Terms of Service

Effective date: March 8, 2026 · Last revised: May 28, 2026

These Terms of Service ("Terms") govern your use of deutschexam.ai and related services ("Service"). By using the Service, you agree to these Terms. If you do not agree, please do not use the Service.

1. No Affiliation and No Guarantees

Deutschexam.ai is an independent educational provider. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to telc gGmbH, the Goethe-Institut, TestDaF, ÖSD, or any other official testing body. All trademarks belong to their respective owners.
The terms "telc," "Goethe," and "TestDaF" are used purely for descriptive purposes to identify the publicly available exam format to which our practice materials are aligned. Their use does not imply any affiliation, content licence, official preparation partnership, or endorsement by those organisations.
DeutschExam is not an official mock exam provider, test center, or preparation partner of any examination body. Our content is independently authored and is not reproduced from or based on any proprietary materials of those bodies.
The Service provides practice materials and guidance for educational purposes only. No outcome is guaranteed, including passing any specific exam.
We strive for high quality, but we do not warrant that any question, solution, or explanation is error-free or aligned with any official exam specification.

2. Use of the Service

You agree to use the Service lawfully and not to misuse content or attempt to interfere with its operation.
You will not share copyrighted materials from the Service outside the platform except as permitted by law or by us in writing.
One account per person. Sharing login credentials with others is prohibited and may result in account termination.
Automated access, scraping, or systematic downloading of content is prohibited.
Your usage must remain consistent with personal exam preparation by a single learner. See Section 2A. Fair Use Policy.

2B. Mock Exam Entitlements

Free tier: Access to Set-1 mock exams only. You may submit one (1) full Set-1 mock exam per exam level (A1, B1, B2) with complete AI grading and a Pass/Fail result. Practice previews (one question per module) remain available without consuming this quota.
Premium and Pass Assurance: Access to all mock exam sets. You may submit up to three (3) full mock exams per rolling 24-hour period (complete submission with AI grading). Additional submits within the same window are blocked until the oldest submit ages out of the window.
Book owner entitlements: Users who redeemed a valid book code receive the mock exam sets listed in their book entitlement. Book owners are exempt from the free-tier Set-1 quota and the Premium daily submit cap for sets included in their book.
These limits apply at the point of full mock exam submission (after which AI grading runs). They do not restrict browsing practice content within your tier.

2C. Limit Exceptions (Exam Registration Proof)

Discretionary, time-limited exceptions: If you have an upcoming official exam and need additional full mock exam submits beyond your plan limits, you may email support@deutschexam.com with subject line "Mock Exam Limit — Exception Request" and attach proof of exam registration (e.g., telc/Goethe/TestDaF confirmation showing your name, exam date, and level).

Exceptions are granted at DeutschExam's sole discretion, are time-limited, and do not create a permanent entitlement or precedent.
Approved exceptions may increase your free Set-1 quota and/or your Premium daily submit cap for a defined period ending on or before your registered exam date.
We do not grant exceptions for classroom, institute, credential-sharing, or commercial use. Those require an enterprise licence (see Section 2A.4).
Internal test accounts used by DeutschExam staff are excluded from these limits and are not customer-facing exceptions.

2A. Fair Use Policy

Important: All paid plans — including standard access plans, short-term passes, and the Pass Assurance plan — are one-time purchases (no auto-renewal) and are personal, single-user licenses. They are not designed for, and may not be used for, classroom delivery, group instruction, enterprise rollout, or any form of credential sharing.

2A.1 Indicative Usage Thresholds

The following usage patterns may indicate misuse such as credential sharing, automated access, or use of a single account by multiple learners. They are indicative only — actual enforcement is at our sole discretion based on the totality of the circumstances:

More than 5 full mock exams completed in any 24-hour period, sustained over 5 or more consecutive days.
More than 6 hours of active platform time per day, averaged over a rolling 7-day window.
More than 150 AI feature requests per day (writing assessment, speaking assessment, OCR, AI trainer, etc.). Note: a hard daily cap of approximately 100 AI calls already applies; this threshold targets sustained attempts to exceed that cap.
Active sessions originating from more than 3 distinct IP addresses or device fingerprints within any rolling 24-hour window, or geographically distant simultaneous logins (e.g., two countries within minutes).
Activity volume or progress patterns that are inconsistent with a single learner preparing for one exam (for example, sequential learners with clearly different proficiency levels, time zones, or interaction styles on the same account).

2A.2 Discretionary Determination

      Discretion clause: Notwithstanding the indicative thresholds above, DeutschExam reserves the sole discretion to determine when usage patterns suggest credential sharing, group/enterprise use, automated access, or other misuse, and to take action without prior notice. Indicative thresholds are guidance, not entitlements: usage below these thresholds may still constitute misuse, and usage above them may be acceptable for a documented legitimate reason.
    

