If you started learning German back home, Deutsche Welle advises first to find out from your teachers whether your school has partners in Germany. It is worth remembering that in some situations, consultations and program selection cost extra money, so it is better to go searching on your own. In this case, you will have to handle organizational issues yourself and communicate with the German side independently.
The most comprehensive databases with lists of courses and school contacts can be found on the website DAAD and the portal Sprachkurse-Weltweit. When choosing a language center, it is worth checking whether the educational institution has a certificate and whether all teachers are native speakers.
The choice of language school and the city you go to depends on the purpose of your trip. In the capital and large cities, the cultural program and selection of entertainment are much broader. But if you have set yourself the goal of preparing for an exam as efficiently and quickly as possible, it is worth paying attention to small towns where nothing will distract you from studying. It is there that accommodation and food expenses will be significantly lower.
Those who are going to take the DSH test should look for courses at universities. If you plan to later enroll in a German university, it is advisable to choose courses at your preferred university. Usually, information about offers for foreigners is posted in the sections Sprachenzentrum (language center) or Prüfungsvorbereitung (exam preparation) on the official website of the educational institution.
To improve your conversational German and broaden your horizons, you can look at the offers of the Goethe Institute. Emphasis on grammar in lessons is done at IIK – Institut für Internationale Kommunikation in Berlin and Düsseldorf. At the school did deutsch-institut, new courses start every week. The Berlitz center offers remote lessons. Large schools in summer and during holidays offer specialized classes – for example, medical German (Deutsch für Medizin und Pflege) or business German (Wirtschaftsdeutsch).
For courses at large language schools with a good reputation, you will have to pay a substantial amount. You need to apply for training at such places several months before the start of classes, as demand exceeds supply (especially in summer). The cost of the program indicated on the school's website is not always final. Sometimes it does not include textbooks, additional materials, placement test (Einstufungstest), coffee breaks, which need to be paid separately. The average price for four weeks is from 450 to 1100 euros for a standard course.
The most advantageous offers are from so-called people's universities (Volkshochschule) – centers of additional education. But the quality of teaching differs from certified schools, so in this case it is better to rely on customer reviews.
Usually language centers offer different types of accommodation: shared apartments Wohngemeinschaft (WG), apartments, or rooms in a local dormitory. These options are more expensive than the average rental price in the city. On the other hand, educational institutions have been cooperating with apartment owners for years and provide guarantees. Before signing a rental agreement, it is a good idea to ask for photos of the rooms and contact the owners before arrival.
If you plan to take a language course at a university, we recommend staying in a dormitory. This will reduce your expenses and give you the opportunity to communicate regularly with native speakers. By the way, we recommend attending meetings with a language partner (Sprachtandem) alongside your classes. You can find a partner on the portal Tandempartners.
The first thing to find out from the language school is how many hours you will study in total. If less than 18 hours per week, you will not be issued a Schengen visa. Immediately after paying for the course, the school should send a confirmation with the address of the institution, duration and cost of the course. This document will be needed to submit an application to the visa center. In addition, the number of hours may include an online component. This means that you will do some assignments at home on the computer, not in the classroom with the teacher.
Another important nuance is the number of people in the group. In overcrowded classes, the learning outcome will be lower, so it is better to aim for a maximum of 12-15 people. Premium courses in small groups and individual lessons are more expensive (1700-2000 euros per month), but will bring more results if you are aiming to pass an exam.
Excursions, trips to neighboring cities, visits to the theater and cinema – what can the language school offer? If entertainment is part of your summer plans, ask the organizers if they have a cultural program.
At the end of the training, you must be issued a certificate of completion of the course, which should indicate the number of hours, duration and level of the group. It is worth finding out whether the educational institution provides a discount on taking official exams – Test DaF or DSH.