Integration Course in Germany: How It Works, Cost and B1 Test

The integration course (Integrationskurs, in-teh-gra-TSYOHNS-koors) is Germany's government-funded German and orientation course for people who have moved here. The general version has 700 lesson hours: 600 of German and 100 on German law, history and society. Unless you're exempt, you pay €2.29 per lesson hour, and the course ends with two tests: the DTZ language test and the Leben in Deutschland test. Reach B1 in the DTZ and pass Leben in Deutschland, and you get the Zertifikat Integrationskurs, which proves the German and the basic knowledge you need for a settlement permit.

Below: who can join (including the 2026 changes to admissions), how the course works, what it really costs, the final tests, why it matters for permanent residence and citizenship, and how to get the most out of it. Rules are as they stood at the time of writing (November 2026); the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF) and your local office have the final word.

The Integration Course at a Glance

Topic	The short answer
Who runs it	The Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF), through local course providers
Length	700 lesson hours in the general course (600 German, 100 orientation); 500 in the intensive course; up to 1,000 in special courses
Cost	€2.29 per lesson hour: about €1,600 for 700 hours (our arithmetic)
Free?	On application, if you get certain benefits, earn little or face hardship
Refund	BAMF can refund half if you get the Zertifikat Integrationskurs within 2 years of your first entitlement
Final tests	DTZ (result A2 or B1) and Leben in Deutschland (33 questions, 15 to pass)
Certificate	Zertifikat Integrationskurs: DTZ at B1 plus a pass in Leben in Deutschland
Who can join	People with an entitlement or an obligation to attend; others only if places are available
Why it matters	Passing it proves the B1 German and basic knowledge a settlement permit asks for

What Changed Recently

Many guides online are out of date. These are the changes that matter:

When	What changed
2024	Citizenship reform: usually 5 years of residence, and no course shortens them
7 Dec 2024	The funded 300-hour repeat now exists only in literacy and support courses
1 May 2025	No new starts for youth, parents' and women's courses
30 Oct 2025	The 3-year fast track to citizenship ended
9 Feb 2026	BAMF stopped admitting people with no entitlement or obligation (budget)
1 Aug 2026	Those admissions restarted under new rules, with priority groups and online applications
1 Nov 2026	A B1 result in the DTZ now also needs at least A2 in all three parts

Who Can Join the Integration Course?

There are three groups: people who are entitled to a place, people who are obliged to attend, and everyone else, who can be admitted only if places are available.

Entitled: New Arrivals With a First Permit

You usually have a right to a place if you've recently come to Germany and received your first residence permit for work, family reunification, certain humanitarian reasons or some other purposes.

One deadline matters more than any other: the entitlement expires one year after your permit is issued. Register with a course provider well before then.

Obliged: When an Office Requires It

The immigration office (Ausländerbehörde, OWS-len-der-beh-hur-deh) or the Jobcenter can require you to attend. Take that seriously: not attending can affect the renewal of your residence permit.

Everyone Else: Places If Available

People without an entitlement, such as EU citizens, can apply to BAMF for a place, but admission depends on free places and the budget. This changed twice in 2026:

9 February 2026: BAMF stopped these admissions for budget reasons.
1 August 2026: admissions restarted under new rules. Priority goes to people from Ukraine with temporary protection (under § 24 of the Residence Act) and to German and EU citizens who are available to the job market, plus their families. You apply online, and places go first come, first served.

The stop was about these admissions, not about people with an entitlement or an obligation. Still, places for people without an entitlement are limited and depend on the budget, so check the current rules on BAMF's integration course page before you plan around one.

How to Get Your Place

Get your entitlement or obligation in writing. The immigration office or the Jobcenter issues it. Not entitled? Apply to BAMF online.
Find a course near you with BAMF-NAvI, the official course finder, and contact the providers.
Ask about start dates and the cost exemption when you sign up.

Waiting times aren't officially published and vary by city, so it's worth contacting more than one provider.

