LAUSR

The German university setting has experienced a dramatic change over the past several decades with respect to students entering from abroad. In 2015, international students comprised 11.9% of all students enrolled in public universities, and recent global developments (most notably the massive migration of refugees into Germany) have resulted in rapidly evolving demands on institutions of higher education (g.a.s.t., 2016). Greater numbers of students from different countries of origin, with diverse educational backgrounds and distinct learning needs, are seeking admittance to the low-cost and highly regarded German university system. A key concern for this heterogeneous group of students is the extent to which they are prepared to participate in courses of study and university life, the primary language for which is German. It is within this milieu that the Test of German as a Foreign Language (TestDaF1) plays a critical role as a standardized test of German language proficiency. Developed and administered by the Society for Academic Study Preparation and Test Development (g.a.s.t.2), TestDaF was launched in 2001 and has experienced persistent annual growth, with more than 44,000 test takers in 2016 (a 16% increase over the previous year; g.a.s.t., 2017). Of note, and in keeping with the motto of “Study successfully in German”, TestDaF is one of a suite of products and services offered by g.a.s.t. and intended to facilitate access to German university studies, including the following: an Internet-based platform for individualized language learning (Deutsch-Uni Online or DUO); an online assessment for placing students into foreign language courses (onSET); and a university aptitude assessment, the Test for Academic Studies (TestAS). On its website, g.a.s.t. provides ample information regarding all of these products for different audiences, including test takers, test centers, universities, and teachers. This information is also made available in 20 languages, and potential test takers can even complete a brief automated C-test and receive feedback regarding their chances of passing TestDaF successfully.3 While the current review focuses on TestDaF per se, the presentation of this test as one part of an overall effort to support and facilitate international student access to German university studies reflects an important public service dimension underlying the assessment. 715848 LTJ0010.1177/0265532217715848Language TestingTest Review research-article2017