telc exam fees and exam dates
telc publishes no central calendar and sets no single fee. Every licensed centre announces its own dates and prices, so the useful question is not 'how much' but 'which centre'.
Last updated: 2026-09-14
'telc exam fee', 'telc b1 exam dates', 'telc exam centre near me' are searched thousands of times a month, and most answers are out of date. The reason is simple: telc is an examination provider, not an exam centre. Licensed centres run the exams and set both the dates and the prices.
This guide does not give you one number, because there is no single number to give. Instead it covers the range fees fall into, how dates are published, how registration works, and where candidates lose money.
What does it cost?
The figures below were collected from centre listings published in September 2026 and are for information only. Fees change every year; the binding figure is on the page of the centre you register with.
| Where | Level | Approximate fee | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Turkey (private centres) | A1 | ≈ €190 | Digital or paper; small differences by city |
| Turkey (private centres) | A2–C1 | €190 and above | Higher levels usually cost a little more |
| Germany (adult education centre, VHS) | B1 | €155 course participants / €185 external | Discount for people on the centre's own course |
| Germany (adult education centre, VHS) | B2 | €175 course participants / €205 external | Same logic |
| Germany (private language schools) | B1–B2 | €160–250 | Closer to the top of the range in big cities |
| Retaking only the written or oral part | B1 and above | Full fee | A partial retake still costs the full fee |
Who sets the dates?
There is no central telc calendar. Every licensed centre plans its own exam days and publishes them on its own page. That looks confusing at first but is actually an advantage: for popular levels in large cities there is an exam almost every month, sometimes several times a month.
In Germany, adult education centres (Volkshochschule) run exams on a regular rhythm and publish date lists up to a year ahead. In Turkey, centres in Istanbul, Ankara and Izmir announce their own calendars on their own pages.
The most reliable way to find the right centre is telc's own centre search; the centre page you reach from there has current dates and fees. Third-party lists that appear in search results are often last year's calendar.
Registration step by step
- Settle on your level. If you are unsure, sit a mock exam first; registering for the wrong level is the most expensive mistake.
- Choose a centre. City, date, digital or paper, and fee are four separate variables; the cheapest centre may not have a suitable date.
- Watch the registration deadline. Registration usually closes weeks before the exam, at some centres two months ahead.
- Prepare your documents. ID or passport is mandatory and your name on the day must match the document exactly.
- If you are doing a partial retake, declare it at registration. Crediting the part you already passed cannot be requested afterwards.
- Read the payment and cancellation terms. Cancelling or moving a date usually costs, and close to the deadline there is no refund.
When do results arrive?
It varies by centre and level, but results usually take a few weeks to reach the centre; most centres say four to six. You collect the certificate from the centre.
For candidates working to a visa or application deadline this matters. Count backwards from your application date: waiting for results, a possible retake and the 'not older than one year' rule can easily overlap and break the plan.
Where money gets lost
- Sitting the exam before you are ready. A retake costs the full fee again; passing once is always cheaper than paying €190 twice.
- Registering for the wrong level. Sitting B2 when you would barely reach B1 costs both the fee and four months.
- Sitting with the wrong provider. For a spouse visa from Turkey, telc A1 is not accepted; the exam has to be taken at the Goethe-Institut or ÖSD.
- Missing the partial retake right. From B1 the failed part can be retaken alone within twelve months, but crediting the passed part must be declared at registration.
- Registering at the last minute. When places fill up, waiting for the next date often means months.
What about preparation costs?
The exam fee is the small part of the total. Face-to-face preparation courses range from a few hundred to well over a thousand euros depending on the level, plus books, materials and travel.
Level Exams does not aim to replace that, but it makes the most expensive part cheaper: finding out whether you are ready. Twenty full mock exams per level, real timing, exam-style listening and AI evaluation come in a yearly plan that costs less than a single exam fee. The first mock exam is free, and sitting it is the cheapest way to decide which exam to register for.
Frequently asked questions
›How much does the telc exam cost?
The centre decides. Around €190 for A1 in Turkey, €155–185 for B1 at adult education centres in Germany, and €160–250 at private schools. The binding figure is on the centre's own page.
›Where do I find telc exam dates?
There is no central calendar; every licensed centre publishes its own. Use telc's centre search to find a centre near you and check its page.
›When does registration close?
Usually a few weeks before the exam, at some centres two months ahead. For popular levels places fill early, so do not wait for the deadline.
›Is there a discount for a retake?
No, a retake costs the full fee. From B1 you may retake only the part you failed, but the fee is still full.
›Does the fee include a preparation course?
No. The fee only covers sitting the exam. Some centres offer a reduced exam fee to people on their own courses.
›Is the digital exam cheaper than the paper one?
The price is usually the same or very close; the difference is in speed and the choice of dates. The centre decides which format it offers.
Measure your level before you register
Take the free mock exam and decide which level to register for by measurement rather than guesswork.
Sources
- telc — exam centre search and official pages
- VHS Prüfungszentrale — telc Deutsch B1 fee and registration
- VHS Prüfungszentrale — telc Deutsch B2 fee and registration
- Berlin VHS Prüfungszentrale — exam dates and registration periods
- telc examination regulations (valid from 15 April 2025) — retake and partial-result rules