What does a German language exam cost?
telc and Goethe fees compared, why the same test costs different amounts at different centres, and what else to budget for.
The fee depends on the test centre, not the board
Two centres in the same city often charge different amounts for the same exam. The reason is simple: boards such as telc or the Goethe-Institut set the format and the marking, but the exams are run by licensed centres, and each centre sets its own fee.
For telc Deutsch B1 the range at German centres runs from about €155 to €239. For the Goethe-Zertifikat B1 it is roughly €170 to €230. The lower figure almost always applies to people who also take a course there; whoever registers for the exam alone pays the higher one.
The most expensive item is the second attempt
Here the boards part ways. A telc exam is passed or failed as a whole: whoever fails the writing registers for the complete exam again and pays the full fee again.
In the Goethe-Zertifikat every module counts on its own. Three passed modules stand; only the fourth is repeated, for around €90. Anyone unsure about one module should put that difference into the calculation before choosing a board.
What no fee table shows
On top of the exam fee come costs that are rarely counted: travel to the centre, often in a larger city; a preparation course, for which language schools charge between €150 and several hundred euros; and practice material.
Private tuition in Germany mostly costs between €29 and €48 an hour. Measured against that, practice material is the smallest item, and the only one where money can be saved without weakening the preparation.
Frequently asked questions
- Can I get the exam fee refunded?
- Anyone attending a BAMF integration course is generally entitled to a free first attempt at the Deutsch-Test für Zuwanderer. For other exams some job centres or employers cover the cost. Ask before registering, not after.
- Is the more expensive exam the better one?
- No. The price says something about the centre, not about the value of the certificate. A telc B1 certificate from an inexpensive centre is exactly as valid as one from an expensive one.