TMS in Berlin: Exam Format, Dates, Registration Process, and Universities Accepting the Results

Do you want to be a medical student in Germany? Then, you must consider registering for the TMS Berlin. The test for medical studies (TMS) or the “test für medizinische studiengänge” is an aptitude test for undergraduate medical students, particularly in human medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine, and pharmacy. TMS is not a mandatory requirement. However, most German universities prefer candidates who have a high score on the test. International students are eligible to apply.. In this article, you will learn about the importance of the test, its format, scores, fees, registration process, dates, universities accepting the score, and tips to prepare for the exam as an international student.

Test For Medical Studies (TMS) Berlin: An Overview 

First of all, let us understand what the Test Für Medizinische Studiengänge is. TMS is a subject-specific aptitude test designed by psychologists to meet the international standards of psychological aptitude diagnostics. The test is administered by the TMS Coordination Office situated at the Heidelberg Medical Faculty. The registration for the exam is conducted through the ITB academic portal. 

The Test of Medical Studies is a paper-based examination and is conducted in German. This means you cannot take the exam in English. Medical students and professionals in Germany are required to communicate in German for their clinical work and to understand patients. Therefore, only those students who have at least a B2 level of German proficiency can take the test.

As mentioned earlier, this is not a mandatory test. However, most of the German universities prefer students with a decent score on this exam. You can only take this test once a year. Taking the test can give you a competitive advantage. It can compensate for lower academic scores.

TMS Berlin Exam Format 

The Test for Medical Studies is a paper-based exam held for five hours and six minutes. The exam would test your competencies such as reasoning, memory, and concentration. The exam essentially covers the following modules:

1. Recognizing Patterns
2. Basic medical and scientific understanding
3. Tube figures
4. Solving Quantitative Problems
5. Memory test (learning figures/learning facts)
6. Understanding and Interpreting Texts
7. Analysing Charts

During the exam, you are given a test booklet. This would consist of the tasks and the possible answers. After you have selected the answer, you will have to transfer it to a separate answer sheet for each task. You will be given a pencil and an eraser.

The exam would take place in sections, one after another. After the fourth section, you will be given a one-hour break. Thereafter, the test is continued.  Once the time allotted for one sub-test is over, you are required to take the next. Otherwise, you will be penalised.

To learn more about the TMS exam in Germany for international students, watch this video:

Scoring Pattern 

The Test for Medical studies (Test Für Medizinische Studiengänge) do not consist of negative marking. The scoring is not based on raw scores. Instead, they are based on standardised scores (the value of the difficulty of the questions and how all the test takers performed), and the percentile ranking (percentage of test takers who scored below you). The percentile is what’s important. For example, if you score 60% it means you scored 60% better than all other applicants. An excellent score would be 90%.

S.No	Percentile Range	Interpretation for the TMS
1	50th percentile	Average score. You performed better than 50% of test-takers. Not a strong boost unless GPA is excellent.
2	60th–70th percentile	Decent score. Above average performance. Helpful, but may not outweigh a weaker GPA.
3	80th–90th percentile	Good score. Strong results that can significantly enhance your application. Many universities reward this range.
4	90th percentile and above	Excellent score.  Highly competitive. Can offset a mediocre Abitur grade and greatly improve admission chances.

Fee Structure for the Test for Medical Studies 

The Test for Medical studies (Test Für Medizinische Studiengänge) fees are the same for nationals. The exam can be taken once a year. However, the good news is that you can retake the exam within 12 months. The fee for re-taking the exam is also the same. You are required to submit the fees at the time of registration. Payment can be made through instant bank transfer (via Klarna) or credit card, preferably with a bank account in Germany, Austria, or the Netherlands. No refunds will be provided under any circumstances.

Particulars	Exam Fees
Fees for the Test for Medical Studies	EUR 100
Fees for re-taking the exam (within 12 months)	EUR 100

TMS Berlin Exam Dates 2025 

To know when to register, you must know about the exam dates. The exam registration dates for this year have already closed. The dates for the next year are yet to be notified. Visit the official website for any latest updates. 

S.No	Exam Stages	Important Exam Dates
1	Phase 1 (First-time Registration)	3 July- 31 July 2025 (until 05:00 h)
2	Test Dates	8 November 2025 (Saturday), 9 November 2025 (Sunday)
3	Phase 2 (Preferred Repeaters)	2 August -9 August 2025
4	Phase 3 (General Repeaters)	11 August – 18 August 2025
5	Invitation Available From	1 October 2025
6	Results Available From	20 December 2025 -31 March 2026

Also Read: What is GAMSAT? Exam Format, Scoring, Registration, and Top Universities Explained

Steps to Register for the Test for Medical Studies 

The Test for Medical studies (Test Für Medizinische Studiengänge) registration process is straightforwad. You can register anytime. The only thing is, the booking of the test date and centre can only be done after the registration opens. You cannot change the testing language or reschedule your test to a later date. Once it’s done, it’s done. The registration process for the exam is as follows:

Create a User Account

First, visit the ITB website, go to the registration page, and choose to register for the exam. You will be required to create a new user account and provide your email address. An invitation link will be sent to your email address. Using this, set up a passport, and log in to your account. At this stage, you will be asked to fill in your details, such as your home address, the test you are applying for, and the universities you want to send your test results to.

Choosing the Test Centre and Location

The option to choose the test centre and location will only become available to you after the registration opens. It is best to register early, as your test location or preferred date for the test may not be available later on.

Payment of Fees & Downloading of Admit Card

At this stage, you are required to pay the fees for the exam. The exam fees are not refunded. You will get a registration confirmation after you pay the required fees. You can download your admit card (invitation form) on Monday before the test date. Ensure that you print out the same while you show up at the test centre.

