German exams for nurses: B2 certificate or nursing FSP?
Redaktion · 7 October 2026 · 3 min read
In short
To work as a registered nurse in Germany you need German at B2. You can prove it with a general B2 certificate (Goethe, telc, TestDaF, ÖSD or another ALTE member) or, in several states, with the Fachsprachprüfung B2 Pflege: 60 minutes, three parts of 20 minutes. Unlike for doctors, the nursing language exam is an alternative, not an extra: with a B2 certificate you do not need it.
Two ways to prove B2
| General B2 certificate | Fachsprachprüfung B2 Pflege | |
|---|---|---|
| Content | everyday and general topics | nursing situations: patient talk, handover, nursing report |
| Format | depends on the exam, usually reading, listening, writing, speaking | 60 minutes: patient talk 20, talk with a colleague 20, nursing report 20 |
| Where | test centres everywhere | only in some states, see the table below |
| Pass mark | depends on the exam | Bayern: 60 percent in the oral and in the written part, no compensation |
The legal rule is short: § 2 no. 4 of the Nursing Professions Act asks for the German needed to practise. The Rheinland-Pfalz nursing chamber answers the key question directly: if you hold a B2 certificate from Goethe, telc, TestDaF, ÖSD or another ALTE member, you do not need the Fachsprachprüfung. Bayern says the same: its exam runs parallel to the accepted B2 certificates.
Where the nursing exam is offered
| State | Provider | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Bayern | providers approved by the Landesamt für Pflege | set by the provider |
| Berlin | Renafan Akademie, GFBM, DHZB Akademie | not published |
| Bremen | Paritätisches Bildungswerk | not published |
| Hamburg | passage gGmbH | 375 € per attempt |
| Mecklenburg-Vorpommern | adult education centres (vhs) | not published |
| Rheinland-Pfalz | Landespflegekammer, Mainz | 450 € |
| Sachsen-Anhalt | Bildungszentrum für Gesundheitsberufe | not published |
| Schleswig-Holstein | vhs Rendsburger Ring, Bad Segeberg, Husum | not published |
What the nursing exam asks
- Patient conversation (20 min): for example admission or explaining a care step.
- Conversation with a colleague (20 min): handover or talk with a doctor.
- Written document (20 min): usually a nursing report.
- Bayern: at least 36 points (60 percent) orally and 30 points (60 percent) in writing; one part cannot make up for the other.
Language is one step, recognition is another
B2 alone does not give you the licence. If the authority finds substantial differences in your training, § 40 of the Nursing Professions Act lets you choose between a Kenntnisprüfung and an adaptation course of up to three years. That is a different exam from the language test.
For the general B2 route: telc German B2, Goethe B2 and ÖSD B2. For doctors the rules are stricter: German level for doctors.
Frequently asked questions
What German level do nurses need in Germany?
B2. The Nursing Professions Act asks for the German needed to practise, and the states set this at B2.
Do nurses have to take the Fachsprachprüfung?
No, not if they have a general B2 certificate from Goethe, telc, TestDaF, ÖSD or another ALTE member. The nursing exam is an alternative way to prove B2.
How long is the Fachsprachprüfung Pflege?
60 minutes in three parts of 20 minutes: patient conversation, conversation with a colleague and a written nursing document.
How much does the nursing language exam cost?
375 euros per attempt in Hamburg and 450 euros in Rheinland-Pfalz. Other states do not publish a fee.
Is B1 enough for nurses?
No. For the licence as a registered nurse the states ask for B2, either as a general certificate or through the nursing language exam.
Sources
- Pflegeberufegesetz § 2 (conditions for the licence), checked 7 October 2026
- Pflegeberufegesetz § 40 (third-country qualifications), checked 7 October 2026
- Landespflegekammer Rheinland-Pfalz: Fachsprachprüfung B2 Pflege, checked 7 October 2026
- Bayerisches Landesamt für Pflege: Fachsprachenprüfung Pflege, checked 7 October 2026
- Fachstelle Berufsbezogenes Deutsch: Fachsprachenprüfung B2 Pflege, checked 7 October 2026
- Berlin Senate press release, 19 June 2024: nursing language exam, checked 1 August 2026
