The Deutsch-Test für Zuwanderer (DTZ): Exam Format, A2 vs B1 Scores, and What They Open

The Integrationskurs is Germany's state-funded language programme for immigrants — typically 600 hours of German followed by a 100-hour civics course. It ends with the Deutsch-Test für Zuwanderer (DTZ), a scaled exam that certifies either A2 or B1. Your result matters: only B1 satisfies the language requirement for permanent residence and citizenship.

This guide covers the exam in detail — what it tests, how the scoring works, which result counts for what, and how the DTZ compares to the Goethe-Zertifikat B1 if you are deciding between them.

What is the Integrationskurs?

The Integrationskurs is a BAMF-authorised programme that runs at approved language schools, Volkshochschulen, and other course providers across Germany. The standard general course (Allgemeiner Integrationskurs) runs for 700 teaching units in total: 600 hours of German instruction and 100 hours in the Orientierungskurs.

The language portion is divided into two modules. The Basismodul (300 hours) takes you from absolute beginner level up to A2. The Aufbaumodul (300 hours) then builds from A2 to B1. If you can already demonstrate A2 before the course starts — through a placement test — you can enter directly into the Aufbaumodul and complete only 300 language hours instead of 600.

The Orientierungskurs (100 hours) covers German law and constitutional values, history, the political system, and everyday social life. It ends with its own test: the Leben-in-Deutschland-Test, a 33-question multiple-choice exam drawn from a pool of 300 questions, with a pass mark of 17 correct answers. Passing the language and civics tests together earns you the Zertifikat Integrationskurs.

Who attends?

Certain groups are required to participate: newly arrived immigrants who cannot communicate in basic German, and some longer-term residents deemed in particular need of integration. The Ausländerbehörde, Jobcenter, or social welfare office can issue an obligation to attend. Others with a legal entitlement may enrol voluntarily — though BAMF suspended approvals for voluntary participation throughout 2026.

What does the course cost?

Benefit recipients supervised by the Jobcenter or receiving Bürgergeld typically attend for free. Other participants pay €1.95 per teaching unit — roughly €1,365 for the full 700-unit course. There is a meaningful incentive to reach B1: if you pass the DTZ at B1 level within two years of starting the Integrationskurs, BAMF reimburses 50% of the course fees you paid. Full details on structure and costs are on bamf.de.

What is the Deutsch-Test für Zuwanderer?

The Deutsch-Test für Zuwanderer (DTZ) is the official language exam at the end of the Integrationskurs. It is commissioned by BAMF and, since January 2023, developed and administered by G.A.S.T. (Gesellschaft für Akademische Studienvorbereitung und Testentwicklung e.V.). You sit the exam at your course provider's premises — not at a Goethe-Institut or separate test centre. Official exam details are at bamf.de and gast.de.

The exam tests your German across all four communication skills: listening, reading, writing, and speaking. The speaking section is a pair exam — you are tested together with one other participant. The DTZ runs every two weeks at approved centres, and registration closes 21 days before the exam date.

The defining feature of the DTZ is its scaled result: rather than simply passing or failing, you receive a certificate at either A2 or B1, depending on how many points you score in total. This is different from most other German exams, which require you to pass each section separately.

How is the DTZ structured — and how is it scored?

The exam has four sections and 100 points in total. Speaking carries the single largest weight at 30 points, which catches a lot of people off guard when they focus only on written practice. There are no individual section minimums: your total score alone determines your result level.

The score thresholds that determine your certificate:

• 60–100 points → B1 certificate
• 33–59 points → A2 certificate
• Below 33 points → no certificate (you receive a results notification only)

Because no section must pass individually, a strong performance in speaking can compensate for a weaker writing score and still carry your total above 60. Conversely, skipping speaking preparation is risky: its 30-point maximum represents nearly a third of the exam.

The path from Integrationskurs to result

The diagram below maps the full journey: from course start through the DTZ exam to the two possible results and what each one enables.

What does each result actually open?

The DTZ result is not just a language grade — it determines which residence and citizenship pathways you can pursue.

