Study and research in Germany

FAQs about summer courses

• Application and Registration
• Visa, Insurance and Accomodation
• Fees and Scholarships
• Goals and Types of Courses

Application and Registration

How can I participate in a summer course?
If you are interested in learning German there is no precondition to participate in a language course. The DAAD database provides an overview of many summer courses offered by German universities. Once you have found a suitable course, you should surf the website of the course provider and check it for application requirements. In most cases you can apply online and sometimes via email or by filling out a form.

How can I register for these courses?
After you have found a course you like on www.summerschools.de, you should visit the website of the course provider, where you will find more detailed information about registration procedures. You can often apply online or by sending an email.

What are the qualifications required for the courses?
If you want to take a German course, check which level of German you need. Some universities offer courses for beginners without any knowledge of German. For the specialist courses (e.g. in law, engineering, medicine, music) check the website of the course provider for more information on the qualifications. Some require that you are studying a specific subject or have already gained special knowledge.

Are the requirements for summer schools the same as for the winter courses?
Date and time of year might differ, but the requirements are still the same.

Is the duration of winter courses as long as the summer one? How intense are the courses in Freiburg?
The Freiburg winter courses are longer than the summer schools with a duration of six weeks. The intensity is the same as in our summer schools including four hours of language course in the morning and afternoon program consisting of training in modern language laboratories, lectures and seminars and of course leisure time activities and excursions. The difference between our summer schools and the winter courses at Freiburg University is that the winter courses are exclusively for DAAD scholarship holders.

When should I apply for the summer courses? Should I contact the professor in the University before applying?
That strongly depends on the university at which you would like to participate in the summer course. Each university has different deadlines and requirements. Check the website of the course program for more details and the name of the contact person.

Is there an age limit for summer course participants?
Beyond being above18 years old there is no limitat ion for you to participate in summer courses.

Before starting the course, is there any pre-testing, where I can see on which language level I am?
Yes, after having registered for the course, you will be asked to do an online placement test in order to determine your individual language level and place you in the class group that fits best for you.

I would like to apply for a course in Freiburg. But I´am Muslim. Is there a mosque in Freiburg?
Yes, there are four mosques in Freiburg as well as an Islamic Center and Freiburg University also provides a room for prayers. Once you have arrived in Freiburg, we are happy to provide you with all information at our course office.

Are most participants in courses from Europe or from outside?
There is no majority of European students in Freiburg. We have participants from all over the world, from North and South America, Asia, and Africa.

Visa, Insurance and Accomodation

I’m taking part in a summer course that only lasts three weeks. Do I need to apply for a visa?
Whether you need a visa or not depends on the regulations of your home country. Please contact the authorities or German Embassy in your home country . You need a visa for entering Germany if you are hailing from a country outside of the EU or the European Economic Area (except for countries like Australia, Japan, Israel, Canada, Korea, New Zealand and the USA). You can apply for it at the German embassy or consulate in your home country. You can find the addresses their adresses at www.auswaertiges-amt.de

What kind of health insurance do I need, in case I wish to apply for a one month summer school?
You need a health insurance that is valid in Germany. Find out in advance whether your health insurance will provide adequate coverage for your stay. You can also acquire a health insurance in Germany.

How could I get some information about housing and fees and the whole situation of getting a room?
In our database you find detailed information on the accommodation offered at the specific university. Most course providers help you with finding a room, in the database you can also find the prices for the rooms. In any case we strongly recommend to book a room directly with the course provider as it will be difficult from abroad to find a reasonable short-time stay.

What should I do to extend the accommodation?
To extend the accommodation please contact your course provider. If you want to extend your stay, please note, that in general the visa is only valid for the duration of the summer school. Once the course has finished you, must often leave the country promptly if the exact finish date of the course is marked in your visa.

Fees and Scholarships

I would like to go to Germany to learn "Deutsch” and work to pay for the course and housing. Would that be possible?
Not really. The summer schools are usually offering full time courses. There’s not much time left for a job. Rather save some money and enjoy the course to the fullest next summer!

Are there fees for summer courses?
The fees for courses differ, depending on the univer sity chosen. At Freiburg University, the tuition fee is EUR 580 including all course materials, leisure time program and a public transport pass. If you want to book a room as well, the rent is EUR 270 for a single room in one of Freiburg´s student dormitories.
Very few courses are free of cost but the majority will charge a fee depending on the contents of the course, the duration and the social program. Sometimes accommodation is already included in the price.

Is it possible to receive a scholarship for summer courses?
For information on scholarships, have a look at our scholarship database.

I got the DAAD scholarship for a summer course. If I do not book the accommodation via our course provider, would that money be paid out on the course begin to be able to pay the accommodation somewhere else?
Please, contact the DAAD person responsible for you and ask him or her. You should find the name on the scholarship admission you received from the DAAD.

Goals and Types of Courses

If   I want to do higher studies in Germany, will these courses be helpful for me?
Yes, definitely. You can improve your German, get to know Germany and German universities and also get a feeling for studying here. By taking a specialist course e.g. in engineering or economics, you can also gain knowledge in these subjects. Some universities also offer a special preparation course in which you are introduced to study techniques like how to write a term papers, prepare presentations, etc.

Are there Pan-European summer courses?
Actually most summer courses offer trips to other European countries as part of their social program. Some summer courses are organized in cooperation with other European universities. Please check our summer courses database.

What are the differences between the courses offered in each university?
There are courses for learning German and courses in all kinds of other subjects like engineering, music, social sciences etc. Some are rather short (one week) and others last up to eight weeks. It all depends on you and your goals for this course. Please check the course database.

I heard of German "Elite Unis”. Is there some special "Elite summer course”?
These "Elite” universities also offer summer courses, but there is no special ranking of summer schools proving that they are better than others. They are all great in their own way ;-)

I would like to take the course in winter. Are there are also winter courses in each university?
Some universities offer winter courses not only for scholars but for all students. Visit the database on www.summerschools.de. Choose the date you are interested in and click on "Show summer schools".

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