DTZ scoring explained: how many points do you need for B1?

The three part results at a glance

Each part is assigned a level on its own. Hören and Lesen are added together into one result; Schreiben and Sprechen have their own point scales.

One part below A2 does not automatically put the whole exam below A2 – what matters is how the three parts combine (see below).

Hören and Lesen: 45 items, 45 points

Hören has 20 items (1–20) and Lesen 25 items (21–45). Each correct answer is worth one point, and both parts are added into one result.

• B1: 33 of 45 – so you can get up to 12 items wrong (45 − 33 = 12).
• A2: 20 of 45 – that is up to 25 wrong answers (45 − 20 = 25).
• Below A2: 19 points or fewer, i.e. 26 or more mistakes.
• It does not matter where the points come from: 15 in Hören and 18 in Lesen give B1 just as 20 and 13 do.
• Only what is on the answer sheet counts. Notes in the task booklet are not marked.

Schreiben: four criteria, 0 to 5 points each

Your letter or e-mail is marked on four criteria: I Inhalt (content – covering the four Leitpunkte), II Kommunikative Gestaltung (communicative design), III Korrektheit (accuracy) and IV Wortschatz (vocabulary). Each criterion uses the same scale:

The maximum is 4 × 5 = 20 points. For B1 in Schreiben you need 15, for A2 at least 7 points. The level labels are the official German ones.

Worked examples for Schreiben

These examples only show the arithmetic. In the exam, raters place each criterion on a level – the points follow from that.

The mixed example shows that very good content can make up for slightly weaker accuracy. One point less, and Schreiben is only A2.

The Inhalt criterion: how many Leitpunkte you cover

For Inhalt, what counts is how many of the four Leitpunkte you cover and how clearly. “The reader has to cooperate” means the reader has to guess or think hard about what you mean.

A blank Schreibbogen scores 0. No word count is prescribed; the official instruction says “Schreiben Sie möglichst viel” (write as much as you can). For Inhalt, though, what decides is that every Leitpunkt is clearly covered.

Sprechen: 100 points from two examiners

In Sprechen two licensed examiners rate you independently, and the average counts. That is why half points are possible: 74.5 is still A2, B1 starts at 75.

At 20 points, Teil 3 is the biggest single item in task completion. For B1 you need at least 75 points in total, for A2 at least 35.

The overall result: today and under the planned rule

• Overall B1 today (§ 10(1) IntTestV): Sprechen B1 and at least one of Hören/Lesen or Schreiben at B1. The third part may be weaker – under today's rule even below A2.
• Overall A2: Sprechen at least A2 and at least one other part at least A2.
• Below that: no certificate, only a notice of your result.
• Why Sprechen has a special role: speaking counts as the key skill, so it must always reach the certified level.
• Planned from 1 November 2026 (Interior Ministry draft, according to dpa): for an overall B1, Hören/Lesen must also reach at least 20 and Schreiben at least 7 points. The text has not been published yet.

Details of the planned change and the open questions are in our guide to the new DTZ rules for 2026.

Worked examples: which overall result do you get?

The examples apply the rules step by step. First, Sprechen decides whether B1 is possible at all; then it matters whether a written part reaches B1 – and, under the planned rule, whether no part is below A2.

* Under today's A2 rule these results would be A2. ** A2 under today's rule; whether the A2 rule changes has not been reported. All rows are worked examples, not real exam results.

Raters judge by criteria, not by keeping a tally

• In Schreiben, raters decide for each criterion which level your text reaches; the points are simply those levels turned into numbers.
• In Sprechen the two examiners rate independently: task completion per part, language on four criteria.
• So when you assess yourself, ask questions instead of counting: Are all Leitpunkte clearly covered? Is the text built as a letter, with greeting and closing? Are most sentences easy to understand?
• A self-check with the tables above is only orientation, not an official rating.

Results, inspection and objections

• g.a.s.t. usually passes results to BAMF about 2.5 weeks after the exam; BAMF then validates them. After that you receive your certificate or result notice through your Prüfstelle (test centre). There is no guaranteed total waiting time.
• Inspection (Einsichtnahme): within 3 months of the result, usually on the second Wednesday of a month at selected test centres in Chemnitz, Berlin, Wedel, Hildesheim, Dortmund, Bingen am Rhein, Augsburg and Nürnberg; it lasts 15 minutes.
• You see your answer sheet, your Schreibbogen and the Sprechen rating – not the tasks and not the solutions. Processing the request can take up to 8 weeks.
• Doubts about your result: contact your test centre first; an objection must be lodged no later than 3 months after the result.
• Complaints about how the exam was run: e-mail the g.a.s.t. examination board (Prüfungsausschuss) at dtz@gast.de, no later than 3 months after the result.
• Retakes: as often as you like, but always the whole exam; part results are not carried over.

Official sources

The exam rules and figures in this guide were checked against the official sources below.

• g.a.s.t.: DTZ-Übungssatz 1 (PDF)
• g.a.s.t.: Der DTZ auf einen Blick – Aufbau, Bewertung und Punktzahlen
• BAMF / Goethe-Institut: Deutsch-Test für Zuwanderer – Prüfungsziele, Testbeschreibung (PDF)
• Integrationskurstestverordnung (IntTestV), §§ 6–11
• dpa-Meldung: Strengere Regeln bei Deutschtests für Zuwanderer (Oktober 2026)
• g.a.s.t.: Häufig gestellte Fragen zum DTZ

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