Learning German

German is one of the ten most spoken languages in the world. Some 185 million people worldwide speak German. You can still study in Germany even if you don’t know German, but some knowledge of the language makes everyday life a lot easier and help you immerse yourself in the country. Apart from that, foreign languages are also increasingly sought after by employers. There are many ways to learn German prior to your stay or while out there. Whether you learn the traditional way by joining a class, or whether you team up with a German language tandem partner or flatmate, learning German can be great fun and hugely beneficial.

A female student showing and explaining something on a whiteboard in front of a class.

Language

Language Requirements for Study and Research in Germany

A good grasp of the German language will help settling down in Germany. If your course is in German, you need to know the language well enough to follow a lecture or seminar discussion. Many courses in Germany are offered in English. But even if you decide on one of them, you still need German for daily life.

More at study-in-germany.de

Students with Tablet PC on the steps of the Berlin Reichstag.

Learning On Site

Learning German in Germany

While staying in Germany you will learn the German language automatically. Here you will find information on the ways to improve your German skills on site.

FaDaF: List of member institutions (including language schools) that fulfil the FaDaF standards
Preparatory programmes

Online Offers

Alumniportal Deutschland: free online language courses, text exercises, newsletter “Verstehen Sie Deutsch”
Pasch-net: The network of German schools abroad “PASCH” provides German learning materials for free on its website and also informs about current issues that affect young people in Germany.
vhs learning portal: The initiative “Ich will Deutsch lernen” (I want to learn German) can be accessed via the vhs learning portal. Here you will find many free courses and apps to learn or improve the German language.
Deutsche Welle: free online course DW Learn German, level: basic, middle
deutsch.info: On this website you can improve your German skills online at any time with the support of various language versions.
Deutsche-Uni Online (DUO): On this interactive website, you will find many intensive German courses which you can attend online. This is the perfect way to prepare for your upcoming stay in Germany.
Lernportal des Deutschen Volkshochschul-Verbands e.V. (DVV): online German course from А1 to В2; self learning course
Goethe Institute: Online test for self evaluation of your German skills.
BBC: Exercises