Info: Closing time at the turn of the year
The studierendenWERK BERLIN is closed from 23 - 31 December. We will be back for you on 2 January.
German Courses for Refugees in Berlin
Here you can find German Courses for Refugees
In order to study in Berlin, you need German language skills for almost all degree programs. Most universities require a language level of B2 to C1. To make it easier for you to find suitable courses, we have put together a selection here. Unfortunately, only a few academic institutions still offer free German courses for non-matriculated students, so you should regularly check for newly advertised courses and register there immediately.
To make good use of the waiting time for a course, you can find very good online offers here and here that will help you improve your German.
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
There are currently no regular programmes for non-matriculated prospective students at other universities. Please see below under ‘Current information on German courses at universities for refugees without enrolment’, where we publish information on particular programmes.
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.
Berlin School of Economics and Law (HWR)
From 27 January 2025, HWR Berlin will once again be offering a C1 German course for prospective students with a refugee background.
The course will run until the end of June 2025 and will conclude with the ‘telc Deutsch C1 Hochschule’ exam. It is aimed at refugees who are interested in studying at the HWR Berlin and already have a B2 certificate.
Registrations are requested by 15 December 2024, but are still possible until the start of the course.
Further information can be found here.
Another C1 course will start in August 2025.
Free University Berlin (FU):
There are currently no places available in the German courses for refugees. Interested parties can be placed on the waiting list for current German courses at the FU. Please write to
deutschkurs@welcome.fu-berlin.de
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 here.