Learning German
German decides how fast every other step goes. Start before you have chosen a route.
Where
- Goethe-Institut and partner centres in the region; locations on goethe.de.
- Licensed exam centres of telc and ÖSD, German departments of universities and private language schools. School certificates of their own do not count for the visa; only the exams below do.
- Course and exam prices in the region were not checked. Look up the current price list before you book.
Which certificates count
- The German missions accept certificates from ALTE-standardised tests: Goethe, telc, ÖSD, TestDaF (from B2), ECL, DSD/KMK.
- Kosovo: the Embassy in Pristina states that it does not accept telc certificates issued in Serbia. Take the exam at a centre the Embassy accepts.
Level by route
| Route | German |
|---|---|
| Western Balkans rule | none by law; nursing assistants B1 (Belgrade, Pristina); employers often ask more |
| Degree studies taught in German | usually C1 (TestDaF, DSH) |
| Studienkolleg | about B2 |
| Ausbildung | B1 as a rule |
| Opportunity Card | A1 German or B2 English |
| Skilled worker | often B1 to B2 depending on job; Blue Card: none by law |
| Nursing (recognition route) | B1, B2 for the licence |
Continuing in Berlin
Once here, vocational language courses (Berufssprachkurse) of the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF) take you from B1 upwards, and the Berlin Volkshochschulen are the cheapest general option. See After arrival.
A question this page does not answer? Contact us. Free orientation only, no legal advice for individual cases.