IMPORTANT: The B1 in 14 days project has ended. It was a one-time experiment. No, you can’t apply. No, I won’t make an exception. If you’re interested in what happened and what you can learn from it, read on. If you want to sign up—sorry, you’re about a decade too late.
Genesis: B1 in 14 Days—Ambitious or Absurd?
Inspired by the simple question, “Can you learn enough German for B1 in just 14 days?”, I decided to put it to the test. The idea was straightforward: one highly motivated learner, a brutal timeline, the SmarterGerman method, and full transparency. If you are not clear yet what B1 means, check out this article of mine.
The Experiment: Ewelina Steps Up
Ewelina, the project’s perfect candidate, went through just 30 hours of instruction (yes, thirty—not a typo). Four days were basically lost to her being ill, but she nevertheless still took the official TELC B1 exam. That B1 exam required her to pass the written and oral sections separately with 60%. Here are her results:
- Written exam: 125.5/225 (56%) She needed a total of 135 (60%) to pass this part.
- Reading: 45/75 (60%)
- Listening: 55/75 (73%)
- Sprachbausteine: 10.5/30 (35%)
- Letter: 15/45 (33%)
- Oral exam: 63/75 (84% ) means she passed!
- Overall score: 188.5 points out of 300 (63%, enough to pass, except for the separation rule)
Here’s her official B1 certificate. Simply zoom in to read the individual scores.
She missed passing the written part by 10 points, due mainly to “Sprachbausteine” and writing—the two hardest sections, even for most long-term students. Reading, listening, and speaking were strong. After just 14 days, this is objectively better than what the majority of six-month course graduates achieve.
What Does This Actually Prove?
It is, in theory, possible to go from zero to passing a B1 exam—if you have the right method, strong motivation, good health, and the discipline to focus only on what actually matters. Ewelina exceeded all expectations. If she hadn’t been ill for four days, I have no doubt she would have passed her TELC B1 exam without issue.
But let’s not kid ourselves: most language learners don’t arrive with Ewelina’s skill set, drive, or circumstances. If they did, I’d be rich running these projects. In 25 years of teaching, I’ve met exactly three people who pulled this off—two I taught myself, one was self-taught. If we’d kept working, I’m convinced they would’ve been fluent in three months. Of course, working on your German eight hours a day for three months straight is far tougher than it sounds.
Before you get too excited: the people who manage this are about one percent of the population when it comes to language learning skill. Chances are, you’re not in that minority. I just want your expectations to match reality.
That said, in my professional opinion, even “normal” people can learn German far faster than most believe. With the right approach, you can save 25% to 50% of your time—and your money.
Why B1 Even Matters
B1 is not a marketing gimmick—it’s a gatekeeper. It’s the minimum requirement for:
- Most citizenship applications (it can reduce your residency from 7 to 6 years; details)
- Entering Studienkolleg to qualify for university admission
- Completing official integration courses in Germany
- Surviving daily life, from the doctor’s office to the Ausländerbehörde
A B1 certificate proves you understand everyday conversations, can deal with routine situations, write simple texts, and hold your ground in German society.
The Structure of the B1 Exam
Here’s what you’re up against (Goethe, TELC, etc.—structure is similar):
- Reading: Five parts testing comprehension of blog entries, press reports, everyday messages. Time at the end to copy your answers.
- Listening: Four parts, 40 minutes. Realistic monologues, announcements, conversations, and discussions.
- Writing: Three tasks: write an email, state your view on a topic, excuse yourself from a meeting.
- Speaking: 15 minutes. You work with another candidate to arrange things, give a short presentation, and react to questions and feedback.
Official sample exams (Goethe): https://www.goethe.de/en/spr/kup/prf/prf/gz-b1.html
Preparation time depends on your approach, not just your classroom hours. Most “intensive” courses promise B1 in six months but not everyone manages to get there in that time frame. If you want to make sure you pass your B1 exam, I strongly recommend you take a look at my B1 exam preparation course. This course will teach you useful hacks that will save you preciouse time in an exam and which will make sure that you are well prepared. They won’t teach you any German though. You need to already be B1 level before taking your B1 exam. Some might be able to hack it after A2 but that’s again rather a minority. I never recommend to hack an exam because in the end you’ll need true B1 skills anyhow, but I can see certain scenarios where hacking actually makes sense. Maybe there’s a unique job or study opportunity that wasn’t predictable. Or life demands that you make a quick decision on whether or not you want to naturalize in Germany. Or you just want to get the BAMF off your neck with their requirement for a B1 certificate from TELC or Goethe so that you can finally enjoy learning German because you’ll be learning it for fun from now on.
Important: Please note that "hacking" doesn't mean "cheating". Hacking makes sure you use all your skills efficiently, freeing occupied energy that then can be used to make the best of what you've learned so far. No amount of hacking can replace proper language tuition.
If You Fail – Das Wurst-Käse-Scenario)
Failure is not the end. At worst, you reach A2 or “almost B1”—still a major leap. You’ll have learned powerful techniques and, most importantly, how not to waste your time. You simply try again next month and make wise use of your time by preparing even more.
Why Get Certified at B1?
B1 certification unlocks real-life benefits: work, study, integration, and citizenship. It’s not just about language skills—it’s about showing you can function in Germany. The certificate is more valuable than A1 or A2, and is often the “official” requirement for any step above basic survival. Find more about my intermediate (B1) course here.
In Summary
- The “B1 in 14 Days” project is over; no new applications.
- B1 in 14 days is possible, but really rare. If you work smart, you can achieve more in weeks or months than most do in years.
- Ewelina’s results prove the power of focus and method. You can see her official exam certificate in full size here.
- B1 matters for practical life, citizenship, university, and real integration in Germany.
- If you want to prepare properly, use efficient methods, not wishful thinking or word-of-the-day spam.
If you’re serious about passing B1 and saving yourself time and pain, you know where to find me. Make sure to check my hourly rates. Unlike my A1-B2 online courses I charge for my lifetime. The free courses have to be financed somehow. You understand that, right?