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How many points to pass German B1: pass marks for Goethe, ÖSD, telc, TestDaF and ÖIF

VWUPass Team8 min read

You get a German certificate when you reach the pass mark, and Goethe, ÖSD, telc, TestDaF and ÖIF each count that mark differently. Some exams set it for every module, some for the written and the oral part, and TestDaF has no pass or fail at all. A high total is not enough on its own: wherever you can fail, a single part or module has a minimum of its own. So it helps to know from day one which part of your exam has to clear the bar.

Pass marks for Goethe, ÖSD, telc, TestDaF and ÖIF

ExamWhat has to reach the markPass mark
Goethe B1, B2, C1⁠each of the four modules60 of 100
Goethe A2⁠the total, the written and the oral part60 of 100, of which 45 of 75 written and 15 of 25 oral
ÖSD B1⁠each of the four modules60 of 100
ÖSD B2⁠the written module, each of its subtests, the oral module42 of 70 (Lesen 10, Hören 10, Schreiben 15), oral 18 of 30
ÖSD C1⁠as at B2, plus each of the two writing tasks42 of 70 and every subtest minimum, 7 of 15 per text, oral 18 of 30
ÖSD A2⁠the written module, each of its subtests, the oral module35 of 70 (Lesen 5, Hören 6, Schreiben 3), oral 10 of 20
telc B1, B2⁠the written and the oral part135 of 225 and 45 of 75
telc C1⁠the total and both parts128 of 214, of which 99 written and 29 oral
telc A2⁠the total and both parts36 of 60
TestDaF⁠each of the four parts gets its own levelno pass mark, TDN 4 from 10 of 20
ÖIF B1⁠Sprechen and one more module, the values testB1 in two of the three modules
ÖIF A2⁠each subtest and the values testLesen and Hören together 25 of 50, Schreiben 10 of 20, Sprechen 15 of 30, values 25 of 45

The middle column is what matters. The right total does nothing when one part is below its own minimum: at Goethe B1, B2 and C1 that module fails, at telc the whole exam, at ÖSD the entire written module. So count your points in the unit your exam marks, not as one overall score.

Goethe points per module

Lesen and Hören at Goethe have 30 items each, and the score is scaled to 100: the number of correct answers is multiplied by 3.33 and rounded. Eighteen correct answers give 60 points and a passed module, while seventeen give 57 and the module fails.

The B1, B2 and C1 modules do not depend on each other. You retake a failed module on its own, as often as the centre offers it, and the new certificate combines with the earlier ones. Goethe A2 works differently: it has no modules, and missing points in one part fail the whole exam. In exceptional cases, if the centre can organise it, you may retake only the oral exam or the whole written exam, within a year and only at the same centre. You have no right to such a partial retake. How the B1 modules are built is covered in the article on the Goethe-Zertifikat B1.

Goethe and telc grades, sehr gut included

Points above the pass mark decide the grade on the certificate. A Goethe B1 module is sehr gut from 90 points, gut from 80, befriedigend from 70 and ausreichend from 60. At telc B1 and B2 the grade comes from the total out of 300: sehr gut from 270, gut from 240, befriedigend from 210 and ausreichend from 180.

Goethe and telc grade bands

Goethe B1, one module

telc B1 and B2, total

GradeGoethe B1, one moduletelc B1 and B2, total
sehr gut90–100270–300
gut80–89240–269.5
befriedigend70–79210–239.5
ausreichend60–69180–209.5
not passed0–590–179.5

Both scales put the grades at the same shares; only the units differ. The telc total only counts once each part has reached its own minimum, though. With 140 written and 40 oral you land exactly on 180, but the oral part is below 45, so the exam is not passed.

telc points per part

telc exams are not modular and are taken whole. If you fail B1, B2, C1 or C2, you may retake only the written or only the oral part and keep the other. That has to happen within twelve months of the date on your result sheet (Ergebnisbogen), you ask for the credit when you register, and a single subtest such as writing alone cannot be retaken.

At A2 and in the two-level exams such as B1·B2 no part is credited: after a fail you sit everything again. The whole exam can be repeated as often as you like, and every result stays valid. How much the letter weighs in the written part is shown in the article on telc B1 Schreiben, and the full B2 exam is described in the article on telc Deutsch B2.

ÖSD pass marks

ÖSD B1 is marked like Goethe B1: four modules of 100 points, each passed from 60. Apart from B1 and C2, ÖSD exams have two modules, a written and an oral one.

At B2 the written module passes from 42 of 70 points, but only if every subtest reaches its minimum: 10 of 20 in reading, 10 of 20 in listening and 15 of 30 in writing. Forty-five points with nine of them in reading fail the module. C1 adds one more condition: each of the two writing tasks needs at least 7 of 15 points.

ÖSD modules can be retaken any number of times, though after a fail ÖSD recommends waiting at least four weeks. You get a full certificate when all modules are passed on one date or within one year at the same centre. The B2 exam is covered in detail in the article on the ÖSD Zertifikat B2.

TestDaF: TDN levels in place of a pass mark

Nobody passes or fails TestDaF: there is no overall level and no pass mark for the test as a whole. Each of the four parts is placed at TDN 3, TDN 4 or TDN 5, and anything lower appears as «unter TDN 3». In the digital TestDaF each part goes onto a scale of 0 to 20 points, with TDN 3 starting at 5, TDN 4 at 10 and TDN 5 at 16.

Under Germany's framework rules, TDN 4 in all four parts counts as proof of German for admission to every degree programme, and TDN 5 is above the level admission needs. Universities can set their own terms. Universität Hamburg accepts three parts at TDN 4 and one at TDN 3 with a total of 15, while the University of Vienna, TU Wien and WU ask for TDN 4 in every part.

All four parts are taken in one sitting; a part cannot be taken alone. Since 12 May 2026 the best part results of digital sittings within six months can be merged into one combined certificate, and each university decides whether it accepts it. The university exam DSH uses grades instead: DSH-1 from 57 %, DSH-2 from 67 %, DSH-3 from 82 %, each in both the written and the oral part. DSH-2 is enough for every programme. Which certificate counts for university admission is explained in the article on proof of German for university.

ÖIF exam: passed or not passed

The ÖIF integration exam gives no grade. The result reads «Bestanden» or «Nicht bestanden», single parts cannot be retaken, and results arrive within 15 working days.

A B1 certificate is issued when Sprechen and one of the two other modules, Hören/Lesen or Schreiben, are at B1. The B1 integration exam also needs enough points in the values and orientation test. From 1 February 2027 a condition for the third module is added: it must be at least A2. The model test valid from that date also gives point bands per module: B1 in Hören/Lesen from 33 of 45, in Schreiben from 15 of 20, in Sprechen from 75 of 100.

At A2 the values test passes from 25 of 45 points, for example with five of nine right in each of its two blocks. Below that the whole exam fails, even with the language part passed.

Checking your own points before the exam

Take the official practice test of your exam, sit it against the clock and count the points the way the exam does: per module at Goethe, per part at telc, per subtest at ÖSD. Compare your weakest part with its pass mark. That part decides whether you get the certificate, and it is where most of your preparation time should go.

Источники

· 32 проверены 08.11.2026
  1. Goethe-Zertifikat B1: Durchführungsbestimmungen, Goethe-Institut · от 01.09.2025
  2. Goethe-Zertifikat B2: Durchführungsbestimmungen, Goethe-Institut · от 01.09.2025
  3. Goethe-Zertifikat C1: Durchführungsbestimmungen, Goethe-Institut · от 01.09.2025
  4. Goethe-Zertifikat A2: Durchführungsbestimmungen, Goethe-Institut
  5. ÖSD Zertifikat B1: Gesamtbogen, Österreichisches Sprachdiplom Deutsch
  6. ÖSD Zertifikat B2: Durchführungsbestimmungen, ÖSD
  7. ÖSD Zertifikat B2: Gesamtbogen, Österreichisches Sprachdiplom Deutsch
  8. ÖSD Zertifikat C1: Durchführungsbestimmungen, ÖSD
  9. ÖSD Zertifikat C1: Gesamtbogen, Österreichisches Sprachdiplom Deutsch
  10. ÖSD Zertifikat A2: Durchführungsbestimmungen, ÖSD
  11. ÖSD Zertifikat A2: Gesamtbogen, Österreichisches Sprachdiplom Deutsch
  12. telc Deutsch B1: Übungstest 1, telc gGmbH
  13. telc Deutsch B2: Übungstest 1, telc gGmbH
  14. telc Deutsch C1: Übungstest 1, telc gGmbH
  15. telc Deutsch C1 Hochschule: Übungstest 1, telc gGmbH
  16. telc Deutsch A2: Übungstest 1, telc gGmbH
  17. TestDaF: FAQ allgemein, g.a.s.t.
  18. Auswertung des digitalen TestDaF, g.a.s.t.
  19. Prüfungsordnung für Sprach- und Integrationsprüfungen A2 und B1, Österreichischer Integrationsfonds
  20. ÖIF-Test neu: Modelltest A2, Österreichischer Integrationsfonds
  21. Fragen zu Werte- und Orientierungswissen A2, Österreichischer Integrationsfonds
  22. Prüfungsordnung, Goethe-Institut · от 01.09.2025
  23. telc Prüfungsregularien, telc gGmbH · от 15.04.2025
  24. ÖSD-Prüfungsordnung, Österreichisches Sprachdiplom Deutsch · от 01.08.2026
  25. Rahmenordnung über Deutsche Sprachprüfungen für das Studium an deutschen Hochschulen (RO-DT), HRK und KMK
  26. Deutschkenntnisse, Universität Hamburg
  27. Deutschkenntnisse, Universität Wien, Aufnahmeverfahren
  28. Competence in German, TU Wien
  29. Sprachnachweise, WU Wirtschaftsuniversität Wien
  30. TestDaF: FAQ Ergebnisse und Zertifikat, g.a.s.t.
  31. Integrationsgesetz, geltende Fassung, RIS
  32. Deutsch-Test für Österreich A2/B1: Modelltest, Österreichischer Integrationsfonds

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