The universities in Berlin offer various language courses. The decisive factor for your choice is whether you are already studying or are yet to enrol. Unfortunately, there are very few courses on offer for prospective students. For the lower language levels (A1-B1), integration courses are therefore also recommended (see section "Free German courses as part of integration courses").
Offers for prospective students
Alice Salomon University of Applied Sciences Berlin: offers German courses level B1-C1 as part of the pre-study program for refugees
Freie Universität Berlin/Free University Berlin (FU): German courses for refugees
Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin (HU):
The HU is currently organising two intensive language courses in summer semester 2024: B2-C1 and C1 for refugee students from Ukraine who wish to continue studying in Germany.
27.05.-28.08.2024 German course B2-C1
This course takes place on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays from 9:00 to 13:15. Prerequisite for participation is level B1. Places are limited and HU students have priority. From 20 May, remaining places can be allocated to external persons if places are still available. If you are interested, please contact: diana.martsynkovska.2@uv.hu-berlin.de.
27.05.-28.08.2024 German course C1 (hybrid)
This course takes place on Mondays, Tuesdays (online) and Wednesdays (on site) from 8:30 to 12:00. Prerequisite for participation is level B2. Places are limited and HU students have priority. From 20 May, remaining places may be allocated to external persons if places are still available. If you are interested, please contact: diana.martsynkovska.2@uv.hu-berlin.de.
Hochschule für Wirtschaft und Recht/Berlin School of Economics and Law (HWR): German Courses for Refugees
Offers for enrolled students
Prerequisite for participation in the German courses is enrollment as a student at the respective university!
Alice Salomon Hochschule - German as a Foreign Language
Bard College Berlin - German Courses
Freie Universität Berlin/Free University Berlin - Courses from A1 - C1 at the Language Center of the FU
Hochschule für Musik Hanns Eisler - German as a Foreign Language
Hochschule für Technik und Wirtschaft - German as a Foreign Language
Hochschule für Wirtschaft und Recht/Berlin School of Economics and Law - German Courses at the Language Center of the HWR
Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin - German Courses at the Language Centre of the HU
Technische Universität Berlin - German Courses at the Modern Language Center of the TU
Universität der Künste - German Courses
Many German courses are offered as part of so-called integration courses. The courses are usually free of charge because the Jobcenter takes over the financing. An integration course consists of language courses at levels A1 to B1 and an orientation course on life in Germany. It is intended to help you quickly find your way around in Germany.
Duration:
As a rule, the general integration course in Berlin consists of:
6 modules
- with 100 teaching hours (UE) each for language teaching (levels A1, A2 and B1)
- Completion by passing the German Test for Immigrants (DTZ)
1 module of 100 units for the orientation course
- Basic knowledge of the legal system, history and culture of Germany
- Completion by passing the test "Living in Germany" (LID)
Costs:
If you receive money from the Jobcenter and have received an obligation to attend an integration course, you do not have to pay anything for the language course.
If you are not entitled to a cost exemption, part of the costs can be covered by the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees.
Enrolment requirements:
Admission to participate in an integration course can always be granted upon presentation of the residence title issued in accordance with § 24 AufenthG or a corresponding fictitious certificate.
Course participation requires prior counselling and usually also a placement test.
Application:
You can apply for this at your job centre. If you do not receive Jobcenter benefits, you can apply for participation in an integration course at a regional office of the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF). You can find the regional office responsible for you under BAMF-NAvI.
You can find more information about the application on the website and in the Information sheet from BAMF. Also, the websites of VHS-Berlin and Berlin-hilft can be very helpful.
Bbw (Bildungswerk der Wirtschaft in Berlin und Brandenburg) (integration courses)
Bildungswelt (integration courses)
Bsi Berlin (integration courses)
Europa-Spracheninstitut (integration courses)
Garantiefonds Hochschule (German courses)
Inlingua (integration courses)
Kontakt- und Beratungsstelle für Flüchtlinge und Migrant_innen e.V. (KuB)
Mitteldeutsches Institut (integration courses)
Network German courses for all (German courses)
Ökumenischens Zentrum Berlin (German courses)
Seconos (integration courses)
Volkshochschulen Berlin (integration courses)
Here you will find a selection of language schools in Berlin that charge a fee. If you receive benefits from the job centre or other offices, ask them whether the costs will be covered.
You can also just take the B2 or C1 test at the language schools without attending a whole course.
Language level A1-C1:
You can find more providers here.
Bildungsberatung Garantiefonds Hochschule (GF-H)
According to our information, there are currently only very few language courses at the universities for people who are not yet enrolled. As soon as we receive new information, we will publish it here.
We would therefore like to point out a possible alternative: there are preparatory language courses that are sponsored by the Bildungsberatung Garantiefonds Hochschule and are aimed specifically at prospective students. Please contact them for advice on a suitable course for you: https://bildungsberatung-gfh.de/wen/sprachkurse/GF-H-gefoerderte-Deutschsprachkurse.php
FU:
Attention: New German courses for refugees at the FU from August!
Starting in August 2024, Freie Universität Berlin will continue offering German language courses for displaced persons and refugees from all countries who had to interrupt their studies, or could not start their studies in their home country.
Registration:
1. Your application will first be reviewed by Freie Universität’s Academic Advising team during the following time slots:
- Wednesday, 26.6.24 2:30 pm
- Friday, 28.6.24 2:30 pm
- Monday, 8.7.24 2:30 pm
- Wednesday, 10.7.24 2:30 pm
Please register for one of the appointments above. The link for registration will be available from mid June on the this website. Participation in a meeting with Academic Advising is a requirement for consideration of admission to the language courses.
2. At the appointment with Academic Advising, you will receive verification that you have participated and that your documents have been reviewed. You will then apply for a place in the language courses. To do this, please send your complete application materials and the verification document from Academic Advising via E-Mail to deutschkurs@welcome.fu-berlin.de. The application deadline is July 22, 2024.
HU:
The HU is currently organising two intensive language courses in summer semester 2024: B2-C1 and C1 for refugee students from Ukraine who wish to continue studying in Germany.
27.05.-28.08.2024 German course B2-C1
This course takes place on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays from 9:00 to 13:15. Prerequisite for participation is level B1. Places are limited and HU students have priority. From 20 May, remaining places can be allocated to external persons if places are still available. If you are interested, please contact: diana.martsynkovska.2@uv.hu-berlin.de.
27.05.-28.08.2024 German course C1 (hybrid)
This course takes place on Mondays, Tuesdays (online) and Wednesdays (on site) from 8:30 to 12:00. Prerequisite for participation is level B2. Places are limited and HU students have priority. From 20 May, remaining places may be allocated to external persons if places are still available. If you are interested, please contact: diana.martsynkovska.2@uv.hu-berlin.de.
HWR:
14.02.-04.07.2024 German course level C1 – WAITING LIST
Application:
The C1 German course is for people who have attended a B2 course at the HWR. Therefore they have priority when allocating places. Should there be places available before the course starts, these can be allocated to external persons.
If you would like to be on the waiting list for the C1 course, please send an e-mail with your B2 certificate to pre-studies(at)hwr-berlin.de.