Goethe-Zertifikat B1
in Düsseldorf

A young man raising his index finger. Photo: Getty Images/DexImage

Ideal if you'd like to ...

  • attend a preparatory course (Studienkolleg) to qualify for admission to university in Germany
  • live and work in Germany
  • prove that you have successfully reached level B1
  • be issued with an official and internationally recognized certificate

The Goethe-Zertifikat B1 is a German exam for young people and adults. It certifies that candidates are independent users of the German language and corresponds to the third level (B1) on the six-level scale of competence laid down in the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR).

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*) Courses/exams exempt from VAT according to § 4 No. 21 a) bb) UStG; exception: German Training Online includes 7% VAT for customers resident in Germany

**) The cheaper price displayed applies if you have already participated in a German language course at the Goethe Institute in the past six months. The six months refer to the period between when the language course ended and the date of the German language exam. In this case, the price will change automatically during the booking procedure. If not, please contact the course office.

Passing the exam demonstrates that you can ...

  • understand the main points of information in conversations and texts on familiar matters relating to work, school and leisure time, etc. when clear, standard language is used,
  • deal with most situations typically encountered when travelling in German-speaking countries,
  • express yourself simply and coherently when talking about familiar topics and areas of personal interest,
  • report on experiences and events, describe dreams, hopes and ambitions as well as make short statements and explanations.

Note for exam candidates

Available spaces for external candidates may be booked out several weeks before the registration deadline. External candidates should therefore register early. 

Course participants are defined as

  • Persons currently taking part in courses at a Goethe-Institut in Germany.
  • Former course participants of the Goethe-Instituts in Germany or worldwide who attended a course within the past six months (based on the examination date).

Preparation

Exam preparation

Prepare specifically for your German exam in a preparatory course.

Practice materials

Accessible and interactive sample papers and practice exercises to help you prepare online are available here.

Further information

The requirements, contents of the exam and further information on the Goethe-Zertifikat B1 exam are available here: