German A1 Exam Marks: How the Goethe A1 Is Scored
Most people searching for A1 marks want one number: what do you need to pass? It is 60. Everything else about the Goethe-Zertifikat A1 follows from how those points are split, and the split is where candidates lose the exam without realising it.
How the marks work
Start Deutsch 1 is scored out of 100 points. Seventy-five of those sit in the written exam, which covers listening, reading and writing. The remaining 25 come from the speaking test, which is taken as a group. You pass at 60 points, which is 60 percent, and only if you have attempted every section.
That last condition is the one that catches people. Skipping the speaking test because the written part felt strong does not leave you with a lower grade. It leaves you without a certificate.
| Part | Maximum points |
|---|---|
| Written exam: listening, reading and writing | 75 |
| Speaking, taken in a group | 25 |
| Total | 100 |
| Pass mark | 60 |
The speaking test runs about 20 minutes, and you sit it with other candidates rather than alone. It is shorter than people expect and it carries a quarter of your result.
What A1 actually proves
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A1 is the first rung of the CEFR ladder. It certifies that you can introduce yourself, ask and answer simple questions, and handle everyday exchanges built from familiar phrases. It is not a level that gets you through a lecture or an interview.
For studying in Germany that distinction matters. An English-taught degree does not ask for German at all, and no A1 certificate will change an admission decision on its own. Where it changes your life is outside the classroom: the paperwork at the Bürgeramt, the part-time job, the flatshare viewing where the landlord switches to German after two sentences.
Where students actually need German, and at what level
Plan the level to the goal rather than collecting certificates:
- English-taught Bachelor's or Master's: no German requirement for admission, though A1 or A2 makes the first months easier. Our language requirements guide covers the English side of the same question.
- German-taught degrees: TestDaF or DSH, which sit at B2 to C1. A1 is nowhere near it.
- Ausbildung, the paid vocational route: B1 is the usual bar, sometimes B2 for nursing.
- Part-time work with customers: B1 in practice, whatever the job ad says.
How long A1 takes
The Goethe-Institut puts A1 at roughly 80 to 200 teaching units of 45 minutes, and the spread is real: it depends on how much time you give it each week and whether you already speak another Germanic language. Students who study daily for an hour tend to sit the exam in two to three months. Students who study on Sundays take a year and usually stop.
If you want a structured start rather than scattered apps, our German course follows the CEFR path from A1 with vocabulary and exam practice built in.
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