EPD preparation: a plan for 8 to 12 weeks
The EPD has 4 written sections: Leseverstehen (reading), Hörverstehen (listening), Strukturen und Wortschatz (grammar and vocabulary), Textproduktion (writing). The oral exam follows. You pass only if no section stays below its minimum, so a plan that trains each section on purpose beats simply collecting overall points.
The plan below runs over 12 weeks and can be compressed to 8. For each phase you will find the matching theory articles and practice papers on VWUPass.
Open the EPD trainerStarting point: what the exam asks of you
The written EPD lasts 180 minutes, and each of its 4 sections has its own time, points and minimum. You pass only with at least 45 of 75 points and the minimum in every section. A strong section does not make up for a weak one, which is exactly why every section gets its time in your plan.
Start with a new-format practice paper under real timing. The result shows which section is furthest from its minimum, and that is where your plan gets extra time.
| Part | Time | Points | Minimum |
|---|---|---|---|
| A · Leseverstehen (reading) | 50 min | 20 | 10 |
| B · Hörverstehen (listening) | 35 min | 15 | 5 |
| C · Strukturen und Wortschatz (grammar and vocabulary) | 35 min | 15 | 7 |
| D · Textproduktion (writing) | 60 min | 25 | 12 |
| Total | 180 min | 75 | 45 |
The plan: 12 weeks in 4 phases
The phases follow the sections of the exam. Grammar comes first because it counts twice: in Strukturen und Wortschatz (grammar and vocabulary) and in the Sprachrichtigkeit (accuracy) criterion of the writing task. Exam simulation and the oral exam come last.
If you only have 8 weeks, give each phase 2 weeks instead of 3. The order stays the same.
| Weeks | Focus | What you do |
|---|---|---|
| 1 to 3 | Strukturen und Wortschatz (grammar and vocabulary) | Rewrite nominal as verbal structures, continue sentence openings with complex sentences |
| 4 to 6 | Leseverstehen (reading) and Hörverstehen (listening) | Learn the task types of the model, work through recordings with reading time and two plays |
| 7 to 9 | Textproduktion (writing) | Write argumentative texts of 230 to 250 words following the three steps of the task |
| 10 to 12 | Simulation and oral exam | Take full practice papers in 180 minutes, train the presentation and the conversation |
Weeks 1 to 3: Strukturen und Wortschatz (grammar and vocabulary)
The first task of this section only goes one way: from a nominal to a verbal structure. So practise turning phrases with „wegen“, „trotz“ or „nach“ plus a noun into clauses with „weil“, „obwohl“ or „nachdem“, and nouns into verbs in the active or passive.
For the second task, practise complex ways of continuing a sentence. A simple, correct sentence earns 2 points, a more complex one 3 points. Subordinate clauses, relative clauses and connectors are the quickest way to the extra point.
Weeks 4 to 6: Leseverstehen (reading) and Hörverstehen (listening)
In reading, get to know the task types of the model so you lose no time on instructions in the exam: gap fills, parallel texts, true or false with the proving sentence, matching, short answers and paraphrases. Work through each type first with a strategy and then against the clock.
Listening is new since June 2026 and has its own minimum of 5 points. Practise in the exam format: 90 seconds of reading time, the recording played 2 times, then 60 seconds to check. In the exam the recordings are radio features from Ö1, so listening to such features regularly pays off.
Weeks 7 to 9: Textproduktion (writing)
Write several argumentative texts of 230 to 250 words each week, alternating between a text excerpt and a graphic. Every task asks for the same three steps: restate the main point briefly in your own words, take a position and justify it, then make proposals and justify them.
The text is marked on Inhalt (content, 5 points), Aufbau (structure, 6 points), Wortschatz (vocabulary, 6 points) and Sprachrichtigkeit (accuracy, 8 points). For the graphic, a detailed description is explicitly not wanted: a short summary in your own words is enough.
Weeks 10 to 12: simulate the exam and practise speaking
Now take full practice papers in 180 minutes and without a dictionary, as in the exam. Afterwards, score every section against its minimum, not just the total.
Alongside, prepare the oral exam: a presentation of about 5 minutes along the Leitfragen and a spontaneous conversation of about 5 minutes. Speak out loud, with a clock, and freely from keyword notes.
A course or self-study?
You do not need a course for the EPD: you can register for an Ergänzungsprüfung even if you are not currently enrolled in a Vorstudienlehrgang course. Whether a course or studying on your own suits you better depends on how independently you work and how much feedback you need.
If you study on your own, VWUPass gives you theory articles for every section, a trainer with tasks for each task type of the exam, and earlier model and practice papers to practise for free. Access is a subscription at €39 a month or an exam pass at €79 for 3 months. Oral practice is a one-time add-on to the subscription for €10.
Common mistakes when preparing
These mistakes cost time or points, even though knowing the format makes them easy to avoid:
- Neglecting a section: if it stays below its minimum, you fail even with 45 points or more overall.
- Skipping listening: the section is new since June 2026 and has its own minimum of 5 points.
- Writing only simple sentences in the sentence completion: they earn 2 points instead of 3 points per sentence.
- Practising the rewrite in both directions: only nominal to verbal structure is asked.
- Describing the graphic in detail in the writing task: a detailed description is explicitly not wanted.
- Learning texts by heart: memorised text is not accepted in either the written or the oral exam.
Frequently asked questions
How long does EPD preparation take?
It depends on your starting level. The plan on this page runs over 12 weeks and can be compressed to 8. A practice paper at the start shows how far you are from the minimum in each section, and with it how much time to plan for.
Do I have to take a course for the EPD?
No. You can register for an Ergänzungsprüfung even if you are not currently enrolled in a Vorstudienlehrgang course. Registration runs online through the VWU student portal.
Which grammar does the EPD test?
In Strukturen und Wortschatz (grammar and vocabulary) you rewrite nominal structures as verbal ones, for example with subordinate clauses, the passive or infinitive constructions, and continue sentence openings with sentences as complex as you can manage. Grammar also counts in the writing task: Sprachrichtigkeit (accuracy) is worth up to 8 of its 25 points.
How do I best practise listening?
In the exam format: 2 recordings, each played 2 times, with 90 seconds of reading time before and 60 seconds to check afterwards. In the exam they are radio features from Ö1; on VWUPass you practise with our own recordings built on that pattern.