How the Integration Course Works

The course has two parts, taught in sections (modules):

The language course: 600 lesson hours of German in the general course, with B1 as the goal.
The orientation course (Orientierungskurs, oh-ree-en-TEE-roongs-koors): 100 hours on German law, history and society, ending with the Leben in Deutschland test.

Course Types

Course	German	Orientation	Total
General course	600 hours	100 hours	700 hours
Intensive course	400 hours	100 hours	500 hours
Literacy, second-script and support courses	up to 900 hours	100 hours	up to 1,000 hours

Literacy courses are for people learning to read and write; second-script courses are for people who already read and write in a different script; support courses (Förderkurse) are for learners who need extra help. The intensive course has fewer hours, so it moves faster: ask the provider whether it suits you. Youth, parents' and women's courses have taken no new starts since 1 May 2025, so a guide that recommends one is out of date.

Integration Course to B1: Is 600 Hours Enough?

It depends on where you start. The Goethe-Institut's guideline for reaching B1 from zero is 350 to 650 lessons of 45 minutes (200 to 350 for A2). The course gives you a lot of class time, but that wide range shows why it can't be a guarantee: what you do between lessons makes the difference (more on that in is German hard to learn?). Not sure where you stand? Take our free German level assessment.

What the Integration Course Costs

At the time of writing, you pay €2.29 per lesson hour. That's BAMF's current figure. By law your share is half of the hourly rate set for course providers, and the state pays the rest, so the figure can change.

Course	Hours	Your cost at €2.29 an hour (our arithmetic)
General course	700	about €1,600
Intensive course	500	about €1,150
Special course (maximum)	1,000	about €2,290

Who Can Take It for Free

You can apply for an exemption from the cost if you receive:

Grundsicherungsgeld (basic income support from the Jobcenter, formerly Bürgergeld)
social assistance (Sozialhilfe)
asylum-seeker benefits
unemployment benefit (Arbeitslosengeld)

Low earners and hardship cases can apply too. The exemption isn't automatic: you have to ask for it, so do that when you sign up, before you pay anything.

Half Back When You Pass

BAMF can refund 50% of what you paid if you complete the course successfully, with B1 in the DTZ and a pass in Leben in Deutschland, within 2 years of your first entitlement (3 years for special courses). On a general course that's about €800 back (our arithmetic), a good reason to keep a steady pace.

No More Funded Repeat Hours in General Courses

Since 7 December 2024, the funded 300-hour repeat exists only in literacy and support courses. In a general or intensive course, plan to reach your goal within the hours you have, and keep studying on your own alongside the lessons.

The Final Tests: DTZ and Leben in Deutschland

The DTZ (Deutsch-Test für Zuwanderer)

The DTZ, the "German test for immigrants", is the language test at the end of the course. It covers Speaking, Listening/Reading and Writing, and your certificate shows A2 or B1, depending on your results.

From 1 November 2026, for a B1 result you need

B1 in Speaking
B1 in either Listening/Reading or Writing
at least A2 in the other one

Only the A2 minimum is new: until November 2026, that third part could fall below A2. Speaking was already required at B1 and is still the part you can't make up for anywhere else, so give it real practice time from the first week. Guides and course materials written before November 2026 may still describe the older rule.

Leben in Deutschland: The Orientation Test

The Leben in Deutschland test (LAY-ben in DOYTCH-lant, "Life in Germany") ends the orientation course. You answer 33 questions drawn from a pool of 310, and 15 correct answers are a pass. For citizenship you need 17 of 33, so aim above the minimum if naturalisation is in your plans.

The Zertifikat Integrationskurs

B1 in the DTZ plus a pass in Leben in Deutschland gives you the Zertifikat Integrationskurs: that's what passing the integration course means. If your DTZ shows A2, your certificate shows that level, but you don't get the Zertifikat Integrationskurs. For how the DTZ compares with telc and Goethe B1, see our German B1 exam guide.

