B1 for German citizenship: which certificates count

The Nationality Act (Staatsangehörigkeitsgesetz, § 10) requires "sufficient knowledge of the German language" and immediately spells out what that means: the applicant meets the requirements of a language exam at B1 level on the Common European Framework, spoken and written.

Two things follow from this. First, you need B1 in every skill, not on average: a certificate covering only the spoken part won't do. Second, the law doesn't name a particular exam. Any recognised exam at B1 level or above counts.

The same B1 level is usually required for a permanent settlement permit (Niederlassungserlaubnis) and for EU long-term resident status too. So one certificate often covers two steps at once.

Citizenship authorities (Einbürgerungsbehörde) accept certificates from recognised exam providers:

A certificate at a higher level counts too: Goethe-Zertifikat B2 or C1, telc B2, TestDaF, DSH. The law asks for "B1 or above".

Besides a certificate, B1 can also be shown through German education: a German school-leaving certificate (Hauptschulabschluss or higher), a completed degree at a German-language university, or vocational training in Germany. If you have one of these, you may not need an exam at all — ask your authority.

The Goethe-Zertifikat B1 is made up of four modules, and each can be taken separately. For study or work, one or two are sometimes enough. For citizenship, they aren't: the law asks for B1 spoken and written, so you need all four — Lesen, Hören, Schreiben and Sprechen.

The safest route is to take all four modules in one session and get an overall certificate. Modules passed at different times can be combined into an overall certificate if all four were passed within one year at Goethe-Instituts in the EU, or within one country outside it. At Goethe-Zentren and exam partners, only at the same centre. How this works is covered in the article on the exam structure.

Whether four separate module certificates will be accepted in place of an overall one is up to the individual authority. Many do accept them, but it's worth asking before you register for the exam, not afterwards.

Alongside the language, citizenship requires you to show knowledge of Germany's legal and social system. That's a separate test — "Leben in Deutschland", also known as the Einbürgerungstest.

The "Leben in Deutschland" test is in German, but its language level is below B1: the questions are short and all of them are published in advance. If you've completed an integration course, you may already have a "Leben in Deutschland" certificate. It counts for citizenship if it shows at least 17 correct answers: 15 is enough for the course, but not for citizenship.

Every certificate in the table above carries the same weight with the authority. People choose by what's more convenient to sit:

• Goethe-Zertifikat B1 is offered worldwide, including before you move. Modules can be retaken one at a time.
• telc Deutsch B1 is widespread in Germany and is run by many Volkshochschulen and language schools. The written part is taken as a whole, separately from the oral part.
• DTZ is the exam at the end of an integration course. For course participants, the first attempt usually costs nothing. The result is A2 or B1, and citizenship needs B1 specifically.

A detailed comparison of formats, scoring and retake rules is in Goethe, telc or DTZ: which B1 exam is easier and which to choose.

Whichever you choose, the hardest part for most people is writing: three texts at Goethe, one letter at telc and DTZ, and style, coherence and grammar are marked everywhere. If you want to see how ready you are, start with a free Writing task in doch!: a score against the exam's four criteria and corrections right in your text.

• Ask your authority first. Which certificates it accepts, whether Goethe module certificates will do, and whether it needs the original or a certified copy. An answer by email is better than one given verbally.
• Take all the modules at once if you're ready. An overall certificate raises no questions.
• Don't settle for a bare "bestanden". The grade doesn't matter for citizenship, but the certificate may come in handy for work or study, where it will be seen.
• Check the conditions in the year you apply. The residence periods and other conditions of the citizenship law changed in 2024 and 2025; the B1 language requirement stayed.