AFTER THE COURSE
ÖSD B1 Modelltest: the 4-module exam — and 4 full practice papers
ÖSD B1 Modelltest decoded: four modules at 60/100 each, once-heard Hören with Austrian voices, the one-year Gesamtzertifikat rule — plus 4 practice papers.
VON GERMANIUM
Editorial desk — reviewed against the ÖSD ZB1 Modellsatz Erwachsene and its Durchführungsbestimmungen
ÖSD B1 (ZB1) is the most underestimated of the three B1 papers — unfairly: on the grid it is the Goethe exam with different audio and more generous modularity. Four modules, each passed separately at 60 of 100, a failed module retaken without limit, and the full certificate assembled within a year. Below is the whole Modelltest structure, the one-year rule and what differs from Goethe; train on full ÖSD B1 practice papers.
Four modules — and the 60-of-100 rule
| Module | Format | Floor |
|---|---|---|
| Lesen | 5 Teile, including the ten-ad task with its „0“ | 60 of 100 |
| Hören | 4 Teile, Teil 2 and Teil 3 heard once | 60 of 100 |
| Schreiben | Two texts | 60 of 100 |
| Sprechen | Both Teil-2 topics with their own five Folien | 60 of 100 |
Lesen and Hören carry 30 items each, scaled onto 100 points (×3,33); Schreiben and Sprechen are reported on 100 directly. Every passed module earns a Modulzeugnis — its own certificate that stays yours permanently.
The one-year rule is NOT a retake limit
The most misunderstood rule at B1: the year is not a deadline to beat but the window in which ÖSD assembles the Gesamtzertifikat. A module can be retaken as often as needed; the full certificate is issued when all four modules are passed within one year at the same examination centre — and the year starts with your first result. A fail in March does not "expire"; it merely starts the clock.
What differs from Goethe B1
- The audio is Austrian and Swiss: pace and accents differ from Goethe German; a candidate who trained only on German audio loses the first listening, not the language.
- Only Teil 1 and Teil 4 are heard twice; Teil 2 (a talk/tour) and Teil 3 (a conversation) are heard once — as at Goethe, but with different voices.
- Sprechen: both Teil-2 topics come with their own set of five Folien — prepare two presentations, not one.
- Modules retake individually — at the A levels ÖSD retakes modules, while Goethe A1/A2 retakes the whole exam.
How to train the Modelltest
- 01
A diagnostic paper, scored by module
Sit one paper and score each module against the 60 floor separately: a 45–55 in one module is one retake, not an exam disaster. The official Modelltest is on osd.at/downloads ↗.
- 02
Train your ears on Austrian audio
Every ZB1 listening carries Austrian and Swiss voices. The ÖSD B1 practice papers carry exactly that audio; two weeks of listening before the exam removes the "I understand the language but not the voice" effect.
- 03
Plan the retakes in advance
Build the calendar from your first module: weakest module first, so the one-year window starts when the other three are already near the floor. Module strategy is half of passing B1.
How many points pass ÖSD B1?
Each of the four modules needs at least 60 of 100, separately: Lesen and Hören (30 items scaled ×3,33), Schreiben and Sprechen (reported on 100 directly). There is no combined "average" floor — failing one module leaves the others untouched, and passed modules stay passed.
Can I retake a single ÖSD B1 module?
Yes — ÖSD's modular system allows unlimited retakes of each module on its own; a passed module earns its Modulzeugnis and stays yours. The only constraint is the Gesamtzertifikat window: all four modules must be passed within one year at the same centre, and the year starts with your first result.
What topics are in the ÖSD B1 speaking part?
The oral is built on Blatt topics: both Teil-2 topics come with their own set of five Folien, and you prepare one of them in 15 minutes. Topics rotate around everyday B1 — work, moving house, media, plans; the phrasing and presentation structure are rehearsed in the B1 practice papers, and the road to B1 as a learner is laid out in after A2.