How Much Do German Exams Cost? Goethe, telc, ÖSD and TestDaF Fees (2026)
At the Goethe-Institut in Germany, the 2026 adult fees are €155 for A1, €175 for A2, €259 for B1, €289 for B2 and €349 for C1. The B2 exam therefore costs €289 as a full exam, or €114 per single module if you only retake part of it. telc and ÖSD fees are set by each exam centre, so the same level can cost noticeably different amounts depending on where you register.
All figures below were checked on official pages in October 2026. Prices change, and they differ by country, so treat this article as a map and confirm the final number on the booking page of the centre you will actually use.
Goethe-Institut fees in Germany (2026)
The Goethe-Institut publishes a fee list for its institutes in Germany. These are the adult prices:
| Exam | Full exam fee | Price per module |
|---|---|---|
| Goethe-Zertifikat A1 (Start Deutsch 1) | €155 | not modular |
| Goethe-Zertifikat A2 | €175 | not modular |
| Goethe-Zertifikat B1 | €259 | €104 |
| Goethe-Zertifikat B2 | €289 | €114 |
| Goethe-Zertifikat C1 | €349 | €114 |
| Goethe-Zertifikat C2 (GDS) | €359 | €139 |
| TestDaF (booked at Goethe) | €215 | not modular |
For teenagers, the same list shows A1 (Fit in Deutsch 1) at €139, A2 (Fit in Deutsch) at €159, B1 at €259 and B2 at €289. For work-related tests, Goethe-Test PRO is €89 and Goethe-Test PRO Pflege, the healthcare version, is €159. The page states that the prices are exempt from VAT.
Two details matter in practice:
- Course discount. Goethe gives participants of its own courses a 20% discount on the exam fee (not on TestDaF or Goethe-Test PRO). The course must have ended no more than six months before the exam date.
- Modules cost more in total. Four B2 modules at €114 add up to €456, against €289 for the full exam. Single modules only make sense as retakes.
Fees outside Germany differ. Goethe institutes and partner centres in other countries publish their own price lists, often in local currency and sometimes with local taxes. This article does not print prices for other countries, because they cannot be verified in one place. Look at the page of your own centre.
telc fees: the centre decides
telc does not have one price. Its terms state that the licensed exam centres set the final prices for candidates, and its FAQ says each centre sets its own fees. The centre in turn pays telc a fee from a price list.
To give you a sense of the spread: the vhs Prüfungszentrale Sprachen lists telc Deutsch B2 at €175 for vhs participants and €205 for external candidates. Your centre may charge more or less, so this is one data point, not a national price.
ÖSD fees: also set per centre
ÖSD exams are also priced locally. The language centre of the University of Vienna, for example, publishes a 2026 schedule where B2 is split into €165 for the written part and €65 for the oral part (€230 combined), A2 is €135 written plus €50 oral, and B1 is €60 per module. That schedule belongs to one centre; a centre in Graz or Salzburg may charge differently.
TestDaF fees
TestDaF is for university admission rather than everyday integration. The TestDaF-Institut lists €215 for the paper-based test and €210 for the digital test in Germany. It also states that it uses three country groups with different prices, so candidates abroad pay a different amount. Check the fee for your country in the official registration portal.
Quick comparison for B2
| Provider | B2 example | Who sets the price |
|---|---|---|
| Goethe-Institut Germany | €289 full, €114 per module | Goethe-Institut (fee list 2026) |
| telc (vhs example) | €175 vhs participants, €205 external | Each exam centre |
| ÖSD (University of Vienna example) | €165 written + €65 oral | Each exam centre |
| TestDaF (Germany) | €215 paper, €210 digital | TestDaF-Institut, by country group |
In these examples, Goethe in Germany is the most expensive, by roughly €60 to €115 for B2. That is not a reason to pick a different exam: the right certificate is the one your purpose requires. If you are unsure which one that is, read which exam fits visas, work and Pflege before paying for anything.
Practise your German out loud with SipLingo, free to try on iPhone and Android:
Why is the Goethe exam so expensive?
The pages checked for this article do not break down the fee, so any single explanation would be a guess. What can be said is what a fee has to pay for: trained examiners for the speaking and writing parts, exam venues, scoring, and a certificate you can verify online. Goethe also runs the same format and marking standards at every centre worldwide, which the institute states openly for B2. Whether that justifies the price is your call; the fee table above is what you actually pay.
Where SipLingo fits into your exam budget
The cheapest exam is the one you pass on the first attempt, and the speaking module is where many candidates lose points under pressure. SipLingo (our app) lets you rehearse spoken answers in real voice conversations and shows you grammar and word-order corrections in your own language. It does not replace a course, official exam materials or a mock test, and it cannot guarantee a result; it gives you more speaking repetitions before the day.
How to avoid paying twice
- Practise the exact format first. Goethe publishes free sample papers on goethe.de. Time yourself on a full module before booking. For B2, the Goethe B2 structure tells you what to expect.
- Retake only what failed. Goethe B1 and above can be retaken module by module. Under telc rules, B1 to C2 exams may allow you to repeat only the written or only the oral part within 12 months; check this with your centre because it depends on the exam.
- Ask about a course discount. If you are doing a Goethe course anyway, the 20% discount can pay for part of the exam.
- Read the cancellation terms before paying. Goethe’s exam rules say fees already paid are not refunded if you withdraw. telc’s terms say the full fee is charged for withdrawal or no-show, with an exception when you have a medical certificate. Individual centres may add their own rules.
- Do not book the wrong level. A level above your real ability is an expensive experiment. See how hard the B2 exam is and what happens if you fail an exam before deciding.
Related guides: Goethe exam booking, dates and results
Official sources
For the official details and the latest updates, see:
- Goethe-Institut: Goethe-Zertifikat B1 – official exam page – Modules, durations, fees, 350–650 lessons to B1, results in 2 days–2 weeks
- Goethe-Institut: Goethe-Zertifikat C1 – official exam page – C1 modules, 20-min speaking, 800–1,000 lessons to C1, university use
Frequently asked questions
How much does the German B2 exam cost?
At the Goethe-Institut in Germany, €289 for the full exam in 2026, or €114 per module. telc and ÖSD centres set their own price; examples checked here ranged from €175 to €230.
How much does a B2 test cost?
It depends on the provider and country. Goethe Germany: €289; one telc exam centre network: €175 for its own participants and €205 for external candidates; the University of Vienna ÖSD schedule: €230 for written plus oral.
How much is a Goethe exam?
In Germany for adults: A1 €155, A2 €175, B1 €259, B2 €289, C1 €349, C2 €359 (2026). Other countries have their own price lists.
Why is the Goethe Institute so expensive?
The official pages do not itemise the fee. It covers examiners, venues, scoring and certification; compared with some telc and ÖSD examples, Goethe in Germany costs about €60 to €115 more for B2.
How much does the Goethe B2 exam cost?
€289 for the full exam at Goethe-Institut locations in Germany (2026), excluding any course discount. Single modules cost €114 each.
Rehearse the speaking part before you pay for the exam: try a free voice conversation in SipLingo.
