Goethe, telc or ÖSD?

Both are European-standard exams recognised in Germany. The difference depends on what you are applying for, in which country, and at which level. The short answer is right below; details and sources follow.

Last updated: 2026-09-14

Everyone who needs a German certificate asks this first: sit the Goethe-Institut exam or the telc exam? The internet is full of 'telc is easier' and 'Goethe is more prestigious'; most of it is personal experience, not comparable data. This guide covers only what can be verified: exam structure, pass rules, retake rights, who accepts what, and one critical detail for applicants from Turkey.

Short answer: at A1 they are the same exam. From B1 upwards Goethe is modular, telc is a single sitting. For applications inside Germany (residence, citizenship, professional recognition) both are accepted. If you are applying for a spouse visa from Turkey, a telc A1 certificate issued in Turkey is not accepted; you need Goethe-Institut or ÖSD.

Quick decision table

Your situation	Recommendation	Why
Spouse visa from Turkey (family reunification, A1)	Goethe-Institut or ÖSD	German missions in Turkey accept only these two among A1 certificates issued in Turkey.
Residence permit extension in Germany (A2–B1)	Either	Immigration offices accept certificates from ALTE-member providers; the DTZ also counts.
German citizenship (B1)	Either, or the DTZ	Naturalisation offices accept Goethe B1, telc B1, ÖSD B1 and the DTZ.
Recognition of a health profession (B2)	Either; telc has profession-specific versions	The federal states accept ALTE certificates; some prefer telc B2 Pflege / B2·C1 Medizin.
University admission (C1)	telc C1 Hochschule, Goethe C2, TestDaF or DSH	The general telc C1 is not enough at most universities; the 'Hochschule' version or an equivalent is required.
Passing a level piece by piece	Goethe (B1 and above)	Modular: each skill is a separate exam with its own certificate; a failed module is retaken on its own.
Finishing in one day, finding frequent dates	telc	Adult education centres (VHS) and many private centres offer dates almost every month.

A1: the same exam, two logos

'Start Deutsch 1' was developed jointly by the Goethe-Institut and telc. Sections, timing, item counts and task types are identical; only the logo on the certificate and the way the score is displayed differ. Goethe shows the score out of 100 (written 75, oral 25) with 60 needed to pass; telc shows raw points with sixty percent of the total needed to pass. Both come to the same ratio.

So at A1 the question 'which is easier' has no meaning; it is one exam. Preparation is the same too: the A1 mock exams on Level Exams train exactly this format whichever logo you sit under.

ÖSD's A1 exam ('ÖSD Zertifikat A1' / 'Grundstufe Deutsch 1') is a separate format; if you are sitting ÖSD, study ÖSD's own model test as well.

B1 and above: modular or single sitting

Goethe-Zertifikat B1, B2 and C1 consist of four independent modules: reading, listening, writing, speaking. Each module is a separate exam, scored separately (out of 100, 60 to pass) and certified separately. You can sit the modules on different days and retake a failed module on its own.

telc Deutsch B1 and above is one exam: the written part (reading, language elements, listening, writing) and the oral part are taken in the same session, and each must pass its own threshold. If you fail one part, you may retake only that part within twelve months and have the passed part credited by declaring it at registration; the fee is paid again.

Content difference: from B1 telc has 'Sprachbausteine' (grammar and word choice in context) as a separate section; Goethe has no such module and assesses grammar within writing and speaking. This is the most common source of the feeling that 'telc is harder'.

Which is easier?

There is no comparable data; both are calibrated to the CEFR and measure the same level. What feels different is the format: a candidate with weak grammar struggles with telc's Sprachbausteine; a candidate who is unsure in writing struggles with Goethe's separate writing module.

Practical rule: the easier exam is the one whose format you know. Do the official model test of the exam you plan to sit; the section where you run out of time is your real difficulty. Level Exams applies the telc format exactly; at A1 that also holds for Goethe.

ÖSD: the quiet third option

The comparison is always drawn between Goethe and telc, but a third certificate is equally valid in Germany: the Österreichisches Sprachdiplom Deutsch, or ÖSD. It is an Austrian diploma, an ALTE member, and it carries the same weight as the other two in residence, citizenship and professional-recognition applications in Germany.

