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German courses for members of the public

We offer various German classes based on the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR).

Wooden door wreath saying 'willkommen' (welcome), decorated with red hearts and bows.
Develop your German language and intercultural skills

I am very happy for the possibility to undertake this course and I also want to give a shout out to our teacher who is absolutely amazing and makes the classes super fun and relaxed German student, semester 1 2024-25

Available classes

The following German classes are available for members of the public, although not every class is available every semester. Check the class timetable below to see which classes are running this semester.

Complete Beginner (equivalent to CEFR level A1.1): This course is suitable for you if you have never studied German before.

Post Beginner (equivalent to CEFR level A1.2): Enrol on in this course class if you have completed the Complete Beginner course with us, or can:

  • use basic structures and vocabulary related to greetings, introductions, family, numbers, time, food
  • form simple sentences using present tense verbs, basic question forms and negations
  • engage in simple conversations

German for Business Complete Beginner and Post Beginner (equivalent to CEFR A1): Enrol in this class if you have never learnt German before and would like to learn the language for employment with German companies in the UK or abroad, or international companies trading with Germany. This class focuses on using the language in everyday situations alongside using German in work-specific contexts. It will give you the opportunity to:

  • start developing proficiency in the language
  • use the language within a work-related context
  • further your understanding of German society, culture and work environment
  • enhance your employability skills and employment opportunities

Accreditation for the business strand of our German courses is obtained by sitting the Goethe-Test PRO: Deutsch für den Beruf - Goethe-Institut Germany.

Elementary Part 1 (equivalent to CEFR level A2.1): Enrol in this class if you have completed the Post Beginner course with us, or have grades 4-6 in German GCSE or a similar qualification, or can:

  • use basic structures and vocabulary related to everyday topics
  • use the present and the perfect tense
  • engage in longer conversations on familiar topics and express basic opinions

Elementary Part 2 (equivalent to CEFR level A2.2): Enrol in this class if you have completed Elementary Part 1 with us, or can:

  • use a wider range of vocabulary covering topics including work, education, hobbies
  • use the present and perfect tense, the simple past tense and have a good understanding of modal verbs
  • engage in longer conversations on familiar topics, express basic opinions and make suggestions

Intermediate Part 1 (equivalent to CEFR level B1.1): Enrol in this class if you have completed Elementary Part 2 with us, or have a Grade 7 or above in German GCSE or a similar qualification, or:

  • have a substantial vocabulary covering a wide range of topics
  • can use different tenses, modal verbs and have a sound understanding of basic German word order
  • can engage in longer conversations and express opinions on a range of topics

Intermediate Part 2 (equivalent to CEFR level B1.2): Enrol in this class if you have completed Intermediate Part 1 with us, or have an AS level or equivalent, or:

  • have an extensive vocabulary across a wide range of topics
  • can use the different tenses, modal verbs, relative clauses and more advanced grammatical structures
  • can engage in reasonably fluent and spontaneous conversations, presenting arguments and expressing opinions

Advanced Part 1 (equivalent to CEFR level B2.1): Enrol in this class if you have completed Intermediate Part 2 with us, if you have an A level or equivalent, if you have lived in a German speaking country, or you:

  • have an extensive vocabulary across a wide range of topics
  • have a strong command of grammar including passive voice, conditional tense
  • can engage in reasonably fluent conversations on a wide range of topics

Advanced Part 2 (equivalent to CEFR level B2.2): Enrol in this class if you have completed Advanced Part 1 with us, have an A level or equivalent, have lived in a German speaking country, or you:

  • have an extensive vocabulary across a wide range of topics
  • have a strong command of German grammar including passive voice, conditional tense
  • can engage in reasonably fluent conversations on a wide range of topics

Goethe-Zertifikat Exam Preparatory Workshops (A1/A2/B1/B2): A set of 5 preparatory workshops for all students who opt to sit for the Goethe-Zertifikat qualifications. These are held in Semester 2 and run alongside the core classes. They are not available to enrol onto as standalone classes.

