Lesen
Three to four parts, often with texts from Austrian media and the matching terms.
About 90 min with SchreibenÖSD
The Österreichisches Sprachdiplom Deutsch is recognised across German-speaking countries and modular from B1. The key difference is the material: listening and reading texts use Austrian usage, terms and everyday settings.
A1 to C2Modular from B1Recognised across DACHAustrian variants
Not every exam opens the same door.
Before you choose a level, check what the office asking for the certificate requires. These are the three most common reasons people take this one.
A1A2B1B2C1C2
- Living in AustriaA1 and A2 for the Red-White-Red Card and the integration agreement, B1 for citizenship.
- Recognition across DACHThe ÖSD is recognised in Germany and Switzerland too, so moving country doesn’t make it worthless.
- Studying in AustriaC1 as proof for admission to Austrian universities, as an alternative to the university’s own exam.
Why the variant matters more than it sounds
People who train for Goethe and then sit the ÖSD rarely lose points on grammar. They lose them on words that are normal in the listening text and never came up in practice. That’s why the ÖSD has its own task format in Deutschtrainer.
How the ÖSD is structured.
Based on the published format. Timing and the number of parts can vary by level and version, and your test centre’s model exam is always the reference.
Hören
Announcements, conversations and radio pieces in Austrian standard German.
About 40 minSchreiben
Two tasks, usually one formal and one personal text with set content points.
Together with LesenSprechen
Paired exam: getting in touch, presenting and discussing a topic, and solving a task together.
About 15 minPractised in the real format
Deutschtrainer keeps its own task format for the ÖSD: the number of parts, the instructions, the timing and the scoring rule. Switching exams never means starting from scratch.
What actually counts for passing.
Four points that make the difference between “well prepared” and “passed”, and that practice often misses.
Modular from B1
As with Goethe, modules from B1 are taken and retaken separately, with their own thresholds instead of one overall mark.
Austrian vocabulary counts
Jänner instead of Januar, Erdäpfel instead of Kartoffeln, Sackerl instead of Tüte. In Hören, that’s where points usually go.
Can be taken outside Austria
ÖSD test centres exist worldwide, so you don’t have to travel to Austria to sit it.
C2 comes in two versions
At C2 there’s a business-focused version alongside the general certificate.
Your exam date is fixed. Your preparation shouldn’t be.
Tell Deutschtrainer which certificate you booked and the level you need. From then on, everything points at the day you sit in the exam room.