Why It Matters: Settlement Permit and Citizenship

The Settlement Permit (Niederlassungserlaubnis)

The settlement permit (Niederlassungserlaubnis, NEE-der-lass-oongs-air-lowp-nis) is Germany's permanent residence permit. Under § 9 of the Residence Act (AufenthG), it requires, among other things, B1 German and basic knowledge of German law and society. A successfully completed integration course proves both at once.

Language and knowledge are only part of it: § 9 sets other conditions too, and other routes to permanent residence have their own rules. The immigration office decides your case, so ask what it needs from you.

German Citizenship (Einbürgerung)

Under § 10 of the Nationality Act (StAG), you usually need 5 years of residence, B1 German and a pass in the citizenship test, plus other conditions. Two changes catch people out:

The course doesn't shorten the wait. Since the 2024 reform, no course reduces the 5 years. Older guides that say otherwise are out of date.
The fast track is gone. The 3-year route ended on 30 October 2025.

The course still builds what citizenship asks for: B1 German and, with 17 or more correct answers in Leben in Deutschland, the score needed for citizenship. The naturalisation office decides which certificates it accepts, so check its list before you apply.

German Words and Phrases for Signing Up

You'll meet these words on forms, in letters and on the phone. Most are compounds of everyday words like Kurs (course), and on forms you'll also see Antrag (application).

German	English
der Integrationskurs	the integration course
der Orientierungskurs	the orientation course
die Teilnahmeberechtigung	the entitlement to attend
die Verpflichtung	the obligation
der Kursträger	the course provider
die Kostenbefreiung	the exemption from the cost
die Ausländerbehörde	the immigration office
die Niederlassungserlaubnis	the settlement permit
die Einbürgerung	naturalisation (becoming a citizen)

And for calling or visiting a provider:

Ich möchte mich für einen Integrationskurs anmelden. (I'd like to sign up for an integration course.)
Ich habe eine Teilnahmeberechtigung von der Ausländerbehörde. (I have an entitlement to attend from the immigration office.)
Wann fängt der nächste Kurs an? (When does the next course start?)
Gibt es noch freie Plätze? (Are there any places left?)
Gibt es auch Kurse am Abend? (Are there evening courses too?)
Ich möchte eine Kostenbefreiung beantragen. (I'd like to apply for an exemption from the cost.)
Können Sie bitte langsamer sprechen? (Can you speak more slowly, please?)

Writing instead? Our guide to the formal email in German has the greetings and closing lines.

How to Get the Most Out of the Integration Course

Start Before the Course Begins

Waiting for a start date? Use it. Learn greetings, numbers, how to talk about yourself and the most common words, so the first weeks feel like review rather than a wall. Our Goethe A1 exam guide shows what the first level covers.

Speak From Day One

In the DTZ, there's no B1 result without B1 in Speaking. Answer in every lesson, find a practice partner, record yourself. Our free B1 speaking prompts and phrases are made for telc Deutsch B1, a different exam, but they train the same level: answering questions about yourself, talking about a topic and planning something together.

Write a Little Every Week

Short messages and emails are everyday life in Germany: asking for an appointment, apologising, cancelling. Our B1 writing task with a model email and checklist shows the pattern. For a weekly routine, see our free telc B1 preparation guide.

Bring Your Real Life Into Class

The German you need anyway is the best practice: registering your address (see our German phrases for the Bürgeramt), finding a flat or preparing for a job interview in German. Bring the letters you get to class and ask about the words you don't know.

If You Can't Get a Place or Need More Speed

Ask several providers listed in BAMF-NAvI; waiting times vary by city.
Working? There are also job-related German courses called Berufssprachkurse (beh-ROOFS-shprahkh-koor-zeh). Check whether you qualify.
Take a B1 exam privately. You can book telc Deutsch B1 or the Goethe-Zertifikat B1 yourself at an exam centre; our German B1 exam guide explains both. For a permit or citizenship, check first which certificates your office accepts, and remember that the knowledge of law and society is a separate requirement.

