1. What is the Integrationskurs?
The Integrationskurs is Germany's official state-subsidised integration programme, run by the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF). It combines a full German language course up to level B1 with a civic orientation course about German law, history and everyday culture. It is by far the cheapest structured way to learn German — and for many residence permits it is not optional.
Courses run everywhere in Germany, from Volkshochschulen (adult education centres) to private language schools, in full-time (usually mornings, 4–5 days a week) and part-time evening formats. Online and hybrid formats have also become common since 2020.
💡 In one sentence: around 700 lessons for roughly €1,600 (often free), ending in two exams that give you the Zertifikat Integrationskurs — a document that helps with your settlement permit and citizenship later.
2. Who can attend — and who must
There are three ways into the course. Which one applies to you determines your paperwork:
Entitled (Berechtigung)
If you receive a German residence permit for work, family reunification or as a permanent resident, you are generally entitled to attend once. The Ausländerbehörde often hands you the entitlement certificate (Berechtigungsschein) together with your permit.
Obliged (Verpflichtung)
The immigration office or Jobcenter can oblige you to attend — typically if you cannot yet communicate in simple German or receive benefits. Ignoring an obligation can affect permit renewals and benefits, so take the letter seriously.
On request (Zulassung)
EU citizens and some other residents are not automatically entitled but can apply for admission to BAMF with a simple form if places are available. Brazilians with an EU passport (Italian, Portuguese…) use this route.
The admission application form is available on the BAMF site: Participation and costs (BAMF).
3. Course structure: 700 lesson units in two blocks
The general integration course consists of 700 Unterrichtseinheiten (lesson units of 45 minutes each):
| Block | Units | Content |
|---|---|---|
| Sprachkurs (language course) | 600 UE | Six modules of 100 units each, from A1 to B1. You start at the module matching your placement test (Einstufungstest) — if you already have A2, you skip ahead and pay less. |
| Orientierungskurs (orientation course) | 100 UE | German politics and law, history, religious diversity, everyday culture. Ends with the "Leben in Deutschland" test. |
Special variants exist with more hours and tailored pacing: Alphabetisierungskurs (literacy course), Frauenintegrationskurs (women's course, often with childcare), Jugendintegrationskurs (for under-27s), and Intensivkurs (430 units for fast learners). Full-time courses take roughly 6–8 months; evening courses can take over a year.
4. Costs, exemptions and the 50% refund
- Standard contribution: €2.29 per lesson unit — about €1,603 for the full 700 units (less if you skip modules). You pay per module block in advance, not all at once. Verify the current rate on the BAMF cost FAQ.
- Full exemption (Kostenbefreiung): if you receive Bürgergeld or other benefits, or if paying would be an unreasonable hardship, apply for exemption with the BAMF form before the course starts. Late-repatriates and some protection-status holders attend free.
- 50% refund (Rückerstattung): pass the DTZ final exam within two years of your entitlement being issued and you can apply to get half your contribution back — a strong incentive to finish.
- Travel subsidy: exempted participants can also apply for a travel-cost allowance (Fahrtkostenzuschuss) if the course is far from home.
ℹ️ Compare that with the market: a commercial B1 pathway at a private language school typically costs €3,000–6,000. Even paying the full contribution, the Integrationskurs costs a fraction of that — and the certificate carries legal weight the private courses do not.
5. How to enrol, step by step
- Get your entitlement. Check whether your residence permit came with a Berechtigungsschein. If not, download and submit the admission application to your regional BAMF office (your local course provider will happily help — they want the enrolment).
- Find a course provider. Use the official BAMF-NAvI course finder to list licensed providers near you — Volkshochschule (VHS) is the classic choice in most cities; big providers include also private academies and charities (AWO, Caritas, DRK).
- Apply for cost exemption at the same time if you qualify (see section 4) — approval must exist before the module starts.
- Take the placement test (Einstufungstest). Free, at the provider. It decides which of the six modules you start in.
- Register for a starting date. Popular full-time morning courses in big cities (Berlin, Munich, Frankfurt, Nuremberg) can have waiting lists of 1–3 months — register early and put yourself on lists at two or three providers.
- Attend consistently. Providers report attendance to BAMF; you need regular participation to sit the subsidised exam and to claim the refund later.
6. The exams: DTZ and "Leben in Deutschland"
DTZ — Deutsch-Test für Zuwanderer
The language block ends with the DTZ, a scaled exam that certifies either A2 or B1 depending on your performance. It has four parts: listening, reading, writing (a semi-formal letter or email), and a 15-minute speaking exam in pairs. Aim for B1 — that is the level that counts for the certificate and for citizenship. If you land at A2, you can repeat 300 units once (Wiederholerstunden) and retake the exam, usually still subsidised.
LiD — Leben in Deutschland
The orientation block ends with the Leben in Deutschland test: 33 multiple-choice questions drawn from a public catalogue of 460 questions (including a few about your federal state). The pass threshold is modest, and with the free official practice tool almost everyone passes. Score high enough (17+) and the same test doubles as the Einbürgerungstest (citizenship test) — one exam, two uses. Practice online free at the official BAMF question catalogue.
Pass both and you receive the Zertifikat Integrationskurs.
7. What the certificate unlocks
- Settlement permit (Niederlassungserlaubnis): the certificate is the standard proof of the required German level and civic knowledge.
- Faster naturalisation: successful completion can reduce the residence years required for German citizenship — and the LiD result can double as your citizenship test.
- Permit renewals: for anyone with an integration obligation, completion is checked at renewal time.
- Work and daily life: B1 is the practical threshold for most non-English-bubble jobs, dealing with the Bürgeramt, parent-teacher meetings and doctors' visits. It is also where Germany starts feeling like home instead of an obstacle course.
💡 Planning your wider move? The Integrationskurs is step one of a bigger sequence — see the IC360 Germany Country Path for the full order of operations (Anmeldung → bank → insurance → permit), and practice daily German with the flashcards and AI language coach in our Language pillar.
8. Tips from people who did it — and FAQ
- Register before you "feel ready". The placement test handles your level — waiting until your German is "good enough" only wastes months.
- Morning intensive beats evening slow. Completion rates are far higher in full-time courses; if your visa situation allows it, front-load the effort.
- Choose the provider by exam licence. Providers that run DTZ exams in-house save you the stress of an unfamiliar exam venue.
- Keep every receipt. You will want them for the 50% refund and, in some cases, for tax deductions.
- Speak from day one. Join a Stammtisch or tandem partner alongside the course — the exam's speaking part rewards real conversational reflexes. Find people on the same route in the IC360 Community.
Can I do the Integrationskurs online?
Partly. BAMF licenses virtual classroom formats with live teachers; fully self-paced online learning does not count. Availability varies by provider and period — check BAMF-NAvI.
I already speak some German. Do I have to sit through A1?
No. The placement test puts you into the right module, and you only pay for the modules you attend.
Is the course available outside big cities?
Yes — the provider network covers small towns too, though start dates are less frequent. Nuremberg, for example, has multiple providers with monthly full-time starts.
Does the Integrationskurs count for the EU Blue Card?
The Blue Card itself doesn't require German, but the certificate helps you reach the settlement permit faster (21 or 27 months depending on language level — B1 gets you the shorter track). Details in our Brazil → Germany route guide.
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