obtain evidence of the language skills required to be granted a visa to join your husband or wife in Germany
prove that you have successfully reached level A1
be issued with an official and internationally recognized certificate
The Goethe-Zertifikat A1: Start Deutsch 1 is a German exam for adults. It certifies that candidates have acquired very basic language skills and corresponds to the first level (A1) on the six-level scale of competence laid down in the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR).
Testing locations
Select the Goethe-Institut where you would like to take your German exam and find out more about the dates and prices.
Passing the exam demonstrates that you can ...
communicate in a simple manner if the person you are speaking to talks slowly and clearly,
understand and use familiar, everyday and common expressions and simple sentences (e.g. information about yourself and your family or about shopping, work and your immediate surroundings),
introduce yourself and others, as well as ask others about themselves, e.g. where they live, who they know and what they own.
Preparation
Practice materials
Accessible and interactive sample papers and practice exercises to help you prepare online are available here.