Language Courses and Cultural Immersion Programs Schools and Programs in Germany

Language Courses and Cultural Immersion Programs Studies in Germany

A language course with cultural immersion in Germany combines German lessons with life in the country: accommodation with other students or a host, an activity programme run by the school, and daily use of the language outside the classroom. Two kinds of provider offer it. Private language schools teach German as a foreign language all year. Universities run short academic programmes for visiting students, in which German classes are combined with subject courses.

SpainExchange lists 37 schools and programmes of this kind in Germany. Berlin has the most (6), followed by Munich (4) and Mainz (3). Heidelberg, Bremen, Freiburg, Augsburg and Cologne have two each, and there are others in Hamburg, Frankfurt, Düsseldorf, Stuttgart, Regensburg, Göttingen, Kassel, Mannheim and Marburg.

Language school courses

Private schools sell group courses by the week and place students by level, from A1 to C2 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). Intensity, class size and the activity programme differ from school to school:

• At did deutsch-institut Berlin, courses have 20, 24 or 28 lessons a week, last from 1 to 52 weeks and have at most 15 students per class; the minimum age is 17, and the leisure programme includes free city walks, museum visits and full-day excursions
• Tandem Köln combines 20 hours of morning classes in small groups with a cultural programme once a week in the afternoon or evening
• Horizonte in Regensburg, which has taught German since 1986, works with groups of at most 12 students and has a residence on the school site and a cultural leisure programme
• The Humboldt-Institut sells a package of German course, accommodation, full board and leisure activities, with 30 lessons a week for teenagers and adults; its year-round centres are in Berlin, Constance and Lindenberg, and it also runs courses for children and teenagers aged 8 to 18

University programmes with German and subject courses

University short programmes award academic credit. Three examples from the schools listed here:

• FU-BEST (Freie Universität Berlin European Studies Program) is a semester programme with a fall term from September to December and a spring term from February to May. It combines German courses at all levels (9 ECTS credits for the intensive course) with subject courses of 6 ECTS credits taught mostly in English, local field trips and a week-long excursion. No German is required before enrolment, and a language tandem pairs participants with native German speakers.
• FUBiS, the international summer and winter university of Freie Universität Berlin, runs sessions of 3 to 6 weeks with intensive and semi-intensive German classes on up to five levels, alone or combined with subject classes. Credits may be counted towards a degree at the home institution.
• IIK Göttingen teaches German on the campus of the University of Göttingen in groups of 5 to 15 participants, open to anyone aged 16 and over. Each half-level course carries 6 ECTS credits. Its international summer course in August 2026 has 80 lessons plus day trips and other activities for €750, including course books.

Certificates and exams

A language school issues its own certificate of attendance, which is not an official qualification. Official proof of level comes from an exam. The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) states that most higher education institutions require German at CEFR level B2 or above for degree studies. The TestDaF certificate is recognised by all German higher education institutions, according to the test provider; the DSH exam is taken in Germany at the universities; and telc offers certificates from A1 to C2.

Costs

Private schools set their own prices, and there is no official fee scale. Beyond the course fee, expect extras. At did deutsch-institut Berlin (price list checked in October 2026) these are a registration fee of €50, teaching material at about €30 a month and about €15 to €25 a week for transport and entrance fees in the leisure programme. Accommodation, usually a host family, a student residence or a shared flat booked through the school, is charged separately unless the school sells a package.

Visa

Citizens of EU member states, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland only need a valid identity card. For other nationalities the rules depend on the country of origin and the length of stay. According to DAAD, a Schengen visa covers a language course of up to three months and cannot be extended. Longer stays need a national visa, applied for at the German embassy or consulate before travelling; the Federal Foreign Office warns that national visas may take several months to process. Ask the school whether a course is accepted for a visa: did deutsch-institut Berlin and Tandem Köln state that their intensive courses are suitable for a language course visa.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need to speak German before joining an immersion programme in Germany?

No. Language schools take complete beginners (the Humboldt-Institut has start dates for beginners every five weeks), and FU-BEST does not require any German before enrolment.

Can I earn university credits with a German course in Germany?

Yes, in university programmes. FU-BEST awards 9 ECTS credits for its intensive German course and 6 for each subject course, and IIK Göttingen awards 6 ECTS credits per half-level course. Whether the home university accepts them is its own decision.

Is the certificate of a language school an official qualification?

No. It confirms attendance and level. Official proof comes from an exam such as TestDaF, DSH or telc.