A B1 result satisfies the standard language requirement for both the Niederlassungserlaubnis (permanent residence permit, generally under §9 AufenthG) and Einbürgerung (naturalisation under §10 StAG). These are the two most consequential milestones for most immigrants in Germany, and B1 covers the language requirement for both with a single exam. A B1 also triggers the BAMF 50% course fee refund.

An A2 result is recorded by your course provider as course completion, and it may support certain short-term visa extension applications. It does not, however, satisfy the B1 language requirement for permanent residence or citizenship. If your goal is either of those, an A2 result means you still have work to do — but the path forward is clear.

A result below 33 points yields no certificate at all, only a document confirming you sat the exam.

How does the DTZ differ from the Goethe-Zertifikat B1?

Both exams certify CEFR B1 for German immigration purposes when passed at that level — but they are built for different contexts and use different scoring models.

The practical takeaway: if you are in the Integrationskurs and your goal is residence or citizenship in Germany, the DTZ B1 is the most direct path — it is part of the course, costs nothing extra, and is fully recognised for both purposes. If you need a certificate that works outside Germany — for a university application, a job abroad, or a visa in another country — the Goethe-Zertifikat B1 travels better. For a side-by-side look at standalone B1 exam options, see the Goethe vs telc comparison.

DTZ or Goethe B1 — which fits your goal?

Select your main goal below to get a short, direct recommendation.

What if you only reached A2 on the DTZ?

An A2 result does not close the door — it tells you what still needs to happen. BAMF provides a Wiederholerkurs (repeat module) of up to 300 additional teaching hours for participants who did not reach B1. After completing the Wiederholerkurs and doing the preparation, you can re-sit the DTZ.

The alternative is to bypass the DTZ re-sit entirely and go for a standalone B1 exam. The Goethe-Zertifikat B1, telc Deutsch B1, and ÖSD Zertifikat B1 all certify the same CEFR level and are accepted for residence and citizenship applications — they are not limited to Integrationskurs participants. You book the exam directly, pay the exam fee, and sit it at an authorised test centre. For what each certificate covers and how to choose, the Goethe vs telc guide has the comparison.

Some people do both: use the Wiederholerkurs for structured classroom practice, then sit a Goethe or telc exam as their final certificate — because a standalone certificate feels more portable. Either approach works; what matters is reaching and proving B1.

How to prepare for the DTZ (and reach B1)

The DTZ covers everyday German life — renting a flat, booking a doctor's appointment, dealing with an authority letter, making plans with a colleague. The topics are narrower and more predictable than general-purpose exams. That predictability is an advantage if you prepare for it deliberately.

Four things that consistently make the difference:

1. Practise the speaking section as a pair. At 30 points — the largest single section — Sprechen is where the most marks are won or lost. The structure is fixed: self-introduction, a short monologue on a given topic, and a joint planning task with your partner. Practise those three parts with someone until they feel automatic.
2. Do timed writing runs. The Schreiben task gives you 30 minutes to produce 80–100 words of functional German. That is less time than it sounds. Practise writing short formal letters or emails on common immigrant-life topics — address changes, appointment requests, complaint letters — within the time limit.
3. Work through exam-format practice tests. The Hören and Lesen task types in the DTZ are very similar to those in the Goethe B1 and telc B1 exams. Practising with GoethéB1's free interactive Modelltest and the full-format Goethe B1 Prüfung guide builds the same skills you need for the DTZ — you will find the formats transfer directly.
4. Fill the vocabulary gaps systematically. B1 rests on a defined range of word families. Rather than studying random new words, work through the B1 Wortliste to identify and fill the specific gaps in your active vocabulary. This is one of the highest-return uses of study time in the weeks before the exam.

FAQ: the Integrationskurs and the DTZ

Last updated: 3 July 2026 · GoethéB1 is independent and not affiliated with the Goethe-Institut, BAMF, G.A.S.T., or telc. General information only — not legal advice. Confirm requirements with your Ausländerbehörde or bamf.de.