Learning German from Iran
German is the step that decides how fast every other step goes. Start before you have chosen a route.
Where
- Online courses and private teachers, and German departments or language schools in Iran. Their own certificates do not count for the visa; only the exams below do.
- We could not confirm which test centres currently operate in Iran. Secondary sources report that the Goethe-Institut's partner institute in Tehran was closed in August 2024. Check the exam provider's website for the nearest centre and its rules before you plan travel.
- The DAAD and Make it in Germany list free information on language learning.
Which certificates count
- The German missions accept certificates from ALTE-standardised tests: Goethe, telc, ÖSD, TestDaF (from B2), ECL, DSD/KMK.
- Check the mission's leaflet for your route: some ask for a recent certificate.
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 |
| 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 |
| Spouse joining a partner | usually A1, with exceptions – see Family |
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.
A question this page does not answer? Contact us. Free orientation only, no legal advice for individual cases.