Goethe-Institut

Goethe-Zertifikat B1, B2 and C1

Modular general-language certificates. Reading, listening, writing and speaking can be taken separately or together.

B1, B2 and C1 covered here (A1–C2 exist)

Who it is for

Learners who want an internationally known general certificate
Applicants whose university or employer lists a Goethe certificate — check acceptance first

Part	German name	Duration	Details
Reading	Lesen	65 min (B1, B2, C1)	30 items; each correct item is one checkpoint.
Listening	Hören	approx. 40 min (B1, B2, C1)	30 items; each correct item is one checkpoint.
Writing	Schreiben	60 min (B1) · 75 min (B2, C1)	Rated by two raters against official criteria.
Speaking	Sprechen	B1/B2: approx. 15 min in pairs (10 min alone), 15 min preparation · C1: approx. 20 min in pairs (15 min alone), 20 min preparation	Usually a pair exam.

Every module is worth up to 100 points and is passed with at least 60 points.
Reading and listening: correct items (0–30) × 3.33, rounded — e.g. 18 correct items = 60 points.
Ratings: 100–90 sehr gut, 89–80 gut, 79–70 befriedigend, 69–60 ausreichend, 59–0 nicht bestanden.

Official rules

Every threshold comes from the official document listed below. Results are estimates for planning — only the exam provider issues results.

Level

Reading (Lesen): correct items

/ 30

Converted with the official table (× 3.33, rounded)

Listening (Hören): correct items

/ 30

Converted with the official table (× 3.33, rounded)

Writing (Schreiben): points

/ 100

Points from a rater or an honest self-assessment

Speaking (Sprechen): points

/ 100

Points from a rater or an honest self-assessment

Fill in all four modules to see the result.

What this calculator does not do

Writing and speaking points are awarded by trained raters against official criteria. Use the calculator with points from a teacher or an honest self-assessment.
Which modules you need, and whether a university accepts the certificate at all, depends on the institution.

RO-DT 2020 § 8 (2) (b): the Goethe-Zertifikat C2: Großes Deutsches Sprachdiplom exempts from the DSH/TestDaF requirement.
Goethe-Zertifikat B1, B2 and C1 are not listed in the RO-DT. Whether a university accepts them is decided by the university — check the programme page.

Requirements change and differ between universities and programmes. The university's own admission rules are always decisive.

You can retake single modules, so plan your weakest module first.
For C1 writing, practise both formal argumentation and structured summaries under time pressure.