Is Goethe or telc easier?

There is no official answer. No official source ranks the two exams by difficulty. The rules differ: Goethe scores each module alone, telc scores a written part and an oral part. Do one practice paper of each and compare your own results.

How many points do I need to pass telc B1?

You need 60 percent in both parts: 135 of 225 points in the written part and 45 of 75 points in the oral part. The grade then comes from the total of 300 points.

How many points do I need to pass Goethe B1?

You need 60 of 100 points in each module. Lesen, Hören, Schreiben and Sprechen each count alone, and you get a certificate for each module you pass.

Can I retake only one part?

Yes, in both exams. At Goethe you retake single modules as often as you want. At telc you take the failed written or oral part again in the same or the next calendar year.

Which one do universities accept?

The RO-DT rules exempt holders of the Goethe-Zertifikat C2 and of telc Deutsch C1 Hochschule from the university language test. Many universities also accept Goethe C1 or B2. Each university decides, so check with yours.

Can I take the Goethe exam online from home?

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.

Does Faust have telc practice papers?

Yes. Faust has 144 telc papers from A1 to C2, 24 of them for B1, next to 288 Goethe papers. Faust is independent practice. It is not a product of telc or of the Goethe-Institut.

Exam comparison

Goethe vs telc: which German exam fits your goal?

At B1 you pass the Goethe exam with 60 of 100 points in each module you take. You pass telc Deutsch B1 with 60 percent in the written part (135 of 225 points) and 60 percent in the oral part (45 of 75 points).

Updated 25 September 2026, Faust Academy team

The Goethe-Institut sets the Goethe-Zertifikat exams. telc gGmbH sets the telc Deutsch exams. Both measure German on the six CEFR levels from A1 to C2, and both run their exams through test centres.

No official source ranks the two exams by difficulty, so this page gives no verdict on which one is easier. It puts the two B1 exams side by side, with each number taken from goethe.de or telc.net, so you can choose by your goal, your date and the format that suits you.

Faust has 288 Goethe practice papers and 144 telc practice papers. One scored online paper per part is free, and every PDF is free.

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Goethe B1 and telc B1 side by side

Values for the adult B1 exams, from the Goethe exam rules and from the telc exam page and practice test.

Detail	Goethe-Zertifikat B1	telc Deutsch B1
Set by	Goethe-Institut	telc gGmbH
Parts	Four modules: Lesen, Hören, Schreiben and Sprechen	A written part (Lesen, Sprachbausteine, Hören, Schreiben) and an oral part (Sprechen)
Points	100 per module	225 written, 75 oral, 300 in total
Pass rule	60 of 100 points in each module you take	135 of 225 written points and 45 of 75 oral points
Take one part alone	Yes. Each module can be taken alone or with others, and each passed module gets a certificate	Yes. telc offers the exam as a partial exam (Teilprüfung)
Retake	As often as you want, also single modules	The whole exam as often as you want. A failed or missed part can also be taken alone in the same or the next calendar year
Reading and writing time	Lesen 65 minutes, Schreiben 60 minutes	Lesen with Sprachbausteine 90 minutes, Schreiben 30 minutes
Speaking	Pair exam in 3 parts	3 parts, two candidates as a rule, 20 minutes to prepare
Exam mode	At a test centre, on paper or on Goethe-Institut laptops	Digital, hybrid or on paper
Faust practice papers for B1	48	24

How the two pass rules work

Goethe B1 is modular. Each of the four modules has its own 100 points, and each module stands alone. A score of 85 in Lesen does not lift a score of 55 in Hören. If you pass Lesen and fail Hören, you can retake Hören only.

telc B1 adds up points inside each part. The written part has 225 points: Lesen gives 75, Sprachbausteine 30, Hören 75 and Schreiben 45. You need 135 of them in total, and the telc practice test names no separate minimum per subtest. So a strong Lesen score can balance a weaker Hören score, as long as the written total reaches 135. The oral part stands alone and needs 45 of its 75 points.

The grades also work in a different way. Goethe reports points per module. telc adds both parts to one total of 300 points and gives a grade: from 270 points sehr gut, from 240 gut, from 210 befriedigend and from 180 ausreichend.

Which exam fits which goal

Citizenship and the settlement permit: you need German at B1 (section 10 StAG and section 9 AufenthG). The Goethe-Institut states that the Goethe-Zertifikat B1 is accepted for both. For any other certificate, ask the office that decides your case.
University in Germany: the RO-DT rules of the HRK and KMK exempt holders of the Goethe-Zertifikat C2 and of telc Deutsch C1 Hochschule from the university language test. For lower levels, each university decides.
One weak skill: Goethe lets you retake a single module as often as you want. telc lets you take the failed written or oral part again in the same or the next calendar year.
Exam mode: telc offers B1 digital, hybrid or on paper. Goethe exams take place at a test centre, on paper or on Goethe-Institut laptops, and the Goethe-Institut offers no remote exam from home.
Date and place: the right exam is often the one with a date that fits your deadline. Check the dates at the test centres near you for both exams.

How to prepare for either exam

The skills overlap. Both B1 exams test reading, listening, writing and speaking on everyday topics, so practice for one helps with the other. The task formats differ, so do at least one full paper in the format of the exam you book.

telc has a part that Goethe B1 does not have: Sprachbausteine, a grammar and vocabulary gap fill with 20 items in two parts. Goethe B1 has no separate grammar part. Its Lesen module has 30 items in five parts and takes 65 minutes.

Time yourself on each paper. Exam time pressure is part of the test, and a paper done without a clock tells you less about your real result.

Practise in both formats

Frequently asked questions

Is Goethe or telc easier?: There is no official answer. No official source ranks the two exams by difficulty. The rules differ: Goethe scores each module alone, telc scores a written part and an oral part. Do one practice paper of each and compare your own results.
How many points do I need to pass telc B1?: You need 60 percent in both parts: 135 of 225 points in the written part and 45 of 75 points in the oral part. The grade then comes from the total of 300 points.
How many points do I need to pass Goethe B1?: You need 60 of 100 points in each module. Lesen, Hören, Schreiben and Sprechen each count alone, and you get a certificate for each module you pass.
Can I retake only one part?: Yes, in both exams. At Goethe you retake single modules as often as you want. At telc you take the failed written or oral part again in the same or the next calendar year.
Which one do universities accept?: The RO-DT rules exempt holders of the Goethe-Zertifikat C2 and of telc Deutsch C1 Hochschule from the university language test. Many universities also accept Goethe C1 or B2. Each university decides, so check with yours.
Can I take the Goethe exam online from home?: 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.
Does Faust have telc practice papers?: Yes. Faust has 144 telc papers from A1 to C2, 24 of them for B1, next to 288 Goethe papers. Faust is independent practice. It is not a product of telc or of the Goethe-Institut.

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