What Are the Requirements for the DLR Test?

There's no single set of requirements for "the DLR test" — the term covers several distinct procedures, each with its own entry criteria. If you book the self-paid DLR Pilot Certificate directly, the bar is low: you can take it from age 16 (under 18 with a parent signing as the contracting party). If you're aiming for the SWISS/EFA Switzerland pathway, though, you'll need to clear a longer list of formal criteria before a test is even scheduled. Lufthansa's own selection process for the BU doesn't publish separate DLR-side requirements at all.

DLR Pilot Certificate (self-payer route)

For the certificate you can book independently of any airline, the formal bar is minimal: a minimum age of 16, with parents signing the contract if you're under 18. The DLR doesn't publish additional entry criteria such as a school qualification or language level for this route — instead, the assessment itself covers the content: basic cognitive abilities, operational competencies, personality, and social competencies.

SWISS / EFA Switzerland

The path through the European Flight Academy in Switzerland is considerably more regulated. According to EFA's own information, applicants generally need:

• A minimum age of 17
• A Matura, vocational Matura, university-of-applied-sciences entrance qualification, or a Swiss federal certificate of proficiency (EFZ)
• Fluent English, at least B2
• German at least B2 (French or Italian is an advantage)
• A height between 160 and 198 cm
• Swiss, EFTA, or EU citizenship
• Military or civilian service completed before training starts

Notably, the EASA Class 1 medical is only required after selection, not as an entry gate. As a first selection step, applicants can present a DLR or SPHAIR certificate, the cost of which is borne by the applicant.

Lufthansa BU

For Lufthansa Group's Berufsgrunduntersuchung (BU), the DLR itself doesn't publish separate admission criteria — candidates are invited through the airline's or the European Flight Academy's own application process, which sets its own rules on age, education, and languages. For anything binding, check the current job posting or application page directly.

TipBefore signing up, double-check which procedure actually applies to your target path — the requirements differ noticeably, and registering for the wrong one wastes both time and money.

Whatever the route, it's worth pairing the formal criteria with real content preparation — see what's actually tested in the DLR test.

Requirements change, and airlines and flight schools adjust their criteria over time. Only the current official information from DLR and from the relevant airline or flight school is binding — this page is not a substitute for that.