German visa course A1 – C1

You can register using the online registration form on our website. Once we have received your registration for a German visa course, we will send you a confirmation asking you to transfer the deposit to our account. We will also send you a link to our online placement test. As soon as we have received your deposit AND your placement test results we will send you by email the official registration confirmationwith proof of payment (confirmation of the services booked, the costs and the amount of your payment).  With this confirmation and all other necessary documents (see below), you can apply for your visa at the  German embassy in your home country.

We will send you a link to our online placement test on our website. We offer a placement test for levels A1–B1 and a placement test for levels B2 and C1. Please complete this test—without any help, of course—and send it back to us. You have 30 minutes for the A1–B1 test and 45 minutes for the B2–C1 test. We will then notify you of your test results. If you feel you have been placed in the wrong level, we offer  an oral placement assessment via Zoom. 

Please check with your German diplomatic mission in your home country in good time (visa processing can take several months!) to find out the exact requirements.

As a rule, you will need:

• Application forms completed in German
• A valid passport
• Proof of participation in an intensive language course (certificate from the language school, at least 18 hours per week). With a total of 20 hours per week, our intensive German course fulfils this official requirement.
• Proof of financial means – at least € 992 per month (as of 2025) – via a blocked account or a letter of commitment.
• Proof of health insurance for the duration of your stay
• Passport photos
• A letter of motivation and a CV
• If applicable, proof of language skills already acquired

Our service fee already includes the placement test and the first coursebook. The cultural program is also included. You would be responsible for any admission or transportation costs.

If you are interested in a language exchange partnership, you can search for suitable offers on our TANDEM board or post a request yourself at no additional cost.

Yes, you can. We arrange private homestays for the duration of your language course with us. On this page, you’ll find information and prices regarding our accommodation service.

Through our partner Care Concept you can purchase special health insurance as a language student. This coverage protects you against costs that may arise in the event of illness or an accident—at an affordable price.

And best of all: you can sign up directly online. Worldwide and fast. You’ll receive your insurance certificate via email in just 16–20 minutes.
 

Please let us know immediately if there are any delays with your visa application. If you wish, we can postpone your course booking accordingly. The first postponement is free of charge; for further postponements, we charge € 50.00 each.

If your application is rejected, we will need your rejection letter. Once we have received this letter, we will refund your deposit minus a processing fee of € 200.00 and any costs incurred, such as bank charges.

Our intensive German courses take place Monday through Friday and consist of 20 class hours per week. The intensive courses for levels A2–C1 run from 9:30 a.m. to 12:45 p.m., and the A1 courses from 2:00 p.m. to 5:15 p.m., with a short 15-minute break. Note: In Germany, a lesson lasts 45 minutes. 

With us, a full level takes a total of eight weeks. We offer five full levels: A1, A2, B1, B2, and C1. For example, if you want to study from A1 to C1, you should book 40 weeks. If you have prior knowledge, please take our online placement test. We can then tell you exactly how many weeks you should book to reach your desired learning goal.
Whether you’re staying for just one week or opting for 40 weeks of classes—you’re always welcome.

Here you can see whether your country requires a visa or not.

No visa required

• Citizens of EU and EEA countries and Switzerland do not need a visa to enter Germany and do not require a residence permit for their stay.

• There are also other countries that do not require a visa. If you come from one of these countries, you can enter Germany without a visa for short stays (up to 90 days). If you wish to stay longer than 3 months, you must apply for a residence permit in Hamburg.

   

With visa requirement

* Schengen visa (short-term stay up to 90 days)
If, for example, you book an 8-week language course at TANDEM Hamburg and then want to travel through the Schengen-Area, you should apply for this visa. This visa cannot be extended and cannot usually be changed to a national visa. 

* National visa (long-term stay over 90 days)

• Language course visa 
  This visa is issued for a period of three months to one year. Please note that language course visas cannot usually be converted into student visas.
• Visa for searching for a place at university
  If you would like to study in Germany but do not yet have a place at university, you should apply for this visa. You must prove that you have B2 language skills if the language of your desired field of study is German. The visa is granted for 9 months, during which time you must find a place at a university and, if necessary, take further German courses up to level C1 (with language certificate TestDaF or telc C1 Hochschule). If you obtain a place at a university during this period, you can apply for a residence permit for the purpose of studying here.

• Student visa
  You can apply for this visa if you have conditional admission to a German university. This visa can also be combined with a preparatory German courses up to level C1 and a subsequent language certificate (TestDaF or telc C1 Hochschule). After successfully completing your studies, you can apply for a residence permit for the purpose of looking for work in order to continue your stay in Germany.

  
  An overview of visa requirements can be found here

   

If you are unsure which visa you need to enter Germany, the Visa-Navigator from the Federal Foreign Office can help you.