The Integrationskurs: Germany's subsidised road to B1
The BAMF Integrationskurs: 700 hours (600 language + 100 civics) to B1 at €2.29/hour (€1,603, half refundable), plus the DTZ and Leben in Deutschland tests.
Last updated: August 18, 2026
What is the Integrationskurs?
The Integrationskurs is Germany's state-subsidised integration course, run by BAMF: 700 hours total - 600 hours of language teaching up to B1, plus a 100-hour orientation course on law, history, and culture. It ends with two tests: the DTZ language exam (targeting B1) and the "Leben in Deutschland" civics test. It's the best-value route to B1: you pay a subsidised €2.29/hour (about €1,603 for the full course), half of which is refunded if you pass B1 within two years - and it's free if you receive benefits or are on a low income. Many residence-permit holders are entitled to attend, and some are obligated.
What this guide covers
Start the language before the course starts
There is usually a gap between deciding to do the Integrationskurs and actually sitting in one - registration, a place coming free, a start date. In several cities that gap runs months, and it is dead time you can convert. Arriving at A1 instead of zero changes which class you are placed in and how much of the 600 hours actually lands. Babbel is Berlin-built with German as its flagship course, and it explains grammar in English rather than making you infer it. A head start on the course, not a replacement for it. The signup page the link opens is in German, so pair it with your browser's translate.
See Babbel plansAffiliate link. No extra cost to you, keeps our expat guides free.
What the course actually is
The Integrationskurs (run by BAMF) is the German state's core tool for helping newcomers settle - far more than a language class:
- 600 hours of German across six modules, taking you from beginner to B1 (independent user).
- A 100-hour orientation course (Orientierungskurs) on the German legal system, history, culture, and values - "how Germany works" as a society.
- 700 hours total, run by BAMF-approved providers (the VHS and many private language schools).
- It's a structured, affordable, integration-focused path - distinct from simply learning the language (Learning German compares all the routes).
For most settling expats who need B1 (for citizenship or permanent residency), this is the highest-value option.
The cost: subsidised, refundable, often free
This is what makes the Integrationskurs stand out - it's heavily subsidised by the federal government:
- You pay €2.29 per hour (2026), so the full 700-hour course costs about €1,603 - a fraction of a private language school.
- You pay per 100-hour section, not all upfront, spreading the cost.
- Half is refundable: pass the final B1 test within two years of your admission, and you get 50% of your contribution back.
- It's free if you receive benefits (Bürgergeld, unemployment benefit, social assistance) or are otherwise financially in need, including low-income employees - you apply for a Kostenbefreiung (fee exemption).
So the real cost ranges from zero to around €800 net (after the refund) for 700 hours of tuition to B1 - unbeatable value.
The two exams at the end
The course finishes with two tests that matter well beyond the classroom:
- The DTZ (Deutsch-Test für Zuwanderer) - a language exam that certifies your level as A2 or B1. Reaching B1 is the goal, as it's the level required for German citizenship and Permanent residency (Niederlassungserlaubnis).
- The "Leben in Deutschland" test - a civics test (33 multiple-choice questions from a public catalogue on law, history, and society) that concludes the orientation course. Passing it also satisfies the civic-knowledge requirement for citizenship.
- Pass both and you receive the "Zertifikat Integrationskurs" - proof of B1 and integration knowledge.
- Didn't reach B1? You can usually repeat up to 300 additional hours and retake the DTZ.
Who can (and must) attend
Two statuses determine your access:
- Entitled (Teilnahmeberechtigung): many new residence-permit holders - and EU citizens, subject to places - have the right to attend, granted via BAMF or your Ausländerbehörde. If you're settling, you're likely entitled.
- Obligated (Teilnahmeverpflichtung): you can be required to attend - typically if you have little German and receive benefits, or the authorities see an integration need. Not attending when obligated can affect benefits and residence.
Either way, you apply to BAMF for admission (Zulassung), then enrol with a course provider near you.
If you are neither entitled nor obligated, you are not stuck - you are just paying your own way. EU citizens are admitted subject to places, so a full local course can mean a wait, and the same applies if your permit type falls outside the entitled group. The alternatives are a self-funded VHS course or private classes, and the practical difference is that those run on your schedule rather than BAMF's (Learning German compares the routes, and Lingoda vs Babbel compares the two best-known paid options directly).
If you are waiting for a place, or not entitled to one
The Integrationskurs is the best-value route to B1 when you can get on it, and this block is not an argument against it. But EU citizens are admitted subject to availability, some permit types fall outside the entitled group, and a full local course can mean months of waiting with your German standing still. Lingoda runs live classes with certified teachers on your own schedule, A1 to C1, in groups capped at five or one-on-one, taught in English so you can start from zero. It is not subsidised and its certificate is course completion rather than the DTZ, so if you are entitled to the Integrationskurs, take that and use this only to fill the gap.
