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Register for an integration course

BAMF · 600 hours of language + 100 hours of orientation

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The integration course consists of two parts, and their scope is set out in the Integration Course Ordinance (Integrationskursverordnung, IntV). Under § 11 IntV, the language course comprises 600 teaching hours, and under § 12 IntV the subsequent orientation course comprises 100 teaching hours. Together, therefore, 700 hours – not 800, as is often stated. The Federal Office confirms the figure with its own example calculation: 700 hours at €2.29 come to €1,603.

When it comes to the price, it is worth knowing how it is arrived at. § 9 Abs. 1 IntV does not fix the cost contribution as a euro amount, but as 50% of the cost reimbursement rate, which the Federal Office itself determines under § 20 Abs. 6 IntV by way of a billing directive. The amount can therefore change without any law changing – it currently stands at €2.29 per teaching hour.

And the most important practical point: very many people pay nothing at all. Those exempt include anyone receiving benefits under Book Two of the Social Code (SGB II), Book Twelve of the Social Code (SGB XII), or the Asylum Seekers Benefits Act (Asylbewerberleistungsgesetz, AsylbLG), anyone receiving unemployment benefit, or anyone with low earnings. Late repatriates (Spätaussiedler) take part once free of charge and are exempted automatically. Check this before registering, not afterwards.

Last updated3 October 2026
Legal basis§ 43 AufenthG · § 44 · § 44a · § 9 IntV · § 11 · § 12
VerificationChecked against gesetze-im-internet.de and bamf.de
Written and reviewed byAndrés Sánchez Botta
Independent information site: we are not the BAMF, not an authority, and not a paid advisory service — we do not submit applications on your behalf. All information comes from official sources and is explained simply here; the competent body is always the one that is binding. The Federal Office decides on participation authorisation, exemption, and repetition on a case-by-case basis. All information is provided without guarantee. We are neither lawyers nor tax consultants: we document administrative procedures and check the information against the official source — this is information, not legal or tax advice.
Scope700 hours600 language + 100 orientation
Cost contribution€2.29/hour50% of the reimbursement rate
ExemptionOften possibleApply beforehand
Refund50 %If passed within 2 years
Required documents

What you need

Residence title or certificate

Residence permit (Aufenthaltserlaubnis), Aufenthaltsgestattung (permission to remain pending the asylum decision) or Duldung (temporary suspension of deportation). EU citizens do not need a residence title; the certificate of freedom of movement was abolished in 2013. This determines whether, under the Residence Act (Aufenthaltsgesetz, AufenthG), you have an entitlement to participate (§ 44 AufenthG) or an obligation to do so (§ 44a) – two different things with different consequences.

Application for admission to the integration course

The Federal Office's form. If the application is submitted through the Ausländerbehörde (foreigners authority), the participation authorisation comes from there instead. Keep it safe: its date of issue determines the deadline for the later refund.

Proof for exemption from the cost contribution

An official notice (Bescheid) for SGB II, SGB XII, or benefits under the Asylum Seekers Benefits Act, a notice from the Federal Employment Agency (Agentur für Arbeit), or proof of income. The exemption must be applied for – it is not granted automatically, except for late repatriates.

Existing language certificates

Certificates, school reports, previous course certificates. They form the basis for the placement test, which determines which course section you start in. Starting too low costs months, starting too high is overwhelming – take the test seriously.

Information on childcare

For childcare accompanying the integration course and for the choice between a full-time and a part-time course. Clarify this before registering – changing courses midway due to childcare problems is difficult.

Information on special needs

Literacy needs, low literacy levels, health impairments. These determine the course variant – and, as explained below, also whether a later repetition of 300 hours comes into consideration at all.

Step by step

How to proceed

  1. 1

    Clarify whether you have an entitlement or an obligation

    § 44 AufenthG governs the entitlement to participate, and § 44a AufenthG the obligation to do so. The difference matters in practice: anyone who is obliged to participate and does not do so must expect consequences under benefits law or residence law. Ask explicitly what your notice (Bescheid) states.

  2. 2

    Apply for the participation authorisation

    The application is made through the Federal Office or the Ausländerbehörde. Keep the participation authorisation and note its date of issue – the two-year deadline for the later refund of half the cost contribution runs from this day.