2A.3 Escalating Consequences

Where we determine that fair-use limits have been exceeded or that an account is being shared, we may take any of the following actions in any order, at our discretion:

Throttle or temporarily disable AI-powered features (writing assessment, speak-with-AI, OCR, etc.) on the affected account.
Downgrade the account to the free tier without refund, citing § 314 BGB (Kündigung aus wichtigem Grund — termination for good cause). Any remaining paid period is forfeited.
Require additional payment, plan upgrade, or an enterprise/commercial licence as a condition of restoring premium access. Where usage patterns indicate commercial, classroom, or multi-user activity, premium access will only be reinstated after the user agrees to a separate commercial agreement at a commercially reasonable price reflecting the actual scope of use. We may also require a written declaration of intended use as part of any restoration. See Section 2A.4.
Permanently terminate the account and block future re-registration of the same person under § 314 BGB. Existing learning history is retained per Privacy Policy Section 4 until statutory retention periods expire.
Pursue civil damages for credential sharing or commercial misuse under § 280 BGB (Schadensersatz wegen Pflichtverletzung) where revenue loss is material.

2A.4 Restoration of Access & Commercial / Enterprise Upgrade Path

If your account has been throttled or downgraded under this policy, restoration of premium access is at our sole discretion and may, where appropriate, be conditioned on:

A written explanation of the usage pattern and a commitment that the account will be used by a single learner going forward;
Payment of a restoration or upgrade fee reflecting the additional service consumption already incurred and/or the scope of intended future use;
Migration to a different plan that better matches the documented use case — including, where applicable, an enterprise / institutional licence for schools, language institutes, tutors, employers, or other commercial users; or
Acceptance of additional contractual terms (e.g., per-seat pricing, named-user list, or audit rights).

Where the documented use is commercial, classroom, or multi-user, individual personal plans will not be reinstated — only an enterprise licence at the appropriate price tier will restore access. We are open to enterprise partnerships and welcome enquiries via the enterprise enquiry form or by emailing support@deutschexam.com with subject line "Enterprise Licence".

2A.5 Pass Assurance — Stricter Scrutiny

Because Pass Assurance grants a long access window (rolling 6-month periods up to 3 years for new purchases; see Section 3A.2), it is particularly attractive to credential-sharing abuse. Pass Assurance accounts are subject to heightened fair-use review. Any fair-use breach on a Pass Assurance plan is treated as a material breach under Section 3A.5 and may trigger immediate termination without refund or, at our discretion, restoration only via an enterprise upgrade per Section 2A.4.

2A.6 Legitimate High-Volume Use

If you have a legitimate reason to exceed the indicative thresholds (e.g., a learner with significant disposable study time, an exam-imminent intensive sprint), please contact us in advance at support@deutschexam.com with subject line "Fair Use — Pre-Approval". We will not unreasonably refuse documented personal-use cases. We do not grant pre-approval for classroom, enterprise, or shared use — see Section 2A.4 for the enterprise path.

2A.7 Fair-Use Policy — Zusammenfassung (DE)

Persönliche Lizenz: Alle bezahlten Pläne (einschließlich Pass Assurance) sind persönliche Einzelbenutzer-Lizenzen. Sie sind nicht für Klassenraum-, Gruppen- oder Unternehmenseinsatz vorgesehen.
Indikative Schwellenwerte: Unter anderem mehr als 5 vollständige Übungsprüfungen pro Tag über 5+ Tage, mehr als 6 Stunden aktive Nutzung pro Tag im 7-Tage-Mittel, mehr als 150 KI-Anfragen pro Tag, oder Sitzungen von mehr als 3 verschiedenen IP-Adressen/Geräten innerhalb von 24 Stunden können auf Missbrauch hindeuten.
Ermessen: Die Schwellenwerte sind Orientierungshilfen. DeutschExam entscheidet nach billigem Ermessen, ob ein Missbrauch vorliegt — auch unterhalb der genannten Werte.
Konsequenzen (eskalierend): (1) Drosselung der KI-Funktionen, (2) Herabstufung auf den kostenlosen Tarif ohne Erstattung gemäß § 314 BGB, (3) Wiederherstellung nur gegen zusätzliche Zahlung, Tarifwechsel oder Abschluss einer Enterprise-Lizenz, (4) dauerhafte Kontosperrung, (5) zivilrechtliche Schadensersatzansprüche gemäß § 280 BGB.
Wiederherstellung & Enterprise-Upgrade: Bei kommerzieller oder Mehrnutzer-Nutzung wird der Zugang ausschließlich gegen Abschluss einer separaten Enterprise-/Institutslizenz zu einem angemessenen Preis wiederhergestellt. Persönliche Tarife werden in solchen Fällen nicht reaktiviert.
Pass Assurance: Aufgrund des langen Zugangsfensters unterliegt Pass Assurance einer strengeren Fair-Use-Prüfung. Verstöße führen ohne Rückerstattung zur fristlosen Kündigung.
Vorab-Genehmigung: Bei legitimer Hochnutzung kontaktieren Sie uns vorab unter support@deutschexam.com.

3. Accounts and Payments

You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your account credentials.
Paid plans are processed by our payment provider (Stripe). All payments are subject to their terms.
Prices are displayed in Euros (€) and include applicable taxes where required.
One-time payment, no auto-renewal: All paid plans on DeutschExam are single, one-time purchases. No plan renews automatically and no recurring charges are made to your payment method. Once your paid access period ends, your account automatically reverts to the free tier and no further payment is taken. To regain premium access, you must place a new purchase voluntarily.
No cancellation required to stop billing: Because there is no auto-renewal, you do not need to "cancel" anything to prevent future charges — there will be none. Your access simply continues until the end of the period you paid for and then expires. Refund eligibility, where applicable, is governed by Section 4 (Refund Policy) and Section 5 (Right of Withdrawal).

