You want to learn German and are considering booking a language course in Germany, you may start your internet search with entering “cheap German language courses” and you will see plenty of websites. But what kind of German course are you exactly looking for?
Visit horizonte.com for the latest information on our german courses!
There are definitely lots of reasons to look for inexpensive courses. Cost is usually an important consideration for most people, and, of course more expensive courses may not always necessarily be a guarantee that you are getting your money’s worth. You may of course consider that quality and price are equally important.
There are many language schools in Germany where you can learn German. However, not all of them offer the best or top quality courses. There is no national scheme or local regulatory body like the British Council in the UK, so it is not always easy to find high quality courses. Some courses might appear in the first instance to be really cheap. However, quite often these are designed for special target groups, and may not necessarily be the type of course you are looking for.
Cheap courses may have the following:
- large classes of 20 or even more persons (we recommend a maximum of 12)
- inexperienced, unqualified and poorly-paid “teachers” (who might be quite often students)
- hidden fees for enrolment and teaching materials
- you may also be required to pay the whole amount for a long term course in advance, without any possibility of a refund, so it is recommended to examine the terms and conditions beforehand
- Before enrolling you will of course want to choose the school that best reflects your own particular priorities.
Geographic Location Where would you like to go? Large cities like Berlin, Munich, Hamburg or Cologne might be very tourist-oriented, expensive and impersonal. Smaller less tourist-oriented cities, with perhaps less expensive living costs and not so great distances to travel, might be more convenient. In big cities, public transport might be required to travel to and from the school, entailing additional costs. Accommodation costs might also be a considerable factor to consider. To minimise accommodation and travel expenses, it might even be possible to stay at the school, in a school residence for example.
Another aspect to consider is whether you would prefer a chain school owned by a company, or alternatively a small boutique, privately-owned school managed by the owner. In a smaller school it is much more likely you will learn German in a more personal, friendly atmosphere.
The following might be helpful in assessing the potential quality of a suitable course:
- Class sizes: Smaller classes are easier to manage and give every single participant more opportunities to speak in class
- Are the teachers native German speakers, and are they also appropriately qualified and experienced?
- Are there participants in the same class with significantly different levels of linguistic ability?
- Are there additional costs i.e. enrolment fees, tuition materials etc?
- Does the language school offer payment and refund policies?
- If considering booking a long term course, say 12 weeks or more for instance: is it possible to pay by instalments or is payment of the full amount in advance required?
- What is the nationality mix in the school? i.e. is there perhaps a preponderance of students from certain countries, perhaps from without Europe?
- Is the course designed for participants from a completely different background? i.e. perhaps for workers from a particular industry.
The preceding examples are only some of the parameters to consider when seeking a suitable German course. Google reviews can also sometimes be helpful, but might not necessarily be entirely accurate, and can even be misleading and confusing.
Our language school in Regensburg is a member of the IALC International Association of Language Centres – ialc.org, which is an association of privately owned language schools, with no connection to either travel agents or the big chains.
Member schools of the IALC have a common code of ethics, are regularly audited, and guarantee a high standard of teaching. The German member schools of the IALC are located in the following cities: Berlin, Heidelberg, Cologne, Lindau, Munich, Münster, Regensburg and Stuttgart. Check out the various locations in Germany, we are sure that you will find somewhere suitable for your own particular requirements.
As you can see, this is the website of the Horizonte German language school in Regensburg, one of the most beautiful and vibrant cities in Germany, located on the River Danube just one hour’s journey by train from Munich Airport.
Our school with its onsite residence (with 38 studios, single and twin rooms, en-suite or in shared flats) lies in the very heart of the picturesque, historic and lively medieval city centre.
Please find complete information about Regensburg, our school, our German courses including online German courses, accommodation and our leisure time activities programme on our website.
Should you decide to choose another city for your quality German language course, we recommend you consider the other IALC schools in Germany.