Learn German
German opens up your career, your PR, and your citizenship, and there's a government-subsidised path to B1 most Indians don't know they qualify for. Here's the full roadmap.
You can get by in English in big-city tech jobs for a while — but German is what unlocks the rest of your life here: better jobs, real friendships, dealing with any Amt, and the legal milestones below. B1 is the level that matters most.
The levels, and what each unlocks
German uses the CEFR scale, A1 (beginner) to C2 (near-native).
Which milestone needs which German level
What it is
700 lessons total: 600 hours of German (A1 → B1) plus a 100-hour orientation course (Orientierungskurs) that also prepares you for the "Leben in Deutschland" / citizenship test.
Cost
You pay €2.29 per lesson (about €1,600 for the full course). If you receive Jobcenter/social benefits, or your gross income is low, you can apply for a cost exemption (Kostenbefreiung) and pay nothing.
The 50% refund
If you pass the B1 (DTZ) exam within two years of your admission, you get half of your course fees back. Pass on time and the course is genuinely cheap.
Who can join
Non-EU residents with a residence permit are usually entitled (the Ausländerbehörde often notes this on your permit). EU citizens and others can join voluntarily if places are free.
2026 note
For 2026, BAMF paused new voluntary admissions (§44 Abs. 4) due to high demand — but entitled participants (§44 Abs. 1, most non-EU permit holders) are not affected. Check your entitlement with your local authority.
Where to enrol
Courses run at Volkshochschulen (VHS) and licensed language schools nationwide. Apply via the BAMF or your local Ausländerbehörde / VHS.
Volkshochschule (VHS)
State-run adult education centres in every town. Cheap, structured, in-person, and the main provider of Integration and exam-prep courses. The default choice for most.
Goethe-Institut
The gold standard, excellent (pricier) courses and globally recognised certificates. Has centres in India (Max Mueller Bhavan) if you want to start before moving.
Private & online schools
telc-licensed schools, Lingoda, DeutschAkademie, Babbel Live, Speakeasy — flexible online classes, intensive options, evening/weekend slots for working professionals.
Apps (self-study)
Duolingo and Busuu for daily habit, Anki for vocabulary (spaced repetition), DeutschAkademie's free grammar trainer, and Nicos Weg (free DW course) for structured A1–B2 video lessons.
Immersion & speaking
Tandem / HelloTalk language exchange, Meetup Stammtische, switching your phone to German, German Netflix with German subtitles. Speaking daily is what turns "I studied German" into "I speak German".
Free resources
Deutsche Welle (DW) "Nicos Weg" and "Deutsch Interaktiv", the VHS-Lernportal (free, used by Integration courses), and your city library's language section.
DTZ (Deutsch-Test für Zuwanderer)
The exam at the end of the Integration Course (A2–B1). The B1 result from the DTZ is accepted for permanent residence and citizenship.
telc / Goethe-Zertifikat (A1–C2)
Widely accepted, modular certificates for each level. telc B1/B2 and Goethe B1 are common for PR, citizenship and many jobs. A1 is often what spouses need for a family visa.
TestDaF / DSH
For university admission to German-taught degrees — usually need TestDaF (TDN 4) or DSH-2 (≈ C1). Don't use these for general purposes; they're academic.
Goethe in India
You can sit Goethe exams at Goethe-Institut / Max Mueller Bhavan centres in India, useful to arrive with A1/A2 already certified.
A realistic A1 → B1 roadmap
Typical time to B1 with steady effort: 9–18 months. Intensive courses can do it faster.