3A. Pass Assurance Plan

      Important: The following terms apply specifically to the Pass Assurance plan. By purchasing this plan, you agree to these additional conditions.
    

3A.1 Nature of the Plan

The Pass Assurance plan is a time-limited software access license, not a teaching contract or distance learning agreement (Fernunterrichtsvertrag). See Section 7B for full classification under the Fernunterrichtsschutzgesetz (FernUSG).
Verification of your exam status for renewal purposes serves solely as a contract administration measure and does not constitute monitoring of learning success (Lernerfolgskontrolle) under § 1 FernUSG.

Why "Pass Assurance" instead of "Lifetime Access"?

We previously offered a "Lifetime" label. We replaced it with the renewable Pass Assurance model for legal and practical reasons:

GDPR data minimisation (Art. 5(1)(c) GDPR): Storing personal data indefinitely without purpose is not permitted. Renewable periods let us retain your data only as long as you actively use the service.
Right to erasure (Art. 17 GDPR): Open-ended access creates ambiguity about when data must be deleted. Fixed periods with clear renewal points ensure we meet deletion obligations.
Consumer protection (§§ 305–310 BGB, UWG): "Lifetime" suggests permanent, unconditional access — a promise that is practically unsustainable and legally misleading under German fair-trading law.
Service sustainability: A renewable model ensures we can continue improving the platform, keeping content up-to-date with changing exam formats, and maintaining infrastructure.

Existing users who purchased under the previous "Lifetime" label retain their original terms (see Section 3A.1 above). The renewable model applies only to new purchases from the effective date of these Terms.

3A.2 Rolling Access Periods

Access is granted in 6-month periods from the date of purchase.
The maximum total duration under a single Pass Assurance purchase is 3 years from the original purchase date.
At the end of each access period, premium access expires automatically unless you request and qualify for a cert-gated extension (Section 3A.3).
After expiration, your account remains active with free-tier features. No data is deleted upon downgrade (see Privacy Policy Section 4).

3A.3 Renewal Conditions

To extend your Pass Assurance access after an access period ends, you must submit an official failed exam certificate from a recognised examination body (telc, Goethe-Institut, ÖSD, TestDaF, or equivalent). The name on the certificate must match the account holder. Each approved extension adds 6 months, subject to the maximum total duration in Section 3A.2.

We do not accept exam registration confirmations or informal written declarations as renewal proof for new Pass Assurance purchases.

Submit your certificate to support@deutschexam.com.

3A.4 Advance Notification

DeutschExam will make reasonable efforts to send renewal reminders in advance of expiry of each access period to your registered email address.
Non-receipt of reminders (e.g., due to spam filters or incorrect email address) does not extend the access period.

3A.5 Verification and Data Handling

Submitted documents are used solely for renewal verification.
Original documents are deleted within 30 days of verification. Only the verification result (date, outcome, renewal reason) is retained.
We recommend redacting any information not relevant to the renewal (e.g., date of birth, address) before submission.
For full details, see Privacy Policy Section 2.7.

Account Sharing Prohibited: Your Pass Assurance account is strictly personal. Sharing login credentials with third parties — including students, family members, colleagues, or anyone after you have passed the exam — is prohibited and constitutes a material breach of contract. Because Pass Assurance grants a long access window, it is subject to heightened fair-use scrutiny under Section 2A. Fair Use Policy. DeutschExam is entitled to terminate the account without refund (§ 314 BGB, Kündigung aus wichtigem Grund) and to forfeit any remaining paid period.

3A.6 Right to Refuse Renewal

DeutschExam may refuse renewal if there is evidence of abuse, credential sharing, or submission of fraudulent documents.
This plan does not guarantee passing any exam. See Section 1.

3A.7 Pass Assurance Plan — Zusammenfassung (DE)

Softwarelizenz: Der Pass Assurance Plan ist eine zeitlich begrenzte Softwarezugangslizenz, kein Unterrichtsvertrag.
Zugangsperioden: 6-Monats-Zeiträume (max. 3 Jahre gesamt).
Verlängerungsbedingungen: Nur mit offiziellem Nichtbestehens-Zertifikat; Name muss mit dem Kontoinhaber übereinstimmen.
Kontoweitergabe verboten: Die Weitergabe von Zugangsdaten ist untersagt und berechtigt DeutschExam zur fristlosen Kündigung ohne Erstattung (§ 314 BGB).
Keine Prüfungsgarantie: Der Plan garantiert kein Bestehen einer Prüfung.

4. Refund Policy

      14-Day Fair Use Guarantee: We want you to be satisfied with the Service. For eligible A1, B1, and B2 German exam preparation plans (one-time purchases — no auto-renewal), if you're not happy within 14 days of purchase and have used the platform minimally (fewer than 2 exams completed including free mock exams, less than 45 minutes total platform usage, and fewer than 20 AI feature requests), you may request a full refund.
    

