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telc Deutsch C1 Hochschule

telc Deutsch C1 Hochschule tests German for university study at level C1. Under the framework of the HRK and KMK, people who pass it need no DSH or TestDaF. You must pass both the written and the oral part.

Practise for telc Deutsch C1 Hochschule

The exam at a glance

  • Reading and language elements3 + 1 parts, 24 + 22 questions, 90 minutes in total, then a 20-minute break
  • Listening3 parts, 28 questions, about 40 minutes; in part 3 you take notes on a lecture
  • Writingone argumentative text in 70 minutes, at least 350 words; you choose one of two topics
  • Speaking2 parts, about 16 minutes, usually in pairs, after 20 minutes of preparation
  • Points214, of which 166 written and 48 oral
  • UniversityAccepted at German universities as proof of German for study

The parts in brief

PartWhat you doPoints
Reading 1Fill six gaps in a text with sentences; two of eight sentences are left over12
Reading 2Match 6 statements to the right sections of a longer text12
Reading 311 statements: true, false or not in the text; plus the best headline24
Language elements22 gaps with four options each: grammar, vocabulary and spelling22
Listening 1 to 3Short statements, an interview and a lecture on which you take notes: 8, 10 and 10 questions48
WritingA text in which you argue your position, such as an essay for a seminar48
Speaking 1 and 2A short presentation with a summary and follow-up questions, then a discussion of a quotation48

Reading, language elements, listening and writing take 200 minutes together, plus the break. Within reading and language elements you choose the order yourself; each listening text is played once.

Passing and grades

You need at least 128 of 214 points and also 60% in both parts: 99 of 166 written points and 29 of 48 oral points. Your grade depends on the total:

PointsGrade
193 or moresehr gut (very good)
172 or moregut (good)
151 or morebefriedigend (satisfactory)
128 or moreausreichend (pass)
below 128nicht bestanden (fail)

Certificate and university admission

Under the framework regulation on German language exams for university study (RO-DT) of the HRK and KMK, anyone who has passed telc Deutsch C1 Hochschule is exempt from proving their German with the DSH, TestDaF, the Feststellungsprüfung or the DSD II. Universities accept this exempting exam as proof. But each university decides what level a degree programme requires, so read the application information for your programme.

Cost

telc publishes no single price: each test centre sets its own fee. Ask your centre what the exam costs when you register.

Good to know

  • Retake one part: if you failed only the written or only the oral part, you can retake that part alone within 12 months; single subtests cannot be retaken.
  • Whole exam: can be retaken as often as you like; every result stays valid.
  • Validity: the certificate shows no expiry date. Whether an older certificate is accepted is up to the institution that asks for it.
  • Re-mark: a review of your result costs €40.
  • Format: the exam is offered digitally, in a hybrid form and on paper.
  • Other C1 exams: telc also offers telc Deutsch C1 and telc Deutsch C1 Beruf. The framework for university study names telc Deutsch C1 Hochschule specifically.

Independent practice

Our exercises are our own, written from the public structure of telc Deutsch C1 Hochschule; they are not official model tests, and we do not compute telc points. FreeExamPath is not affiliated with telc gGmbH.

Official information

Questions about telc Deutsch C1 Hochschule

How long is telc Deutsch C1 Hochschule?

The written exam takes 200 minutes plus a 20-minute break: 90 for reading and language elements, about 40 for listening and 70 for writing. The oral exam takes about 16 minutes, after 20 minutes of preparation.

How many points do I need to pass?

At least 128 of 214 points, including 99 in the written and 29 in the oral exam, that is 60% in each.

Is telc Deutsch C1 Hochschule enough to study in Germany?

Under the HRK and KMK framework, a pass exempts you from proving your German with the DSH or TestDaF. But the university decides exactly what level a programme requires.

Are these official model tests?

No. They are FreeExamPath's own exercises in the telc Deutsch C1 Hochschule format. A free official practice test with an audio file is available on the telc website.

Official sources (5) · last checked 19 October 2026