Goethe B2 or telc B2? The Exams Compared – Plus the DTB B2 for Work

Goethe B2 and telc B2 at a glance

Both exams certify general German at level B2 of the Common European Framework of Reference, without a job-related or academic focus. However, their structure differs clearly: the Goethe-Institut tests in four Module (modules), telc in a written and an oral exam.

Sources: Goethe-Zertifikat B2, Modellsatz Erwachsene (model test for adults, 2nd edition August 2025, goethe.de) and Durchführungsbestimmungen (exam regulations, as of 1 September 2025); telc Deutsch B2, Übungstest 1 (practice test 1, telc gGmbH). More on telc: telc B2 exam (Allgemein).

How is the Goethe-Zertifikat B2 structured?

The Goethe-Zertifikat B2 for adults is recommended from the age of 16; there is a separate version for young people. You can take the four modules separately or together. If you take several modules on one day, there is a break of at least 15 minutes between them.

Reading: 65 minutes, five parts

In the Modellsatz (model test) you first read posts from a forum and match statements to the people (understanding attitudes and positions). This is followed by a text with multiple-choice tasks, a matching task with information, eight texts with viewpoints on a topic (understanding viewpoints) and finally a matching task with rules or instructions. Suggested working times for the parts are 18, 12, 12, 12 and 6 minutes.

Listening: about 40 minutes, four parts

In Teil 1 (Part 1) you hear five short conversations and statements once and solve two tasks for every one of them. In Teil 2 you hear a radio interview twice, in Teil 3 a radio conversation with several people once – here you decide for every statement who makes it. Teil 4 is a short lecture that you hear twice, in the Modellsatz about better working techniques. After listening you have five minutes to transfer your answers.

Writing: 75 minutes, two texts

In Teil 1 you write a Forumsbeitrag (forum post) of about 150 words: giving your opinion, stating reasons, describing alternatives and advantages, with an introduction and a conclusion. 50 minutes are suggested. In Teil 2 you write a message of about 100 words with a greeting and a closing in about 25 minutes; in the Modellsatz, for example, an intern writes to his supervisor.

Speaking: about 15 minutes, 15 minutes of preparation

In Teil 1 every candidate gives a short presentation of about 4 minutes on one of two topics, with an introduction, main part and conclusion, and then answers questions. In Teil 2 the two of you discuss a controversial question for about 5 minutes and defend your position with arguments.

Marking: a module is worth at most 100 points and is passed from 60 points. The grades per module: 100–90 sehr gut (very good), 89–80 gut (good), 79–70 befriedigend (satisfactory), 69–60 ausreichend (sufficient), below that nicht bestanden (failed).

How is telc Deutsch B2 structured?

The written exam of telc Deutsch B2 takes 140 minutes: Leseverstehen (Reading) and Sprachbausteine (Language elements) together 90 minutes, Hörverstehen (Listening) about 20 minutes, Schriftlicher Ausdruck (Writing) 30 minutes. The oral exam is a Paarprüfung (exam in pairs) of about 15 minutes with 20 minutes of preparation; you prepare Teil 1 at home.

• Leseverstehen: matching headings, understanding a longer text in detail, matching situations to suitable information texts (for some situations no text fits).
• Sprachbausteine: one gap text on grammar with a, b or c and one gap text on vocabulary with a word list.
• Hörverstehen: news, an interview and short announcements – you hear all texts only once.
• Writing: a semi-formal e-mail on task A or B, at least 150 words, three of four Leitpunkte (guiding points) (or two and an aspect of your own).
• Speaking: talking about experiences, discussing a text, planning something together.

You pass if you reach at least 135 of 225 points in the written exam and at least 45 of 75 points in the oral exam. Everything about the format, grades and strategies is in the guide telc B2 exam, and about the official Übungstest in the guide telc B2 model test.

The most important differences in detail

Modules or two exam parts

In the Goethe-Zertifikat the four modules count separately. If you have 55 points in Listening and 80 points in the other modules, you have passed three modules and retake only Listening. In telc B2, Reading, Sprachbausteine, Listening and Writing are added up to form the written exam. The Übungstest does not state a separate minimum score for Reading, Listening or Writing – so weak Listening can be balanced out by good Reading, as long as 60% is reached in the written exam overall.

Sprachbausteine only in telc

telc B2 tests grammar and vocabulary directly in two gap texts. The Goethe-Zertifikat has no separate part for this; there you need grammar and vocabulary above all in Writing and Speaking.