48-Hour Pass & Quick Prep (2-Week Pass) — Voluntary Refund Exclusion: The 48-Hour Pass and Quick Prep (2-Week Pass) are short-term digital access products. By purchasing these passes, you expressly consent to immediate access and acknowledge that they are not eligible for voluntary refunds once digital access begins, in accordance with § 356 Abs. 5 BGB. This is clearly disclosed at checkout.

FSP AI Speaking Plans — Voluntary Refund Exclusion Once Access Begins: Fachsprachprüfung (FSP) plans provide access to AI speaking sessions, AI-generated feedback, transcripts, the FSP exam guide, and related premium digital practice content. Because these features create immediate AI processing costs and can be consumed quickly, FSP paid plans are not eligible for voluntary satisfaction refunds once premium access begins. Users should try the free FSP module first or start with the 48-hour FSP pass before upgrading to a longer plan. Mandatory statutory rights for defective digital content remain unaffected.

For complete refund terms, eligibility criteria, and how to request a refund, please see our Refund Policy.

5. Right of Withdrawal (Widerrufsrecht)

5A. Digital Content and Paid Plans

Important Notice Under German/EU Law: By purchasing a paid plan (a one-time purchase, no auto-renewal) and accessing premium content (mock exams, FSP AI speaking sessions, AI features, downloads, exam guides, or phrase libraries), you expressly consent to the immediate performance of the contract and acknowledge that you lose your statutory right of withdrawal (Widerrufsrecht) under §§ 312g, 356(5) BGB once digital content delivery has begun, where permitted by law.

This consent is obtained during the checkout process. Despite this waiver, our 14-day fair-use guarantee (Section 4) provides a goodwill refund option for minimal usage where that guarantee applies. FSP AI speaking plans are governed by the FSP-specific voluntary refund exclusion in Section 4 once premium access begins. Mandatory statutory rights for defective digital content remain unaffected.

5B. Physical Workbooks — Direct Purchases from deutschexam.ai

If you purchase a physical workbook (print-on-demand edition) directly from deutschexam.ai, you have a statutory 14-day right of withdrawal under BGB §§ 312b, 312g without giving any reason, provided the book is returned in its original, unused condition.

Withdrawal period: 14 days from the day you (or a named third party other than the carrier) physically receive the goods.
How to withdraw: Contact us at support@deutschexam.com within 14 days of receipt with a clear statement of your intention to withdraw (e.g., using the model form below). You may also use any other unambiguous statement.
Return: Send the book back in original, undamaged condition within 14 days of notifying us of your withdrawal. Return shipping costs are borne by you.
Refund: We will refund the purchase price (excluding outbound shipping costs) within 14 days of receiving the returned goods or proof of dispatch, whichever is earlier. Refunds are made via the original payment method.
Condition: Books that show signs of use, damage, or missing packaging may be subject to a deduction in value.

Model Withdrawal Form (Muster-Widerrufsformular — BGB Anlage 2):

To exercise your right of withdrawal for a physical book order, you may send the following completed form to support@deutschexam.com:

To: DeutschExam GmbH, support@deutschexam.com

I hereby give notice that I withdraw from my contract for the purchase of the following goods:
Order number: ___________
Ordered on: ___________ / Received on: ___________
Name of consumer: ___________
Address of consumer: ___________
Signature (only for paper submission): ___________
Date: ___________

Using this form is not mandatory; any clear statement of withdrawal sent within the 14-day period is sufficient.

Amazon KDP Purchases — Different Rules Apply: If you purchase a DeutschExam workbook via Amazon.de or any other Amazon marketplace, Amazon is the seller of record for that transaction. Your statutory withdrawal and return rights for that purchase are governed exclusively by Amazon's consumer policies, not by these Terms. Please contact Amazon directly for returns and refunds on marketplace orders.

      Packaging Compliance (VerpackG): Physical goods shipped directly from deutschexam.ai within Germany are dispatched in packaging registered under the Verpackungsgesetz (VerpackG) with the LUCID packaging register operated by Stiftung Zentrale Stelle Verpackungsregister (ZSVR). We participate in a dual system (duales System) for packaging recovery and recycling as required by German law.
    

6. Service Availability and Maintenance

We aim for high platform availability but cannot guarantee uninterrupted service.

Target uptime: We strive for 99% availability per calendar month.
Scheduled maintenance: Performed during low-traffic hours (typically 2:00–5:00 CET). We provide advance notice when possible.
Emergency maintenance: Unplanned updates may be necessary to address security issues or critical bugs.
Refund eligibility: System downtime of less than 12 hours in a calendar month does not entitle users to refunds, credits, or price reductions.
Extended outages: For outages exceeding 24 consecutive hours, we may offer service extensions or credits at our discretion.

We are not liable for unavailability caused by factors beyond our reasonable control, including internet outages, third-party service failures, or force majeure events.

7. AI-Generated Content and Quality

      How Our Content and Assessments Work:
      Practice questions and correct answers: Created with AI assistance and reviewed by our editorial team for accuracy. Scoring criteria reference publicly available examination handbooks and sample tests (e.g., telc Übungstest documents). This does not imply any partnership with or endorsement by these examination bodies.
Real-time AI features (writing assessment, speaking practice, personalized feedback): Powered exclusively by Google Gemini AI models. No teacher, tutor, or human assessor reviews, grades, or supervises any individual user's work.
Scores and progress tracking: Generated automatically by AI. These are statistical text analyses, not pedagogical evaluations by qualified staff. They do not reflect official exam scoring.

