How long is the Goethe C2 exam?

Reading takes 80 minutes, listening 35 minutes and writing 80 minutes. Speaking has 2 parts. Speaking is a one to one exam with the examiners, with no partner. You get 15 minutes to prepare for both tasks.

How many tasks are in the C2 reading and listening parts?

Reading has 30 tasks in 4 parts. Listening has 30 tasks in 3 parts. Writing has 2 writing tasks.

How long is the Goethe C2 certificate valid?

The Goethe-Institut exam rules set no expiry date for the C2 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.

Can I retake one module of Goethe C2?

Yes. You can retake the whole exam or a single module as often as you want. A module you passed keeps its certificate. The test centre can set a waiting time before a retake date and tells you with your result.

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.

What does Goethe C2 practice cost on Faust?

On Faust, one scored online paper per part is free, and every PDF is free. Full access to every paper is paid. The pricing page shows the current price.

Goethe-Zertifikat C2 (GDS)

The Goethe C2 exam: format, timing and pass mark

You pass the Goethe C2 exam with 60 of 100 points in each module: Lesen, Hören, Schreiben and Sprechen. The exam has four parts: reading (80 minutes), listening (35 minutes), writing (80 minutes) and speaking as a one to one exam.

Updated 25 September 2026, Faust Academy team

C2 is the highest Goethe level. Its full name is Großes Deutsches Sprachdiplom, or GDS.

The Goethe-Zertifikat C2 gives access to study at every German speaking university, according to the Goethe-Institut.

On Faust, one scored online paper per part is free, and every PDF is free. Every online paper gets a result.

Faust Academy is independent practice. It is not a product of the Goethe-Institut and issues no certificates. Book the real exam at a Goethe-Institut or a Goethe test centre.

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The four parts of the Goethe C2 exam

Part	Length	Tasks
Reading (Lesen)	80 minutes	30 tasks in 4 parts
Listening (Hören)	35 minutes	30 tasks in 3 parts
Writing (Schreiben)	80 minutes	2 writing tasks
Speaking (Sprechen)	Oral exam	2 parts, one to one exam

Goethe C2 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

Modules, dates and breaks

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.

If the three written modules are on one date, the rules recommend the order Lesen, Hören, Schreiben, and the test centre can change it. There is a break of at least 15 minutes between them.

Reading, listening and writing in detail

Reading (Lesen), 80 minutes. Part 1: multiple choice, 10 tasks. Part 2: match statements to text sections, 6 tasks. Part 3: match paragraphs to gaps or tasks, 6 tasks. Part 4: matching, 8 tasks.
Listening (Hören), 35 minutes. Part 1: yes or no, 15 tasks, audio played once. Part 2: matching, 5 tasks, audio played once. Part 3: multiple choice, 10 tasks, audio played twice.
Writing (Schreiben), 80 minutes. Part 1: revise a text, 20 minutes, 20 points. Part 2: write a text on one of four topics, 60 minutes, 80 points.

The C2 speaking exam

Speaking is a one to one exam with the examiners, with no partner. You get 15 minutes to prepare for both tasks. The exam has 2 parts.

In part 1 you give a talk and develop a thesis. In part 2 the examiners ask critical questions about your talk and discuss it with you.

Results, certificate and age

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.

If you lose the certificate, the test centre where you registered can issue a replacement within 10 years, for a fee. The Goethe-Institut recommends the C2 exam for adults from 18 years. You do not need a certificate of a lower level to register.

Goethe C2 practice papers on Faust

Faust has 48 Goethe C2 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.

Practise each part of Goethe C2

Frequently asked questions

How long is the Goethe C2 exam?: Reading takes 80 minutes, listening 35 minutes and writing 80 minutes. Speaking has 2 parts. Speaking is a one to one exam with the examiners, with no partner. You get 15 minutes to prepare for both tasks.
How many points do I need to pass Goethe C2?: You pass the Goethe C2 exam with 60 of 100 points in each module: Lesen, Hören, Schreiben and Sprechen.
How many tasks are in the C2 reading and listening parts?: Reading has 30 tasks in 4 parts. Listening has 30 tasks in 3 parts. Writing has 2 writing tasks.
How long is the Goethe C2 certificate valid?: The Goethe-Institut exam rules set no expiry date for the C2 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.
Can I retake one module of Goethe C2?: Yes. You can retake the whole exam or a single module as often as you want. A module you passed keeps its certificate. The test centre can set a waiting time before a retake date and tells you with your result.
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.
Does Goethe C2 give access to German universities?: Yes. The Goethe-Institut states that the Goethe-Zertifikat C2 gives access to study at every German speaking university.
What does Goethe C2 practice cost on Faust?: On Faust, one scored online paper per part is free, and every PDF is free. Full access to every paper is paid. The pricing page shows the current price.

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