See Lingoda German classesAffiliate link. No extra cost to you, keeps our expat guides free.
Special course types
The Integrationskurs isn't one-size-fits-all - BAMF runs variants:
- Literacy courses (Alphabetisierung) for those who need reading/writing support first.
- Courses for women, parents, and young people, and intensive courses for faster learners.
- These special-target courses can run longer (up to 900+ hours) and get a longer refund window (three years).
How it fits your longer journey
The Integrationskurs isn't just a course - it's a milestone on the path to staying:
- B1 from the DTZ is the language level for citizenship and permanent residency.
- The "Leben in Deutschland" test doubles as the civics knowledge citizenship requires.
- Completing it can also shorten the residence needed for some settlement routes and signals integration.
- It sets you up for the deeper, years-2-to-5 work of settling in (Long-term integration).
Do it early in your stay - it front-loads the language and civics you'll need for every later milestone.
What to do between classes (and while you wait for a place)
Integrationskurs waiting lists run months in some cities, and once you are in, a couple of sessions a week moves slowly on its own. The people who pass the B1 DTZ comfortably are the ones putting 15 minutes in on the days they have no class. Babbel is Berlin-built with German as its flagship course and explains grammar in English rather than making you infer it - useful for exactly the cases and word order the DTZ tests. It supplements the course, it does not replace it. The signup page the link opens is in German, so pair it with your browser's translate.
See Babbel plansAffiliate link. No extra cost to you, keeps our expat guides free.
How to start
- Check your status - are you entitled or obligated? Ask BAMF or your Ausländerbehörde.
- Apply to BAMF for admission (Zulassung) to the course.
- Apply for fee exemption (Kostenbefreiung) if you're on benefits or low income.
- Enrol with a provider (VHS or an approved school) and pick a course pace.
- Aim to pass B1 within two years to claim the 50% refund.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Integrationskurs?
Germany's state-subsidised integration course run by BAMF: 700 hours total, combining 600 hours of German up to B1 with a 100-hour orientation course on German law, history, and culture. It ends with the DTZ language exam and the "Leben in Deutschland" civics test. It's the best-value structured route to B1 for settling newcomers, distinct from a standard language course.
How much does the Integrationskurs cost?
You pay a subsidised €2.29 per hour (2026), so the full 700-hour course is about €1,603, paid per 100-hour section rather than upfront. Half your contribution is refunded if you pass the B1 test within two years, and it's free if you receive benefits or are on a low income. Net cost ranges from zero to roughly €800.
What tests do I take at the end?
Two: the DTZ (Deutsch-Test für Zuwanderer), which certifies your German as A2 or B1, and the "Leben in Deutschland" test, a 33-question civics exam concluding the orientation course. Passing both earns the Zertifikat Integrationskurs, and both feed directly into citizenship requirements (B1 language and civic knowledge).
Who is entitled to the Integrationskurs?
Many new residence-permit holders and, subject to available places, EU citizens have the right to attend, granted through BAMF or the Ausländerbehörde. Some people are also obligated to attend - typically those with little German who receive benefits or where authorities see an integration need. You apply to BAMF for admission either way.
Is the Integrationskurs mandatory?
For some people, yes - the Ausländerbehörde or Jobcenter can obligate you to attend, usually if you have weak German and receive benefits or there's an identified integration need, and not attending can affect your benefits and residence. For many others it's a right rather than an obligation, but a highly worthwhile one.
How is the Integrationskurs different from a normal German course?
It's state-run and subsidised, integration-focused, and includes the 100-hour orientation course on German law, history, and society that a standard language course doesn't. It's cheaper than private schools, ends in the official DTZ and "Leben in Deutschland" tests, and feeds citizenship and residency requirements. See Learning German for how it compares to VHS and apps.
What if I don't reach B1 the first time?
You can usually repeat up to 300 additional hours of the language course and retake the DTZ. Reaching B1 matters because it's the level required for citizenship and permanent residency, so the extra hours are worth taking. Special-target courses (literacy, parents, intensive) have their own longer structures.
Does the Integrationskurs help with citizenship?
Directly - the DTZ certifies the B1 German that citizenship and permanent residency require, and the "Leben in Deutschland" test satisfies the civic-knowledge requirement for naturalisation. Completing the course is strong evidence of integration and sets up your later milestones. See German citizenship.
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Keep going: these guides continue where this one ends.
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German citizenship: the 2024 law changed everything (and 2025 tweaked it back)
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