    

Our platform utilizes artificial intelligence to generate exam explanations, assess writing, and provide personalized feedback.

      Statutory Digital Content Rights (BGB §§ 327–327u): As a consumer using a paid plan, you have mandatory statutory rights regarding defects in our digital service that cannot be excluded in standard terms. Where our service systematically and persistently fails to meet the described specification — for example, if a promised exam level is entirely inaccessible — you may be entitled to remediation, price reduction, or in extreme cases contract termination under §§ 327i–327n BGB. These mandatory rights are not affected by any "as-is" language below.
    

AI-generated content is provided "as-is" for practice purposes only, subject to the mandatory statutory rights above.
Minor linguistic variations, occasional inaccuracies, or subjective feedback differences that are inherent to generative AI technology do not constitute a "defect" within the meaning of § 327e BGB, as they fall within the expected behaviour of an AI-powered practice tool as described at the point of purchase.
AI assessments are for learning purposes and do not reflect official exam scoring.
Refunds based solely on perceived AI quality issues (beyond the statutory rights above) are granted at our discretion as a gesture of goodwill.
We welcome feedback on AI content quality at support@deutschexam.com to help us improve.

Important: By creating an account and using DeutschExam.ai, you explicitly consent to the AI data processing described in this section. This consent is required to use our AI-powered learning features.

7A.1 AI Features and Data Types

Our platform uses artificial intelligence (powered by Google Gemini) to provide the following features:

Write with AI / Writing Assessment: Your typed German letters, essays, and exercise responses are sent to Google Gemini for grammar, vocabulary, coherence, and exam criteria assessment.
Speak with AI: Your voice is recorded through your device's microphone. The audio is transcribed to text locally in your browser using the Web Speech API, and the transcribed text is sent to our servers and forwarded to Google Gemini for conversational AI response and assessment.
Speaking Assessment: Similar to "Speak with AI," your voice recording is transcribed locally, and the transcribed text is sent to Google Gemini for evaluation against CEFR-aligned speaking criteria.
Handwriting OCR: If you upload a photo or scan of a handwritten letter, the image file is sent to Google Gemini for optical character recognition (OCR) to extract text, which is then assessed like typed submissions.
AI Trainer (Translation Practice): Your German translation attempts are sent to Google Gemini for detailed feedback on grammar, vocabulary, and idiomatic usage.

7A.2 Third-Party AI Processing

Processor: Google Gemini (Google Cloud AI), a service of Google LLC
Location: Data is processed on Google Cloud infrastructure, which may include servers in the USA
Data sent: Your exercise submissions (text, transcribed speech, images) without personal identifiers (your email, name, or account ID are NOT included in AI requests)
Data retention by Google: Google retains API request data for up to 30 days for abuse monitoring, then deletes it. Google does not use API submissions for training its AI models.
Safeguards: Data transfers are protected by Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) and Google's Data Processing Agreement

7A.3 Your Acknowledgments and Consent

By using our AI-powered features, you acknowledge and agree that:

You understand that your voice may be recorded when using speaking features, and the transcribed text will be processed by AI
You understand that images you upload (e.g., photos of handwritten letters) will be sent to and processed by Google Gemini
You understand that your written submissions (typed text) will be sent to and processed by Google Gemini
You consent to the transmission of your submissions to third-party AI services (Google Gemini) for the purpose of providing AI-powered learning feedback
You accept that AI assessments are for practice purposes only and do not guarantee similar results on official exams
You accept that AI feedback may contain errors, subjective interpretations, or inaccuracies
You will not hold DeutschExam liable for any AI-generated feedback or its consequences
You will not submit content that is illegal, harmful, offensive, or violates third-party rights through AI features

7A.4 Voice Recording Specifics

      How Voice Recording Works:
      Recording is initiated only when you click the record button; we never record without your action
Your browser will request microphone permission; you can deny or revoke this at any time
Audio is transcribed to text locally in your browser using the Web Speech API
Only the text transcription is sent to our servers - raw audio files are NOT uploaded or stored
Maximum recording duration is 45-90 seconds depending on exam level

    

7A.5 Handwriting Image Upload Specifics

Supported formats: JPEG, PNG (maximum 5MB)
Images are sent to Google Gemini for OCR processing
Images are processed in real-time and are not stored after processing
Inappropriate or non-German-text images will be rejected

7A.6 Withdrawing AI Consent

You may withdraw your consent to AI processing at any time by contacting us at support@deutschexam.com. However, please note:

Withdrawing consent will limit your access to AI-powered features
You will still be able to use non-AI features (practice questions, listening exercises, reading materials)
Withdrawal does not affect the lawfulness of processing before withdrawal

7A.7 We Do NOT Store Your Submissions

Important: DeutschExam does NOT permanently store your original AI submissions:

Audio recordings: NEVER uploaded to our servers. Audio is transcribed locally in your browser and immediately discarded.
Text submissions: Processed in real-time for AI assessment and NOT stored in our database.
Uploaded images: Processed for OCR and immediately deleted. We do NOT retain your handwritten letter images.
What we store: Only your assessment scores, feedback summaries, and learning progress - NOT the original content.
Session behavior: If you refresh the page or close your browser, your original submission is gone permanently. We cannot retrieve it - only the scores remain in your learning history.

