Free German Courses in Germany (Kostenlose Deutschkurse): 8 Routes and What They Really Cost
Yes, but few are free with no conditions. The main free German courses in Germany are BAMF’s job-related courses (Berufssprachkurse), free for jobseekers and for employees below an income limit, and the integration course, which costs 2.29 euros per lesson unless you are exempt. Volkshochschulen are cheap, not free. Online courses, language cafés and tandems cost nothing.
Checked in October 2026 against bamf.de (integration course pages for each participant group, Berufssprachkurse, Job-BSK), the Bundestag’s press service on the 2026 admission stop, and the University of Göttingen and Munich public library pages. BAMF rules changed twice in 2026, so check the current page for your group before you apply.
All routes at a glance
| Route | Who can use it | Cost to you | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Integration course (Integrationskurs) | People with a residence permit for work, family or humanitarian reasons; others only if places are free | 2.29 euros per lesson (1,603 euros for 700 lessons); free if exempt; 50% back if you pass in time | Up to B1 (DTZ) |
| Berufssprachkurs (job-related course) | After the integration course or with B1; jobseekers, employees, trainees, people in recognition | Free for jobseekers, benefit recipients and lower earners; employees above an income limit pay 2.56 euros per lesson; 50% back if you pass | B1 to C2 (A2 paused in 2026) |
| Job-BSK | Employees with at least A2 | Usually free | Workplace German, 100 to 150 lessons |
| Jobcenter or Agentur für Arbeit | People receiving benefits | Free (they issue the entitlement) | As above |
| Employer-paid course | Employees | Paid by the employer | Any |
| Volkshochschule (VHS) | Anyone | Low fee, not free | A1 to C1 |
| University language centre | Enrolled students | Free at some universities, paid at others | Varies |
| Online courses, language cafés, tandems | Anyone | Free | Any, practice only for cafés and tandems |
1. Is the integration course free?
Not automatically. The integration course is BAMF’s main German course for new residents:
- Length: 700 lessons in the general course (600 for language, 100 for the orientation part), 500 in the intensive course, up to 900 in special courses. If you do not pass, you can apply once to repeat up to 300 lessons of the language part.
- Goal: B1, tested with the Deutsch-Test für Zuwanderer (DTZ), which certifies A2 or B1. The orientation part ends with the “Leben in Deutschland” test.
- Cost: 2.29 euros per lesson, so 1,603 euros for 700 lessons (2.20 euros if you registered before 1 August 2022).
- Exemption: possible if you receive Grundsicherungsgeld, Arbeitslosengeld or Hilfe zum Lebensunterhalt, if paying would be a particular hardship, or if you work and your gross pay is below a threshold that rises with children.
- Money back: if you pass the final exam within two years of receiving your entitlement (three years in courses for special target groups), you can apply for 50 percent of your contribution back.
- Travel costs: if you are exempt from the fee and the walk to the course is at least 5 km, you may get a travel allowance.
The 2026 admission problem. People with a legal entitlement (for example most holders of a work or family residence permit) and people obliged to attend by the Ausländerbehörde or Jobcenter are admitted through that route. Everyone else depends on a discretionary admission. On 9 February 2026, BAMF stopped these admissions for asylum applicants, people with a Duldung, Ukrainian nationals and EU citizens “until further notice”, according to the Bundestag’s press service. BAMF’s page for EU citizens, updated in August 2026, now says admission is granted within the available course places, which depend on the budget. In practice: apply, but have a second route ready. The exams themselves are covered in the DTZ explained.
2. What is a Berufssprachkurs?
A Berufssprachkurs (BSK) is BAMF’s job-related German course. It comes in two forms: basic courses that end with a certificate exam (A2, B1, B2, C1, C2) and special courses for fields such as health professions, plus workplace, apprenticeship and early-education variants.
- Who: people whose first language is not German who have finished the integration course or have at least B1, and who are registered as jobseekers, receive benefits, are in training or recognition, or work and need better German.
- Cost: free for jobseekers and benefit recipients. Employees pay nothing if their gross pay is no more than 33 percent of the annual pension contribution ceiling (about 33,460 euros in 2026 by our calculation; the limit rises by 10 percent for each eligible child). Above that, you pay 2.56 euros per lesson, which BAMF calculates as 1,024 euros for a 400-lesson course. If you pass, you can apply for half of it back.
- How to get in: with an entitlement (Berechtigung). The Jobcenter or Agentur für Arbeit issues it if you receive benefits; BAMF issues it if you work, train or are in recognition.
2026 status. BAMF’s page, updated on 5 October 2026, says B1, C1, C2 and Fachpraxis courses can run again from 1 October 2026, B2 and workplace-related courses continued, and A2 courses plus the trade, technical and retail courses are still not offered.
Nurses and other health professionals have their own BAMF course from B1 to B2 (600 lessons); the details are in German courses for nurses.
3. Jobcenter and Agentur für Arbeit: who pays the German course?
If you receive benefits, your caseworker is the gate to free courses. They issue the entitlement for a Berufssprachkurs, and the Jobcenter can also oblige you to attend the integration course. Ask before you pay for any course yourself.
What to say:
- Ich möchte mein Deutsch für die Arbeit verbessern. Kann ich einen Berufssprachkurs machen? (I want to improve my German for work. Can I do a job-related language course?)
