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German language

Group of multi-ethnic young people having fun outside Goethe-Institut, Sonja Tobias

Group of multi-ethnic young people having fun outside Goethe-Institut, Sonja Tobias

We teach German worldwide

The Goethe-Institut strives to establishing the German language in the educational systems of the host countries and qualifies teachers. Every year more than a million people worldwide take a German exam at the Goethe-Institut and its partner-organizations. Our language course system comprises of modular German courses for adults at all levels, courses for children and young people, as well as preparatory language courses.

15.5M

people around the world learn German as a foreign language. 

1M

German exams were taken at the Goethe-Institut exam centres in 2024.

9.1M

visits were recorded on our online learning platform in one year. 

7,100

teachers of German as a foreign language took part in our certification programmes within one year.

Learn German

Learn German with success in more than 90 countries on-site at your Goethe-Institut or online.

or

Practise German for free

German exams A1–C2

Would you like to book an exam at one of our exam centres or contact our colleagues on site? You can find our locations worldwide here.

Exam venues worldwide

For further information please contact the nearest Goethe-Institut to find out whether the digital German exams are part of their portfolio.

German lessons

Teach German like a pro: Our qualified trainings take your German lessons to the next level. 

or

Discover online trainings

Our multi-pronged efforts to promote the German language

Our multi-pronged efforts to promote the German language

German courses

Whether in Germany, in your country or online, we’re reliable partners with a pool of highly qualified teachers for effective German learning.

German exams

We administer German language exams worldwide for levels A1–C2. Goethe-Institut language certificates are internationally recognized as proof of German language proficiency for academic and professional purposes.

Skilled workers from abroad

The Goethe-Institut has many years’ experience in providing intercultural and language training to prepare foreigners for life and work in Germany.

Teaching German

We provide practically oriented training for German language teachers using approaches and formats that have been tried and tested all over the world. We offer both in-person and online training programmes. We also help teachers draw up curricula and provide a wide range of useful teaching materials.

Language and education policy

We are actively involved in international committees and associations and our Goethe-Institut networks promote German language learning, multilingualism and the internationalization of schools.

Current trends

We stay on top of current trends in foreign language learning to make sure our various courses, tests and teacher training programmes around the world are always up to date and state-of-the-art.

Study preparation

Our university prep programmes provide foreign students with optimized preparation for the subject-related, linguistic and intercultural challenges of studying in Germany. This is our way of helping to internationalize academic research and the labour market.

Focus on language

Pre-Integration and Transition management

We support people who wish to migrate to Germany on a permanent basis for professional or personal reasons by preparing them for day-to-day living and the workplace.

A woman with two children from behind in a street © Goethe-Institut / Louisa Marie Summer © Goethe-Institut / Louisa Marie Summer

Learn German Online

Learn German anytime and anywhere! Whether it’s a group course or individual tutoring, on our online platform, challenging and varied assignments introduce you to lots of topical and interesting subjects.

Konferenztisch von oben: jeweils zwei Hände an zwei Laptops, zwei Hände mit Stift über zwei Notizblöcken, Getränke Goethe-Institut © Gettyimages Goethe-Institut © Gettyimages

Deutsch Lehren Lernen

Our programmes of basic and advanced teacher training provide professional qualifications for teachers of German as a foreign or second language. The object is to hone their teaching skills, e.g. by enabling them to sit in on classes and consider ways of optimizing teaching methods and approaches.

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