Short answer: start with the free official telc mock exam to see where you stand. Build nursing vocabulary with the free vhs Pflege app. Drill Sprachbausteine and reading until they are automatic. Pay for a coursebook or a course only if self-study stops moving your score. Below are the seven resources we recommend in 2026, with costs, coverage and limits.
If you do not yet know what the exam looks like, read our telc B1-B2 Pflege exam guide first. This post assumes you know the format. It covers preparation materials only.
1. Official telc mock exam — free download
Cost: Free (PDF + MP3 download) · Covers: every section, with answer key
The most important starting resource costs nothing. telc publishes a complete Deutsch B1-B2 Pflege mock exam on telc.net. The download includes the audio, the answer key, and the scoring and weighting information. It is the exam maker's own reference for the current task types and assessment criteria.
Use it for: a timed diagnostic. After that, revisit only the sections you need to analyse. telc sells further official material separately. Do not assume every version in the shop is a free download.
Limitation: official full-length material is finite. If you memorise the free exam immediately, it stops working as an independent rehearsal.
2. vhs Pflege app / vhs-lernportal.de — free
Cost: Free · Covers: nursing vocabulary, reading, writing, workplace communication (A1–B2)
Germany's adult education association (Volkshochschule) runs a free learning portal with dedicated nursing courses. It is also available as the vhs Pflege app. The portal teaches the language of real nursing work: care documentation, shift handovers, and conversations with patients and relatives. It offers structured lessons from A1 to B2, offline access and tutor support.
Use it for: building the Fachwortschatz, the professional vocabulary that separates the Pflege exam from general B2. This is the largest free structured course in the niche.
Limitation: it teaches the language of the job, not the exam. It does not train you on telc task formats or timing.
3. Ein Tag Deutsch in der Pflege — free simulation game
Cost: Free · Covers: speaking scenarios, workplace communication
This 90-minute simulation game puts you in a nurse's full shift. You handle patient conversations, colleague handovers and documentation moments. It gives useful workplace-language practice. It does not reproduce the current official telc speaking format, which covers experience and opinion, discussion, and a short presentation.
Use it for: low-pressure speaking and listening practice early in your preparation. It helps most if you have not yet worked in a German-speaking facility.
Limitation: one scenario set. Once you have played it twice, you have seen it.
4. soruLab telc B2 Practice Generator — free trial, then paid
Cost: 5 free generations, then a paid plan · Covers: Sprachbausteine + reading comprehension, unlimited
Full disclosure: this is our tool. The telc B2 practice generator produces unlimited exam-style Sprachbausteine and reading comprehension sets. Each set uses exam-style distractors and prints as an A4 PDF with an answer key. It solves the "only two official mock exams" problem for the two written sections where repetition pays most: grammar-in-context, and reading under time pressure.
Use it for: volume. Drilling pays off most directly in Sprachbausteine, because the grammar patterns telc uses are finite and learnable. Two exams' worth of practice does not make them automatic; far more does.
Limitation: it trains the general telc B2 written formats. It does not train the Pflege-specific writing task or the oral exam. Combine it with resources 1–3 rather than replacing them.
5. telc Trainingseinheiten Deutsch B1·B2 Pflege — official coursebook
Cost: Paid (telc shop) · Covers: all sections, classroom-oriented
telc's own training modules coursebook uses real nursing scenarios and maps directly onto the exam's task types. telc designed it for classroom use. Disciplined self-learners still get value from it, because the texts and exercises match the actual exam level.
Use it for: structured progression through all exam sections, when you want official material beyond the two mock exams.
Limitation: the price, and the format. It works best with a teacher or a study partner, because the speaking activities assume one.
6. Third-party prep books (2026–2027 editions)
Cost: ~€20–30 · Covers: varies; the better ones include 7+ full practice exams
Amazon carries several recent telc B1-B2 Pflege preparation books. The better ones contain multiple complete practice exams, vocabulary lists and case studies. Quality varies more than with official material. Check three things before you buy: the edition is current (2026–2027), the answer keys carry explanations, and the book covers the oral section as well as the written one.
Use it for: additional full-length practice exams, once you have used both official ones.
Limitation: unofficial means unverified. Task difficulty can drift from the real exam in both directions. Treat these scores as rough signals, not predictions.
7. Nursing German Podcast + free community resources
Cost: Free · Covers: listening, vocabulary, workplace culture
Three free resources support daily exposure. The Nursing German Podcast covers patient and colleague communication. The EU project IMED-KOMM offers free interactive medical-communication exercises. The Deutsch am Arbeitsplatz app trains workplace German from B1. None of these is exam-specific, but regular exposure makes professional vocabulary and workplace registers familiar.
Comparison at a glance
| Resource | Cost | Exam sections | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Official telc mock exams | Free | All | Diagnostics + final rehearsal |
| vhs Pflege app | Free | Vocabulary, reading, writing | Building Fachwortschatz |
| Ein Tag Deutsch in der Pflege | Free | Speaking, listening | Oral scenario rehearsal |
| soruLab practice generator | Freemium | Sprachbausteine, reading | Unlimited written drilling |
| telc Trainingseinheiten | Paid | All | Structured official progression |
| Third-party prep books | ~€20–30 | Varies | Extra full practice exams |
| Podcasts + community tools | Free | Listening | Daily professional-register exposure |
A sample 8-week combination
- Weeks 1–2: sit the free official mock exam as a timed diagnostic, then start daily nursing-language work.
- Weeks 3–6: drill your weakest written sections, keep listening daily, and practise the official speaking functions with a partner.
- Weeks 7–8: use unseen official or teacher-supervised material for a final rehearsal.
If you prepare alongside the recognition process, our working as a nurse in Germany guide explains where language evidence fits.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a free official telc B1-B2 Pflege practice exam? Yes. telc provides a complete official mock exam and the matching audio as a free download on its exam page. Further official versions and training material may cost money.
Can I pass telc B1-B2 Pflege with only free resources? A free-only plan can cover each skill area with the official mock exam, vhs Pflege, Ein Tag Deutsch and regular listening practice. No resource plan guarantees a pass. Paid resources mainly add volume and structure.
How long should I prepare? telc does not prescribe a universal preparation period. Use the eight-week plan above as a planning example. Then adjust it to your current German level and to your result on the official mock exam.
Is the Pflege exam harder than general telc B2? The two exams do not sit on one comparable difficulty scale. telc Pflege targets B1 and B2, and its tasks use nursing and workplace situations. Your result therefore depends on your general German and on your familiarity with professional vocabulary.
Do all German states accept telc B1-B2 Pflege? Do not assume nationwide acceptance. The competent recognition authority decides which evidence it requires for your case. Confirm with that authority before you book an exam.