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I have found the course to be well constructed and easy to follow. The interaction between instructor and students is particularly useful. German student, Autumn 2025

Available courses

Please note: The information on this page is only applicable to members of the public. If you work at the university, or are an existing undergraduate or postgraduate student, for more information.

The following German courses are available for members of the public, although not every course is available every term.

Stage 1.1 (equivalent to CEFR level A1.1): Suitable if you have never studied German before.

Stage 1.2 (equivalent to CEFR level A1.2): Enrol if you have completed Stage 1.1, 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

Stage 2.1 (equivalent to CEFR level A2.1): Enrol if you have completed Stage 1.2, have Grade 4-6 in German GCSE or similar, 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

Stage 2.2 (equivalent to CEFR level A2.2): Enrol if you have completed Stage 2.1, have Grade 4-6 in German GCSE or similar, 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

Stage 3.1 (equivalent to CEFR level B1.1): Enrol if you have completed Stage 2.2, have Grade 7–9 in German GCSE or similar, 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

Stage 3.2 (equivalent to CEFR level B1.2): Enrol if you have completed Stage 3.1, have Grade C at German 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

Stage 4.1 (equivalent to CEFR level B2.1): Enrol if you have completed Stage 3.2, have Grade A – B at German AS level or equivalent, have an A level in German 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

Stage 4.2 (equivalent to CEFR level B2.2): Enrol if you have completed Stage 4.1, have an A level in German 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

Stammtisch B2+ - Diskussion und Austausch: This course is aimed at advanced German learners (who have completed B2 – Stage 4.1 and Stage 4.2) who want to actively maintain and further develop their language skills. In a relaxed yet structured setting, we discuss current topics from the news, work with short videos and texts, and exchange ideas. Participants have the opportunity to give presentations, expand their vocabulary, and refine their expression. Selected literary texts and films may also form part of the course. The focus is on speaking freely, active listening, and lively group interaction.

Goethe-Zertifikat Exam Preparatory Workshops (A1/A2/B1/B2): 5 preparatory workshops for all students who opt to sit for the Goethe-Zertifikat qualifications. These are held in the spring and run alongside the core courses; they're not available to enrol onto as standalone classes.

Placement test

If you have never learned German with us before, please so that you know which course 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)

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

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 course.

Autumn 2026 course timetable

The following courses are running in Autumn 2026. Enrolments will open at midday on 3 August 2026. If you would like to be notified when enrolments are open, please .

All courses start week commencing 5 October 2026 and run for 10 weeks. The last week of teaching will be 7 December 2026.

All German courses take place in-person on campus.

Enrolments for all courses will close at midday on 24 September 2026, and we will not be able to accept any late enrolments. If you would like to join a course in Autumn 2026, please ensure you have enrolled before the deadline date.

Course fees

Course fees are £210 per person per course. Fees include all tuition and course materials and must be paid in full at the time of enrolment, through our online booking system.

Discounts

No discounts or concessionary fees are available.

Qualification fees

You may wish to take up the opportunity of entering for a globally recognised language qualification, to accredit your language proficiency. Exam preparation workshops are offered in the Spring alongside the core language course at no additional charge. You must be enrolled on a language course to be able to join the exam preparation workshops; they are not available to enrol onto as standalone courses.

If you choose to enter for an examination, additional costs will be payable for examination entry to the respective awarding organisations. These costs vary by language, level and provider and are subject to change, but typically range from £70 to £250 per exam. Full details of costs can be found on the awarding bodies' websites and will be provided by your teacher. Please note that if you choose not to take an exam, the costs are limited to the course fees.

Terms and Conditions

Please make sure you have read and understood our Terms and Conditions before enrolling on a course. By purchasing a course, you will be deemed to have accepted the Terms and Conditions, so it's important you have read them before you complete your purchase.

All personal data will be collected and processed in accordance with UK GDPR and any other relevant legislation. Further details of how your personal data will be processed can be found in our Terms and Conditions. Some of our courses are delivered online. As part of the online delivery via Teams / Zoom, please note that your username and email address used to attend the lessons will be visible to other students.

Qualifications

You have the option of entering for Goethe-Zertifikat qualifications at A1, A2, B1 or B2 level. 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 in the spring, which are offered free of charge if you are enrolled on another German course; 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 on your core course.

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 and Language Cafés. If you are enrolled on a language course, you are welcome to take part in these activities; please ask your teacher for more details after you have enrolled.

Information for students and staff

The information on this page is only applicable to members of the public, who are not employed by the university or studying here as an undergraduate or postgraduate student.

If you work at the university, or are an existing undergraduate or postgraduate student, to find out about the language courses available to you.

Meet the teacher

If you have enrolled on a course, you can come along to meet the teacher and ask any questions you might have before teaching starts the following week. Just drop in to any of these sessions:

Please note that parking is extremely limited on the campus during the day. Before travelling to the University, we recommend reading our guidance on where to park if you are driving, and other ways of getting to the campus.

This campus map will help you find the right room for each session.