telc B1 or Goethe-Zertifikat B1 — what is the difference?
6 min read
Both exams certify the same language level, B1, and both are recognised by the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF, Bundesamt für Migration und Flüchtlinge) as proof of German at B1. The most important difference is structural: the Goethe-Zertifikat B1 (the Goethe-Institut certificate) is modular — you can take and resit the four modules, reading, listening, writing and speaking, one at a time. In the telc Deutsch B1 the written and the oral exam each count as a whole.
Data checked: 3 September 2026. The sources are the Goethe-Institut implementation rules (as of 1 September 2023), the telc gGmbH practice test and the BAMF list of recognised proofs of German at B1. Confirm the current rules before registering at goethe.de, telc.net and the BAMF.
The comparison at a glance
| Goethe-Zertifikat B1 | telc Deutsch B1 | |
|---|---|---|
| Provider | Goethe-Institut e. V. | telc gGmbH |
| Structure | 4 modules, can be taken separately | written + oral part |
| Written | approx. 165 minutes (reading 65, listening approx. 40, writing 60) | 150 minutes (reading + Sprachbausteine 90, listening approx. 30, writing 30) |
| Grammar section | no separate section | separate section “Sprachbausteine” |
| Oral | 15 minutes paired exam, 15 minutes preparation | approx. 15 minutes paired exam, 20 minutes preparation |
| Points | 100 per module | 300 in total (225 written, 75 oral) |
| Pass mark | at least 60 % in every module | at least 60 % in the written and in the oral part |
| Resit | individual modules, as often as you like | one part (written or oral) |
| Recognised as B1 proof | yes | yes |
How does the telc B1 exam work?
The exam has a written and an oral part. The written part lasts 150 minutes in total and consists of four areas:
- Leseverstehen (reading comprehension) — three sections: matching headlines to texts, multiple-choice questions on a longer text, matching adverts to situations.
- Sprachbausteine (grammar and vocabulary items) — two sections of ten items each: one grammar, one vocabulary. You work on Leseverstehen and Sprachbausteine together within 90 minutes; you divide the time yourself.
- Hörverstehen (listening comprehension) — approx. 30 minutes, three sections with true/false items on announcements, conversations and expressions of opinion.
- Schriftlicher Ausdruck (written production) — 30 minutes. You write an informal or semi-formal email and must cover all four guide points given in the task.
The oral part is an examination conversation with two candidates and lasts approx. 15 minutes. It has three sections: getting to know one another, talking about a topic, planning something together. Beforehand you have 20 minutes of preparation time.
How many points do you need for telc B1?
There are 300 points in total. They are distributed like this:
| Exam section | Points | Weighting |
|---|---|---|
| Leseverstehen | 75 | 25 % |
| Sprachbausteine | 30 | 10 % |
| Hörverstehen | 75 | 25 % |
| Schriftlicher Ausdruck | 45 | 15 % |
| Written exam total | 225 | 75 % |
| Mündlicher Ausdruck | 75 | 25 % |
| Total | 300 | 100 % |
To pass you need 135 points in the written and 45 points in the oral part — that is 60 % in each of them separately. The two results are not offset against each other: 200 written points do not make up for 40 oral points.
Important for your preparation: reading and listening together make up half of all the points. The Sprachbausteine, which many people fear, are only 10 %. Anyone who puts all their study time into grammar exercises is working on the smallest part of the exam.
Is the telc B1 exam hard?
Both exams aim at the same level, so neither is fundamentally “easier”. What differs is the kind of difficulty — and it suits different people:
- The telc Deutsch B1 is kinder when one single skill is weak. Because the whole written part is marked together, a strong reading result can absorb a weaker email. The separate grammar section also rewards systematic study.
- The Goethe-Zertifikat B1 is stricter, but more forgiving after a failed attempt. Every module has to reach 60 % on its own — but in return you resit only the one module that did not work out, and keep the other three.
In practice that means: if you are roughly equally strong in all four areas, the difference is small. If one area is clearly weaker than the others — very often that is writing or speaking — then the telc format is usually the safer choice for a first attempt. The quickest way to find out where you stand is a practice pack in the exam format.
Time pressure is somewhat higher with telc: 150 minutes instead of 165, and 30 instead of 60 minutes for the writing task.
What happens if you do not pass?
Both providers allow resits, but with different granularity:
- Goethe-Zertifikat B1: “The modules may, provided the organisational capacity of the Prüfungszentrum (examination centre) allows it, be taken and repeated as often as desired.” So you register only for the missing module, which saves time and money.
- telc Deutsch B1: If you have not passed or not sat one of the two parts, you may repeat that part in the same or the following calendar year. The full exam may in principle be repeated as often as you like. Note: when a part is repeated, only the new result counts — even if it turns out worse.
More on what to do after a failed attempt is in B1 not passed — what now?.
Which exam should you choose?
Decide in this order:
- Ask the body that requires the certificate first. For Einbürgerung (German naturalisation) both are on the BAMF list of recognised B1 proofs. Employers, universities or professional chambers may, however, have their own requirements. Asking beforehand is cheaper than a second exam.
- Look at what is offered near you. In many cities one format or the other is practically unbookable or has nothing free for months. That often settles the question by itself — see Registering for the B1 exam.
- Compare the fees of the actual Prüfungszentrum. There is no nationwide standard price; every centre sets its own fee.
- Only then decide on format — modular or as a whole, on the points above.
If you attend an Integrationskurs (integration course), the question usually does not arise at all: there you finish with the Deutsch-Test für Zuwanderer. What that does and how it differs from these two exams is explained in DTZ or B1?.
“Goethe-Zertifikat B1” and “telc Deutsch B1” are protected names belonging to their providers. We name them here only in order to describe the exams — there is no connection to the Goethe-Institut or to telc gGmbH, and our practice tasks are our own material in the format of these exams, not real exam papers.