telc vs Goethe: which German B1 or B2 exam suits you?

telc and Goethe test the same CEFR levels, and both certificates say B1 or B2. The difference is in the scoring: telc counts a written and an oral part at 60 % each, Goethe four modules that each need 60 % on their own and that you can take separately. Then there is the price: B1 costs 185 € with telc at VHS Rhein-Sieg and 259 € at the Goethe-Institut in Germany.

What do telc and Goethe have in common?

Both measure the same levels, B1 and B2 of the Common European Framework, with reading, listening, writing and speaking, and both usually test speaking in pairs. They even share roots: the Zertifikat Deutsch, today telc Deutsch B1, was developed by telc, the Austrian ÖSD, the Swiss EDK and the Goethe-Institut. The Goethe-Zertifikat B1 comes from the Goethe-Institut, the ÖSD and the University of Fribourg.

Anyone can take either. With telc you register at an exam centre; the Goethe-Institut’s exams are, by its own account, open to everyone regardless of age and nationality, with 16+ recommended for adults. Both are offered on paper or on a computer.

How do the format and the pass rule differ?

For B1, from the telc practice tests and the Goethe exam regulations:

At B2 the pattern holds: telc written 140 minutes, Goethe about 180 (reading 65, listening about 40, writing 75), passing as at B1.

The rule is the real difference. In telc, reading, language elements, listening and writing together make up the written part; a weak letter costs you at most the 45 points writing is worth, and reading and listening can make up for it. In Goethe, writing is a module of its own: below 60 points that module is failed, however well you read. How the points split in telc is on telc Deutsch B1 exam and telc Deutsch B2 exam.

What does each exam cost?

With telc every exam centre sets its own fee; telc publishes none. At the Goethe-Institut in Germany the price is listed with each date:

Other telc centres may charge differently; dates and centres near you are on telc exam dates.

Which exam is easier?

That cannot be said seriously: the same people would have to sit both. What can be compared is whom each rule suits better.

• One part is clearly weaker, writing for example: with telc the written part as a whole can still reach 60 %. With Goethe every module must reach 60 % on its own.
• All parts are borderline but even: with Goethe you can spread the modules over several dates and prepare for one at a time.
• Budget matters: at the prices above, telc B1 is 74 € cheaper.

The choice does not change the level itself. How much study it takes, the Goethe-Institut estimates: 350 to 650 lessons of 45 minutes to reach B1, 600 to 800 to reach B2, depending on what you already know. If you are still far from it, no provider will make up the difference.

If you are unsure, work through the free practice material of both – a complete practice test from telc, online material from Goethe – with a clock and see where you are closer to 60 %.

Which is accepted for citizenship and work?

For citizenship, § 10 (4) of the Nationality Act asks for a language exam at B1 and names no provider. The Goethe-Institut lists its B1 as proof for the settlement permit and citizenship; the city of Karlsruhe asks for the Zertifikat Deutsch in its leaflet and points to telc and the Goethe-Institut for exam venues. Which proof your authority accepts, it will tell you – ask before you register. More on German test for citizenship.