German exam levels: A1 to C2, and which one you need
German language exams are set at six CEFR levels, A1 to C2, and the level is effectively the exam: the format, the length and the tasks all change with it. For study in Germany the level you need depends on whether your course is taught in German or in English — and the answer is often lower than people assume.
The six levels in practice
| Level | What you can do | Typically needed for |
|---|---|---|
| A1 | Introduce yourself, handle very simple exchanges | Spouse and family visas |
| A2 | Simple routine conversation on familiar matters | Some au pair and vocational routes |
| B1 | Handle most travel and everyday situations; describe experiences | Permanent residence; some vocational training |
| B2 | Follow complex text; interact with fluency | Many German-taught bachelor courses; nursing recognition |
| C1 | Use German flexibly for academic and professional purposes | Most German-taught university courses |
| C2 | Near-native command | Rarely required; teaching and specialist roles |
An English-taught master's in Germany usually requires no German certificate at all — but the same university may still ask for A1 or A2 for daily life, and a part-time job almost always needs B1.
Which certificate, at which level
- Goethe-Zertifikat — available at every level A1 to C2, recognised worldwide, the usual choice for visa and general purposes.
- TestDaF — academic, aimed at the B2 to C1 band, built specifically for university admission.
- telc — widely used in Germany itself, with versions aimed at particular purposes.
- DSH — taken at a German university, for applicants already in the country.
For university admission the practical choice is usually TestDaF or DSH; for visas and general proof it is Goethe or telc.
Every Levels (A1–C2) question type
German Levels (A1–C2) — FAQs
3 questions
For a German-taught course, usually C1, sometimes B2. For an English-taught course, often none — though A1 or A2 is commonly expected for daily life and B1 for most part-time work.
Commonly quoted guidance is several hundred hours of instruction per level, so B1 from nothing is typically a year of consistent study rather than a few months.
They answer different questions. TestDaF is built for university admission in the B2–C1 band; Goethe covers every level and is the general-purpose certificate.
Levels (A1–C2) on the other exams
Sources
Written from the test board's own published material and checked on 1 October 2026.