Which B2 Exam: telc B2 Allgemein, Goethe B2 or DTB B2 (Beruf)?

Which B2 exams are there?

All three exams certify German at level B2 of the Common European Framework of Reference. They differ in provider, topics, structure and marking. When people search for „B2 Prüfung“ (B2 exam), they usually mean one of these three:

• telc Deutsch B2 – the general B2 exam from telc gGmbH: everyday life, media, society. In detail: telc B2 exam (Allgemein).
• Goethe-Zertifikat B2 – the B2 exam of the Goethe-Institut for adults and young people, in four modules.
• DTB B2 (Deutsch-Test für den Beruf B2) – the final exam of the BAMF job-related language courses (Berufssprachkurse), run by telc; on LexDeutsch „telc B2 Beruf“. In detail: telc B2 Beruf exam.

There are other B2 certificates too, for example ÖSD or telc Deutsch B1·B2 Beruf. This page compares the three for which LexDeutsch has checked the facts against official documents.

What does level B2 mean?

B2 is the fourth of six levels of the Common European Framework of Reference (A1, A2, B1, B2, C1, C2). All three exams on this page certify the same level – they just test it with different tasks and topics.

According to the description telc publishes for its B2 exam, people at B2 can communicate so spontaneously and fluently that talking with native speakers works without much strain for either side. They understand the main ideas of complex texts on concrete and abstract topics, express themselves clearly and in detail on many subjects and can explain a viewpoint with the pros and cons of different options.

For your preparation this means: vocabulary and grammar alone are not enough. In all three exams what counts is whether you can give reasons for opinions, react to others and scan longer texts quickly for the main points.

Comparison: telc B2, Goethe B2 and DTB B2 at a glance

Sources: telc Deutsch B2 Übungstest 1 (telc gGmbH), Durchführungsbestimmungen Goethe-Zertifikat B2 (exam regulations, as of 1 September 2025, goethe.de), DTB B2 Übungstest 1 (telc gGmbH, published by the BAMF).

What does telc Deutsch B2 test?

telc Deutsch B2 consists of a written exam with Reading (Leseverstehen), Language elements (Sprachbausteine), Listening (Hörverstehen) and a semi-formal e-mail, plus an oral exam in pairs. The written exam is worth 225 points, the oral exam 75. You pass if you reach at least 60% in both.

• Special feature: the Language elements – two gap texts on grammar and vocabulary that do not exist in the Goethe-Zertifikat.
• Oral: talking about experiences, a discussion of a text, planning something together.
• If you fail one part (written or oral), you can retake it in the same or the following calendar year.

Practice: practise telc B2 Allgemein (Reading, Language elements, Listening), examples for the e-mail: telc B2 Writing, the official practice test: telc B2 model test.

What does the Goethe-Zertifikat B2 test?

The Goethe-Zertifikat B2 is modular: Reading, Listening, Writing and Speaking are four modules that you can take separately or together. A module is worth at most 100 points, and a module is passed with at least 60 points. So you can retake a weak module on its own without sitting the others again.

• Reading: 65 minutes, five parts, 30 tasks.
• Listening: about 40 minutes, four parts, 30 tasks.
• Writing: 75 minutes, two parts.
• Speaking: usually in pairs, about 15 minutes after 15 minutes of preparation; in Part 1 each person gives a short presentation and answers questions, in Part 2 both discuss a controversial topic.
• Grades per module: 100–90 sehr gut (very good), 89–80 gut (good), 79–70 befriedigend (satisfactory), 69–60 ausreichend (sufficient).

LexDeutsch has no trainer of its own in the Goethe format. However, the Reading and Listening exercises for B2 Allgemein train the same abilities: understanding texts both in outline and in detail, recognising opinions in interviews.

All parts of the Goethe model test next to telc B2 – Listening, Writing and Speaking in detail: Goethe B2 or telc B2?

What does the DTB B2 (telc B2 Beruf) test?

The Deutsch-Test für den Beruf B2 tests German at the workplace: information about the job market, work instructions, customer complaints, meetings, telephone notes and conversations with colleagues. It is the final exam of the job-related language courses at level B2.

• 240 points: 60 each for Reading, Listening, Writing and Speaking; the Language elements count towards Writing.
• Passed: at least 144 points and at least 36 in at least three of the four skills; one weaker skill with 24–35 points is offset.
• The oral exam (about 16 minutes) has no preparation time.

Practice: practise telc B2 Beruf with Reading, Listening, Language elements, telephone note, Writing and Speaking.

Who recognises which B2 exam?

There is no general list saying „this body accepts this certificate“. Employers, universities, recognition offices and public authorities decide for themselves which proof they accept. So before you register, ask in writing and get them to name the exam they want.

• telc writes about its certificates that they are recognised by schools, universities, employers and authorities – that is a general statement, not a promise for your individual case.
• The DTB B2 is the final exam of the BAMF job-related language courses. If you attend such a course, you will normally take this exam.
• If a body explicitly asks for a „Goethe-Zertifikat“ or „telc“, the other certificate may not be of use there.

How do I find the right B2 exam?

1. Ask the body you need the certificate for: which exam, which level, valid from when?
2. Are you attending a BAMF job-related language course? Then the DTB B2 is usually the intended final exam.
3. Do you need general German (everyday life, studies, applications)? Then telc Deutsch B2 or the Goethe-Zertifikat B2 are the options.
4. Do you like modules you can pass separately? The Goethe-Zertifikat B2 grades the modules separately. In telc B2, the written exam and the oral exam each count as a whole.
5. Check dates and fees at exam centres near you – the fee is set by the centre.
6. Then do the matching practice test to find out your starting point.

How do the oral exams differ?

What all three have in common: you mainly talk to your partner, not to the examiners. If you ask questions, respond and make suggestions, you show exactly the abilities that are being assessed.

How do I prepare with LexDeutsch?

• telc Deutsch B2 (Allgemein): Reading, Language elements, Listening and the simulation (VIP).
• DTB B2 (telc B2 Beruf): all parts under /b2pruefung, plus the B2 Beruf simulation (VIP).
• For all exams: grammar in the B2 quiz and vocabulary with the flashcards.

In every exam part the first three tasks are free and need no login. The tasks are LexDeutsch exercises in the format of the exams, not original tasks from the exam providers.