What is the pass mark for Goethe B1?

You need 60 of 100 points in each B1 module. B1 has four modules: Lesen, Hören, Schreiben and Sprechen. Each one passes or fails on its own.

What is the pass mark for Goethe A1?

You need 60 of 100 points over the whole A1 exam, and you must take every part. 75 points come from the written exam and 25 from speaking.

Is the A2 pass mark different?

Yes. A2 also needs 60 of 100 points in total, but you must have at least 45 of 75 written points and at least 15 of 25 speaking points.

Can a good score in one module make up for a bad one from B1 upward?

No. From B1 to C2 each module is scored alone. You need 60 points in every module you want a certificate for.

How many correct answers do I need in B1 Lesen?

B1 Lesen has 30 tasks. The raw points are multiplied by 3.33 and rounded, so 18 correct answers give 60 points and a pass.

What happens if I get 59 points?

Anything below 60 points is a fail. On request the test centre confirms that you took part and states your points. From B1 upward you can retake only the failed module.

Goethe-Zertifikat A1 to C2

Goethe exam pass marks for A1, A2, B1, B2, C1 and C2

You pass every Goethe exam with 60 of 100 points. At A1 and A2 the 60 points count over the whole exam, and A2 also needs 45 of 75 written points and 15 of 25 speaking points. From B1 to C2 you need 60 of 100 points in each module you take.

Updated 25 September 2026, Faust Academy team

The number 60 is the same at every level. What changes is what the 60 points refer to. At A1 and A2 you sit one exam, and all its parts count together. From B1 upward the exam is modular: Lesen, Hören, Schreiben and Sprechen each have 100 points, and each module passes or fails on its own.

This page shows the rule for each level, how the Goethe-Institut turns correct answers into points, the grade names on the certificate, and what the rule means for your preparation. All rules come from the Prüfungsordnung and the Durchführungsbestimmungen of each level, dated 1 September 2025.

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Pass mark by level

Level	How it is scored	You pass with
A1	One exam, all parts count together	60 of 100 points in total, and you must take every part
A2	One exam, all parts count together	60 of 100 points in total, with at least 45 of 75 written and 15 of 25 speaking
B1	Four modules, each scored on its own	60 of 100 points in each module you take
B2	Four modules, each scored on its own	60 of 100 points in each module you take
C1	Four modules, each scored on its own	60 of 100 points in each module you take
C2	Four modules, each scored on its own	60 of 100 points in each module you take

A1: 60 points over the whole exam

The Goethe-Zertifikat A1: Start Deutsch 1 has 100 points: 75 for the written exam (Hören, Lesen and Schreiben) and 25 for Sprechen. You pass with 60 points in total, and you must take every part of the exam.

Each written part and the speaking part has 15 raw points. The Goethe-Institut multiplies the raw points by 1.66 and rounds the total to whole points. If you have fewer than 35 points after the written exam, 60 points are out of reach even with full marks in speaking, so the rules say that the speaking part no longer makes sense for you.

A2: 60 points in total and two minimums

The Goethe-Zertifikat A2 also counts all parts together. You need 60 of 100 points. On top of that you need at least 45 of the 75 written points and at least 15 of the 25 speaking points. A strong written result does not save a weak speaking result, and the other way round.

If you miss one of the two minimums, the whole A2 exam counts as failed. You then retake the whole exam, because A2 is not modular.

B1, B2, C1 and C2: 60 points in each module

From B1 upward each module has 100 points, and you pass a module with 60 points. The four modules do not share points. 90 points in Lesen do not make up for 55 points in Schreiben.

You can take the modules alone or together, and each passed module gets its own certificate. A failed module does not cancel the modules you passed. You retake only the module you failed.

In Lesen and Hören every correct answer is one raw point. B1 Lesen has 30 tasks. The rules multiply the raw points by 3.33 and round to whole points, so 18 correct answers give 60 points (59.94 rounded) and 17 give 57 points. Writing and speaking are marked by two examiners against fixed criteria.

Grades on the certificate

The certificate shows your points and a grade name. The same scale applies at every level.

Points	Grade	Meaning
90 or more	sehr gut	very good
80 or more	gut	good
70 or more	befriedigend	satisfactory
60 or more	ausreichend	pass
59 or less	nicht bestanden	fail

What the pass mark means for your preparation

Know which rule applies to you. At A1 and A2 you can balance a weak part with a strong one, within the A2 minimums. From B1 upward you cannot.
Find your weakest module first. A score of 60 is the floor for each module, so the weakest module decides whether you get the certificate.
Practise under the real time limits. B1 Lesen gives you 65 minutes for 30 tasks, and the clock does not stop between the parts.
Aim above 60 in practice. A practice paper is not the real exam, and a small margin protects you from a bad day.
In writing, cover every point the task asks for. Two examiners mark your text against fixed criteria, and the task itself tells you what to write about.

Check your level against the pass mark

Faust Academy scores every practice paper with the same rule as the real exam for that level, so you see whether you are above or below 60. There are 288 Goethe practice papers for A1 to C2. One scored online paper per part is free, and every PDF is free.

Faust Academy is independent practice. It is not a product of the Goethe-Institut and issues no certificates.

Practice papers by level

Frequently asked questions

What is the pass mark for Goethe B1?: You need 60 of 100 points in each B1 module. B1 has four modules: Lesen, Hören, Schreiben and Sprechen. Each one passes or fails on its own.
What is the pass mark for Goethe A1?: You need 60 of 100 points over the whole A1 exam, and you must take every part. 75 points come from the written exam and 25 from speaking.
Is the A2 pass mark different?: Yes. A2 also needs 60 of 100 points in total, but you must have at least 45 of 75 written points and at least 15 of 25 speaking points.
Can a good score in one module make up for a bad one from B1 upward?: No. From B1 to C2 each module is scored alone. You need 60 points in every module you want a certificate for.
How many correct answers do I need in B1 Lesen?: B1 Lesen has 30 tasks. The raw points are multiplied by 3.33 and rounded, so 18 correct answers give 60 points and a pass.
What happens if I get 59 points?: Anything below 60 points is a fail. On request the test centre confirms that you took part and states your points. From B1 upward you can retake only the failed module.

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