Three labels circulate around this selection, and they confuse almost everyone. The BU (Berufsgrunduntersuchung — some sources say GU) is the classic first stage that an airline commissions and pays for, with a hard pass or fail. The DLR-Zertifikat examination is today's standard route for new applicants: you book and pay for it yourself, receive a graded certificate rather than a verdict, and submit it to as many airlines and flight schools as you like. The content of the test day is the same battery either way, so everything this course teaches applies regardless of which label your route uses.
What it costs and how to book
For 2026 the examination and certificate cost 417.69 euros plus VAT — roughly 500 euros in total — and you cover this yourself. Registration is by email with the DLR's aerospace psychology department, which replies with the available dates and the next steps; the Vienna location opening in October 2026 books through its own web shop. Only in-person testing is offered — because the certificate has to carry weight with airlines, the DLR does not test online — and there is no assessment centre and no interview on certificate day: the day is computer-based testing only.
What the certificate contains
The certificate reports your results in four sections: basic cognitive abilities, operational and professional competencies, personality traits, and social competencies. Every participant receives one — there is no failing the certificate examination — and airlines and schools then apply their own cutoffs to the grades. The European Flight Academy, for example, requires at least a B in the English section; with a C or D you can compensate with a recognised B2 language certificate such as IELTS, TOEFL iBT, TOEIC or a Cambridge certificate. Requirements for the other sections vary by operator, so check the posting for the route you are targeting before you book.
Validity, retakes and age
The certificate is valid for two years, and you decide who sees it: one examination can serve applications to several operators at once, and can even support the psychological part of your medical. If you want a better result you can retake the examination, and the DLR recommends waiting at least six months — short-interval retakes rarely improve anything. A retake means retaking every area, so you cannot combine your best sections from two certificates, and scores can also come out lower the second time. A repeated certificate carries no mark saying it is one, and if you hold two, you choose which to submit. The minimum age is 16; under 18, your legal guardians sign the contract with the DLR.
Official preparation material
With your invitation the DLR sends its own preparation documents and access credentials, and its advice is worth taking literally: spread the prescribed training units over about three weeks, because distributed practice works better than cramming. That is exactly the training philosophy of this course — several short, focused sessions per week on the matching practice exercises — so by the time the official material arrives you will already be working the way the DLR itself recommends.