For complete details on how we handle your data, including retention periods and your rights, please see our Privacy Policy - AI Processing Section.

7B. Selbstlernwerkzeug – Kein Fernunterricht / Self-Study Tool – Not Distance Learning

Hinweis nach dem Fernunterrichtsschutzgesetz (FernUSG):
DeutschExam ist ein softwarebasiertes Selbstlernwerkzeug und kein Fernunterricht im Sinne des § 1 FernUSG. Es findet keine individuelle Lernerfolgskontrolle durch Lehrpersonal statt.

7B.1 Einordnung des Dienstes (DE)

Kein Fernunterricht: DeutschExam bietet keinen Fernunterricht im Sinne des Fernunterrichtsschutzgesetzes (FernUSG) an. Der Dienst ist ein rein softwarebasiertes Selbstlernwerkzeug (vergleichbar mit einer Rechtschreibprüfung oder einem Vokabeltrainer), das Nutzern Übungsmaterialien und automatisierte Textanalysen zur Verfügung stellt.
Keine pädagogische Betreuung: Es gibt keine Lehrkraft, keinen Tutor und kein pädagogisches Personal, das den Lernfortschritt der Nutzer überwacht, bewertet oder individuell begleitet. Sämtliche Rückmeldungen werden ausschließlich durch automatisierte KI-Sprachmodelle erzeugt.
Keine Lernerfolgskontrolle: Die Plattform führt keine systematische, individuelle Lernerfolgskontrolle im Sinne des § 1 Abs. 1 FernUSG durch. Die KI-gestützten Auswertungen sind statistische Textanalysen (Mustererkennung, Grammatikprüfung, Wortschatzabgleich) und keine pädagogische Bewertung durch Fachpersonal. Es besteht kein Vertragsverhältnis über die Überwachung des Lernerfolgs.
Kein Vertragsverhältnis zum Lehren: Zwischen DeutschExam und dem Nutzer besteht ein Softwarelizenzvertrag, kein Unterrichtsvertrag. Der Vertrag umfasst den Zugang zu einer Software, nicht die Vermittlung von Wissen durch eine Lehrkraft oder die Begleitung eines Lernprozesses.
Selbstbestimmtes Lernen: Die Nutzer entscheiden eigenständig, welche Inhalte sie wann und in welcher Reihenfolge bearbeiten. Es gibt keinen vorgeschriebenen Lehrplan, keine Pflichtmodule und keinen vorgegebenen Lernpfad.
Keine formalen Abschlüsse: DeutschExam vergibt keine Zertifikate, Zeugnisse, Diplome oder sonstige formale Qualifikationen. Die Nutzung der Plattform ersetzt keinen anerkannten Sprachkurs und berechtigt nicht zur Teilnahme an oder zum Bestehen einer offiziellen Prüfung.
Empfehlung: Für eine individuelle pädagogische Betreuung und gezielte Prüfungsvorbereitung empfehlen wir den Besuch einer akkreditierten Sprachschule oder eines anerkannten Integrationskurses.

7B.2 Classification of the Service (EN)

Not distance learning: DeutschExam does not provide distance learning (Fernunterricht) within the meaning of the German Distance Learning Protection Act (Fernunterrichtsschutzgesetz – FernUSG). The Service is a purely software-based self-study tool (comparable to a spell-checker or vocabulary trainer) that provides users with practice materials and automated text analysis.
No pedagogical supervision: There is no teacher, tutor, or pedagogical staff who monitors, evaluates, or individually guides a user's learning progress. All feedback is generated exclusively by automated AI language models.
No monitoring of learning success: The platform does not carry out systematic, individual monitoring of learning success (Lernerfolgskontrolle) within the meaning of § 1(1) FernUSG. AI-powered evaluations are statistical text analyses (pattern recognition, grammar checking, vocabulary matching) and not pedagogical assessments by qualified staff. There is no contractual obligation to monitor learning progress.
No teaching contract: The contractual relationship between DeutschExam and the user is a software license agreement, not a teaching contract. The contract covers access to software, not the provision of knowledge by an instructor or the accompaniment of a learning process.
Self-directed learning: Users decide independently what content they work on, when, and in what order. There is no prescribed curriculum, no mandatory modules, and no predetermined learning path.
No formal qualifications: DeutschExam does not issue certificates, diplomas, or any formal qualifications. Using the platform does not replace an accredited language course and does not entitle users to participate in or pass any official examination.
Recommendation: For individual pedagogical support and targeted exam preparation, we recommend attending an accredited language school or a recognized integration course.

7B.3 Abgrenzung zur Lernerfolgskontrolle / Distinction from Learning Success Monitoring

Klarstellung nach BGH-Rechtsprechung (III ZR 2/24, 17.12.2025): Der BGH hat bestätigt, dass das Merkmal der Lernerfolgskontrolle im Sinne des § 1 FernUSG voraussetzt: messbare Lernziele, Tests oder Aufgaben durch Fachpersonal, sowie eine systematische Überprüfung des Lernstands. Allein automatisierte Rückmeldungen, Community-Funktionen oder Fortschrittsanzeigen genügen nicht.

