German gov’t to make integration course tests harder from Nov 1

The Federal Interior Ministry has confirmed plans to make language tests for German integration courses harder. Here’s what internationals need to know:

Integration course tests changing from November

According to reports from Bild, now confirmed by the government, the language test which internationals must pass to complete a German integration course will change starting November 1, 2026. 

The German Test for Immigrants (Deutsch-Test für Zuwanderer, or DTZ) is a certification designed specifically for immigrants and is usually taken at the conclusion of an integration course. Passing this test is equivalent to achieving a CEFR level A2 or B1.

Internationals in Germany often must complete the integration course and the DTZ to receive a permanent residence permit. Successful completion of the DTZ can also be submitted as proof of German language proficiency as part of a German citizenship application.

How is the DTZ changing?

Like most language tests, the DTZ has four sections that assess speaking, listening, reading and writing skills. Under current assessment guidelines, test takers can achieve an overall result of A2 or B1 if they successfully complete the speaking section and any two of the three remaining sections.

This means that if you perform well in the speaking and reading sections, for example, but struggle with writing and leave that section blank, you can still pass the test overall. But starting November 1, test takers must complete all four sections to pass overall.

Why is the government changing the test?

The Interior Ministry has said that recurring instances of test takers cheating have prompted the government to make the test more difficult. “There has recently been an increase in attempts at cheating during the DTZ,” an early draft of the bill to reform the tests states, according to ntv. 

“In most cases, exam questions and answers were obtained illegally via the internet,” the draft continues. According to the ministry, testtakers then memorise these illegally obtained answers for the listening and reading sections, while often leaving the writing section blank.

The ministry has not yet published evidence of the “increase in attempts at cheating”. According to Welt, a ministry spokesperson could not say how many such cases have been confirmed.