Integration language courses

The BWHW offers integration courses funded by the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees.

Integration courses

If you want to live in Germany, you should learn German. This is important when looking for a job, filling out applications, supporting your children in school, or meeting new people. You should also know a few things about Germany, such as its history, culture, and legal system.

Each integration course consists of a language course and an orientation course.

The language course lasts a total of 600 teaching units (UE) in the general integration course, up to 900 teaching units (UE) in the special courses, and 400 teaching units (UE) in the intensive course.
The language course covers important topics from everyday life, for example:

• Work and career
• Initial and continuing education
• Care and education of children
• Shopping/Trade/Consumption
• Leisure and social contacts
• Health and hygiene/human body
• Media and media use
• Reside.

You'll also learn how to write letters and emails, fill out forms, make phone calls, and apply for jobs in German. The language course concludes with the "German Test for Immigrants" (DTZ) exam.

The orientation course

Following the language course, you will attend the orientation course. This course comprises 100 teaching units (TU). The intensive course comprises 30 teaching units.

In the orientation course you will talk about, for example:

• the German legal system, history and culture
• Rights and obligations in Germany
• Forms of coexistence in society
• Values that are important in Germany, such as religious freedom, tolerance and equal rights for women and men.
• You will complete the orientation course with the final test "Living in Germany".

Literacy courses

Not only in the German population, but also among immigrants, there are people who cannot read and write sufficiently. Many of them face an additional hurdle: They must not only speak German but also learn to read and write in the Latin alphabet. Literacy courses help these people achieve this.

In the literacy course...

• In 1,000 lessons - and if they meet certain requirements, in a possible further 300 lessons - the participants experience that they too can learn to read and write successfully,
• is learned in small groups, so the teacher has more time for each participant,
• Participants learn what makes learning easier and how they can help themselves and each other to progress,
• the participants learn what they are capable of and that they too can actively participate in social life,
• Participants learn how to use a textbook in such a way that they can later attend other German courses or continue learning on their own.

Financial support

The prerequisite is a valid authorization from the issuing authority, e.g. immigration office, job center, Federal Office for Migration and Refugees.

Further information on the funding requirements can be found at:

BAMF - Federal Office for Migration and Refugees