DTZ Failed: Retakes, Costs, and Next Steps

What Happens If You Don’t Pass the DTZ?

The DTZ (Deutsch-Test für Zuwanderer – German Test for Migrants) is not a test you can completely “fail” like a driving licence exam. It measures your level and gives one of two results: A2 or B1. If you don’t reach the goal of B1, you don’t get zero points, but in most cases you receive an A2 certificate. Only if your performance falls below A2 will you receive no certificate but a results sheet instead.

The most important thing first: If you completed the integration course in full and passed the DTZ at A2 only, you can apply to the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF) for up to 300 additional teaching hours once. This approval includes one free retake of the exam. You get a genuine second chance without paying again.

How Is the DTZ Graded?

The DTZ has a written and a spoken part. The written part tests listening, reading, and writing; the spoken part tests speaking. Each part is individually assigned a level (A2 or B1).

To receive B1 overall, simplified, the following applies:

1. The speaking part must be at B1 level.
2. A second B1 must come from either listening/reading or from writing.

This means: you don’t have to be perfect everywhere. It’s enough if speaking and one other area reach B1. Many participants narrowly miss B1 here, often in writing or speaking. If you target these parts specifically, B1 on the second attempt is very realistic.

Step by Step: What to Do After an A2 Result?

1. Read your result carefully. Your certificate shows which parts were already B1 and where it fell short. This tells you what you need to work on.
2. Apply for a retake with BAMF. Ask your course provider or BAMF about the one-time approval for 300 additional hours with a free exam retake. This is your right if you attended regularly.
3. Practice the weak parts specifically. Usually that’s speaking and letter writing. Here, lots of repetition with feedback helps.
4. Register for the retake exam and go in with confidence. You already know the routine now, which takes away much of the stress.

What Does a Retake Cost?

The first retake via BAMF approval is free, including the additional hours. If you want to take the DTZ again beyond that, perhaps because you no longer have a claim or didn’t complete the course, you pay yourself. The fee is usually between around 100 and 180 euros, depending on the exam centre. Always ask your exam centre directly for the current price, as fees vary from provider to provider.

Do I Even Need B1, or Is A2 Enough?

That depends on your goal:

• For naturalisation you generally need German language skills at B1 level, demonstrated for example by the DTZ at B1 or a certificate from telc, Goethe, or TestDaF. C1 is not needed. Only in narrowly limited hardship cases can simpler skills suffice.
• For many other purposes, such as proof of completing the integration course to the foreign office, A2 can in concrete situations be sufficient. Check with your foreign office about what exactly is required for your case.

If you need B1 and didn’t achieve it in the DTZ, it’s worth looking at other B1 exams alongside a DTZ retake. With the Goethe Certificate B1 there are four modules (Reading, Listening, Writing, Speaking), which you can retake individually. So you don’t have to do everything again, just the module you didn’t pass. With telc Deutsch B1 you need at least 60 out of 120 points overall (50 per cent) and must pass at least one of the two parts, written or spoken.

How to Prepare for Your Second Attempt

The most common reason for a narrow A2 is lack of practice with free speaking and letter writing. These exact parts can be trained well. A structured B1 course with a real teacher, clear writing and speaking exercises, and exam simulations often provides the decisive boost.

Our Online German Course B1 is made for exactly this: video course with an accredited DaF teacher and BAMF instructor, the Hueber textbook “Schritte plus Neu” included, and an AI trainer corrects pronunciation, speaking, and letters as often as you want. You learn at your own pace and practice specifically the exam parts that make the difference in the DTZ for B1. If you want to learn from the beginning, the Complete Package A1 to B1 covers the whole path to the B1 exam.

Conclusion

A failed B1 in the DTZ is not a setback but a stepping stone. You generally have A2 in your pocket, a claim to 300 additional hours with a free retake, and clear information about what you still need to work on. Practice speaking and writing specifically, use your free retake, and go into the second attempt with confidence. Very many participants achieve their B1 exactly this way.