German exam study planner
Most people book the exam first and work out the plan afterwards. Enter the date, your target level and how many hours a week you can genuinely find, and see whether the runway adds up — plus a three-phase plan for what to do in it.
How many hours does each level take?
The widely used estimates are roughly 100 hours of guided study to reach A1, around 200 cumulative for A2, 300–350 for B1 and 500–600 for B2. These are cumulative totals from zero, and they vary a lot with your first language, prior exposure and study quality. If you already live in Germany, you are usually further along than the numbers suggest.
Why the plan ends with mock exams
Language ability and exam performance are different skills. The last four to six weeks should be timed full papers, one per week, with a proper review of every mistake in between. That is where scores move fastest — particularly listening, which almost nobody practises at real exam speed.
Taper the final week
No new grammar in the last seven days. Re-read the model answers you already know, listen to audio you have already worked through, and sleep properly. Cramming new material the night before reliably costs marks in the writing module.
Frequently asked questions
+How long does it take to prepare for a German exam?
If you are already at the level, four to eight weeks of format practice is usually enough. If you are a level below, plan 150–250 hours of study before the exam-specific work starts.
+How many mock exams should I do?
Five is the practical sweet spot: one to find your baseline, three to fix what it shows, one to confirm you are ready.
+Is my data saved?
No. The planner runs in your browser and nothing is stored or transmitted.
+What if the plan says my runway is too short?
Move the date if you can. Test fees plus a failed attempt cost more than waiting six weeks — and both telc and Goethe let you resit only within set windows.