Exam Registration
The first step is to register for an exam. This can only be done online without exceptions.
Please note that the final registration deadlines are three days prior to the examination date. It is possible, however, that some examinations are fully booked before the deadline: We recommend to register at least one week prior to the examination date. If the registration deadline for an examination date has passed, registration is no longer possible without exception. In this case, please refer to the website of the Austrian Integration Fund for examination dates offered by other examination centers.
For the registration you’ll need:
For administrative reasons the registration can – without exception – only be done online.
We are a licenced exam center for the levels A1, A2, B1 and B2 of the Austrian Integration Fund. The activities of the ÖIF are directed at recognized refugees, beneficiaries of subsidiary protection, non-member citizens, people with migration backgrounds etc. All levels of the Austrian Integration Fund correspond to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR).
The ÖIF exams comply with the legal requirements, meet the highest standards in terms of quality and are therefore recognized by Austrian authorities and employers as an official proof of language skills and for obtaining a valid residence permit (citizenship, fulfillment of the integration agreement).
You can resit an exam as a whole as often as you like. It is, however, not possible to resit individual parts of the exam.
To prepare for the integration exam, the ÖIF provides various online learning ressources free of charge: “My integration in Austria“. This app is available in the “Apple Store App” and “Google Play Store”. The brochure “My life in Austria. Chances and Rules” and the brochure “Living and integration in Austria. Security and Police” offer further support in preparing for the integration exam.
Examinations Rules
Please pay attention to the following:
Length of Exam
The exams take up to three hours (depending on the level). Nevertheless, please reserve all day for the exam. On the day the examination takes place please come a few minutes earlier. Take a close look at where the examination room is located (your registration confirmation always includes a room plan so that you can find your way around).
If you are late and the exam has already started, you will not be allowed to participate.
Exam Results
The results of the exams are available no earlier than 15 days after the exam date.
Only the ÖIF provides information about the exam result. Please do not contact us to inquire about your exam results as we are not allowed to provide any information due to data protection laws.
The certificates will be sent by the ÖIF to the email address you indicated when you registered. If you do not have an email address, your examination certificate will be sent to the ÖIF branch in Klagenfurt (10.-Oktober-Straße 15). The certificate can be picked up on presentation of an official photo ID.
If you urgently need your exam results, the authority responsible for you may contact the ÖIF directly sending an email to pruefungen@integrationsfonds.at. The request must contain the following information: name of the exam participant, date of the exam, location of the exam (institute). In this case, the ÖIF will confirm the examination results in writing to the authority or the representative even before the certificate is issued.
First application for a residence title (“German prior to immigration”). This exam includes language competence, value and orientation section – it is NOT part of the Integration Agreement (IV) 2017.
The A1 Integration Exam tests both language competence (written, oral) and knowledge of values and orientation. The exams consists of three parts: the first part is written (70 min.)
The first part (written) is composed of three subsections: language elements (10 min.), listening and answering (15 min.) and reading and writing (45 min.) The second part (values and orientation section) consists of 18 exam items that address the central topics of everyday living together, like education and communication, work and business, health, living and neighbourhood environment as well as the principles and variety of living together with reference to lawful and cultural integration. The third part (oral) is conducted in groups of maximum four. There is a short interval between parts.
Official proof of German language proficiency to fulfill the requirements of Module 1 of the Integration Agreement (IV) 2017 + as Language Competence Certificate in the European Higher Education Area (ERASMUS+)*. This exam includes language competence, value and orientation section.
The A2 Integration Exam tests both language competence (written, oral) and knowledge of values and orientation. The test consists of three parts:
The first (written) part is composed of three subsections: reading (40 min.), listening (15 min.) and writing (25 min.) The second part (values and orientation section) consists of 18 exam items that address the central topics of everyday living together, like education and communication, work and business, health, living and neighbourhood environment as well as the principles and variety of living together with reference to lawful and cultural integration. The third part (oral) is conducted as an individual exam. There is a short interval between parts.
Official proof of German language proficiency to fulfill the requirements of Module 2 of the Integration Agreement (IV) 2017 + for the application for the Austrian citizenship (after minimum 10 years residence) + as Language Competence Certificate in the European Higher Education Area (ERASMUS+)*. This exam includes language competence, value and orientation section.
The B1 Integration exam tests both language competence (written, oral) and knowledge of values and orientation. The test consists of three parts:
The first part (written language competence) is composed of three subsections: listening (25 min.), reading (45 min.) and writing (30 min.) The second part (values and orientation section) consists of 18 exam items that address the central topics of everyday living together, like educations and communication, work and business, health, living and neighbourhood environment as well as the principles and variety of living together with reference to lawful and cultural integration. The third (oral) part takes place in pairs. There is a short interval between parts.
Application for Austrian citizenship (after minimum 6 years residence) + for admission to certain Austrian universities + as Language Competence Certificate in the European Higher Education Area (ERASMUS+)*. This exam is NOT part of the Integration Agreement (IV) 2017, as there is no value and orientation section integrated.
The B2 language exam includes language competence (written, oral) and is structured as follows:
The first part (written language competence) consists of the following parts: reading and language elements (approx. 90 minutes), listening (approx. 25 minutes) and writing (approx. 30 minutes). The second part (oral language competence) takes place in pairs. There is a short interval between parts.
To obtain the Austrian citizenship an additional test (“Staatsbügerschaftsprüfung”) – independent of the ÖIF – is required. In the federal state of Carinthia this is taken by the Carinthian Academy of Administration. The test includes questions about the Austrian history and basic democratic principles as well as questions related to the respective federal state, e.g. geography, administration, politics, economics. An online test, which prepares you appropriately, you find here.
* Notwithstanding the name, the Integration Test is actually a language examination, which was developed by the highly respected company telc (The European Language Certificates) and which is widely recognized throughout Europe. Thus, the exams of the ÖIF (Austrian Integration Fund) represent valid proof of language competence in the European higher education area (ERASMUS +). Please verify in advance whether the examination is actually recognized by the university in question. We recommend this procedure for all exams, regardless of the provider.
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exams held
Last update: March 24, 2022
Important: If you don’t have the listed documents with you, you can NOT take the exam without exception!
David Bly
The information given does not constitute a legal advice.
The objective of the Integration Agreement (IV) 2017 is to integrate third-country nationals legally domiciled in the federal territory and to enable them to participate in the social, economic and cultural life in Austria. Within the framework of this agreement third-country nationals are obliged to acquire knowledge of the German language as well as of the democratic order and the basic principles deriving from it.
Elementary German skills (Level A1) are already required before immigration to Austria for the issuance of certain first-time residence permits. This, however, is not part of the Integration Agreement. Proof of having attained this level (language diploma or certificate issued by an institution designated by the regulation) may not be older than one year on the date of the initial application.
Advanced Basic Language Usage A2
The agreement applies to third-country nationals who have been granted a residence permit for the first time as from 1st of October 2017. By signing the integration agreement 2017, third-country nationals undertake to comply with Module 1 of the Integration Agreement according to the provisions of the Integration Act (IntG) and the Integration Agreement Ordinance (IV-V) within two years from the first issuance of the residence permit.
Compliance with Module 1 can be proven by providing one of the following documents:
The proof of completion of Module 1 may not be older than two years at the time of submission of an application for renewal.
Excluded from the requirement are third-country nationals who
Independent Language Usage B1
Upon submitting an application for the residence permit “permanent residence EU” third-country nationals must have fulfilled the requirements of module II of the Integration Agreement.
Module 2 is fulfilled if third-country nationals
Excluded from the fulfillment are third-country nationals who