Do nurses need B2 German to work in Germany?

The Nursing Professions Act asks for the German you need to do the job and names no level. The recognition office of the state where you apply decides which level and which certificate it accepts, so ask that office.

Is the Goethe B2 exam a nursing exam?

No. The Goethe-Zertifikat B2 is a general German exam. It does not test nursing words. Ask your recognition office whether you need a separate test of nursing German.

What is the pass mark for Goethe B2?

You pass the Goethe B2 exam with 60 of 100 points in each module: Lesen, Hören, Schreiben and Sprechen.

Which German level do I need for a residence permit to complete my recognition?

Section 16d of the Residence Act asks for German that fits your recognition course, as a rule at least sufficient German. German law defines sufficient German as A2.

How long is the Goethe B2 certificate valid?

The Goethe-Institut exam rules set no expiry date for the B2 certificate. The office that asks for your certificate, such as an embassy, a university or an employer, decides which certificates it accepts, so ask that office. Anyone can check that a certificate is real at goethe.de/verify.

Where do I get my Goethe exam result?

The test centre where you took the exam gives you the result. The Goethe-Institut does not release a result early for one person. The exam rules give no fixed number of days, so ask your test centre when it sends results.

How long is the Goethe B2 exam?

Reading takes 65 minutes, listening 40 minutes and writing 75 minutes. Speaking is a separate paired exam, and you get 15 minutes to prepare.

Goethe-Zertifikat B2

Goethe B2 exam for nurses: what the law asks and how the exam works

German law asks nurses for the German they need to do the job and names no level (section 2 PflBG), so ask your recognition office which level and which certificate it accepts. You pass the Goethe B2 exam with 60 of 100 points in each module.

Updated 21 October 2026, Faust Academy team

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Nurses trained outside Germany need a permit to work under a protected nursing job title, such as Pflegefachfrau or Pflegefachmann. The Nursing Professions Act lists the conditions for this permit, and one of them is German: you must have the German that the job needs.

The office of the German state where you apply checks this condition. It tells you which level it wants and which certificates it accepts. Ask your office first. If it asks for B2, this page explains the Goethe B2 exam in detail.

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What German law says about German for nurses

Section 2 of the Nursing Professions Act (PflBG) gives four conditions for the permit to use the nursing job title. Number 4 is German: you must have the German you need to do the job. The act does not name a level such as B1 or B2.

If you come to Germany to complete your recognition, for example through an adaptation course, section 16d of the Residence Act asks for German that fits the course, as a rule at least sufficient German. The same law defines sufficient German as A2.

Section 16d also covers nurses who come through an agreement between the German Federal Employment Agency and the employment office of their home country. Then the German level in that agreement applies, as a rule at least A2.

Questions to ask your recognition office

Ask in writing and keep the answer. Each state office decides for its own applications.

Which CEFR level do you ask for: B1, B2 or another level?
Do you accept the Goethe-Zertifikat, and which other certificates do you accept?
Do I need all four modules, and must they be from one exam date?
Do I need a separate test of nursing German in addition to a general certificate?
Must my certificate have a recent date?

The Goethe B2 exam format

Part	Length	Tasks
Reading (Lesen)	65 minutes	30 tasks in 5 parts
Listening (Hören)	40 minutes	30 tasks in 4 parts
Writing (Schreiben)	75 minutes	2 writing tasks
Speaking (Sprechen)	Oral exam	2 parts, paired exam

Goethe B2 pass marks by module

Each module has its own result. A high score in one module does not make up for a low score in another.

Module	Maximum points	Pass mark
Reading (Lesen)	100	60 points
Listening (Hören)	100	60 points
Writing (Schreiben)	100	60 points
Speaking (Sprechen)	100	60 points

Goethe B2 reading (Lesen): 5 parts, 65 minutes

Part	Task type	Tasks	Minutes
Part 1	Matching	9	18
Part 2	Put sentences into gaps	6	12
Part 3	Multiple choice	6	12
Part 4	Match statements to texts	6	12
Part 5	Match paragraphs to gaps or tasks	3	6

Goethe B2 listening (Hören): 4 parts, 40 minutes

Part	Task type	Tasks	Audio
Part 1	True or false plus multiple choice	10	Played once
Part 2	Multiple choice	6	Played twice
Part 3	Matching	6	Played once
Part 4	Multiple choice	8	Played twice

Goethe B2 writing (Schreiben): 2 tasks, 75 minutes

Part	Task	Minutes	Points
Part 1	Write a forum post, target 150 words	50	60
Part 2	Write a formal message, target 100 words	25	40

Reading, listening and writing at B2

Reading has 30 tasks in 5 parts and takes 65 minutes. Part 2 asks you to put sentences back into gaps in a text, and part 5 asks you to match paragraphs to gaps. Practise these two task types before the exam.

