Content and scheduling

Each integration course consists of a language course and an orientation course. The general integration course comprises 660 lessons, and depending on the focus of the course that applies to you, the course could last for up to 960 lessons in total.

The language course

The language course comprises a total of 600 lessons on the general integration course, and up to 900 lessons on special courses.

The language course will cover important aspects of everyday life, e.g.

work and career,

basic and further training,

bringing up and raising children,

shopping/trade/consumption,

leisure time and social interaction,

health and hygiene/human body,

media and media use, and

housing.

You will also learn to write letters and e-mails in German, complete forms, make telephone calls and apply for jobs. Topics will vary depending on which type of course you attend. If for example you attend a youth integration course, you will deal with topics which are of particular interest to young people such as applying for an apprenticeship.

You will take intermediate tests during the language course. This will help you prepare for the final examination at the end of the integration course.

The orientation course

You will attend the orientation course after the language course. It takes 60 hours to complete.

In the orientation course you will discuss the following, for example:

the German legal system, history and culture,

rights and obligations in Germany,

ways of co-existing in society, and

important values in German society, e.g. freedom of worship, tolerance and equal rights.

You will complete the orientation course by taking the final examination.

Full time or part time?

There are full-time and part-time courses available. As a general rule, the integration course is attended on a full-time basis.

It is possible in exceptional cases to attend on a part-time basis, for example if you are employed. Afternoon and evening courses are also offered in these cases.

Other things you need to know

Before the integration course begins, the course provider will carry out an assessment test. The result will help determine which course module you should begin with and whether it would be useful for you to attend a special integration course.

If you have attended lessons according to the rules and have used up your full quota of lessons on the integration course but have not attained language level B1 in the language section of the final examination, you can apply to repeat 300 lessons on a one-off basis. You can then also re-sit the language examination once without paying a fee.

display as attention: Important information Please send the application to the regional office of the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees responsible for you.

Skipping course modules and changing course providers

You may skip course modules and you can repeat individual course modules, even if you have already attended 1,200 lessons. You must however pay for the course yourself in this case.

At the end of each course module (after 100 hours), you may also change to another course provider.

display as address: Information available locally You can obtain further information in your area from: youth migration services and Migration Advisory Services for Adult Immigrants,

the Office for Integration or the municipality's intercultural office,

cultural centres,

language schools and universities, and

the employment agency and job centres.