telc Deutsch C1 Hochschule: structure, points, passing, fees
Everything important about the exam on one page, with the source of every number. The facts come from the public documents of telc gGmbH and, for fees and dates, from exam centres.
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At a glance
- telc Deutsch C1 Hochschule is a C1-level German exam that proves the language skills needed for university study.
- The written exam consists of Reading, Sprachbausteine (language elements), Listening and Writing; an oral exam of about 16 minutes follows.
- Reading and Sprachbausteine together have 46 items and 90 minutes.
- You pass with at least 60% of all points, and you must reach the 60% mark in both the written and the oral exam.
- The exam is offered digitally, hybrid and on paper.
Source: telc.net: telc German C1 University (exam page, English) · telc gGmbH: telc Deutsch C1 Hochschule – Tipps zur Prüfungsvorbereitung (4. Auflage 2018), S. 6–7 und 26 · telc gGmbH: Handbuch telc Deutsch C1 Hochschule (4. Auflage 2015), Kapitel 8 „Ablauf und Auswertung“, S. 56
Structure of the exam
| Part | Items | Time | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reading 1: text reconstruction (insert 6 of 8 sentences) | 1–6 | about 15 min | 12 |
| Reading 2: selective reading (6 statements, 5 sections) | 7–12 | about 15 min | 12 |
| Reading 3: detail (11 statements) and gist (headline) | 13–24 | about 35 min | 24 |
| Sprachbausteine (22 gaps, 4 options each) | 25–46 | about 25 min | 22 |
| Listening (3 parts) | 47–74 | about 40 min | 48 |
| Writing (one text of about 350 words) | – | 70 min | 48 |
| Oral exam (usually in pairs, 20 min preparation) | – | about 16 min | 48 |
Reading and Sprachbausteine share 90 minutes; the times per part are telc’s suggestions. All reading texts together have about 2,600 words. Within the 90 minutes you also transfer your answers to the answer sheet, for which telc allows about 15 minutes.
A 20-minute break follows Reading and Sprachbausteine.
Source: telc gGmbH: telc Deutsch C1 Hochschule – Tipps zur Prüfungsvorbereitung (4. Auflage 2018), S. 6–7 und 26 · telc.net: telc German C1 University (exam page, English)
Points and weighting
| Section | Points | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Reading | 48 | 22.5% |
| Sprachbausteine | 22 | 10% |
| Listening | 48 | 22.5% |
| Writing | 48 | 22.5% |
| Written exam total | 166 | 77.5% |
| Oral exam | 48 | 22.5% |
| Total | 214 | 100% |
In Reading each correct answer is worth 2 points, in Sprachbausteine 1 point.
When do you pass?
According to the telc handbook, you pass with at least 60 percent of all points. In addition, the 60 percent mark must be reached both in the written exam (Reading, Listening, Writing) and in the oral exam.
If you miss the required points in only one of the two parts, you can retake that part on its own within the following calendar year.
After the exam you receive your points per section (Reading, Listening, Writing, Speaking) with percentages.
Source: telc gGmbH: Handbuch telc Deutsch C1 Hochschule (4. Auflage 2015), Kapitel 8 „Ablauf und Auswertung“, S. 56 · telc.net: telc German C1 University (exam page, English)
How much does the exam cost?
Each exam centre sets its own fee, not telc, so it varies by place. Two examples we saw on the check date of this page:
- Eifert Sprachen, Frankfurt am Main: €190.00 (exam date 4 December 2026).
- IIK Düsseldorf: €220.00 (exam dates 24 October, 28 November and 19 December 2026).
Always ask your exam centre for the current fee.
Source: Eifert Sprachen, Frankfurt am Main: Prüfungstermin 04.12.2026, 190,00 € · IIK Düsseldorf: Prüfungstermine 24.10., 28.11. und 19.12.2026, je 220,00 €
Dates and registration
Dates and registration are handled by licensed telc exam centres. You can find a centre near you with the search on telc.net.
telc offers the only official practice test (with audio files) as a free download.
Source: telc.net: Prüfungszentrum finden · telc.net: offizieller Übungstest 1 mit Audiodateien (ZIP)
How do I prepare for telc C1 Hochschule?
- Download the official telc practice test and read the task instructions so no format surprises you.
- Take one complete Reading + Sprachbausteine mock exam under real conditions: 90 minutes, no break.
- Score each part: where do you lose the most points? In Reading every item counts twice as much as a Sprachbausteine gap.
- Practise your weakest part; for Sprachbausteine, mainly prepositions, connectors and noun–verb collocations.
- Get at least one writing text corrected: Writing counts as much as Reading.
- Take the second mock exam a week before the exam and compare.
When C1 Hochschule Prep fits and when it does not
- Fits: you want to practise Reading and Sprachbausteine in the real format with a timer and read an explanation for every item.
- Does not fit: you need Listening, Writing or Speaking practice or corrections of your texts; these are not included.
- Does not fit: you want an official placement; our results are practice estimates.
FAQ
- How many points do you need to pass telc Deutsch C1 Hochschule?
- According to the telc handbook, at least 60% of all points, and the 60% mark must be reached in both the written and the oral exam. The maximum is 214 points: 166 written, 48 oral.
- How long is telc Deutsch C1 Hochschule?
- Reading and Sprachbausteine 90 minutes, a 20-minute break, Listening about 40 minutes, Writing 70 minutes; the oral exam takes about 16 minutes plus 20 minutes of preparation.
- How many points does Reading have?
- 48 points: 24 items worth 2 points each. Sprachbausteine has 22 gaps worth 1 point each.
- Can you retake only one part?
- Yes. If you miss the required points in only one of the two parts (written or oral), you can retake that part on its own within the following calendar year.
- How much does telc Deutsch C1 Hochschule cost?
- Each exam centre sets its own fee. Examples: €190 in Frankfurt am Main, €220 in Düsseldorf (dates in late 2026).