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Integration & Certification in Germany

Integration & Certification in Germany

If you’re looking for a job, applying to university, taking a German language course, or wanting to get citizenship, there are several different kinds of integration and language certification exams that expats in Germany might need.  

German language certification

There are multiple organisations worldwide that offer internationally-recognised German language certification. Apart from wanting to improve your German language skills in order to be able to participate in everyday life, you might need certification for applying for a visa or residence permit, or as part of your German citizenship application.

The different German language certifications generally follow the levels set out by the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR), but the type of certification you choose will usually depend on what you need it for. Find out about the levels and different types of German language certification.

Integration courses in Germany

Integration courses have been designed by the German government to enable recent arrivals in Germany to adjust to everyday life and improve their language skills. If you are a non-EU resident, you may be required to participate in one as part of your residency application. EU citizens who want to learn German are also allowed to apply.

The course consists of 660 hours of instruction, including speaking, reading, writing and listening skills in German, and an overview of German politics, culture and customs.

German naturalisation test

If you are applying for German citizenship by naturalisation, you are usually required to pass the naturalisation test. This multiple-choice examination tests your knowledge of German laws, politics, society and living conditions.

Find out what to expect, the costs involved, how to prepare, and where you can take your test, on our German naturalisation test page.

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