You pass telc Deutsch B1 with 180 of 300 points - 60% - but the written and oral parts are assessed separately and both must be passed on their own.
The headline number is 180 of 300. The part most candidates miss is that it is not a single pool.
| Part | Points available | Needed to pass |
|---|---|---|
| Written | 225 | 135 |
| Oral | 75 | 45 |
| Overall | 300 | 180 |
Both thresholds must be met. This is why a candidate can score 200 in the written exam - comfortably above the overall 60% pace - and still fail, because the oral result fell below 45.
The rule changes where preparation time should go. Because the oral exam cannot be compensated for, it is worth more preparation than its 25% share of the points suggests - and it is simultaneously the part most candidates prepare least, because it is the hardest to practise alone.
A candidate who is strong at grammar and weak at speaking is in more danger than the raw point totals imply.
Above the threshold, telc awards four grades:
Below 180: nicht bestanden.
For every official purpose - residence permit, naturalisation, employers - the grade is irrelevant. The certificate states that you have B1, and ausreichend certifies it exactly as sehr gut does. It is worth knowing this before spending another three months chasing a better grade for a requirement that only asks for the level.
The useful question is not "what is my overall percentage" but "am I above 60% in both parts". A full simulation that scores the written and oral halves separately answers that; practising individual sections does not.
180 of 300 overall, which is 60%. In addition, the written part (225 points) and the oral part (75 points) are each assessed on their own, and both must reach 60%.
No. The two parts are counted separately. Scoring 220 of 225 in writing does not rescue an oral result below the threshold - this is the rule that surprises candidates most often.
At most centres you may repeat only the failed part, provided you do so within one year at the same centre. Confirm this with your centre before booking, since practice varies.
sehr gut, gut, befriedigend and ausreichend above the threshold, and nicht bestanden below it. The certificate shows the grade and the points; ausreichend certifies B1 exactly as sehr gut does.
Sit a full simulation under exam timing and see exactly where your points go.