German Language Online Course
If you want to learn German for study, work or a move to Germany, the Goethe-Institut is the most recognised name for it. It runs several online courses, for every level from A1 (complete beginner) to C2 (advanced). They’re not free, so the main question is which one fits your time and budget.
The prices below come from the Goethe-Institut Germany website. Other countries’ centres can charge differently, so check the price for your location before you book.
With a teacher
- German Individual Online (A1 to C1): one-to-one mentoring, and you can start at any time. It’s listed at EUR 499.
- German Online Group Course (A1 to C2): live sessions and group exercises, with fixed start dates. EUR 459.
- Intensive German Online (A1 to C2): five lessons a day, Monday to Friday, 9:00 to 13:15 (CET). That’s 75 lessons over 15 course days, roughly three weeks, with up to 16 people in a class. EUR 929.
Without a teacher
German Online Training (A1 to C1) is self-study with more than 70 hours of materials, focused on listening and reading. It costs EUR 299. There’s also a vocabulary trainer app for A1 to B1, but I couldn’t find its price.
Speaking and exam practice
Speak German Online gives you 10 one-to-one sessions with a native speaker for EUR 149. If you’re aiming for an exam, there are Goethe-Zertifikat preparation courses at B1 to C2 for EUR 389 (20 hours, in a group), and a B1 online option for EUR 289.
Do you get a certificate?
Not from the course itself. At the end you can sit the Goethe-Zertifikat exam, which is recognised internationally, but the exam fee is separate. Universities in Germany usually ask for a recognised certificate, often B2 or C1, so check what your own programme needs.
What you need to join
A computer or tablet, a headset, a stable internet connection and the latest Chrome browser. A smartphone isn’t recommended. You take a free placement test first, so you start at the right level.
Start dates
Individual courses can begin any time. Group courses have fixed dates, and when I checked, the intensive course page showed no available dates. Open the course page to see the current schedule.
