TEST OF ENGLISH AS A FOREIGN LANGUAGE (TOEFL)

Since October 2005, the TOEFL test has only been offered in Germany in its new internet-based form TOEFL iBT. However, this term is slightly misleading in this context, since the test participants continue to take the test under supervision in a test center.

Test centers are located in more than 30 German cities. The test is offered there two to four days a month, with the test days mostly falling on Fridays and Saturdays. The current dates can be found in the TOEFL bulletin.

In order to avoid long travel times, residents in regions close to the border should inquire about other test centers in neighboring countries and possibly complete the test there.

The $ 240 test fee should be paid by credit card if possible because alternative payment via international money order or check in the US is time consuming and relatively expensive.

Compared to the old test format, a section has now been added to the TOEFL that assesses the active language skills of the test participant. In this respect, the former Test of Spoken English (TSE) is now integrated in the TOEFL iBT. The TOEFL iBT lasts four hours and is divided into four parts:

• Section 1 – Listening Comprehension: Multiple-choice questions are asked about dialogues whose duration and number are constantly increasing.
• Section 2 – Speaking: Participants have to show in six different situations that they are able to communicate verbally.
• Section 3 – Reading Comprehension: Understanding of non-technical English texts.
• Section 4 – Writing: The candidate must write two essays, based in part on information they have read and heard.

The tested person can achieve 30 points in each area. The possible number of points is between 0 and 120 points. All business schools provide a minimum score that applicants must achieve. This moves around 100 points on the new scale. This corresponds to approximately 600 points in the old paper-based test and 250 points in the old computer-based format.

REGISTRATION

To register for the TOEFL can be reached here. Registration can be made by telephone through Thomson Prometric in the Netherlands, + 31-320-239-540. Instructions for online registration

INFORMATION AND PREPARATION DOCUMENTS

Detailed information material about the TOEFL and the content requirements can be found at www.toefl.org or www.toefl.eu (there is also information in German). Experience has shown that extensive TOEFL documents are also available in the media library / library of German universities.

In general, it can be said that German test candidates with a certain English / American experience abroad usually find the Listening Comprehension Section to be unproblematic. The results of the other sections can be significantly improved through training. However, applicants should ensure that they prepare for the test with practice material that has been carefully updated to reflect the new test conditions.

GRE – GRADUATE RECORD EXAMINATIONS

The GRE (GRE = Graduate Record Examinations) is a standardized test for admission to postgraduate courses. It is also accepted when applying for many MBA programs.

You must take the GRE test if the desired course requires a result of the test. There are two variants: the GRE General Test and the GRE Subject Test.

GRE GENERAL TEST

An important part of the application is the good result of the GRE General Test. The universities thus judge whether the applicants are ready for the desired course of study. The GRE General Test tests the following general skills:

• linguistic expression
• mathematical-logical thinking
• analytical writing

The GRE General Test costs $ 185 (as of 10/2013).

GRE SUBJECT TEST

The GRE Subject Test is taken in addition to the GRE General Test and costs $ 150 (as of 10/2013). He focuses on a specific discipline from the areas:

• Biochemistry, cell and molecular biology
• biology
• chemistry
• IT
• literature
• mathematics
• physics
• psychology

Applicants often take the GRE Subject Test voluntarily. With the result they prove their expertise and set themselves apart from the competition. The GRE Subject Test is only offered on paper. It is carried out three times a year:

• October
• November
• April