German-B2: The certificate for German as a foreign language

The German language certificate B2 is required for the German approbation. With the help of a language certificate it is confirmed that the foreign language is mastered on a certain level.  Since there are certificates and language diplomas for almost all foreign languages and in the most diverse versions, the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages was developed. Through the reference framework it is possible to compare the results achieved in language examinations with each other. There are 6 different levels of competence from A1 (beginner) to C2 (expert).

At the level of German-B2 you can understand the main contents of complex texts on concrete and abstract topics. You can also understand technical discussions in your own area of specialization. You can communicate fluently and spontaneously, so that a normal conversation with native speakers is quite possible without major effort on either side. Furthermore, you can express yourself clearly and in detail on a wide range of topics, explain a point of view on a current issue, and state the advantages and disadvantages of various options.

There are several language certificates that confirm the German-B2 language level. For example, there are the following German-B2 certificates:

• Goethe-Zertifikat
• Telc B2
• TestDaF
• ÖSD

The exam for the German B2 certificate consists of four components: Reading, Writing, Listening and Speaking. Below we show the exam contents of the Goethe-B2-Zertifkat.

The duration of the German B2 exam differs from examination institute to examination institute:

A German B2 certificate is required for the application for the approbation in Germany. Depending on the federal state, the requirements for this language certificate differ. Some federal states (e.g. Hesse) accept language certificates only from certain language institutes. In many other federal states, the German-B2 exam can be taken at any recognized language institute: