Learning German
| Route | German needed |
|---|---|
| Spouse of a German (Family) | A1 before arrival (§ 28 (1) S. 5 with § 30 (1) S. 1 Nr. 2) |
| Spouse of most foreign residents | A1, with exceptions (§ 30 (1) S. 3) |
| Child aged 16 or over joining a parent | per the embassy C1, with exceptions (Family) |
| Ausbildung (§ 16a (3)) | B1, unless the institution tests the language or a preparatory German course is planned |
| Recognition partnership (§ 16d (3)) | A2 ("hinreichend", § 2 (10)) |
| Opportunity Card (§ 20a) | A1 German or B2 English, as one of the entry options |
| Settlement permit, skilled worker (§ 18c) | B1 |
| Study | per programme; Studienkolleg is in German |
| Naturalisation | B1 |
A2 is "hinreichend" (§ 2 (10) AufenthG), B1 "ausreichend" (§ 2 (11)).
Which certificates count
- The embassy accepts only certificates from ALTE-certified exams (TestDaF, Goethe-Institut, ÖSD, telc, ECL). The exam date of the oldest module must be at most one year old. ECL certificates count only with at least 60 percent in every module, for applications from 1 August 2026 (embassy page, German).
- The embassy has a page on learning German. Test centres, exam dates and prices in Cameroon were not checked; pay only the exam centre, and see Scams.
A question this page does not answer? Contact us. Free orientation only, no legal advice for individual cases.