Is B1 enough for an Ausbildung visa?

B1 is the level the law asks for in section 16a AufenthG. Your training company or school can ask for a higher level in its own entry rules. Ask it before you apply.

Do I need a German certificate if my company has tested my German?

No. The law asks for proof of B1 only if the training place has not checked your German and you will not learn it in a preparatory German course (section 16a (3) AufenthG).

Can I learn German in Germany before the Ausbildung starts?

Yes. For company training, the residence permit also covers a German course that prepares you for the training (section 16a (1) AufenthG).

Which B1 certificate counts for the Ausbildung visa?

The law names no exam. The German mission that handles your visa decides which certificates it accepts. The Goethe-Zertifikat B1 certifies B1. Ask the mission whether it needs all four modules.

How is the Goethe B1 exam scored?

Goethe B1, B2, C1 and C2: each module has 100 points. You pass a module with 60 points.

Can I take the Goethe B1 exam online?

The Goethe-Institut exam rules name three formats: on paper at a test centre, digital on a laptop at a test centre, and, under certain conditions, online on your own computer. The structure, content and grading are the same in all three formats. Ask your test centre which formats it offers.

Can I stay in Germany after the Ausbildung?

With a job offer, a skilled worker with a vocational qualification gets a residence permit for a qualified job (section 18a AufenthG). If you finished your training in Germany, you can get the settlement permit after two years with this permit, 24 months of pension contributions and B1 German, among other rules (section 18c (1) AufenthG).

Vocational training in Germany

German for an Ausbildung in Germany: which level do you need?

For a qualified Ausbildung, German law asks for proof of B1 German (ausreichende Deutschkenntnisse). You do not need this proof if the school or company has already checked your German, or if you will take a German course before the training starts (section 16a AufenthG).

Updated 25 September 2026, Faust Academy team

An Ausbildung is vocational training in Germany. You learn in a company and at a vocational school (Berufsschule), or at a school only. People from outside the EU need a residence permit for it. The rules for this permit are in section 16a of the Residence Act (Aufenthaltsgesetz, AufenthG).

This page shows what the law says about German, what B1 means in the Goethe exam, and how to check your level before you book an exam or sign a training contract.

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What the law says about German for an Ausbildung

Situation	German rule	Source
Qualified vocational training, in a company or at a school	Proof of B1 German, unless the training place checked your German or you will learn German in a preparatory course	§ 16a (3) AufenthG
German course before company training	The residence permit for company training also covers a German course that prepares you for the training	§ 16a (1) AufenthG
Side job during the training	You may work up to 20 hours per week in a job that is not part of the training	§ 16a (3) AufenthG
Work after the training	With a job offer, a skilled worker with a vocational qualification gets a residence permit for any qualified job	§ 18a AufenthG
Settlement permit after the training	B1 German, after two years with a skilled worker permit when you finished your training in Germany	§ 18c (1) AufenthG

What B1 means

German residence law defines simple German as A1, sufficient German as A2 (hinreichend), adequate German as B1 (ausreichend) and full command as C1.

So when the Ausbildung rule asks for adequate German, it means B1. The Goethe-Zertifikat B1 tests this level in four modules.

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.

The Goethe B1 exam at a glance

Part	Length	Tasks
Reading (Lesen)	65 minutes	30 tasks in 5 parts
Listening (Hören)	40 minutes	30 tasks in 4 parts
Writing (Schreiben)	60 minutes	3 writing tasks
Speaking (Sprechen)	Oral exam	3 parts, paired exam
Pass mark	60 of 100 points	In each module

Which certificate to show

The law asks for proof of B1. It does not name one exam. The German mission that handles your visa, the embassy or the consulate, decides which certificates it accepts. Ask the mission before you book an exam.

Because the Goethe B1 is modular, also ask whether the mission wants all four modules. If you pass some modules now and others later, you can combine the results: 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.

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.

Steps before you apply

Ask your training company or school whether it checks your German itself and which level it expects in its own entry rules.
Ask the German mission which certificates it accepts for the Ausbildung visa.
Find your level with the Faust placement test.
Practise each Goethe B1 module in the exam format until you score 60 of 100 points in a scored paper.
The Goethe-Institut exam rules name three formats: on paper at a test centre, digital on a laptop at a test centre, and, under certain conditions, online on your own computer. The structure, content and grading are the same in all three formats. Ask your test centre which formats it offers.
Book the exam when your practice scores reach the pass mark in every module you need.

How Faust helps you prepare

Faust Academy has 48 Goethe B1 practice papers in the Goethe exam format for Lesen, Hören, Schreiben and Sprechen. Every paper gets a result, so you see for each module how far you are from 60 points.

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.

Practise for Goethe B1

Frequently asked questions

Is B1 enough for an Ausbildung visa?: B1 is the level the law asks for in section 16a AufenthG. Your training company or school can ask for a higher level in its own entry rules. Ask it before you apply.
Do I need a German certificate if my company has tested my German?: No. The law asks for proof of B1 only if the training place has not checked your German and you will not learn it in a preparatory German course (section 16a (3) AufenthG).
Can I learn German in Germany before the Ausbildung starts?: Yes. For company training, the residence permit also covers a German course that prepares you for the training (section 16a (1) AufenthG).
Which B1 certificate counts for the Ausbildung visa?: The law names no exam. The German mission that handles your visa decides which certificates it accepts. The Goethe-Zertifikat B1 certifies B1. Ask the mission whether it needs all four modules.
How is the Goethe B1 exam scored?: Goethe B1, B2, C1 and C2: each module has 100 points. You pass a module with 60 points.
Can I take the Goethe B1 exam online?: The Goethe-Institut exam rules name three formats: on paper at a test centre, digital on a laptop at a test centre, and, under certain conditions, online on your own computer. The structure, content and grading are the same in all three formats. Ask your test centre which formats it offers.
Can I stay in Germany after the Ausbildung?: With a job offer, a skilled worker with a vocational qualification gets a residence permit for a qualified job (section 18a AufenthG). If you finished your training in Germany, you can get the settlement permit after two years with this permit, 24 months of pension contributions and B1 German, among other rules (section 18c (1) AufenthG).

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