Language learning | German » German Courses for Immigrants in Heidelberg

German courses for immigrants in Heidelberg www.heidelbergde/chancengleichheit “Every new language is like an open window that shows a new view of the world and expands your attitude towards life.” Frank Harris (1856-1931) Irish editor, novelist, short story writer and journalist Photo Heidelberg Marketing GmbH Learn German in Heidelberg There are many different places in Heidelberg where you can learn German. This leaflet, which lists some low-cost language courses in the city, is for immigrants of non-school age. It will also be useful for people whose job it is to provide advice to immigrants. You will find several different kinds of courses listed in this leaflet –– Language-learning support from the City of Heidelberg –– Language courses run by nonprofit organizations and charities –– Integration courses, and language courses for professional purposes, run by the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF) The leaflet also explains what criteria you need

to meet if you want to attend one of the courses. The courses listed in this leaflet may not be all the courses that are available. We regularly update this leaflet. If you wish to suggest changes, or learn of another inexpensive language course that is not listed in the leaflet, please let us know by sending an email to chancengleichheit@heidelberg.de Photo Philipp Rothe I. Language-learning support paid for by the City of Heidelberg What language-learning support does the City of Heidelberg offer? Anyone coming to Heidelberg and applying for asylum in the city can attend a language course at the ‘Volkshochschule’ adult education center, with support from the City of Heidelberg. The course lasts 4 weeks with a total of 100 contact hours. In the course you will learn the essentials you need to communicate in everyday life. The courses are paid for by the City of Heidelberg There is also a follow-on course (Aufbaukurs) for participants who wish to continue learning German. This

course also has 100 contact hours. Who can attend a language course paid for by the City of Heidelberg? To attend these courses, you must: –– be living in City of Heidelberg temporary accommodation, –– be of non-school age, –– have been in Germany for no more than 15 months, and –– be entitled to benefits under the Asylum Seekers’ Benefits Act (A sylbLG). –– These benefits must be applied for through the City of Heidelberg Office of Social Welfare and Senior Citizens (Amt für Soziales und Senioren). The Volkshochschule courses are aimed particularly at people who are not entitled to take a BAMF integration course. What do the language courses cost? You do not need to pay anything for the first language course. The city’s Office of Social Welfare and Senior Citizens pays part of the costs. You can pay the rest using your ‘Heidelberg-Pass’ Everyone entitled to asylum-seeker benefits receives a Heidelberg-Pass. If you wish to attend the follow-on course, you

will need to pay 32 euros yourself. The rest is paid with an education voucher (Bildungsgutschein) from the City of Heidelberg. These vouchers are funded from donations. More information is available from City of Heidelberg Office of Social Welfare and Senior Citizens Fischmarkt 2, 69117 Heidelberg Ms. Kobs, +49 6221 58-37392 or Mr. Fröhlich, +49 6221 58-37260 sozialamt@heidelberg.de II. Free German courses and test coaching from Heidelberg nonprofit organizations and charities (no certificate awarded at end of course). More information is available from the contact persons named. 1. Asylarbeitskreis Heidelberg e V ‘Sprachbrücken’ project Volunteer-led language courses at various levels of difficulty, and test coaching. The courses are open to residents of the refugee homes named below, except the course at WeltHaus, which is open to all. 2. Caritasverband Heidelberg e V Volunteer-led language courses for residents of the refugee home on Hardtstraße, suitable particularly