Warum DeutschExam keine Lernerfolgskontrolle durchführt:

Keine messbaren Lernziele durch Personal: DeutschExam setzt keine individuellen Lernziele und definiert keinen Lernplan. Der Nutzer entscheidet selbst, was er übt.
Keine Tests durch Fachpersonal: Alle Auswertungen sind automatisierte KI-Textanalysen (Google Gemini). Kein Lehrer, Prüfer oder pädagogisches Fachpersonal erstellt, bewertet oder überprüft individuelle Testergebnisse.
Keine Wissensüberprüfung: Die Plattform überprüft nicht, ob ein Nutzer bestimmtes Wissen erworben hat. Punktzahlen und Fortschrittsanzeigen sind statistische Selbstauskunft, keine pädagogische Bewertung.
Kein Berichtswesen: Es gibt keine Berichte an Dritte (Arbeitgeber, Behörden, Schulen) über den Lernfortschritt eines Nutzers.

Why DeutschExam does not perform learning success monitoring (Lernerfolgskontrolle):

No measurable learning objectives set by staff: DeutschExam does not set individual learning goals or define a study plan. Users decide for themselves what to practise.
No tests designed or graded by qualified personnel: All evaluations are automated AI text analyses (Google Gemini). No teacher, examiner, or pedagogical professional creates, reviews, or grades individual test results.
No knowledge verification: The platform does not verify whether a user has acquired specific knowledge. Scores and progress indicators are self-service statistical metrics, not pedagogical assessments.
No reporting: There are no reports to third parties (employers, authorities, schools) regarding a user's learning progress.

7C. AI Disclosure & Human Oversight (EU AI Act Compliance)

DeutschExam uses artificial intelligence in the creation and delivery of its services. We disclose the following in the interest of full transparency and in compliance with current and upcoming EU AI Act obligations.

Human-in-the-Loop (HITL) verification: Content generated by AI tools — including practice questions, model answers, scoring rubrics, and audio scripts — is subject to a Human-in-the-Loop verification process carried out by qualified language experts before publication. This process is designed to ensure pedagogical accuracy and alignment with official exam format structures. Our editorial team reviews and, where necessary, corrects or rejects AI-generated drafts prior to inclusion in the platform.
Educational tool only — no legal weight: These systems are intended solely as educational practice tools. Their output does not constitute a formal or legally recognised evaluation of language proficiency. AI-generated scores and feedback have no bearing on any immigration application, residency status determination, citizenship procedure, employment requirement, or other legal proceeding.
AI-assisted content creation: Practice questions, model answers, and explanations may be generated or enhanced with the help of AI tools. All AI-generated content passes through HITL review before publication as described above.
AI-powered user features: Writing assessment, speaking practice, translation feedback, and handwriting recognition are powered by Google Gemini AI models. Responses to individual user submissions are generated in real time and are not individually reviewed by humans — see Section 7B for the regulatory classification of these automated assessments.
No high-risk AI use: DeutschExam does not use AI for decisions that produce legal effects or similarly significant effects on users (GDPR Article 22; EU AI Act Annex III). AI assessments are for practice purposes only and do not determine access to services, employment, education, or any legal entitlements. Human oversight remains available: users may contact support@deutschexam.com to request human review of any AI-generated score or feedback.
EU AI Act phasing — current status (March 2026):
- Prohibited AI practices rules: in force since February 2, 2025.
- General-Purpose AI (GPAI) model transparency rules (Chapter V): in force since August 2, 2025. Google Gemini, as the underlying GPAI model provider, bears primary compliance obligations under this chapter.
- Article 50 obligations (user-facing disclosure when interacting with AI; machine-readable marking of AI-generated content): take effect August 2, 2026. DeutschExam is preparing the necessary technical and UX measures to comply by that date.
Ongoing compliance: DeutschExam is committed to complying with all applicable EU AI Act obligations as they take effect. This section will be updated as further regulatory guidance and implementing acts are published.

8. Intellectual Property

All platform content — including practice questions, explanations, audio recordings, letter samples, physical workbooks, and software — is independently created by DeutschExam and owned by DeutschExam or its licensors. Our content is not reproduced, copied, or derived from official examination materials of telc gGmbH, Goethe-Institut, or any other examination body.

Where AI tools assist in the initial drafting of practice content, the final published versions undergo human expert review and refinement ("Human-Verified" content). The resulting curated collection — including question sets, model answers, audio scripts, scoring rubrics, and physical workbook content — constitutes an original proprietary compilation protected by copyright under §§ 2, 4 UrhG (German Copyright Act) and as a database under the EU Database Directive (96/9/EC) and its German implementation (§§ 87a–87e UrhG). The intellectual and creative contribution of our human editorial team in selecting, structuring, verifying, and refining AI-generated drafts gives rise to independent copyright protection regardless of the AI involvement in initial drafting. Systematic scraping, bulk downloading, reproduction, or republication of this human-refined content — including via automated means — constitutes copyright infringement and may be pursued under civil law (§§ 97 ff. UrhG) and criminal law (§ 106 UrhG).

