Our ÖSD Examination Offerings
Anyone who obtained their school-leaving qualification abroad and would like to study, start vocational training, or begin employment in Germany may, depending on the university, authority, or employer, be required to provide official proof of their German language skills.
ÖSD – Österreichisches Sprachdiplom Deutsch (Austrian Language Diploma German) – is an internationally recognized examination system for German as a foreign and second language and is based on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR).
IBZ Dortmund regularly offers ÖSD examinations from level A1 to C2. Depending on the examination level, the language skills of reading, listening, writing, and speaking are assessed.
ÖSD Zertifikat A1
✓ German language skills for simple everyday situations
✓ Suitable for German learners aged 14 and above
✓ Written examination: Reading, Listening, and Writing
✓ Oral examination: Speaking
✓ Written examination: approx. 55 minutes
✓ Oral examination: approx. 10 minutes
✓ Written and oral modules can be taken separately or together
✓ Paper-based and digital examination
✓ Examination fee: Information to follow
ÖSD Zertifikat A2
✓ German language skills for everyday and simple professional situations
✓ Suitable for German learners aged 14 and above
✓ Written examination: Reading, Listening, and Writing
✓ Oral examination: Speaking
✓ Written examination: approx. 75 minutes
✓ Oral examination: approx. 10 minutes
✓ Written and oral modules can be taken separately or together
✓ Paper-based and digital examination
✓ Examination fee: Information to follow
ÖSD Zertifikat B1
✓ Independent use of German in everyday and professional situations
✓ Suitable for learners aged 16 and above
✓ Four examination modules: Reading, Listening, Writing, and Speaking
✓ Reading: 65 minutes
✓ Listening: approx. 40 minutes
✓ Writing: 60 minutes
✓ Speaking: approx. 15 minutes as a paired examination or approx. 10 minutes as an individual examination
✓ All four modules can be taken independently of one another
✓ Paper-based and digital examination
✓ Examination fee: Information to follow
ÖSD Zertifikat B2
✓ Advanced German language skills for everyday life, professional situations, and public contexts
✓ Suitable for learners aged 16 and above
✓ Written examination: Reading, Listening, and Writing
✓ Oral examination: Speaking
✓ Reading: 90 minutes, Listening: approx. 30 minutes, Writing: 90 minutes
✓ Oral examination: 15–20 minutes as an individual examination or 20–25 minutes as a paired examination
✓ Written and oral modules can be taken separately or together
✓ Paper-based and digital examination
✓ Examination fee: Information to follow
ÖSD Zertifikat C1
✓ Advanced German language proficiency for university studies, professional life, and social contexts
✓ Particularly suitable as proof of German language proficiency for studying at a German-speaking university
✓ Suitable for learners aged 16 and above
✓ Written examination: Reading, Listening, and Writing
✓ Oral examination: Speaking
✓ Reading: 90 minutes, Listening: approx. 40 minutes, Writing: 90 minutes
✓ Oral examination: 15–20 minutes
✓ Written and oral modules can be taken separately or together
✓ Paper-based and digital examination
✓ Examination fee: Information to follow
ÖSD Zertifikat C2
✓ German language proficiency at the highest CEFR level
✓ General and specialized language competence in complex situations
✓ Suitable for learners aged 16 and above
✓ Four examination modules: Reading, Listening, Writing, and Speaking
✓ Reading: 90 minutes
✓ Listening: approx. 40 minutes
✓ Writing: 90 minutes
✓ Speaking: 15–20 minutes
✓ All four modules can be taken independently of one another
✓ Paper-based and digital examination
✓ Examination fee: Information to follow
