered in:

🇬🇧 English

🇩🇪 German

You normally choose the language in which you are more comfortable.

Some universities may require TestAS in a particular language.

Therefore, check the requirements of your target university before registering.

If your German is not yet strong enough for a reasoning exam, English may be the safer choice, provided your target university accepts TestAS in English.

10. Does TestAS test German?

TestAS is not primarily a German-language proficiency examination.

It measures academic aptitude.

TestAS ≠ German language certificate.

For German universities, you may separately need something such as a recognized German-language qualification depending on your program.

11. Is TestAS difficult?

It can be challenging.

Speed

Logical thinking

Pattern recognition

Numerical reasoning

Understanding relationships

Applying information

Managing time

12. Do you need advanced mathematics?

Basic arithmetic

Percentages

Ratios

Fractions

Equations

Number patterns

Logical relationships

Numerical reasoning

You shouldn't approach TestAS like a JEE-level mathematics examination.

For the Mathematics, Computer Science and Natural Sciences Subject Module, however, you should prepare for more subject-oriented reasoning.

13. Is there a syllabus?

Not in the traditional sense.

You don't prepare chapters such as:

Calculus → Integration → Differential equations → etc.

Instead, TestAS provides task types and sample questions.

Don't just study theory.

You need to practice the actual TestAS question style.

14. How is TestAS scored?

TestAS does not simply say:

70% = Pass

There is no universal pass/fail threshold.

Percentile ranks

TestAS scores

Performance information

Overall score for the digital TestAS

The digital certificate combines the Core Module and Subject Module results into an overall score.

15. What is a percentile?

Suppose your certificate shows:

90th percentile

It means your performance was better than approximately 90% of the comparison group.

So percentile is often more useful than simply looking at the number of questions you got right.

For admission, however, the university determines how it uses your result.

16. What is a good TestAS score?

There isn't one universal answer.

University A: may require a particular TestAS result.

University B: may use TestAS as one factor in selection.

University C: may not consider TestAS at all.

Therefore, don't rely on statements such as:

"You need 80% to get Germany admission."

That is not generally true.

17. How long is the TestAS certificate valid?

The TestAS certificate has:

No expiry date.

You can download/print the certificate again through the participant portal using your access information.

However, whether a particular university accepts an older TestAS result for a specific application is something you should confirm with that university.

18. Can you retake TestAS?

Yes.

There is no limit on the number of TestAS attempts.

19. How much does TestAS cost?

There isn't one universal worldwide price.

g.a.s.t. uses different price groups for different countries.

The exact price for the country where you take the exam is shown during online registration.

For India, check the current registration price directly rather than relying on an old YouTube video or website.

20. Where can you take TestAS?

TestAS is conducted through licensed test centres.

You can register on the official site at testas.de.

There are test centres in Germany and worldwide.

For India, TestAS can be relevant when German universities require it.

Test-centre availability and registration deadlines can vary.

Paper-based: about 5 weeks before the exam

Digital: about 1 week before the exam

21. When do you receive the result?

Digital TestAS — Approximately 3 weeks after the examination

Paper-based TestAS — Approximately 4 weeks after the examination

This matters because you need to coordinate your TestAS date with your university application deadline.

22. What do you need to do before registering?

Step 1 — Decide your target degree

Bachelor's in Computer Science

Step 2 — Make a list of German universities

University A

University B

University C

University D

Step 3 — Check admission requirements

TestAS required?

TestAS recommended?

Which Subject Module?

German or English?

Minimum/competitive score?

Step 4 — Choose your TestAS format

Digital or paper-based.

Step 5 — Choose language

German or English, according to university requirements and your ability.

Step 6 — Choose Subject Module

Mathematics, Computer Science and Natural Sciences

or Engineering, depending on the exact program's requirements.

Step 7 — Register

Use the official TestAS registration system.

23. TestAS preparation strategy for a CSE student

🧠 Logical reasoning

Sequences

Relationships

Conditions

Logical patterns

Deduction

🔢 Mathematics

Basic arithmetic

Fractions

Ratios

Percentages

Equations

Number sequences

Quantitative reasoning

🔷 Abstract/visual reasoning

Figure sequences

Transformations

Symmetry

Rotations

Pattern completion

Grid-based reasoning

💻 Test strategy

Time management

Quickly identifying the task type

Avoiding unnecessary calculations

Skipping difficult questions temporarily when appropriate

Working accurately under time pressure

24. The biggest mistake students make

"I need to study more theory."

For TestAS, that's not necessarily the best approach.

A better approach is:

Understand format → learn task types → practice official samples → improve speed → take timed tests → analyze mistakes → repeat.