for refugees taking an apprenticeship. Contact and course location Ms. Nada Phone +49 6221 7278191 lida.nada@caritas-heidelbergde Refugee accommodation at Hardtstraße 10/1, Kirchheim 69124 Heidelberg 3. Caritasverband Heidelberg e V Quartiersmanagement Rohrbach-Hasenleiser Contact Mrs. Sommer Phone +49 6221 182797 asylarbeitskreis-heidelberg@t-online.de Plöck 101, Altstadt 69117 Heidelberg Course locations Refugee accommodation at Henkel-Teroson-Straße 14-16 Pfaffengrund, 69123 Heidelberg Refugee accommodation at Patton Barracks Kirchheimer Weg 4, Kirchheim, 69124 Heidelberg German conversation classes Contact and course location Ms. Ramirez Phone +49 6221 330330 rebecca.ramirez@caritas-heidelbergde Freiburger Straße 21-23, Rohrbach 69126 Heidelberg 4. Caritasverband Heidelberg e V & Diakonisches Werk der Evangelischen Kirche Heidelberg Former Hotel Metropol Alte Eppelheimer Straße 80, Bergheim, 69115 Heidelberg The small meeting room in WeltHaus Willy-Brandt-Platz 5,

Bergheim, 69115 Heidelberg Volunteer-led language courses for residents of the state of Baden-Württemberg’s Patrick Henry Village (PHV) refugee arrival center. Contact and course location Mr. Orf and Mr Zülch Phone +49 6221 7395869 phv-ehrenamt@caritas-diakonie-hd.de PHV, Grasweg 8, Kirchheim 69124 Heidelberg 5. Frauen-Forum Emmertsgrund 8. Rotary-Club Heidelberg - Alte Brücke and Volkshochschule Heidelberg (vhs), ‘Deutsch-Paten’ project Free German courses for women and girls Contact and course location Ms. Oedel Phone +49 6221 769434 ff-buero@gmx.net Emmertsgrundpassage 31 (ground floor), Emmertsgrund 69126 Heidelberg Support from volunteer mentors for those learning German at the Volkshochschule adult education center Contact Mr. Dierkes Rotary-Club Heidelberg - Alte Brücke rainerdierkes@t-online.de or 6. Internationales Frauen- und Familienzentrum Heidelberg e. V Dr. Szarka (female) Volkshochschule Heidelberg Phone +49 6221 911960 szarka@vhs-hd.de Free German

courses for women Contact and course location Ms. Rupp Phone +49 6221 182334 info@ifz-heidelberg.de Theaterstraße 16, Altstadt 69117 Heidelberg 7. Interkulturelles Frauencafé, TES e V Stadtteilmanagement Emmertsgrund Free German courses for women Contact and course location Ms. Bertolo Phone +49 6221 1394016 stadtteilmanagement@emmertsgrund.de Emmertsgrundpassage 11b, Emmertsgrund 69126 Heidelberg Photo Asylarbeitskreis Heidelberg e.V III. Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF) integration courses What is the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF) integration course? The BAMF’s standard integration course consists of 700 contact hours. It is made up of a language course (600 hours), where you will learn the German you need for everyday life, and an orientation course (100 contact hours), where you will learn about the legal system, history and culture of Germany. Special integration courses aimed at specific groups are also available, namely the literacy

course, the youth integration course, the intensive integration course for those who learn languages easily, integration courses for women, parents and those learning the Latin alphabet for the first time, and special courses for persons with disabilities. What will you be able to do by the end of the BAMF integration course? By the end of the integration course, you should be able to speak German to level B1, and to take and pass the ‘Life in Germany’ (Leben in Deutschland) test. If you are successful in the test, you will be awarded the ‘integration course certificate’ (Zertifikat Integrationskurs). This certificate is useful for people with an immigration background who wish, for example, to apply for a residence title (Aufenthaltstitel) or naturalization, or who are preparing to enter the job market. Who can take the BAMF integration course? –– Ethnic German resettlers –– Newly-arrived immigrants who hold a residence title (Aufenthaltstitel) –– Foreigners who