  3. 3

    Apply for exemption — before the course starts

    Those who may be exempted include anyone receiving benefits under SGB II, SGB XII, or the Asylum Seekers Benefits Act, anyone receiving unemployment benefit, or anyone whose income does not exceed 33% of the annual contribution assessment ceiling in the general pension insurance (with supplements per child). The Federal Office can additionally grant an exemption in cases of undue hardship. Late repatriates and their family members take part once free of charge and are exempted automatically.

  4. 4

    Choose a course provider and take the placement test

    You find an approved provider within reach. The placement test determines your starting section. Pay attention to how easy the provider is to get to and to the course times – a course you cannot reach regularly is the most common reason for dropping out.

  5. 5

    Complete the language course and orientation course

    600 hours of language, divided into the basic and advanced language courses with three sections each, followed by 100 hours of orientation on the legal system, history, and society. The orientation course follows on afterwards under § 12 IntV, usually with the same provider.

  6. 6

    Pass the test and apply for the refund

    Anyone who passes the final test within two years of the first issue of the participation authorisation (three years for courses for specific target groups) can get back 50% of the cost contribution paid. This does not happen automatically: it requires a separate application, and the deadline is often overlooked.

Fee information

Costs and payment

Scope and costsWith the calculation rule, not just the euro amount
Language course600 teaching hours
Orientation course100 teaching hours
Total700 teaching hours
Cost contribution€2.29 per hour
Example: 700 hours€1,603
Refund50% if passed within 2 years

The general integration course comprises 700 teaching hours: 600 in the language course (§ 11 IntV) and 100 in the orientation course (§ 12 IntV). The widespread figure of 800 hours is wrong – the Federal Office itself calculates with 700 hours at €2.29 and arrives at €1,603. For the cost contribution, it is worth looking at the calculation rule rather than just the amount: § 9 Abs. 1 IntV sets it as 50% of the cost reimbursement rate under § 20 Abs. 6 IntV, and the Federal Office fixes this rate by way of a billing directive after establishing the nationwide price trend. The ordinance therefore states no euro amount – it can change without any law being amended. Ask the provider, therefore, for the amount currently in force. For many people, more decisive than the price is the exemption: it is available for, among other things, benefits under SGB II, SGB XII, and the Asylum Seekers Benefits Act, unemployment benefit, as well as an income up to 33% of the annual contribution assessment ceiling in the general pension insurance; the hardship rule comes on top of that. Those who pay can get half back if they pass within two years – on application.

Good to know

Important notes

It is 700 hours, not 800. 600 language plus 100 orientation. The wrong figure circulates widely and makes the course appear more expensive and longer than it is.

The cost contribution does not appear in the ordinance. § 9 Abs. 1 IntV defines it as 50% of the cost reimbursement rate, which the Federal Office sets itself. It can change without any law being amended.

The exemption must be applied for. It is not granted automatically – except for late repatriates, who take part once free of charge. Clarify this before the course starts.

Hardship cases can also be exempted. § 9 IntV allows the Federal Office to grant an exemption where the cost contribution would amount to undue hardship. This option is little known and rarely used.

The 50% refund depends on a date. What counts is two years from the first issue of the participation authorisation, not from the start of the course. Note this date down immediately.

Entitlement and obligation are not the same thing. § 44 AufenthG governs the entitlement, § 44a the obligation. Anyone who is obliged to participate and stays away risks consequences under benefits law and residence law.

Repetitions at your own expense are always possible. Under § 14 Abs. 5 IntV, course sections may be repeated or continued at your own expense, even after reaching the maximum funding period of 1,200 teaching hours.

The funded repetition of 300 hours has been restricted. According to the Federal Office, since the revision of the Integration Course Ordinance it is now only available to participants in a literacy course or a course with special language-teaching support needs. Have your individual case confirmed by the Federal Office.

Avoid these mistakes

Common mistakes

Planning on 800 hours. It is 700. The mistake distorts both the time planning and the cost calculation by a good €200.