- Können Sie mir eine Berechtigung für den Kurs ausstellen? (Can you issue me an entitlement for the course?)
- Werden die Fahrtkosten übernommen? (Are travel costs covered?)
Practise your German out loud with SipLingo, free to try on iPhone and Android:
4. Employer-paid courses
Two common forms:
- Job-BSK through BAMF. According to BAMF, 100 to 150 lessons over roughly two to three months, alongside work, at the workplace, online or hybrid. It is usually free for participants, needs at least A2, and the employer must give you time off or reduced hours.
- A private course paid by your employer. Common in nursing, care, logistics and IT. Before you accept, ask whether you have to repay the course if you leave within a certain time, and whether lessons count as working time.
German phrase for HR: Übernimmt die Firma die Kosten für einen Deutschkurs? (Does the company cover the cost of a German course?)
5. Volkshochschule: cheap, not free
The Volkshochschulen (adult-education centres) are the cheapest regular classroom option outside BAMF courses. They charge a fee per course block, and many also run integration courses and Berufssprachkurse. Ask your local VHS whether it offers a reduced fee (Ermäßigung). Example prices from several cities, with the cost per lesson, are in German course cost from A1 to B2.
6. University language centres
If you are enrolled at a German university, check its language centre (Sprachenzentrum) first. The University of Göttingen, for example, states that all its students can take language courses, German included, free of charge after a placement test. Other universities charge a semester fee or limit places, so read your own university’s page. Some, such as the University of Münster, also run intensive courses for exchange students.
7. Free online courses
Free online material from the Goethe-Institut, Deutsche Welle and the vhs-Lernportal covers A1 to B2 and more. We compared what each one offers in best free German learning apps, so here is the short version: use one of them as your main path if you cannot attend a class, and add speaking practice, because self-study platforms give you little feedback on how you speak.
8. Language cafés, libraries and tandems
These are free conversation practice, not courses:
- Sprachcafé: public libraries and community centres host conversation groups. Munich’s public library, for example, runs a Sprachcafé Deutsch with volunteer moderators, open to learners of any country and age. Check your library’s events page.
- Tandem: you teach your language, a German speaker teaches theirs. Universities, VHS and community centres often run tandem boards.
- Volunteering: sports clubs, food banks and parents’ groups give you German without a classroom.
A sentence to start a Sprachcafé conversation: Hallo, ich bin neu hier. Ich lerne seit drei Monaten Deutsch. (Hi, I am new here. I have been learning German for three months.)
Where SipLingo fits
SipLingo is not free: after a 3-day trial it costs 7.99 USD a month, or 49.99 USD a year after a 7-day trial (check the store for your local price). What it adds to a free course is speaking time: voice conversations with an AI partner in 200+ everyday situations, corrections in your own language and scores for Word accuracy, Grammar, Fluency and Intonation. Use the free trial to see whether daily speaking practice helps you between classes. Try SipLingo free.
Which route fits your situation?
Most learners combine two of the free German courses in Germany: one structured course and one free practice route.
| Your situation | Start here | Then |
|---|---|---|
| New in Germany with a work or family residence permit | Integration course (ask about exemption) | Berufssprachkurs B1 or B2 |
| Receiving benefits | Ask the Jobcenter or Agentur für Arbeit for an entitlement | Berufssprachkurs |
| Employed, need better German for work | Job-BSK or Berufssprachkurs via BAMF | Employer-paid course |
| EU citizen | Apply for the integration course (no guaranteed place in 2026) | VHS course plus a Sprachcafé |
| Enrolled student | University language centre | Tandem |
| Nurse or care worker with B1 | BAMF health-professions course | Exam-prep course |
Official sources
For the official details and the latest updates, see:
- BAMF: BAMF: integration courses overview – Official hub for state-funded integration courses (language + orientation)
- BAMF: BAMF: job-related German courses (Berufssprachkurse) – Free/low-cost A2–C2 job courses incl. health professions; €2.56/unit if income >€20k
- Make it in Germany (Federal Government): German language classes: course types and exams – Goethe, integration, vhs, online and job-related courses; recognised exams
Frequently asked questions
Can I study German for free in Germany?
Yes, if you qualify for a BAMF course: job-related courses are free for jobseekers, benefit recipients and employees below an income limit, and the integration course is free if you are exempt from the fee. Language cafés, tandems and online courses are free for everyone.
Who pays for the German course (Wer zahlt den Deutschkurs)?
BAMF funds the integration course and the job-related courses, with a contribution from participants who are not exempt. The Jobcenter or Agentur für Arbeit issues the entitlement if you receive benefits, and some employers pay for courses themselves.
Is the integration course free?
Not automatically. It costs 2.29 euros per lesson, or 1,603 euros for 700 lessons; people on certain benefits or low incomes can be exempt, and those who pass in time can get half back.
What is a Berufssprachkurs?
A job-related German course run by BAMF for people who have finished the integration course or have at least B1. It is free for jobseekers, and employees above an income limit pay 2.56 euros per lesson.
Where can I learn German for free online?
The Goethe-Institut, Deutsche Welle and the vhs-Lernportal all offer free online courses and exercises. They work best combined with regular speaking practice.
Free courses give you the structure; daily speaking makes it stick, so try one SipLingo conversation today.
