How long does ÖSD Zertifikat C1 take?

About 236 minutes in total: Lesen (Reading) 90 minutes, Hören (Listening) 40 minutes, Schreiben (Writing) 90 minutes, Sprechen (Speaking) 16 minutes. The oral part often takes place on a different date.

How many points do you need for ÖSD Zertifikat C1?

Normally 60 per cent. The exam is marked as a whole. Whoever fails repeats every part.

How long does preparing for C1 take?

As a guideline, about 800 to 1000 lessons from zero are quoted for C1 in total. Anyone who speaks a related language needs far fewer; the range is deliberately wide.

Practise ÖSD Zertifikat C1.

236 minutes, four modules, pass mark 60 per cent. Exam set in preparation.

Available today: telc Deutsch B1. The four modules and the pass mark are the same; anyone studying for ÖSD Zertifikat C1 can already practise the format with it.

Practise with the available set Pricing

Structure and length

For studying at a German university, for the medical licence (Approbation) and for qualified jobs with a lot of customer contact.

The ÖSD certificate comes from Austria and is recognised across the German-speaking world. Its tasks draw more often on everyday situations in Austria.

Lesen (Reading)90 minIn preparation here
Hören (Listening)40 minIn preparation here
Schreiben (Writing)90 minIn preparation here
Sprechen (Speaking)16 minIn preparation here
Total236 minPass mark 60 %

What happens if you do not pass

The exam is marked as a whole. Whoever fails repeats every part. Your test centre sets the fee, and it differs from place to place.

What level C1 demands

The written part takes 220 minutes in total; the longest single module is Lesen (Reading) at 90 minutes. ÖSD tests the same four skills but draws more often on everyday situations in Austria.

Lesen (Reading): Understand long, demanding texts and grasp implicit meaning: irony, allusion, unspoken judgement.
Hören (Listening): Follow longer contributions even when they are loosely structured and connections are only implied.
Schreiben (Writing): Express yourself clearly and in a well-structured way, present complex matters in detail and match the style to the occasion.
Sprechen (Speaking): Speak fluently and spontaneously without obvious searching for words, and use the language effectively at work.

Where C1 is usually lost

At C1 the giveaway is avoiding Konjunktiv II and phrasing suggestions in the indicative with „vielleicht“. Linguistic precision is expected, not just comprehensibility.

As a guideline, about 800 to 1000 lessons from zero are quoted for C1. The range is wide because prior knowledge of a related language changes the effort a lot. It serves rough planning, not as a promise.

Frequently asked questions

How long does ÖSD Zertifikat C1 take?: About 236 minutes in total: Lesen (Reading) 90 minutes, Hören (Listening) 40 minutes, Schreiben (Writing) 90 minutes, Sprechen (Speaking) 16 minutes. The oral part often takes place on a different date.
How many points do you need for ÖSD Zertifikat C1?: Normally 60 per cent. The exam is marked as a whole. Whoever fails repeats every part.
How long does preparing for C1 take?: As a guideline, about 800 to 1000 lessons from zero are quoted for C1 in total. Anyone who speaks a related language needs far fewer; the range is deliberately wide.