# Faust Academy ## Goethe A1 for the au pair visa in Germany URL: https://www.faustacademy.com/goethe-a1-au-pair Language: en Updated: 2026-09-25 German law allows au pair work for people under 27 with basic German (section 12 BeschV), and it does not name a CEFR level. The Goethe-Zertifikat A1: Start Deutsch 1 is the first Goethe certificate, so ask the German embassy that handles your visa whether it accepts it. An au pair year in Germany means living with a host family, looking after children and learning the language where it is spoken. Section 12 of the German employment regulation (BeschV) allows au pair work for up to one year for people under 27 with basic German. The law says basic German and does not name a certificate. The German embassy or consulate that handles your application decides which proof it accepts. Confirm this before you book an exam. This page explains what Start Deutsch 1 covers, how it is scored and how to prepare while you are still abroad. ### Start Deutsch 1 (Goethe A1): what it covers A1 is the entry level. The exam checks whether you can handle simple everyday situations, the same ones an au pair meets every day. | Part | Duration | What it covers | | --- | --- | --- | | Hören (Listening) | 20 minutes, 3 parts, 15 tasks | Short everyday announcements, conversations and messages | | Lesen (Reading) | 25 minutes, 3 parts, 15 tasks | Simple notices, short messages and ads | | Schreiben (Writing) | 20 minutes, 2 tasks | Filling in a form and writing a short message | | Sprechen (Speaking) | 3 parts, group exam | Introducing yourself and simple everyday exchanges | ### How the exam is scored Goethe A1: the exam has 100 points, 75 written and 25 speaking. You pass with 60 points in total, and you must take every part. A1 has one pass mark for the whole exam, unlike the separate modules from B1 upward. A strong speaking result can make up for a weaker written part, and the other way round. ### A plan to reach A1 A1 does not ask for perfect grammar. It asks for reliable command of a small set of everyday situations. - Follow the checklist of your German embassy or consulate for the au pair visa, and confirm which certificates it accepts before you book anything. - Study the words an au pair uses every day: family, daily routines, food, time, appointments and simple requests. - Practise listening from day one. Exam audio moves at natural speed. - Learn fixed writing formulas: a greeting, a closing phrase and one sentence for each point the message task asks for. - Take a full practice exam every week and act on the feedback. - Book the real exam when your practice results sit above the pass mark every time. ### Taking the exam abroad Goethe-Instituts and partner exam centres offer Start Deutsch 1 in many countries. 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. Dates and fees are set by each centre, so check your nearest centre on goethe.de and book early enough before your visa appointment and your start date with the host family. One scored online paper per part is free, and every PDF is free. ### Start here - [Check your German level, no signup](https://www.faustacademy.com/placement) - [Goethe A1 practice papers (German)](https://www.faustacademy.com/goethe-a1-modelltest) - [Goethe A1 exam explained](https://www.faustacademy.com/goethe-a1-exam) ### Questions **Which certificate do I need for the German au pair visa?** The law asks for basic German and does not name a certificate. The German embassy or consulate that handles your application decides which proof it accepts. The Goethe-Zertifikat A1: Start Deutsch 1 is the first Goethe certificate, so ask whether it accepts it. **Who can work as an au pair in Germany?** Section 12 BeschV allows au pair work for people under 27 with basic German, for up to one year, in a family that speaks German as its native language. A family that speaks German as its home language, but not as its native language, can host an au pair who does not come from a home country of the host parents. **How is the Goethe A1 exam scored?** Goethe A1: the exam has 100 points, 75 written and 25 speaking. You pass with 60 points in total, and you must take every part. **What does the Goethe A1 exam cost?** Each exam centre sets its own fee under its local fee schedule. Check the fee of your chosen centre on goethe.de before you book. **Where can I take the A1 exam outside Germany?** At Goethe-Instituts and partner exam centres. You find locations and dates for your country on goethe.de. The exam takes place at the centre, not online from home. ### Sources - [§ 12 BeschV, Au-pair-Beschäftigungen](https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/beschv_2013/__12.html) - [Goethe-Institut: Durchführungsbestimmungen A1, Stand 1. September 2025](https://www.goethe.de/pro/relaunch/prf/de/Durchfuehrungsbestimmungen_A1_Start_Deutsch_1.pdf) - [Goethe-Institut: Prüfungsordnung, Stand 1. September 2025](https://www.goethe.de/pro/relaunch/prf/de/Pruefungsordnung.pdf)