It differs in two practical ways. First, modules: in ÖSD exams the written and oral parts can generally be taken separately and are certified separately; pass both within a year and you receive a combined certificate. Second, the variety of German: ÖSD covers the Austrian, German and Swiss standard varieties, so you may meet Austrian vocabulary in the material.

At A1 the ÖSD certificate is called 'Grundstufe Deutsch 1' and is structurally different from Start Deutsch 1: the written module covers reading, listening and writing for 75 points and the oral module 25; passing the written part needs at least 38 of 75 plus a minimum in each subtest, and the oral part at least 12 of 25. Start Deutsch 1 has a single sitting, a single total and no per-section minimum.

For applicants filing a spousal visa from Turkey, ÖSD matters in particular: among A1 certificates issued in Turkey, the two that are accepted are ÖSD A1 and Goethe A1. ÖSD is not a fallback here, it is one of the two valid routes.

What usually decides your provider is which exam your nearest centre offers; all three serve the same purpose.
Switching providers is free: the certificates substitute for one another and preparation is largely shared.
The mocks here follow the telc format. If you are sitting ÖSD they train exactly the right skills and time pressure, but you need to see the sitting structure in ÖSD's own free sample exam.

Recognition: who accepts what

Spouse visa (Ehegattennachzug): the Foreign Office's general list includes Goethe, telc, ÖSD and TestDaF. Exception for A1 certificates issued in Turkey: only Goethe-Institut and ÖSD (see the note below).
Residence and citizenship (A2–B1): Goethe, telc, ÖSD and the integration-course exam DTZ are accepted.
Professional recognition (B2): ALTE certificates are accepted; some states and professional chambers prefer telc's profession-specific versions.
University: Goethe C2, telc C1 Hochschule, TestDaF and DSH; the general telc C1 is not accepted at most universities.
Employers: either; the 'prestige' difference is a habit of some employers, not a rule.

Fees and dates

The fee is set by the exam centre and varies by city; both are in a similar band. telc centres in Turkey advertise roughly €190 for A1 in 2026; the Goethe-Institut's fees for Istanbul, Ankara and Izmir are on its own page. Check the centre for the current figure.

Dates are easier to find with telc: licensed private centres and adult education centres in Germany run exams almost every month. Goethe-Institut dates are less frequent and fill up earlier.

A special note for applicants from Turkey

The family reunification page of the German missions in Turkey states: „Bei in der Türkei ausgestellten A1-Zertifikaten sind dies ausschließlich das Goethe-Institut „Start Deutsch 1“ und das Österreichische Sprachdiplom (ÖSD) „Grundstufe Deutsch 1“.“ — among A1 certificates issued in Turkey, only Goethe-Institut and ÖSD are accepted.

So you cannot sit telc A1 in Turkey and use the certificate for a spouse visa. telc A1 obtained in Germany or another country is on the general list. The missions also usually require a certificate whose exam date is not older than one year; sit the exam close to your visa application.

For preparation nothing changes: Goethe A1 and telc A1 are the same exam. Do the mock exams here and sit the exam at the Goethe-Institut or ÖSD.

Frequently asked questions

›Is a Goethe certificate more prestigious than telc?

For official purposes they carry the same weight; both are ALTE members calibrated to the CEFR. The 'prestige' difference is a habit of some employers, not a rule.

›I failed telc B1. Can I retake only the oral part?

Yes. The failed part (written or oral) can be retaken on its own within twelve months of the first exam; the passed part is credited when you declare it at registration. The fee is paid again.

›I failed one Goethe B1 module. Do I have to retake everything?

No. The modules are independent; you retake only the failed module. Each module is scored out of 100 and passed with 60.

›I took telc A1 in Turkey. Does it count for a spouse visa?

According to the German missions in Turkey, no: among A1 certificates issued in Turkey only Goethe-Institut and ÖSD are accepted. Sit the exam with one of those two.

›Which exam does Level Exams prepare for?

The telc format exactly. At A1 that is identical to Goethe A1 (Start Deutsch 1). From B1 upwards Goethe's modules test similar skill types but the structure differs; Goethe candidates should also look at the Goethe model test.

›What is ÖSD, a third option?

Austria's language diploma; an ALTE member accepted in Germany like the others. It is one of the two certificates accepted for a spouse visa from Turkey, alongside Goethe. Its format differs from Goethe and telc.

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