You receive a personal, non-exclusive, non-transferable licence to use the Service for your own learning and practice.
You may not reproduce, distribute, modify, or create derivative works from our content without written permission.
Screenshots or limited excerpts for personal study notes are permitted; systematic reproduction is not.
Physical workbooks purchased from deutschexam.ai or Amazon KDP are for personal use only. Photocopying, scanning, or distributing workbook content in whole or in part is prohibited.

9. User Content and Submissions

Content you submit (writing exercises, feedback, support inquiries) remains yours, but you grant us a license to use it for service improvement and AI training (anonymized).
You must not submit content that is illegal, harmful, or violates third-party rights.

10. Account Termination

By you: Because all plans are one-time purchases with no auto-renewal, you do not need to take any action to stop future billing. Your access continues until the end of your paid period and then expires automatically. You may also stop using the Service at any time, or request account deletion via your account settings or by contacting support.
By us: We may suspend or terminate accounts that violate these Terms, engage in fraud, or abuse the Service. No refund is provided for terminations due to violations.
Data after termination: Your data is retained for 30 days after account deletion to allow for recovery, then permanently deleted (except as required by law).

11. Disclaimers and Limitation of Liability

The Service is provided "as is" without warranties of any kind, express or implied, subject to your mandatory statutory rights (including BGB §§ 327–327u for digital content and applicable consumer protection law).

Simulation disclaimer: Mock exam results and AI assessments provided by this platform are simulations only. They do not guarantee success in any official examination, nor do they constitute evidence of language proficiency for any legal, immigration, employment, or academic purpose. Official results from accredited examination bodies (telc gGmbH, Goethe-Institut, etc.) are the sole legally valid measure of language proficiency.
We do not warrant that the Service will be error-free, uninterrupted, or meet your specific requirements.
We are not responsible for your exam results or any consequences of relying on our practice materials.
Liability cap: To the maximum extent permitted by law, our total aggregate liability for any claim arising under or in connection with the Service is limited to the higher of (a) the purchase price of the specific product or service giving rise to the claim, (b) the most recent plan fee paid by you in the 30 days preceding the claim, or (c) €50. This cap does not apply to claims arising from personal injury, death, or any liability that cannot be limited under applicable mandatory law.
We are not liable for indirect, incidental, special, or consequential damages, including lost profits, data loss, or business interruption, to the extent permitted by applicable mandatory law.

Nothing in these Terms excludes or limits liability for gross negligence (grobe Fahrlässigkeit), willful misconduct (Vorsatz), fraudulent misrepresentation, personal injury caused by negligence, or any other liability that cannot be excluded or limited under applicable law (including German consumer protection law and BGB §§ 307–309).

12. Dispute Resolution

Informal resolution: We encourage you to contact us at support@deutschexam.com to resolve any issues before initiating formal proceedings.
EU Consumer Dispute Resolution: Information about consumer dispute resolution entities across EU Member States is available at consumer-redress.ec.europa.eu. We are not obligated to and do not currently participate in dispute resolution proceedings before a consumer arbitration body (§ 36 VSBG).
Governing law: These Terms are governed by German law. The courts of Frankfurt am Main, Germany, have jurisdiction for disputes, subject to mandatory consumer protection provisions.

13. Changes to Terms

We may update these Terms to reflect changes in the Service or legal requirements.

Material changes will be communicated via email to registered users at least 30 days before taking effect.
Continued use of the Service after changes take effect constitutes acceptance of the updated Terms.
If you disagree with changes, you may stop using the Service before they take effect. Because plans are one-time purchases with no auto-renewal, no cancellation action is needed to prevent future charges.

14. Severability

If any provision of these Terms is found to be unenforceable, the remaining provisions continue in full force and effect.

15. Contact

For questions about these Terms:

Email: support@deutschexam.com
Website: https://deutschexam.ai

For company information, see our Imprint.

16. Content Accuracy and Exam Format Disclaimer

Important: Our practice materials are created for educational purposes. Please read the accuracy limitations described below.

Our practice materials are independently created for educational purposes to help you prepare for German language examinations. They are not reproductions of official exam content. However, you understand and accept that:

Practice questions, answers, and explanations may contain errors, typos, or inaccuracies despite our quality assurance efforts.
Official exam formats from telc gGmbH, Goethe-Institut, TestDaF, and other examination bodies change periodically without notice. Our materials may not always reflect the most current exam format or structure.
Human error may occur during content curation, translation, and question bank compilation.
Audio recordings, sample letters, and model answers may contain minor imperfections.
Grammar explanations or vocabulary usage may occasionally differ from certain regional or academic standards.
When we describe materials as "telc-format," "B1-level," or similar, this refers to the publicly available CEFR exam format and structure, not to official content from any examination body. Our questions, texts, and audio are independently authored.

Sole Remedy: Your sole remedy for dissatisfaction with content quality is to discontinue use of the Service and, where eligible, request a refund under our Refund Policy. We encourage you to report errors to help us improve.

We encourage users to report any errors or inaccuracies to support@deutschexam.com so we can continuously improve our content. We also recommend supplementing your preparation with official sample exams from your chosen examination body.