How does the German integration course work in 2026?

A general course usually runs about 700 teaching units: language modules toward everyday German, then an Orientierungskurs covering legal order, history, and daily life. Special formats exist for parents, youth, women, or literacy needs, with different hour counts.

The language exit exam is the Deutsch-Test für Zuwanderer (DTZ), which can result in A2 or B1. The orientation section ends with Leben in Deutschland. Passing the language target at B1 plus the orientation test leads to the Zertifikat Integrationskurs. That B1 result is widely useful for later residence and naturalisation files: German exam certificates and German language requirements.

Entitlement, obligation, and voluntary admission depend on residence status, language level, and the Ausländerbehörde or BAMF decision. EU citizens generally have no automatic claim but may be admitted when places and rules allow. School-age children use school language support instead of this adult course.

When a contribution applies, BAMF publishes a per-lesson rate paid to the course provider in sections; exemptions and partial refunds after successful completion exist for qualifying participants. Discretionary admissions also depend on available places and federal funding, so check the current BAMF notices and your local office before budgeting around a free seat.

Find providers through BAMF course search tools and local Volkshochschulen. If you cannot join an Integrationskurs quickly, a VHS or private Goethe-style class still moves you toward the same CEFR targets: How hard is German.