Qualifications

In semester 2, you have the option of sitting Goethe-Zertifikat qualifications A1-B2. We offer four levels of accreditation starting from Beginners (A1) leading up to Advanced (B2). Students are able to reach one level per year of study. Goethe-Zertifikat exams take place on campus at the end of the academic year. To help you prepare for the exams, you can join our Goethe-Zertifikat preparation workshops, which are offered free of charge to anyone enrolled in another German class; they are not available to join as standalone classes. If you would like to join the relevant workshop, please speak to your teacher after you have enrolled in your core class.

Placement test

If you have never learned German with us before, please take this placement test so that you know which course class is suitable for you. To complete the test:

  1. Select the test you would like to complete
  2. To start the test click on Test starten
  3. Click on weiter to move from one question to the next
  4. After you answer the final question click Test beenden

You will then receive your result. This is an example of the result from the A1.1 placement test:

  • Sie haben den Test beendet (You have finished the test)
  • Ihr Ergebnis: 23.5 von 25 Punkten (Your result: 23.5 out of 25 points)
  • Sie können mit A1.2 beginnen (You can start with A1.2 – which is the Post Beginner course)

This table shows the class that is most appropriate for each Placement Test score:

Placement Test score Broad CEFR equivalent level Appropriate class
A1.1 A1.2 Post Beginner
A1.2 A2.1 Elementary Part 1
A2.1 A2.2 Elementary Part 2
B1.1 B1.2 Intermediate Part 1 & 2
B1.2 B2.1 Advanced Part 1
B1.2 B2.2 Advanced Part 2

We recommend reading our Terms and Conditions for information about what to do if you enrol at the wrong level and need to transfer to a different class and contact us if you need help.

Semester 2 2024-25 class timetable

Most classes are delivered in person at our Claverton Down campus. Classes that are delivered through Live Online Interactive Learning are indicated in the timetable below with 'LOIL'.

You will receive class location information (or a link, if your class is online) in your Joining Instructions, which are sent after you have enrolled. Please note that it could take up to a week for your enrolment to be fully processed, so we encourage you to enrol as soon as possible to ensure you have received your Joining Instructions before classes begin.

All core classes run for 10 weeks, and each lesson lasts 110 minutes. Click on the class you want to join to pay your course fee and enrol. Please ensure you have read our Terms and Conditions before enrolling.

In semester 2 2024-25, classes start week commencing 10 February 2025 and finish week commencing 28 April 2025, with a two week break for Easter (7 - 18 April 2025).

Class Day Start time End time Start date Notes
Complete Beginner Monday 11:15 13:05 10 Feb LOIL
Post Beginner Tuesday 14:15 16:05 11 Feb
Post Beginner Wednesday 16:15 18:05 12 Feb
Post Beginner Wednesday 18:15 20:05 12 Feb
German for Business (Post Beginner) Thursday 11:15 13:05 13 Feb
Elementary Part 2 Thursday 18:15 20:05 13 Feb
Intermediate Part 2 Thursday 16:15 18:05 13 Feb
Advanced Part 2 Tuesday 16:15 18:05 11 Feb
Goethe-Zertifikat A1/A2 workshops* Wednesday 13:15 15:05
Goethe-Zertifikat B1/B2 workshops* Wednesday 13:15 15:05

*You can opt to join these workshops free of charge if you have enrolled in a core German language class; they are not available to enrol on as standalone classes. Please speak to your teacher if you would like to enrol in the workshops.

More ways to develop your German language skills

Outside the classroom, we share cultural events organised by German associations in the UK such as the Goethe-Institut London, UK-German Connection and Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst (DAAD) with our students. These events offer additional opportunities for you to develop your knowledge of German language and culture.

We also organise our own cultural events, student-led Peer Assisted Learning (PAL) sessions and Language Cafés. If you are enrolled on a Foreign Language course, you are welcome to take part in all these activities; please ask your teacher for more details after you have enrolled.

Enquiries

If you have any questions, please contact us.


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