A1 is where it begins: you understand familiar words and simple sentences when people speak slowly and clearly, and you write short personal messages. The certificate is issued jointly by telc and the Goethe-Institut under the name Start Deutsch 1. This page covers the structure, the pass mark and the route on to A2.
A joint certificate from telc and the Goethe-Institut - Start Deutsch 1.
60 points in total - you pass from 36.
No minimum score per exam part - only the total counts.
The telc A1 exam has a written and an oral section. This is how it is structured.
| Exam part | What is tested | Duration | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| Listening | 3 parts: short everyday conversations, public announcements, recorded phone messages | approx. 20 min | 15 |
| Reading | 3 parts: a personal message, comparing classified ads, understanding public notices | approx. 25 min | 15 |
| Writing | Filling in a form and writing a short message (approx. 30 words on three given prompts) | approx. 20 min | 15 |
| Speaking | 3 parts: introducing yourself, asking for and giving information, making and responding to requests | approx. 15 min | 15 |
| Total | written and oral combined | approx. 90 min | 60 |
Three questions that usually come up before registering.
A1 is frequently required in connection with spouse and family reunification. Whether that applies to your case, and to what extent, is decided solely by the responsible authority – depending on your situation the German mission abroad or the local immigration office. Clarify it with them before you register for the exam.
At A1 level, Start Deutsch 1 really is a joint exam run by telc and the Goethe-Institut: the same tasks, the same listening texts, the same assessment. That stops at A2 – since 2016 the Goethe-Institut has run its own exam there, with a different structure.
A1 is rarely the end point. Integration courses, professional purposes and above all naturalisation call for higher levels. The structure of the next level is set out in the telc A2 exam overview.
It has four parts: listening (approx. 20 minutes), reading (approx. 25 minutes), writing (approx. 20 minutes) and speaking (approx. 15 minutes, usually in a small group). The written section runs for 75 minutes in total, and you are in the exam for around 90 minutes.
60 points are available and you pass from 36 points, which is 60 per cent. There is no minimum score for individual parts – a weak part can be offset by a strong one. That is an important difference from B1 and B2.
Yes. At A1 level, telc and the Goethe-Institut issue the certificate jointly. A direct comparison of the practice tests shows identical tasks, listening texts and assessment grids. The presentation differs slightly – telc uses more pictures and symbols – but the exam itself is the same.
Two tasks: you fill in a form, a registration form for example, and write a short message of about 30 words. Three prompts are given, and you write one or two sentences on each. A suitable opening and closing are part of the task.
In three parts and usually in a small group: first you introduce yourself, then you ask for information and give some yourself, and finally you make a request and respond to the requests of the others.
Not for citizenship – that normally requires B1. Within an integration course, A1 is only an intermediate stage. A1 is mainly required in connection with spouse and family reunification; what applies in your case is confirmed by the responsible authority. The next level is set out in the telc A2 exam overview.
At licensed telc examination centres – usually language schools, adult education centres or providers of integration courses. You can find the nearest centre on telc.net. HeyFlinko prepares you; the exam itself can be taken at our affiliated examination centre.
You can retake the exam. At A1 there are no separately passed part-exams that carry over – only the overall total counts, so you sit the whole exam again. Deadlines and fees are set by your examination centre.
See how preparation with HeyFlinko works – no credit card, no risk.