Hearing once or twice

In telc B2 you hear all texts only once, but at about 20 minutes the Hörverstehen is short. In the Goethe-Zertifikat, Listening takes about 40 minutes; you hear the interview in Teil 2 and the lecture in Teil 4 twice, the conversations in Teil 1 and 3 once.

Two texts or one e-mail

In the Goethe-Zertifikat you write two texts in 75 minutes – a Forumsbeitrag with your opinion and a shorter message. In telc B2 you write a single semi-formal e-mail in 30 minutes, but you choose between two tasks.

Presentation or conversation

In Speaking, Goethe B2 requires a short presentation of about 4 minutes followed by a discussion. In telc B2 you first talk freely about your own experiences, then you discuss a text, and at the end there is a planning task in which you organise something together with your partner.

And the DTB B2 (telc B2 Beruf)?

The Deutsch-Test für den Beruf B2 (DTB B2) is a third B2 exam, but for the world of work: it is the final exam of the BAMF job-related language courses (Berufssprachkurse) and is run by telc. It has 240 points (Reading, Listening, Writing and Speaking 60 apiece), an oral exam without preparation and tasks such as a telephone note, a reply to a complaint or a meeting.

The DTB B2 is passed with at least 144 points and at least 36 points in at least three of the four skills; one weaker skill with 24–35 points is offset. On LexDeutsch the section is called „telc B2 Beruf“: guide telc B2 Beruf exam, exercises under /b2pruefung. You will find a comparison of all three exams in the overview B2 exam: telc, Goethe or DTB.

Who recognises Goethe B2 and telc B2?

Employers, universities, recognition offices and authorities decide for themselves which B2 certificate they accept. Some bodies only state „B2“ without a provider, others explicitly ask for a specific certificate.

• telc writes about its certificates that they are recognised worldwide by schools, universities, employers and authorities – a general statement, not a promise for your case.
• In the Modellsatz, the Goethe-Institut describes level B2 like this: you can use standard German as spoken across the German-speaking regions in private, social, academic and professional life.
• The DTB B2 is the final exam of the job-related language courses; whether it is enough outside of them is something to clarify with the body concerned.

Where can I take the exams?

The Goethe-Zertifikat B2 is held and marked at exam centres worldwide according to uniform criteria; you can find places and dates for your country on goethe.de. You take telc exams at telc partners – according to telc in more than 20 countries; you can find the exam centre near you on telc.net. telc Deutsch B2 is available digitally, in hybrid form and on paper.

The exam centre concerned will tell you the fees and dates. When registering, also compare when the results arrive and what you can retake: you can take the modules of the Goethe-Zertifikat as often as you like, as far as the exam centre can organise it; in telc B2 you retake the failed written or oral exam in the same or the following calendar year – or the whole exam.

Which exam suits me?

1. First ask the body you need the certificate for: Goethe, telc or just „B2“?
2. Are you attending a B2 job-related language course of the BAMF? Then the DTB B2 is the intended final exam.
3. Do you need general German and have the choice? Check which exam centre has a suitable date.
4. Would you like to be able to retake weak areas separately? Then a lot speaks for the modules of the Goethe-Zertifikat.
5. Are grammar and reading your strengths? Then the overall marking of the written exam in telc B2 can help.
6. Then do the official Modellsatz or Übungstest of the exam you have chosen to find out your level.

How do I prepare – and what does LexDeutsch offer?

The Goethe-Institut publishes the Modellsatz for the Goethe-Zertifikat B2 on goethe.de, for adults and for young people. telc gGmbH provides Übungstest 1 for telc Deutsch B2 with audio as a ZIP file free of charge on telc.net. With these official resources you get to know the format of the exam you choose in detail.

LexDeutsch has no trainer in the format of the Goethe-Zertifikat and no Goethe tasks. For the telc exam there is the section telc B2 Allgemein:

• Leseverstehen Teil 1–3, Sprachbausteine Teil 1–2 and Hörverstehen Teil 1–3 with answers; the first three tasks of every part are free and need no login.
• The telc B2 Allgemein simulation with Leseverstehen, Sprachbausteine and Hörverstehen in the order of the exam (VIP), without Writing and Speaking.
• Four sample e-mails with comments and a PDF: telc B2 Writing.

If you are taking the Goethe-Zertifikat, you can still transfer quite a lot: reading texts for gist and in detail, recognising opinions in conversations and consolidating grammar with the B2 quiz. You can also write a Forumsbeitrag in the B2 Beruf section (Forumsbeitrag) – but the task and the marking there follow the DTB B2, not the Goethe-Zertifikat. You train vocabulary with the flashcards.