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Studies & Degrees in German Language and Literature (in Language Schools)

German courses at language schools teach German as a foreign language (Deutsch als Fremdsprache) to adults and teenagers who need it for study, work or daily life. They are not degree programmes. A school places each student by level, teaches in groups or one-to-one, and accepts stays from one week to a full year. University degrees in German language and literature are a separate subject.

German matters most to two groups of students: those who want to enter a university in Germany or Austria, and those who plan to work or live there. As a rule, applicants must prove German skills to be admitted to a degree course in Germany, although this is not always required in internationally oriented programmes, according to the official portal Study in Germany. The Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF) gives the same advice to anyone who wants to live in the country: learn German.

What students learn

Courses follow the six levels of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR): A1, A2, B1, B2, C1 and C2. A general course covers speaking, listening, reading, writing and grammar. Schools then add courses with a specific aim:

  • Exam preparation for telc, TestDaF, Goethe or ÖSD certificates
  • University preparation, including the DSH exam and the Studienkolleg entrance exam
  • German for work, for example for doctors and nursing staff
  • Evening and online courses
  • One-to-one lessons
  • Summer courses for children and teenagers

Intensity is the main difference between courses. The did deutsch-institut in Berlin, founded in 1990, lists general courses of 20, 24 or 28 lessons a week, for one to 52 weeks, with a maximum of 15 students per class and a new start every week. The Humboldt-Institut teaches intensive courses of 30 lessons a week to teenagers and adults and 25 to children. Schools often arrange accommodation too: CASA in Bremen places students with a local family or in its own shared flat.

Exams and certificates

A school gives its own certificate of attendance. For university admission, a job or a visa, an external certificate is usually required. The main ones are:

  • TestDaF: aimed at people who want to study in Germany. The TestDaF certificate is recognised by all German higher education institutions, and the test can be taken at more than 500 test centres in 100 countries, according to the TestDaF-Institut.
  • telc: certificates by CEFR level, including telc Deutsch C1 Hochschule for university entry. Many language schools are telc examination centres, for example Verbum Novum in Mainz, TANDEM Hamburg and CASA in Bremen.
  • ÖSD (Österreichisches Sprachdiplom Deutsch): the Austrian exams, with certificates from A1 to C2. The ÖSD states that they are accepted by universities, employers, professional bodies and governments.
  • Goethe-Zertifikat: the exams of the Goethe-Institut, for which schools such as did deutsch-institut offer preparation.

Each university decides which certificate and level it accepts, so applicants should read the admission page of the programme before they book an exam.

Where to study it

SpainExchange lists 31 active schools for this subject: 25 in Germany, five in Spain and one in Austria. The German schools are in large cities and in smaller university towns. Examples are did deutsch-institut and Sprachenatelier Berlin in Berlin, DeutschAkademie and inlingua in Munich, TANDEM Hamburg, Horizonte in Regensburg, which has taught German since 1986, the Academy of Languages in Heidelberg, Verbum Novum in Mainz and CASA in Bremen. In Austria the list has DeutschAkademie in Vienna, which prepares for the ÖSD exams. The schools in Spain teach German locally.

Visa for a German course

Citizens of the European Union and the European Economic Area can take a course in Germany without a visa. For other nationalities, the Federal Foreign Office states that visits to the Schengen area are limited to 90 days in any period of 180 days and that different rules apply to longer stays. Some nationalities need a visa for a short stay as well. For a course of more than 90 days, students should ask the German embassy or consulate in their country which visa applies before they pay the course.

What the language is used for

Most students take a course with a concrete goal: a certificate for university admission, a level required for a regulated profession such as medicine or nursing, or daily life after a move. A language course is not a professional qualification in itself. Teaching or translating German normally requires a university degree.

Frequently asked questions

Which German certificate do I need for university?

It depends on the university and the programme. The TestDaF certificate is recognised by all German higher education institutions; telc Deutsch C1 Hochschule and the DSH are other exams designed for university entry.

How many lessons a week does an intensive German course have?

Between 20 and 30 at the schools cited here: did deutsch-institut offers 20, 24 or 28 lessons a week, and the Humboldt-Institut 30 for teenagers and adults.

Can a complete beginner take a course in Germany?

Yes. Schools teach from level A1 and place students with a level test.

Do I need a visa for a German course?

EU and EEA citizens do not. For others, a visit to the Schengen area is limited to 90 days in any 180-day period, and a longer course falls under different rules, so the German consulate should be asked first.