Listening has 30 tasks in 4 parts. Parts 1 and 3 play once, and parts 2 and 4 play twice.

Writing takes 75 minutes. Part 1 is a forum post of your opinion and gives 60 points. Part 2 is a formal message and gives 40 points. The two tasks need a different tone, so practise both.

The B2 speaking exam

Speaking is a paired exam. In exceptional cases you sit it alone. You get 15 minutes to prepare. The exam has two parts.

In part 1 you present a topic, and then your partner and an examiner ask you questions. In part 2 you discuss a disputed topic with your partner.

Taking the B2 modules one at a time

Goethe B1, B2, C1 and C2 are modular. You can take Lesen, Hören, Schreiben and Sprechen alone or together, and each passed module gets a certificate.

Module certificates from a later date can be combined with earlier ones. On request, and where the test centre can do it, an overall certificate shows the best results from one year.

You can retake a Goethe exam as often as you want. In the modular exams you can also retake single modules as often as you want.

This helps nurses who work shifts: you can pass reading and listening first and take writing and speaking later. Ask your recognition office whether it accepts module certificates from different dates.

General German, not nursing German

The Goethe-Zertifikat B2 is a general German exam. Its topics come from daily life, work and society. It does not test ward handover, care documentation or talks with patients.

For your work on the ward you will need nursing words and phrases as well. A solid B2 in general German is the base on which you learn them.

How to study around shift work

On work days, do one reading part or one listening part. Each takes a short time and gives you a result.
On days off, write one full writing paper under the real time limit of 75 minutes.
Practise speaking with a partner or aloud: a short talk on a topic, then answers to questions about it.
Every second week, take one full module as a test and note your points.
Book the exam when every module you need is at 60 points or more.

Results and certificate

The test centre where you took the exam gives you the results. It cannot release a result early for one person.

The Goethe-Institut issues the certificate on paper or as a PDF. The test centre decides the form. Anyone can check a certificate at goethe.de/verify.

The Goethe-Institut exam rules set no expiry date for the certificate. Your recognition office decides which certificates it accepts.

Goethe B2 practice papers on Faust

Faust has 48 Goethe B2 practice papers: 12 for Lesen, 12 for Hören, 12 for Schreiben and 12 for Sprechen. Every PDF is free, with the answers, and every listening paper comes with its audio.

Full access to every paper is paid. The pricing page shows the current price.

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Frequently asked questions

Do nurses need B2 German to work in Germany?: The Nursing Professions Act asks for the German you need to do the job and names no level. The recognition office of the state where you apply decides which level and which certificate it accepts, so ask that office.
Is the Goethe B2 exam a nursing exam?: No. The Goethe-Zertifikat B2 is a general German exam. It does not test nursing words. Ask your recognition office whether you need a separate test of nursing German.
What is the pass mark for Goethe B2?: You pass the Goethe B2 exam with 60 of 100 points in each module: Lesen, Hören, Schreiben and Sprechen.
Can I take the B2 modules on different dates?: Yes. Goethe B1, B2, C1 and C2 are modular. You can take Lesen, Hören, Schreiben and Sprechen alone or together, and each passed module gets a certificate. Ask your recognition office whether it accepts module certificates from different dates.
Which German level do I need for a residence permit to complete my recognition?: Section 16d of the Residence Act asks for German that fits your recognition course, as a rule at least sufficient German. German law defines sufficient German as A2.
How long is the Goethe B2 certificate valid?: The Goethe-Institut exam rules set no expiry date for the B2 certificate. The office that asks for your certificate, such as an embassy, a university or an employer, decides which certificates it accepts, so ask that office. Anyone can check that a certificate is real at goethe.de/verify.
Where do I get my Goethe exam result?: The test centre where you took the exam gives you the result. The Goethe-Institut does not release a result early for one person. The exam rules give no fixed number of days, so ask your test centre when it sends results.
How long is the Goethe B2 exam?: Reading takes 65 minutes, listening 40 minutes and writing 75 minutes. Speaking is a separate paired exam, and you get 15 minutes to prepare.

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