FAQs About Learning German - Germany.IIEPassport.org Info Center

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On your way to studying in Germany? Still trying to find the right program for you? This resource center will help you find your way -- before you leave and once you've arrived. Learn about new opportunities for study, internships, or research; find out how good your German really has to be; or check out what other students have done in their programs in Germany. Keep checking back for more!

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FAQs About Learning German
You may have already mastered the past perfect, or you may be just able to wish you dinner companions a hearty, "Guten Appetit!" before eating. No matter what your current level of German is, there are plenty of ways to work on your German language skills both in Germany and here in North America. We've put together a list of frequently asked questions to help guide your way. Do Germany's higher education institutions offer summer courses? Yes, a large number of language courses and courses on music and area studies are offered by the German higher education institutions in the summer vacation. See Summer Courses in Germany for more information. Do I need to be proficient in German if I want to study in Germany? The International Degree Programs offer opportunities for taking German language courses parallel to the degree course itself and don't require prior knowledge. These degree courses are partly or even completely instructed in English in the first academic year. For all other degree courses, you should definitely begin attending German courses while still in your home country. Before being admitted to higher education for a full degree course you will be required to take a German language proficiency test "Deutsche Sprachprüfung für den Hochschulzugang" (DSH). Find more information about the exam here. Where can I learn German? You are technically allowed to take the language examinations to prove that your German is good enough for admission to higher education (DSH and TestDaF) without first having to attend any language preparation courses. It is, however, advisable in most cases. German language courses will be offered in your home country by the Goethe-Institut, as well as by other institutions, such as universities. You can find a list of places to learn German in North America here. In Germany, language preparation courses are offered by various institutions under various terms and conditions: At higher education institutions and Studienkollegs (university preparatory courses), at Goethe-Institute centers, at Carl-Duisberg-Centers, at Volkshochschulen (evening schools/adult education colleges), as well as at private language schools. A list of the German language courses offered by higher education institutions in Germany and by non-university providers is available on the FaDaF homepage: www.fadaf.de. You can also find opportunities for learning German - in Germany and in your home country - on the Internet. The addresses below will inform you about the various online programs and services: Learn German - Institutes in Germany http://www.uni-deutsch.de http://www.godaf.de http://www.goethe.de/dll/mat/lpr/web/deindex.htm http://www.goethe.de/dll/mat/cfe/prj/deindex.htm http://dw-world.de/german/0,3367,2055,00.html http://www.slf.ruhr-uni-bochum.de/help/testdaf-deu.html http://call.tu-dresden.de/module/testdaf.htm What demands will my German language skills face when I study at a German higher education institution? In many degree courses, students in Germany enjoy a relatively large degree of freedom. They may - naturally within the scope of the relevant study and examination regulations - decide largely for themselves which courses they wish to attend and how they build their timetable. Students in Germany are expected to be very independent. This is why they must be good enough at German to be able to understand course catalogues, seminar announcements, study conditions and similar information or must at least be able to ask when they are uncertain. This means that they must have a good knowledge of everyday language. Higher education institutions offer various kinds of lectures and courses which place various kinds of demands on students' language skills.