Goethe vs telc vs ÖSD: Which German Exam Should You Take?

Three exams, one level: who runs what

The Goethe-Institut is Germany's official cultural institute, and its exams run from A1 to C2 worldwide. It is the best-known name in the field, especially outside Europe: if you will be showing your certificate to an employer or institution in Iran, Turkey or the Arab world, they have probably heard of Goethe.

telc is a non-profit based in Frankfurt, and its exams are held at Germany's adult education centres — the Volkshochschule, or VHS — and at hundreds of other language schools. That means it has by far the most exam dates inside Germany and usually the lowest fees. telc also runs job-specific exams such as telc Deutsch B1–B2 Pflege for nursing and telc Deutsch B2–C1 Medizin for doctors.

ÖSD stands for Österreichisches Sprachdiplom Deutsch, Austria's official German diploma. It is recognised in Germany too, but it is Austria's own certificate. Licensed ÖSD centres are relatively common across the Middle East, including Iran, which makes it the most accessible option for many candidates.

One thing that often goes unsaid: all three measure the same thing — the Common European Framework (CEFR) level. A B1 is a B1 in all of them. In fact the "Zertifikat B1" was developed jointly by the Goethe-Institut, ÖSD and the University of Freiburg, so the Goethe B1 and the ÖSD B1 are effectively the same test. The name on the certificate does not change your German.

Which certificate is accepted for your goal?

For residence and citizenship in Germany: the immigration office (Ausländerbehörde) treats a B1 from Goethe, telc and ÖSD as equivalent, and a DTZ with a B1 result also counts. Take one practical condition seriously: the certificate has to cover all four skills — listening, reading, writing and speaking. So if you take the Goethe exam modularly, you must complete all four modules for the certificate to be usable in your file. Under the new citizenship law you normally need B1 after five years of residence.

If you are in the integration course (Integrationskurs): there is no choice to make. The BAMF language course ends with the DTZ, which itself issues a certificate at A2 or B1 depending on your performance. The DTZ is not a competitor to these three; it is the exam you take because you are in that course.

If Austria is your destination: go for ÖSD. For the Austrian integration agreement, ÖSD certificates and ÖIF tests are what the authorities expect. Many Austrian institutions accept telc as well, but ÖSD is the path of least resistance.

For university in Germany: none of these certificates is enough at B1 or B2. Universities want TestDaF, DSH, telc Deutsch C1 Hochschule or the Goethe-Zertifikat C2. And for recognition of medical and nursing qualifications you usually need a specialist language exam (Fachsprachprüfung) at B2 or C1 on top of a general certificate.

Cost, exam dates and the retake rules

In practice, three things decide it for most people — and none of them is prestige. telc is the cheapest inside Germany, typically somewhere around €150–210 for B1 at a VHS, and because it also runs in smaller towns, it is usually where you find the earliest free date if you are in a hurry.

Goethe is usually more expensive (roughly €200–260 for B1, varying a lot by country) but it has one serious advantage: from B1 upwards it is modular. The four skills can be taken separately, and if you fail only one, you resit only that one — roughly €60–80 per module. For someone who is solid in three skills and shaky in writing, that difference can be a real saving.

telc is not modular. If you fail the written part you retake the whole written part; however, a part you have already passed (written or oral) stays credited to you within the allowed window, so you do not repeat it. ÖSD is taken in a single combined sitting.

Always check prices with your local centre — they differ between countries and even between cities. And one practical warning: exam dates fill up months ahead in busy seasons, so do not leave registration until you feel ready.

So which one should you pick?

A few simple rules that cover most cases. If you live in Germany and want the cheapest, nearest date: telc. If you know one of your four skills is weak and you might fail on that one alone: Goethe, for the modular retake. If your destination is Austria: ÖSD or ÖIF. If you have to show the certificate to an employer or embassy outside Europe and brand recognition matters: Goethe. And if you are in the integration course: the DTZ, no decision needed.

But here is the most important point in this section: none of these choices matters as much as your actual level. People rarely fail because they picked the wrong exam; they fail because they had not reached the level, or had never seen the test format before. Reach the level first, then decide about the logo on the certificate.

Deutsch30 is built to do both at once: a short daily path from zero to B1 (and on to C1 if you want to go further), spaced repetition so vocabulary actually sticks, and practice in the real exam format. You also get an AI conversation partner to speak out loud with — the skill that causes the most anxiety in all three exams.