Learning German
German is the step that decides how fast every other step goes. Start before you have chosen a route.
Where
- The Goethe-Institut in Hanoi, plus licensed exam centres of the providers below. Other Goethe locations in Vietnam were not checked.
- German departments of Vietnamese universities and private language schools. Their own certificates do not count for the visa; only the exams below do.
- Course and exam prices in Vietnam were not checked for this site. Look up the exam centre's current price list before you book.
Which certificates count
- The Embassy Hanoi accepts Goethe, telc, ÖSD, TestDaF (from B2) and ECL.
- The certificate should be at most 12 months old when you apply.
- The APS interview is held in German or English, but it is not a language exam.
Level by route (Embassy Hanoi pages)
| Route | German |
|---|---|
| Degree studies taught in German | usually C1 (TestDaF, DSH), set by the university |
| Studienkolleg | about B2 |
| Search for a training place (§ 17 (1)) | B1 |
| Search for a study place (§ 17 (2)) | not confirmed |
| Ausbildung, including nursing training | B1; lower if the training includes a German course |
| Opportunity Card | A1 German or B2 English |
| Recognition partnership, qualification measure (§ 16d) | at least A2; in health professions usually B1 |
| Blue Card | none by law; employers often want B1 or more |
Continuing in Berlin
Once you are here, vocational language courses (Berufssprachkurse) run through BAMF take you from B1 to B2 and higher; integration courses are offered, among others, by Vietnamese-speaking providers, see Already in Berlin.
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