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Find out in 7 steps how to take an integration course. A quick overview:
- Check whether you can take an integration course.
- Search for a school. Contact the school by email, phone or in person.
- Check whether the integration course is free of charge for you.
- Register for the course.
- If necessary, apply for admission or an obligation to praticipate.
Click on headlines to open steps
- For more information, click on the small numbers.1Example
1. Is an integration course right for you?
- Integration courses are mostly German courses and are for beginners in German (A1/A2).2You can find more information here..
- Check if you have enough time. Integration courses take 600 hours over 6-8 months and usually take place daily (Monday–Friday).
- As an alternative, there are initial orientation courses for asylum seekers (level A1/A2), which take 300 hours.
2. Can you take an integration course?
- If you have received an eligibility certificate or an obligation to attend an integration course, you can register directly at a school.
- If you do not have a certificate of eligibility, but your German is below B1 level, you can submit an application for admission to the Immigration Office (Ausländerbehörde) or the Jobcenter. 3 See Step 5. You can find more information at Handbook Germany. Persons in the asylum process, those with protection status, or those with a residence permit as employees or family members are usually entitled to admission (Note: Participation is not free of charge for everyone).
- In some cases, you can also take an integration course with a Duldung (tolerated stay permit).4With a “Ermessensduldung”/ discretionary tolerated stay permit (§60a AufenthG), “Ausbildungsduldung”/tolerated stay for the purpose of vocational training (§60c AufenthG) or a “Beschäftigungsduldung”/ tolerated stay permit for work (§60d AufenthG)
- You may be able to apply for an obligation to participate, even if you do not have a legal entitlement to participate in an integration course. 5 See steps 4 and 5.
3. Is an integration course free of charge for you?
- If you have a recognized protection status (positive asylum decision) or have been living in Germany for at least one year with a residence permit as an employee, family member, or ethnic German resettler (Spätaussiedler:in), you are entitled to an integration course. If you receive benefits from the Jobcenter or Social Welfare Office (“Sozialamt”), or if your income is below a certain limit, the course is free of charge for you.
- Since February 2026, individuals in an ongoing asylum process are usually no longer able to attend an integration course free of charge. An exception applies if you are obligated to attend the course by the Social Welfare Office (“Sozialamt”) or the Immigration Office (“Ausländerbehörde”). You can, for example, apply for such an obligation if you have a job offer for which German language skills are necessary.
- As an alternative, initial orientation courses are open to asylum seekers. These consist of approximately 300 hours and teach German language skills at levels A1/A2.
- If the course is not free for you, you will have to pay around 1,600 € (2,29 € per lesson). You may be able to get 50% of the costs back later.6For that, you have to pass the final exam within 2 years and submit an application.
4. Search for a school
- Search for a school in your area that offers integration courses.7You can use Google, the search function of the BAMF or the employment agency, for example
- Contact the schools via email, phone, or in person and ask if there will be places available soon. If you need help finding a school, contact a local counseling center.
5. Submit an application for admission or an obligation to participate
- Application for admission:
- If your current residence status entitles you to participate in an integration course, but you do not yet have a certificate of eligibility, you must apply for admission to the BAMF (Federal Office for Migration and Refugees).
- If you have found a school, the school will assist you with the application. The response can take 1-3 months.
- If you have not found a school, it makes sense to submit an application yourself not to loose time. You do that by sending an application by letter to BAMF. You can fill out this form and hand it in.8If you have a residence permit with an online function, you can submit the application online.
- Application for an obligation to participate:
- If your current residence status does not entitle you to participate in an integration course, you can try to apply for an obligation to participate at the “Jobcenter” or the Immigration Office (“Ausländerbehörde”). It is essential that you justify the urgency of your participation (e.g., a specific job offer for which German language skills are required).
- Once you have received this obligation in writing, you no longer need to submit an application for admission to the BAMF. You can go directly to a language school with this document.
6. Maybe apply for money for your travel expenses
- If you have no income9The regulation applies to everyone who receives asylum seeker benefits, Bürgergeld (“Citizen’s Allowance”) or social assistance (Sozialhilfe). and the distance to your course is more than 3 kilometers, you can apply for a contribution to your travel costs.
- Your language school or you must submit an application for this. Attention, the application must be submitted before the start of the course.10This form must be sent to the BAMF.
7. Start your integration course
- Once BAMF has approved your applications, you can start your integration course.11 Once you have registered, you have one year to complete the course. After that, the certificate of eligibility (Berechtigungsschein) is no longer valid.
- If your application is rejected, you can look for other options to learn German.12You can ask for help at a local counseling center. If necessary, ask for help at a local counseling center.
This page was realized with the support of the Postcode Lottery. (Last updated February 2026)
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Fußnoten
- 1Example
- 2You can find more information here.
- 3See Step 5. You can find more information at Handbook Germany.
- 4With a “Ermessensduldung”/ discretionary tolerated stay permit (§60a AufenthG), “Ausbildungsduldung”/tolerated stay for the purpose of vocational training (§60c AufenthG) or a “Beschäftigungsduldung”/ tolerated stay permit for work (§60d AufenthG)
- 5See steps 4 and 5.
- 6For that, you have to pass the final exam within 2 years and submit an application.
- 7You can use Google, the search function of the BAMF or the employment agency, for example
- 8If you have a residence permit with an online function, you can submit the application online.
- 9The regulation applies to everyone who receives asylum seeker benefits, Bürgergeld (“Citizen’s Allowance”) or social assistance (Sozialhilfe).
- 10This form must be sent to the BAMF.
- 11Once you have registered, you have one year to complete the course. After that, the certificate of eligibility (Berechtigungsschein) is no longer valid.
- 12You can ask for help at a local counseling center.