Learning German in China
German is the step that decides how fast every other step goes. Start before you have chosen a route.
Where
- Goethe-Institut China in Beijing and Shanghai, plus partner language centres in other cities.
- German departments of Chinese universities and the many private language schools. Their own certificates do not count for the visa; only the exams below do.
- Course and exam prices in China were not checked for this site. Look up the current price list of the exam centre before you book.
Which certificates count
- The German missions accept certificates from ALTE-standardised tests: Goethe, telc, ÖSD, TestDaF (from B2), ECL, DSD/KMK.
- The exam should normally be at most 1 year old when you apply.
- The APS interview is held in German or English, but it is not a language exam.
Level by route
| Route | German |
|---|---|
| Degree studies taught in German | usually C1 (TestDaF, DSH) |
| Studienkolleg | about B2 |
| Ausbildung | B1 for qualified training, otherwise usually at least A2 (Embassy leaflet) |
| Opportunity Card | A1 German or B2 English |
| Skilled worker | often B1 to B2, depending on profession and employer; Blue Card: none by law |
| Nursing (recognition route) | B1, B2 for the licence |
Continuing in Berlin
Once you are here, vocational language courses (Berufssprachkurse) run through BAMF take you from B1 to B2 and higher, and the Berlin Volkshochschulen are the cheapest general option. See After arrival in Berlin.
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