Documents You May Require At the Time of Registration

International students have to submit the following documents at the time of exam registration. You might be required to upload these documents at the time of registration. The documents are as follows. You will have to bring the same to the exam centre.

1. A valid, official Photo ID (identity card, passport or driving licence); and
2. Completed and signed Declaration of consent (only for underage participants).
3. The Test invitation (you will get this after the registration process is complete. Bring this to the test centre.

Universities Accepting the TMS Berlin Results for Medicine 

The TMS results are recongised by almost every German university. Nevertheless, we have listed some of the top universities in Germany where you can apply. The top universities are as follows: 

Serial Number	University Name	QS World University Ranking 2025
1	Heidelberg University	84
2	Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin	93 (Subject Ranking for Medicine)
3	Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München (LMU)	59
4	Technical University of Munich (TUM)	28
5	Medizinische Hochschule Hannover (MHH)	Not Ranked
6	University of Freiburg	192
7	University of Würzburg	Not Ranked
8	University of Tübingen	Not Ranked

Also Read: University Clinical Aptitude Test (UCAT): Format, Registration Dates, Scores, Test Centres, and Universities Accepting Results 

TMS Berlin 2025 Results 

The Test for Medical studies (Test Für Medizinische Studiengänge) results are made available to your user account within 10 days of taking the test. As per the rules, your results are valid for an indefinite period. You will be provided with the result regardless of whether you want to send your results to one or more universities. The results can be downloaded in a detailed PDF format within 4 weeks.

Exam Centres in Germany

You can only take the TMS exam in a paper-based format. Therefore, if you intend to take this exam, you are required to travel to Germany for the same.  Regardless of nationality, you are required to appear for the test in person. The test centres are in 80 locations across Germany. You will be provided with the list of test centre locations at the time of registration.

Permitted and Prohibited Items in the Examination Centre

The following are the permitted items, and the items that are prohibited in the TMS examination centre. Ensure that you know about this as an international student. Following the rules and regulations is essential in Germany. 

S.No	Permitted Items	Prohibited Items
1	Invitation (for registration only)	Expired ID, school ID, or no ID
2	Consent form (if underage)	Unapproved writing tools
3	Valid photo ID (non-expired, original)	Smart or erasable pens
4	2 Pencils (HB, B, 2B)	Electronic or storage devices
5	Eraser	Disruptive food/drinks
6	Pens/highlighters (for notes only)	Non-religious headgear without approval
7	Pencil sharpener	Electronic or audio-equipped masks
8	Food, wallet, meds, tissues	Bulky/unauthorized clothing
9	Basic alarm clock/stopwatch (no alarms/sounds)	Smartwatches, phones, calculators
10	Disinfectant wipes/spray	Strongly scented sprays
11	Indoor clothing
12	Religious headgear/clothing
13	Face mask (simple)

How Hard is the TMS for International Students?

Yes. International students can find the test to be difficult for many reasons. First of all, although you can take the test with basic proficiency, students with less than a C1 level of English tend to struggle. The German language difficulty is moderate is i this exam. Moreover, you will have to answer 88–102 questions in a single day, within a limited time. Moreover, many students are not familiar with the test structure and German testing culture. Hence, they might find it difficult to clear the paper.

The good news is that academic knowledge is less required in this paper. You do not have to memorise formulas or science facts. As long as you excel in logical thinking, pattern recognition, quantitative reasoning, and problem-solving, you have a good shot at clearing this paper.

TMS vs. HAM-NAT for Medical Studies

The Test for Medical Studies (Test Für Medizinische Studiengänge) is the most important in Germany for medical education. However, HAM-NAT is also taken by students. The Hamburg Assessment Test for Medicine – Natural Science would test your knowledge of biology, physics and chemistry. The key difference between these exams is provided below:

S.No	Criteria	TMS (Test Für Medizinische Studiengäng)	HAM-Nat (Hamburger Naturwissenschaftstest)
1	Purpose	Tests cognitive aptitude for medical studies	Tests science knowledge (bio, chem, physics, math)
2	Content Focus	Logic, memory, pattern recognition, reasoning	Scientific understanding
3	Required By	Many German med schools (optional but helpful)	Mainly the University of Hamburg and related programs
4	Usefulness	Widely accepted across Germany	Limited to a few programs
5	Preparation Level	Moderate (strategy-focused)	High (science-heavy)
6	Difficulty	Medium- aptitude-based	High – knowledge-based
7	Test Frequency	Twice a year	Usually, once a year
8	Score Validity	Indefinite (currently)	Typically valid for one application cycle
9	Language	German	German
10	Cost	EUR 100	Usually free or low-cost

5 Tips to Prepare for the Test for Medical Studies (TMS)

Here are some practical tips to prepare for the test. Using these tips, you can score well on the TMS (Test Für Medizinische Studiengänge) exam. The tips are as follows:

1. The TMS does not test your knowledge of medical facts. Instead, the exam is about problem-solving and reasoning. Therefore, you must know what to expect. Understand the format, download the free sample booklet, and know the test timing.
2. Ensure that you are practising the test under realistic conditions (stimulations). Keep a stopwatch and complete full mock tests. Use the official TMS books (Original Versions I, II, and III by Hogrefe Verlag) for the purpose.
3. This exam is designed in a way that you will not be able to complete it in time. Therefore, strategic thinking is important. Learn to solve easier questions first.
4. Learn section by section, and understand your weaknesses and work upon them.
5. The official website clearly states that more practice does not always mean better results. The commercial preparation courses will not be useful for this exam. Therefore, set up a realistic and consistent study plan.

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