Content and schedule of an integration course
The government’s integration course consists of a language course and an orientation course. It concludes after a total of 645 lessons (the number of lessons may vary on special courses) with a graded language test and a nationwide test on the orientation course. The objective is for all candidates to achieve language level B1 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEF) and to have gained an insight into Germany’s legal system, culture and history.
The language course’s structure and topics
Attendees learn German over a total of 600 lessons on a comprehensive language course. It comprises a basic course and a follow-on language course each consisting of 300 lessons. These are both made up of three modules each consisting of 100 lessons. The number of hours may vary on special integration courses.
The language course will cover important aspects of everyday life, e.g.
- shopping and living
- health
- work and career
- educating and raising children
- leisure time and social interaction
- media and mobility.
Attendees will also learn how to write letters and e-mails in German, to fill in forms and to apply for jobs.
Course providers are obliged to carry out an assessment test, the results of which should help to place each participant on the most suitable course module. The assessment should also reveal whether a specialist integration course as defined in § 13 of the Ordinance on Integration Courses (IntV) should be recommended.
With the course provider's consent, attendees may change, skip or repeat levels at the beginning of a new course module.
Basic course and follow-on language course
The topics studied on the basic language course are expanded and consolidated on the follow-on language course. Course providers carry out an interim test at the end of both the basic course and the follow-on language course. The intermediate tests are intended to monitor the attendees’ achievement level and to prepare them for the test at the end of the integration course.
Orientation course
A 45-hour orientation course follows on from the language course. Attendees study Germany’s culture, history and legal system on this course. They learn important facts about life in Germany, and about the democratic system and values that are of essential importance to us. Immigrants also learn about regional customs and about Germany’s cultural and historical background.
Framework curriculum for a nationwide orientation course
The "Curriculum for a nationwide orientation course" is the obligatory core of material used on orientation courses in Germany. The curriculum forms the basis for developing the standardised nationwide tests for the orientation course, which was launched on 1 January 2009.
Curriculum framework for integration courses – German as a second language
The "Curriculum framework for integration courses – German as a second language" forms the basis of language tuition on integration courses. The graded language examination "Deutsch-Test für Zuwanderer" (DTZ) that is carried out at the end of the language course is also based on this.
The curriculum framework highlights areas of life that are common to immigrants in Germany. Using a comprehensive list of learning objectives, it describes the language they need to deal with the challenges of everyday life. Course designers, examination setters and textbook authors can also use this list to produce their own objectives and lesson plans for their respective target groups.Teachers of German as a second language will also find in the curriculum framework a valuable core of material on which to base their teaching objectives and lessons.
The "Curriculum framework for integration courses – German as a second language" has been developed by the Goethe-Institut on behalf of the Federal Ministry of the Interior (BMI) and can be downloaded.
Full time or part time?
As a matter of principle, the integration course is offered as a full-time course. In exceptional cases, such as if the attendee has a job for example, the course may be attended on a part-time basis.
Repeating course modules
Attendees may repeat 300 lessons on the language course if they have attended the integration course in accordance with the rules (this also requires the full quota of lessons to have been used up) and they have not achieved language level B1 in the language examination (A2 or B1).The attendee must apply in writing to the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees for permission to repeat a course module.
Participants may also repeat individual modules of the language course at their own expense if they have reached the maximum number of funded lessons (including repeating 300 lessons).