If you want structure for studying on your own, our self-study online German course from A1 to B1 works as preparation before a course starts, alongside it, or if you can't get a place. It takes you through 81 real-life stops with recorded conversations, and has practice for every part of Start Deutsch 1, telc and Goethe A2, and telc Deutsch B1. It isn't a replacement for the official integration course or its certificate: it prepares you, it awards no certificate, and nobody can promise a pass.

Common Mistakes

Letting the One-Year Entitlement Run Out

Your entitlement expires one year after your permit is issued. Miss it, and you depend on the limited places for people without an entitlement.

Paying Without Asking About the Exemption

If you get benefits, earn little or are in a hardship situation, apply for the exemption. Nobody applies for you.

Assuming the Course Shortens the Path to Citizenship

Not since the 2024 reform. The course builds the German and the knowledge you need, but the usual 5 years stay 5 years.

Waiting for a Place Without Studying

Any waiting time can be a head start. Twenty minutes a day of words and listening adds up quickly, and you'll get more out of every lesson.

Small Language Slips

Wrong: Ich bin in Integrationskurs. Right: Ich bin im Integrationskurs.

Wrong: Ich möchte mich an einen Kurs anmelden. Right: Ich möchte mich für einen Kurs anmelden.

Im is short for in dem: der Kurs takes the dative here because you're saying where you are. To sign up for something, use sich anmelden für (zu einem Kurs works too).

Practice

Try these, then check the answers below:

Ask when the next course starts.
Fill the gap: Ich möchte mich ___ einen Integrationskurs anmelden.
Say that you'd like to apply for an exemption from the cost.
Fix the word order: Ich lerne Deutsch, weil ich brauche B1 für die Niederlassungserlaubnis.
In Leben in Deutschland, how many correct answers do you need to pass, and how many for citizenship?

Answers: 1. Wann fängt der nächste Kurs an? 2. für 3. Ich möchte eine Kostenbefreiung beantragen. 4. Ich lerne Deutsch, weil ich B1 für die Niederlassungserlaubnis brauche. 5. 15 to pass, 17 for citizenship.

Then see where you stand with the A2 German quiz and the B1 German quiz.

FAQ

How much does the integration course cost?

At the time of writing, €2.29 per lesson hour, so about €1,600 for the 700-hour general course (our arithmetic). You can apply for an exemption if you get certain benefits, earn little or face hardship, and BAMF can refund half if you get the Zertifikat Integrationskurs within 2 years of your first entitlement.

How long is the integration course?

The general course has 700 lesson hours, the intensive course 500 and special courses up to 1,000. How many months that takes depends on your timetable, so ask the provider.

Is the integration course free?

Not by default. It's free if you're exempted, which you have to apply for: for example if you get Grundsicherungsgeld (formerly Bürgergeld), social assistance, asylum-seeker benefits or unemployment benefit, earn little or face hardship.

Do I need the integration course for permanent residence?

The settlement permit asks for B1 German and basic knowledge of German law and society, among other conditions. A successfully completed integration course proves both; whether other proof is enough in your case is up to your immigration office. If an office has obliged you to attend, not attending can affect your permit renewal.

Can EU citizens join the integration course?

They aren't entitled to a place, but they can apply to BAMF. Since 1 August 2026, EU citizens who are available to the job market, and their families, are among the priority groups. Places are limited and depend on the budget, so check BAMF's page.

What happens if I fail the DTZ?

The DTZ shows A2 or B1. If you don't reach B1, you don't get the Zertifikat Integrationskurs, and since December 2024 a funded repeat of 300 hours exists only in literacy and support courses. You can keep studying and take telc Deutsch B1 or the Goethe-Zertifikat B1 privately later: our German B1 exam guide compares them. Check first which certificates your office accepts.