have been living in Germany for some time –– European Union citizens –– Asylum seekers with good prospects of remaining in Germany –– Certain persons whose deportation has been suspended (Geduldete) and who hold a residence permit (Aufenthaltserlaubnis) Immigrants can be either entitled to take an integration course (= voluntary attendance), or required to do so, either by a job center (Jobcenter), an employment agency (Arbeitsagentur), or by organizations that pay out benefits under the Asylum Seekers’ Benefits Act (= compulsory attendance). What will the integration course cost you? Photo Philipp Rothe Participants must pay €1.95 for each hour of an integration course The tests at the end of the course are free. If you receive benefits such as Unemployment Benefit II (Arbeitslosengeld II), social assistance (Sozialhilfe), housing benefit, or benefits under the Asylum Seekers’ Benefits Act, you can apply to attend the course free of charge. In this case you can

also have some of your travel costs paid for you. Everyone who passes the final test can submit an application and have half of their course fees refunded. Ethnic German resettlers do not have to pay a course fee. Is there childcare for when I am attending an integration course? Please ask your language school about what childcare is available. What do I have to do to take the BAMF integration course? Voluntary participation: Apply to the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF) for entitlement to take the integration course* or Compulsory participation: Receive a certificate of obligation from a foreigners’ authority, job center, employment agency, etc. With their certificate of eligibility or obligation the participant receives full details of the assessment / language test that they must take before they can attend the integration course. The participant is told what type of course they can attend, and where. The course is chosen for them according to their

current knowledge of German. Participants start the course at the organization to which they were assigned, or at the organization previously chosen by them. (In this leaflet is a list of all the organizations offering the integration course.) Photo Annette Schiffmann - Asylarbeitskreis Heidelberg e.V Participants complete either the general integration course or a special course, and pass the tests at the end of the course. Award of the Zertifikat Integrationskurs This certificate brings legal benefits for its holder. For example, it is needed when applying for a right to reside (Niederlassungserlaubnis), and it makes it easier to apply for naturalization. More information BAMF regional coordinator Mr. Michel Zeppelinstr. 2 76185 Karlsruhe Phone +49 911 943 72530 hartmut.michel@bamfbundde or any integration course provider in Heidelberg, or www.bamfde/integrationskurs *Applications must be submitted to the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF), Zeppelinstraße 2, 76185

Karlsruhe. Help with applications is available from the local integration course providers. IV. Courses in German for professional purposes in Heidelberg (since 2016 part of the BAMF’s standard offering) What are the BAMF’s ‘German for professional purposes’ courses, and what is their aim? These courses are designed to follow on directly from the integration courses. They aim to teach you the German you need to work in Germany A number of different modules are available: the basic modules (300 contact hours) where attendees learn German relevant to work in general; subject-specific modules (300 contact hours); and modules for those in the process of having their vocational qualifications officially recognized (400-600 contact hours). Courses in German for professional purposes can also be combined with various training options offered by the Federal Employment Agency (Bundesagentur für Arbeit). –– Persons in the process of having their vocational qualifications

officially recognized, and persons taking apprenticeships. Criterion 3 You must also have completed an integration course and/or speak German to level B1, but still need to know more German for your work. Whether you can attend a course in German for professional purposes is the decision of the employment agencies, the job center, or sometimes the BAMF. What does it cost to take the courses? Who can take the BAMF course in German for professional purposes? Criterion 1 You must belong to at least one of the following groups: –– Immigrants, including refugees who are in the process of having their vocational qualifications officially recognized and with good prospects of remaining in Germany –– Persons whose deportation has been suspended (Geduldete) in accordance with Section 60a (2), sentence 3, of the Residence Act (AufenthG) –– EU citizens –– German citizens with an immigration background. Criterion 2 You must also belong to one of these groups: –– Job-seekers,

persons registered as unemployed or as seeking an apprenticeship, and/or recipients of benefits in accordance with Social Code Book II (Hartz IV) or Social Code Book III (Arbeitslosengeld) –– Persons in employment The courses in German for professional purposes are generally free for participants. The only situation in which you must pay is if you already have a job and do not receive any social security benefits. In this case you must pay half the cost of the course (currently €2.07 per contact hour) More information is available from BAMF Ms. Lamm Regional coordinator for language support for professional purposes Wolframstraße 62 70191 Stuttgart Phone +49 911 943-73943 marion.lamm@bamfbundde Heidelberg employment agency (Agentur für Arbeit Heidelberg) Kaiserstraße 69-71 69115 Heidelberg Phone +49 800 4555500 Jobcenter Heidelberg Speyerer Straße 6, 69115 Heidelberg jobcenter-heidelberg@jobcenter-ge.de Heidelberg providers of BAMF integration courses and / or courses in

