Learning German

If you would like to live and work in the Stuttgart Region, you should learn German as quickly as possible. That's important in order to get to know new people, to be understood on a day-to-day basis and to find work. There are lots of possibilities for learning German.

Learning German before you arrive

The best place to start learning German is in your home country. The best-known provider is the Goethe-Institut, the cultural institute of the Federal Republic of Germany.
The Goethe-Institut offers German-language courses in 92 countries around the world. You can find a list of the German courses offered by the Goethe-Institut in your country here.

Like some other institutions, the Goethe-Institut also offers online courses that can be accessed globally.

German-language courses in Germany

Even if you have already arrived in Germany and want to learn German, the Goethe-Institut can be your point of contact. You can find more information on what's on offer on the right-hand side of this page.

You can also find competitively priced language courses for all competency levels run by the Volkshochschule adult education schools (VHS) in many municipalities in the Stuttgart Region. You can get information on the course offering from your local VHS.

Numerous private providers of German courses can be found by researching on the internet.

Integration courses

You can also learn German or improve your German on an integration course. Together with others who have recently arrived in Germany, you can also find out a lot about Germany, the German traditions, the German history and important topics from everyday life such as working, shopping and day-to-day living.

Integration courses are subsidised and comprise two parts. The first part is a language course and the second part is an orientation course. The courses are available on a full-time or part-time basis. The general integration course takes 700 hours to complete, with the language course accounting for 600 hours and the subsequent orientation course making up 100 hours. You can get detailed information on the conditions for taking part on the website of the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF).

Search for German courses
Here you can specifically look for integration courses funded by the State and State Capital Stuttgart.

German for professional purposes

German for business

If you live permanently in Germany, want to improve your German language skills and focus on the training and employment market, you can attend job-related German courses of the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees. You need the agreement of the Job Centre or the Federal Employment Agency to be able to take part in the course.

Vocation-oriented German courses (in accordance with § 45a of the Residence Act)

Vocation-oriented language courses in accordance with § 45a of the Residence Act teach German for the workplace in basic and special modules. The courses can be attended in connection with an integration course. The courses lead to levels B2, C1 and C2 and cover specialist German language. Priority is given to jobseekers and the unemployed with permanent residence status in Germany as well as asylum seekers with good prospects of remaining in the country. Courses for workers and trainees are also offered.
For more information, contact the Welcome Center or the Linguistic Integration Clearing House.
 
See also the Vocational language courses-Flyer from the BAMF.

German for children and young people

In pre-school and in school, there are special language support programmes in German and sometimes in the relevant native language for children and young people who have grown up speaking a language other than German. Language tests are carried out before enrolment in order to determine the child's individual needs.

Children and young people who come to Germany during the course of their schooling need particular support. There are support or language-learning classes for them where they are taught by specially qualified teachers before subsequently transferring to mainstream classes. You can find out about the programmes available to your child from the school authorities or the Youth Migration Services (JMD). You can find the nearest point of contact for the JMD using the BAMF's information system.

German for students

The teaching language at universities in Germany is mainly German. You therefore need good knowledge of the German language to be able to study. However, German is also useful fur students on international programmes because everyday life is easier when you speak the local language.

You have to submit a certificate providing evidence that you have an adequate command of the German language if you want to enrol on a German-speaking course. It is different on international study programmes where most lessons are taught in English. In any case, it is good to be able to speak German. You will find friends more quickly, settle in easier and have better opportunities in the employment market.

As each university and course has different requirements in terms of your knowledge of the German language and may only accept certain certificates, you should contact the university or institution directly.

You can find further information about German tests to allow you to study at universities on the following websites: 

-German Academic Exchange Service
-Goethe Institute
-Language requirements


The Educational Guidance from the AWO and IN VIA provides advice on accreditation of certificates, funding options in Germany etc.

 

You can find further information in the right-hand column on this page. The team at the Stuttgart Region Welcome Center will also be happy to assist you further info@welcome-center-stuttgart.de.

The Welcome Service Region Stuttgart (WSRS) is an offering by the Stuttgart Region Economic Development Corporation (Wirtschaftsförderung Region Stuttgart GmbH). The project is funded by the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Labour and Tourism Baden-Württemberg.