Language Courses in Germany

Start from your goal, not from the course name. If you want to study or work in Germany, you need a German course with preparation for TestDaF, DSH or telc. If you want to get ahead professionally in another language, a foreign language course is the right choice — in the business variant where the job context is concrete. If you have one particular weakness or a specialist topic, take a special course. If you are unsure, start with an intensive course and add something targeted later.

One Unterrichtseinheit (UE, teaching unit) is 45 minutes. An intensive course usually comes to 20–25 UE per week, an evening or part-time course to 4–8 UE. The language course visa under § 16f AufenthG requires at least 18 UE per week — so evening courses are not enough for it.

Three factors explain almost the entire difference. First, the weekly hours: a course with 25 UE costs more than one with 18, even though both take you to B1. Second, the group size — six participants cost more per head than fifteen. Third, the provider: Volkshochschulen (municipal adult education centres) price to cover their costs, private schools build rent and a margin into the fee, and the Goethe-Institut sells fixed course blocks rather than monthly rates. So compare the price per Unterrichtseinheit (UE), not the monthly price. You will find the full cost breakdown across all provider types on our costs page.

As a rule yes, and many learners do exactly that. The usual route is to start with an intensive course until your level is where you want it, then step down to an evening course and work or do an internship alongside it. Two things are worth clarifying first. One is the school: some bill course packages in blocks, so switching in the middle of a block still costs you the full price. The other is your Aufenthaltstitel (residence title) — if it is tied to a course with a minimum number of hours, you must not drop below that threshold. When in doubt, ask the Ausländerbehörde (immigration office) before you rebook.

On the language course visa under § 16f AufenthG a side job is possible, but limited — the course has to remain the main purpose of your stay. The exact scope is written into your Aufenthaltstitel (residence title); if in doubt, ask the responsible Ausländerbehörde (immigration office) before you sign a contract. For citizens of the EU and the EEA this restriction does not apply.

For courses without a visa, two to four weeks of lead time is often enough, because many schools start new groups every month. If you need a visa, the calculation turns around: the course confirmation is a prerequisite for the application, and embassy appointments have waiting times of several months in some countries. Plan for three to six months then, and book the course early enough to present the confirmation in time.