What Happens If You Fail Goethe A1? Retake Rules, Fees and a Fix Plan
If you score 59 points or fewer out of 100 on the Goethe-Zertifikat A1: Start Deutsch 1, you do not get the certificate, but nothing is final. The Goethe-Institut lets you take the exam again as often as you like, and at A1 you must retake the exam as a whole: the regulations do not allow repeating only the part you failed. You pay the exam fee again, and the waiting time before the next date depends on the exam centre.
Facts below come from the Goethe-Institut’s exam regulations for Start Deutsch 1 and its FAQ, as of October 2026. Fees, dates and result times differ by country and centre, so confirm them with the centre where you registered.
What counts as failing
The exam is scored out of 100 points: 75 for the written part (listening, reading, writing) and 25 for speaking. You pass with at least 60 points and you must have sat all parts. Goethe’s rating bands:
| Points | Result |
|---|---|
| 100 to 90 | very good |
| 89 to 80 | good |
| 79 to 70 | satisfactory |
| 69 to 60 | pass |
| 59 to 0 | not passed |
So the line between pass and fail is 60 points. A “good score” is 80 or more, but for a visa or a course a plain pass is enough. For the overall structure see the Goethe A1 exam guide.
Can you retake only the part you failed?
At A1, no. The Start Deutsch 1 regulations say, in one sentence, that the exam can only be repeated as a whole (“Die Prüfung kann nur als Ganzes wiederholt werden”). This differs from B1 and higher, where Goethe offers modular exams and you can take skills individually. Do not confuse the two systems; see what to do if you fail B1 for the modular case.
One consequence is that a strong listening or reading result does not carry over. You will sit all parts again, including the speaking exam in a group, so practise all four skills, not only the weak one.
How many times can you fail?
There is no limit. The Goethe-Institut Germany FAQ says the exam as a whole can be repeated as often as you wish. Each attempt is a new registration and a new fee.
Waiting time before a retake
The regulations I read do not set a fixed waiting period for A1. What decides your next date is the exam calendar of your centre: exams are offered on set dates, and places can fill up. In practice you wait until the next date that is open and for which registration is still possible. Some centres may have their own rules on where you can retake, so ask when you register. One Goethe-Institut FAQ for a specific country notes that retakes must be done at the same exam venue; I could not confirm this as a global rule, so check your own centre.
What does a retake cost?
On the Goethe-Institut Germany fee page for 2026, the A1 exam (Start Deutsch 1) costs 155 EUR for the whole exam, and that table lists no per-module price for A1. A retake is a new exam registration, so expect the full fee again. The page also mentions a 20 percent reduction for people who took a course at the Goethe-Institut in the six months before the exam; ask whether that applies to you. Outside Germany the fee is set locally.
How long do results take?
The Goethe-Institut says results can be viewed in your Goethe account (Mein Goethe.de) after the exam, but the time varies. One country page mentions roughly 7 working days; a Goethe exam partner in Switzerland says two to four weeks for the certificate. When you plan a retake, count back from your deadline (visa appointment, course start) and add this waiting time.
Why people fail A1 (and how to fix each)
Ask yourself which part felt worst. If your centre does not give you a points breakdown, use your memory of the exam.
| Problem | Typical sign | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Listening | You caught words but not numbers, times, platforms | Practise with audio: write down numbers while listening; repeat the same recording three times |
| Reading | You ran out of time | Do the sample paper with a timer; read the questions first |
| Writing | You wrote too little or missed a point | Write three 30-word messages and tick each required point |
| Speaking | You froze, gave one-word answers | Rehearse the three parts aloud, daily |
Speaking is only 25 of the 100 points, but it is the part many learners under-practise, and nerves matter in a group exam. Our guide to the Goethe A1 speaking parts breaks down what you need to say.
Practise your German out loud with SipLingo, free to try on iPhone and Android:
A 3-week retake plan
This assumes about 45 to 60 minutes a day.
Week 1: diagnose. Do the free official sample paper under exam timing: Start Deutsch 1 Modellsatz (PDF). Mark every error and sort it into listening, reading, writing and speaking. Our practice questions give extra exercises.
Week 2: repair the weakest two. Spend half of each session on the weakest skill. For listening, replay recordings; for writing, redo the same task twice and compare.
Week 3: simulate. One full mock exam, then rehearse speaking parts 1 to 3 out loud on three days.
Practising the speaking part after a failed attempt
If the speaking part was your weak spot, a second sit-down with a friend is the best practice, but it is not always available. SipLingo (our app) lets you speak with an AI partner in everyday situations at any hour, with corrections on grammar, word order and vocabulary explained in your own language. It is a speaking-practice tool: it does not replace the official sample paper or a course, and it cannot guarantee a pass.
Mindset and logistics
- Do not wait months to retake if you were close. If you missed by a few points, your knowledge is fresh and the gap is probably one weak skill.
- Check the deadline for your goal. If you need the certificate for a visa, ask the embassy how recent the exam date must be. See how long an A1 certificate stays valid.
- Register early. Dates can sell out, especially in busy months, so look at the calendar the day after your result.
Official sources
For the official details and the latest updates, see:
- Goethe-Institut: Goethe exams FAQ: validity, pass mark, retakes, results – Certificates don’t expire; 60% per module to pass; retakes; results on Mein Goethe
- Goethe-Institut: Goethe-Zertifikat A1: Start Deutsch 1 – official exam page – 4 modules, durations (80 min total), group speaking test, booking
Frequently asked questions
What happens if you fail the Goethe A1?
You do not receive the certificate, but you can register again. At A1 you must retake the whole exam, not only the part you failed.
How many times can you fail an exam in Germany?
For the Goethe exam there is no limit: the Goethe-Institut says the exam can be repeated as often as you wish. Other exam providers and exams such as university courses have their own rules.
How long does it take to get Goethe A1 results?
It depends on the centre. Some Goethe centres mention about 7 working days; partner centres may need two to four weeks. Ask where you registered.
What is a good score in German A1?
Goethe rates 80 to 89 points as good and 90 to 100 as very good. A pass starts at 60 points.
Do I pay again to retake Goethe A1?
Yes, a retake is a new registration with the exam fee, which was 155 EUR for the whole A1 exam on the Goethe Germany fee page for 2026. Your centre sets the price outside Germany.
Practise the speaking tasks out loud before your next attempt, with corrections in your own language.
