• Medicine in Germany - Overview

German Language

Information from Simple-trade Cooperation partner telc – language tests

telc language certificates for medical personnel

Proof of language competence for your profession

In order to receive a license to practice in Germany, physicians and nursing staff need to certify their professional German language skills. Depending on the region, nursing staff require a Council of Europe proficiency level of B1 or B2 and physicians require the levels of B2 and C1.

help physicians and nursing staff certify their professional German language skills at the Council of Europe’s proficiency levels B1, B2 and C1. Quality assured and in accordance with international standards, the telc language certificates for physicians telc Deutsch B2·C1 Medizin Fachsprachprüfung,  telc Deutsch B2·C1 Medizin, and telc Deutsch B2 Medizin Zugangsprüfung and the telc language certificate for nursing staff telc Deutsch B1·B2 Pflege can be used as evidence of professional language competence.

Successful completion of these tests demonstrates that medical professionals have the language skills they need to master everyday work situations with confidence and ease.

The German language certificate for physicians telc Deutsch B2·C1 Medizin Fachsprachprüfung demonstrates the ability to:

• understand spoken and written texts and respond appropriately to questions
• effectively conduct a patient case history
• present a case in a technically precise manner
• write short doctor’s notes and notes to colleagues

The German language certificate for physicians telc Deutsch B2·C1 Medizin proves the ability to

• conduct doctor-patient communication successfully
• communicate effectively with nursing staff
• write standardized doctor’s letters
• understand and use medical terminology correctly

The German language certificate for physicians telc Deutsch B2 Medizin Zugangsprüfung demonstrates the ability to:

• understand spoken and written texts and respond appropriately to questions
• write informal messages to colleagues
• successfully conduct patient consultations
• discuss a patient’s case with colleagues

The German language certificate for nursing staff telc Deutsch B1·B2 Pflege demonstrates the ability to:

• communicate successfully with patients, family members, doctors and colleagues
• understand instructions, case histories and other situations dealing with patient care
• document treatment
• understand and use the language of hospital and elderly patient care

What do the exams test?

All exams are based on practical situations typically experienced in a medical and/or nursing environment and mainly test your ability to communicate in daily professional life.

How can I prepare for the examination?

You will find various exam preparation materials at . In addition telc gGmbH offers an online training Deutsch B2·C1 Medizin to enable international physicians to improve their technical German competence and everyday communication skills. Users benefit from over 1,000 learning activities representing about 120 hours. Furthermore, an online group coaching is also available in which participants receive attention from highly-experienced coaches. More information is available at .

How can I obtain a telc language certificate?

telc – language tests are conducted exclusively by specially-trained examiners at one of the over 2,000 licensed testing centres worldwide. To find an examination centre near you, go to and search by country or postal code.

telc gGmbH is a subsidiary of the German Adult Education Association (DVV) and has been developing standardized language tests for 50 years. Over 80 language certificates in 10 languages at all proficiency levels of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) are internationally recognized by employers as well as government and academic institutions.

Examination preparation material is available at