FAQ
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How can I pay for the course and is there a payment deadline?
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Can I pay month-by-month or can I also pay for multiple months at once? Is there a discount?
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Do we accept vouchers from the Agentur für Arbeit / Employment Office?
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Which languages can you learn at Zentrum für Deutsche Sprache und Kultur?
1.) We exclusively offer German language courses for adults (minimum age 18). We do not offer integration courses. In our courses, you learn everyday German as well as German for study and work.
Please find information about the classroom courses in the school here. For online courses see www.tandem-frankfurt.de.
2.) In order to register, you will first need to do a placement test (not required for A1.1). This can be done online (www.einstufungstest.online) or at the school. Afterwards, simply complete the registration form on the website. Subsequently, we will come into contact as soon as possible, or send a course offer with payment details per email. Please note, your registration is only binding once the course has been paid. You can also come to the school in person during office hours to register yourself.
3.) The course fee has to be paid directly after registration, or within 5 days at the latest. In our registration office on site we accept payments in cash or via an EC/ credit card, it is also possible to do a bank transfer. If you register online, you will receive the payment details by email (see also here for our bank details). Students that are already attending a course and would like to continue have until the end of the 3rd course week to pay.
4.) The course fee can be paid month-by-month or you can pay a package of 3 months together to get a special discount.
5.) If you cancel your registration once the course has already started or decide not to participate for personal reasons (e.g. due to illness), we are unable to refund the course fee. If you cancel your registration up to four weeks before the course is due to start, we will charge a cancellation fee of € 30. Cancellation at a later date will incur a fee of 20% of the price for the full four weeks or a fee of € 30, whichever is higher.
6.) No, generally Jobcenter (or the Agentur für Arbeit) do not pay for our courses. If a sponsor is covering the fees for your course, you will still first have to pay in advance.
7.) Each language level is divided into sublevels. A1 and A2 have 2 sublevels each (e.g. A1.2 or A2.2), B1, B2 and C1 have 3 sublevels each. For example, A1 is divided into A1.1 and A1.2. With an intensive course (20 units per week), each of these sublevels takes one month to complete. It would therefore take two months to complete A1. It would take around one year to complete all levels from A1 to C2 (providing you are motivated and don’t take breaks).
In non-intensive courses (e.g. in the evening), a sublevel (e.g. A1.1 or B2.2) takes two to three months.
8.) For the elementary levels (A1 to B1) we use our prize-winning textbook ‘Wolkenkratzer’. For the advanced levels (B2 and C1) we use ‘Aspekte neu’ from Klett publishers. All books can be purchased at our office.
9.) After paying the entire course fee, you will receive from us a visa certificate electronically or in paper. You must present the document to the embassy, consulate or, if you are already in Germany, the Ausländerbehörde (foreigner's office), to apply for your language visa. Please find our conditions for visa certification and further information on the requirements of the Federal Foreign Office here.
10.) A certificate of attendance (Teilnahmebescheinigung) is proof of your attendance of a course at our school. On the document are the number of hours attended, the course length and the language levels. They do not serve as evidence of your language level. You can receive a certificate of attendance for free any time from our office or via email.
A certificate is an official document you receive after passing an exam.
11.) The examinations we offer include telc B1, telc B2 and telc C1 Hochschule, as well as A1, B2 or C1 exams from the school. Before booking an exam, please inform yourself which type of certificate is required (for your apprenticeship or university course etc.). For example, some employers will only accept a Goethe certificate. Generally, certificates from our house exams will be accepted. Please find more information about our exams on our Exams page.
12.) We only offer German courses. You can learn other languages at the VHS. However, we have a tandem program. So if you're looking for someone to practice Arabic, Chinese, Spanish or another language with, come by and ask about the "Tandem Board" or find someone with the TandemApp.
13.) No, we do not offer integration courses.
14.) As a purely private school, the employment agency unfortunately does not pay for our courses. So you have to pay for your course yourself.