German for professional purposes Integration courses German for professional purposes 1. Berlitz Deutschland GmbH 7. Heidelberger Pädagogium Mr. Lieder Phone +49 6221 164004 christian.lieder@berlitzde Sofienstraße 7a, Bergheim, 69115 Heidelberg Mr. Weigel Phone +49 6221 45680 info@heidelberger-paedagogium.de Schröderstraße 22a, Neuenheim, 69120 Heidelberg 2. BBQ Berufliche Bildung gGmbH 8. Internationaler Bund e V Mr. Dittler Phone +49 6221 27848 dittler.christian@biwe-bbqde Kurfürsten-Anlage 5, Bergheim, 69115 Heidelberg Ms. Egelhof Phone +49 6221 3169531 sprachkurse.heidelberg@internationaler-bundde Belfortstraße 2, Bergheim, 69115 Heidelberg 3. Donner + Partner GmbH training centers 9. USS GmbH Mr. Gärtner Phone +49 6221 6734186 gaertner.hd@donner-partnerde Bergheimer Straße 147, Bergheim, 69115 Heidelberg Ms. Schäfer Phone +49 6221 9987856 nina.schaefer@ussde Englerstraße 6, Rohrbach-Süd, 69126 Heidelberg 4. F+U Academy of Languages gGmbH 10.

Volkshochschule Heidelberg e V Ms. Wagner Phone +49 6221 912032 tatjana.wagner@fuude Hauptstraße 1, Altstadt, 69117 Heidelberg Ms. Türschmann-Qataoui Phone +496221 911988 sprachen@vhs-hd.de Bergheimer Straße 76, Bergheim, 69115 Heidelberg 5. GFN AG 11. GebärdenVerstehen e Kfr (sign language school) Mr. Motaleb Cell +49 176 14361063 siamak.motaleb@gfnde Kurfürsten-Anlage 64-68, Bergheim, 69115 Heidelberg 6. Heidelberger Dienste gGmbH Jee Yae Yeon Cell +49 176 21224565 yeon@hddienste.de Hospitalstraße 5, Bergheim, 69115 Heidelberg Ms. Schwager Phone +49 6221 7287478 jana.schwager@gebaerdenverstehende Maaßstraße 26, Wieblingen, 69123 Heidelberg Publication details Content and Coordination City of Heidelberg Office of Equal Opportunities Equal opportunities for immigrants – Integration Bergheimer Straße 69 69115 Heidelberg Phone +49 6221 58-15500 Fax +49 6221 58-49160 chancengleichheit@heidelberg.de www.heidelbergde/chancengleichheit Layout Mayor’s Office Photos

Frontpage, Page 13 and 18: Annette Schiffmann - Asylarbeitskreis Heidelberg e.V Page 3: Heidelberg Marketing GmbH Page 4 – 5, 10: Philipp Rothe Page 9: Asylarbeitskreis Heidelberg e.V Edition 1st Edition, October 2017 Photo Annette Schiffmann - Asylarbeitskreis Heidelberg e.V Office of Equal Opportunities City of Heidelberg Bergheimer Straße 69 69115 Heidelberg Phone +49 6221 58-15500 Fax +49 6221 58-49160 chancengleichheit @heidelberg.de www.heidelbergde Photo Annette Schiffmann - Asylarbeitskreis Heidelberg e.V