Teaching German

A leading German organisation with 159 locations worldwide, the Goethe-Institut’s mission is to promote German culture and advance the teaching and learning of German as a foreign language. Our institutes in London and Glasgow are committed to providing high-quality professional development training for teachers, free-of-charge teaching materials and countless initiatives for students and learners to make learning German fun and easy.

Teaching German

Funded Professional Development

It's on us!

Boost your language skills — in Germany!

Are you a language teacher in the United Kingdom, or training to become one, and want to brush up on your German language skills? Profit from our Professional Development Drive this autumn 2025 and apply now for the opportunity to receive a free German language course in Germany. Travel, accommodation and meals are included!

A yellow tram train © Unsplash © Unsplash

Free German courses | Online & in the UK

Vorsprung Deutsch

You cannot travel to Germany this autumn, but would still like to profit from our Professional Development Drive? You are a German teacher or studying to become one? Take a German course at the Goethe-Institut in the UK or an online course with our Vorsprung Deutsch programme. All you need to pay is £25 for an initial test, determining your current language level. Sign up here!
The GEM Network

Professional development directly at your school

Our German Expert Mentors (GEMs) Network delivers support to German departments and professional upskilling to German teachers in schools across the UK. Part of a nationwide network, our GEMs will coach and mentor language-teaching professionals, supply updated teaching resources and materials, and re-energise language learning free of charge, directly at your school. If you partner with a second school, GEMs can also provide a professional development course at your school or in your area.

I would wholeheartedly recommend the Goethe-Institut's immersive professional development to any teacher of German in the UK. It is an inspiring, practical, and energising experience that not only builds cultural knowledge but also provides ready-to-use material and ideas for teaching. Berlin won’t just be a topic in my classroom anymore — it will be a journey my students and I can share together.

Sonja Fedrizzi, Modern Languages Teacher at Broughton High School, Edinburgh

Sonja Fedrizzi in front of the Bode museum © private

Professional Development offers

Goethe-Institut in Germany

Partake in one of the Goethe-Institut Germany's many professional development offers. If you are thinking about taking part in a course, we would be happy to consider your application for a grant.
Apply now by 3^rd of November!

Application: Grant for a Professional Development in 2026

Professional Development in Germany

A wide range of face-to-face and blended learning courses at Goethe-Instituts in Germany – expand your skills as a German as a foreign language teacher or trainer in the areas of methodology/didactics, regional studies and media didactics. Benefit from exchanges with colleagues from all over the world.

Schedule 2026(PDF, 153 KB)

Fachkräftequalifizierung © Getty Images © Getty Images

Deutsch Lehren Lernen (DLL)

With our regional DLL courses you will have the opportunity to share and refresh your specialist knowledge with German teachers from the Northwestern Europe region (Ireland, UK, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Netherlands). You will gradually develop your professional skills by trying out new things and reflecting on your own teaching.

DLL © GettyImages © GettyImages

For Teachers

GIMAGINE for Teachers

GIMAGINE is the Goethe-Institut's latest initiative to support schools and teaching professionals. It provides free classroom materials and teaching resources, scholarships for students and teachers who want to learn German, and creates initiatives and cultural exchanges, to motivate learners and teaching professionals.

© Jayne Lloyd © Jayne Lloyd
Vorsprung Deutsch

Is your German Department facing a short-term recruitment issue? Do you have classes which are having to be taught by non-specialist German teachers? Through our programme “Vorsprung Deutsch” (part of the GIMAGINE project), we can support you or individual students until the department has got back on its feet again. The GIMAGINE initiative is aimed at schools based in England. We are here to help!

©Goethe-Institut London ©Goethe-Institut London
Teaching Materials

Designed for teachers of German and leaders in education, these materials are carefully curated, and free of charge, to be used for in-class or remote instruction.

© Goethe-Institut © Goethe-Institut
Scholarships for German Teachers

The Goethe-Instituts UK offers a range of scholarships for which German teachers in the UK can apply.

© Goethe-Institut © Goethe-Institut
GETVICO24

The Goethe-Institut's online German teachers' conference GETVICO24 is entering its next round this year. Join us again on June 6/7, 2024 as a speaker and/or participant at our international conference.

© Goethe-Institut © Goethe-Institut

For Schools

GIMAGINE for Schools

For schools, we offer exciting projects to motivate students, provide tangible resources and materials, and can provide teaching services to schools who face an HR shortage.

© Jayne Lloyd © Jayne Lloyd
Initiative “Schools: Partners for the Future” (PASCH)

The “Schools: Partners for the Future” (PASCH) initiative creates a global network of more than 2,000 PASCH schools with particular ties to Germany.

© Keller © Keller

Fit for GCSE

Here you will find a wide range of teaching materials and free German exercises, compiled in accordance with subject areas of the British GSCE for German as a foreign language. The focus is on promoting the use of the German language in action-oriented lessons, communicative speaking and writing.