In order to start your studies at one of Hanover’s universities, you had to prove your according knowledge of German (refer to »Before the Studies«, Admission and Language Abilities). Thus you will have taken German courses in your home country or in Germany. As it is much easier to unlearn than to learn a language, you should look for possibilities to strengthen and enhance you language ability.

Subsequently you will find some information about language courses in Hanover. You could naturally become active and found a conversation class with other foreign and German students – there should by all means be at least one native speaker present. And not only do you maintain your German but you get to know new people as well. 

Conversation Class of the Student Administration Hanover

In the context of the Tutoring Programme for the care of foreign students living in the dormitories of the Student Administration Hanover, there is a free conversation class learning German. It takes place on Wednesdays, 18:00–20:00 h at the Dormitory Dorotheenstraße 5–7, Common House ("Gemeinschaftshaus"). This class offers a means for international students, who are still linguistically insecure, to practice the German language. The participants will be given many possibilities to speak. The intimate atmosphere makes contact easy, so that there are often talks and appointments after the class, too.

Fachsprachenzentrum [LAP/LSP-(Languages for Academic/Specific Purposes) Centre] of the Leibniz University of Hanover

The Fachsprachenzentrum of the Leibniz University of Hanover offers many courses of German as a foreign language and German as a technical language. The courses of the Fachsprachenzentrum are reserved for students of the Leibniz University of Hanover; if there should be vacancies, participation will be possible for students of the other universities, too. Further details can be found on the Homepage of the Fachsprachenzentrum.

Language Schools

Language Schools and other institutes for tertiory education also offer language classes or certificate classes respectively. We recommend:

Volkshochschule Hannover
Bildungsverein »Soziales Lernen und Kommunikation e.V.«
Initiative für Sprachen und Kommunikation (ISK)
Bildungsvereinigung Arbeit und Leben Nds. e.V.

You should make use of the advice service offered by these institutions in order that you will take a course adequate to your knowledge of German!