Testimonials from g.a.s.t. test centres
How universities and adult education centres use onSET German
In practice, onSET stands out for its reliability, time savings and fair placement results – as demonstrated by the experiences of three institutions.
Universität Freiburg
Testing without jetleg
International students wishing to study in Freiburg can be assessed for their German intensive courses while they are still in their home country. This is invaluable for the applicants from around 50 countries, most of whom come to Freiburg for a program or scholarship stay.
"The test participants take the onSET-Deutsch well rested and without jet lag", says Astrid Nothen, who together with her colleague Dorothea Rösch heads the Department of International Language Courses at the University of Freiburg. "And we know the results long before the start of the course. In this way, we are able to determine groups in advance according to their level of performance and to assign teachers in a targeted manner."
Since August 2015, the team in Freiburg has also been using the benefits of online language placement for its intensive English courses.ehrkräfte zielgerichtet zuordnen.
Münchner Volkshochschule
Faster and simpler than a paper based test
The onSET-Deutsch has been an indispensable tool for many years for the German course classification team at the Munich Volkshochschule. Heike Richter, who is responsible for this field is convinced that "In particular, the accuracy of the onSET-Deutsch is a real milestone in our quality development.” There had always been some uncertainty and debate concerning the centre’s own placement procedures, but according to Heike Richter, "That is not the case with the onSET."
In Munich, the onSET-Deutsch is an important part of the interview process, which takes place before each application for a language course. The placement result forms the basis for the specific course recommendation. "The learners are happy to follow this advice", says Heike Richter. A huge advantage is that placement via the onSET can be carried out more easily compared to paper tests, and the results are available online in seconds.
The reliability of the onSET has also spread to other parts of Munich’s city government: the city sends job applicants with a native language other than German to the Volkshochschule for the placement test. "For jobs in the education sector, for example, German at B2 level is a minimum requirement", says Heike Richter. "For these reasons, we like to refer to our onSET classification."
Universität Osnabrück
Just do it!
Universities recognised early that this was an easier and more accurate way to assess language levels.
Organisational steps such as registering and test booking have largely been removed for the newcomers to allow them an easier start. "The onSET-Deutsch greatly helps us to keep the course allocation as simple as possible for all participants", says Dr. Christiane Beinke, the departmental head of German as a Foreign Language at the university's language centre. "We don’t need to design or plan anything. We just have to do it."
Christiane Beinke particulary values the internet-based onSET testing procedure: "It ensures flawless evaluation. The results lead to homogenous language course groups." She regards the onSET-Deutsch as unique – "a truly valuable test".
g.a.s.t. Academy
The g.a.s.t. Academy offers practical workshops, webinars and tailored training for teachers of German as a foreign language and for those responsible for exams. Key topics include test development, assessment, e-learning and exam preparation.
Testing community
g.a.s.t. is actively involved in national and international professional associations such as ALTE, EALTA, Eaquals, ILTA and ITC. Professional exchange and recognised quality standards help us continuously develop our tests and assure their quality.
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Around 1,000 licensed test centres administer TestDaF, onSET, TestAS and dMAT in line with g.a.s.t. quality standards. Find out what test centres do and how your institution can join our global network.
onSET is an online placement test for German and English based on the C-test format. In just 40 minutes, it provides a reliable assessment of language proficiency from A2 to C1 on the CEFR scale. Universities and language institutes use onSET for course placement, exam readiness, scholarship applications, and proof of language skills for professional purposes.