Starting the course without applying for the exemption. Very many people are entitled to an exemption and still pay because they never submitted the application. Over 700 hours, that amounts to more than €1,600.

Forgetting the refund. Half of the cost contribution is only available on application, and only if the test is passed within two years of the issue of the participation authorisation.

Relying on the 300 hours of repetition. According to the Federal Office, they are now restricted to certain course variants. Anyone who counts on them as a matter of course is left without the expected funding after an A2 result.

Underestimating the placement test. It determines where you start. Starting too low costs months of your time, while starting too high leads to being overwhelmed and often to dropping out.

Choosing a course that is hard to reach. Travel time and course times are the most common reason for dropping out – especially where childcare duties are involved. Clarify childcare and part-time options before registering.

Frequently asked questions

Questions and answers

How many hours does the integration course have?

700 teaching hours: under § 11 IntV the language course comprises 600 hours (basic and advanced language courses with three sections each) and under § 12 IntV the orientation course comprises 100 hours. The 800 hours often cited are wrong. This is confirmed by the Federal Office's own example calculation: 700 hours at €2.29 come to exactly €1,603.

What does the integration course cost?

Currently €2.29 per teaching hour, so €1,603 for a general course of 700 hours. Important to know: this amount does not appear in the ordinance. § 9 Abs. 1 IntV sets the cost contribution at 50% of the cost reimbursement rate, which the Federal Office itself determines under § 20 Abs. 6 IntV by way of a billing directive. It can therefore change without any law being amended – ask the provider for the amount currently in force.

Who does not have to pay anything?

The group is larger than many think. Those who may be exempted include anyone receiving benefits under the SGB II, the SGB XII, or the Asylum Seekers Benefits Act, anyone receiving unemployment benefit, or anyone whose income does not exceed 33% of the annual contribution assessment ceiling in the general pension insurance, with supplements per child. In addition, the Federal Office can grant an exemption in cases of undue hardship – a little-known option. Late repatriates and their family members take part once free of charge and are exempted automatically. Everyone else must apply for the exemption, ideally before the course starts.

Do I get money back if I pass?

Yes, on one condition: if you pass the final test within two years of the first issue of the participation authorisation – within three years for courses for specific target groups – you can get back 50% of the cost contribution paid. Two points are regularly overlooked: the deadline runs from the date of the participation authorisation, not from the start of the course, and the refund is paid only on application.

What happens if I only achieve A2 in the final test?

In that case you have not reached the B1 course target, but you receive a certificate for level A2. In the past, everyone in this position had access to a funded repetition of 300 teaching hours. According to the Federal Office, these rules have changed: since the revision of the Integration Course Ordinance, the repetition is now only available to participants in a literacy course or a course with special language-teaching support needs. Because this decides on several hundred teaching hours, you should have your specific case confirmed by the Federal Office rather than relying on a general statement. Regardless of that, § 14 Abs. 5 IntV allows repetition at your own expense.

Do I have to take part in the integration course, or am I entitled to?

Both exist, and the difference has consequences. § 44 AufenthG governs the entitlement to participate, and § 44a AufenthG the obligation to do so. Anyone who has been obliged to participate and stays away without reason must expect consequences – under benefits law and, in some cases, under residence law too. Your notice (Bescheid) or your participation authorisation states what applies to you; if in doubt, ask explicitly.

Are there part-time courses or courses with childcare?

Yes. Alongside the full-time course there are part-time variants as well as childcare accompanying the integration course, and besides these, special course types – such as literacy courses, courses for women, for parents, and for young adults. Clarify childcare and course times before registering: switching midway through a course is organisationally difficult, and incompatible times are one of the most common reasons for dropping out.

How long does the course take altogether?

That depends on the format, not only on the number of hours. 700 teaching hours can be completed in a few months full-time; part-time, the same course takes correspondingly longer – often a year or more. Since the deadline for the 50% refund is two years from the issue of the participation authorisation, you should keep an eye on whether you will reach the final test within this deadline if you choose the part-time format.

Related official procedures

German language test (DTZ)
The final test
Included in the course
Vocational language course
On to B1
Often free of charge
Naturalisation test (Einbürgerungstest)
Later for naturalisation
€25

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