Languages Build Bridges – Summer German Language Programme Leipzig University

Learn German. Experience culture. Discover Leipzig.

Our Languages Build Bridges summer course combines varied language lessons with real insights into life and culture in Germany. You don't just learn the language – you experience it.

Learning German – hands-on and personalised

• Assessment: written test online before the course starts, oral assessment on the first day of the course
• Small learning groups: approx. 14 participants, levels A1 to C1
• Intensive course: approx. 25 lessons per week
• Phonetics training: individually or in small groups
• Project work: on topics of your choice – accompanied and supervised
• Learning materials included: textbook, up-to-date media, access to the Moodle learning platform
• Final test: written and oral
• Recognition: five ECTS points (can be credited at the home university)
• Certificate: with detailed certificate of achievement

Experience Germany – Leipzig as a place of learning

• Culture up close: events, research, and interviews on site
• Discovering the city: explorations in and around Leipzig
• Excursion: a full-day excursion is included
• Afternoon support: by Leipzig students – for questions, exchange, and tips
• Additional offerings: e.g. a weekend trip to Dresden (optional booking)

Our face-to-face courses in Leipzig offer far more than traditional lessons: excursions, projects, and activities outside the classroom make learning lively and practical. Digital elements and the use of a learning platform are an integral part of the lessons.

If necessary, the entire course can also take place online – with live lessons via video conference and guided self-study phases.

A dedicated course team is always on hand to support participants.

Our summer courses are aimed at students and any other learners of German from all over the world who...

• would like to expand and deepen their knowledge of German during the summer vacation in a place where German is spoken as a first language;
• want to combine intensive language learning with a deeper understanding of culture, society, and everyday life;
• want to discover Germany – especially Leipzig – and find out how people here live, think, and organise their everyday lives; and
• are open-minded and curious to get to know students from other countries and exchange experiences.

Our course participants can eat at the student cafeteria "Mensa am Park", which is part of the campus of Leipzig University in the city centre.

Close to our institute as well as in the nearby city centre, you will also find a wide variety of cafés, restaurants, and pubs.

Moreover, there are small kitchens in the accommodation, where you can prepare meals on your own.

The course price includes numerous joint activities that will bring you closer to Leipzig, Germany, and the culture of Leipzig and Germany:

• A full-day excursion, e.g. to Erfurt, Weimar or Berlin – get out and about together and discover the past and present
• A shared opening lunch and a social closing event
• Selected cultural activities, e.g. a concert or a boat trip – offering unique experiences beyond the classroom
• Museum visits and city tours, e.g. a guided tour of the Zeitgeschichtliches Forum – exciting and informative at the same time

There are also additional offers, such as a weekend excursion to Dresden (can be booked additionally).

For free afternoons and weekends, we are happy to provide personal tips – for your own explorations, favourite places, and special experiences.

About Your Language Institutes

Since emerging from the Herder-Institute of Leipzig University in 1992, the Studienkolleg Sachsen and interDaF am Herder-Institut have worked successfully in the area of German as a foreign language. For more than 30 years, we have combined tradition, innovation, and the ability to adapt with consistent high quality in teaching and mentoring.
We offer short-term language courses with a supplementary cultural and regional studies programme on behalf of Leipzig University.

We look back on many years of experience with language courses for future university students and teacher trainings for foreign teachers of German. Our teachers have a solid education, numerous years of experience, and a wide range of expert knowledge regarding the teaching of German as a foreign language. They are committed to their job, and they are full of ideas on how to apply their skills. They always consider the learners' needs.

The language of instruction is German, right from the first lesson. We teach in a modern, interactive and communicative way – to enable our course participants to use the language in real-life situations.

For us, learning German means getting to know and understand the German-speaking regions and countries in their diversity as well. Explorations, excursions, and cultural events offer the opportunity to form your own impressions.

Our support starts well before the beginning of a course – competent consulting on our courses offered is as essential as the procurement of dormitory rooms and assistance with administrative and visa matters.

About Leipzig University

As a comprehensive university, Leipzig University covers the entire spectrum, from natural sciences to a wide range of study programmes in the humanities and social sciences. Interdisciplinary teaching, modern equipment, one of the largest university libraries in Europe, committed and experienced lecturers, and a convenient and exciting city – there are many good reasons to study in Leipzig. Currently, more than 31,000 students are enrolled; over 3,600 of these students are from abroad and come from more than 150 countries.

Leipzig is one of the liveliest German cities and is named "cool-kid town" (New York Times). Whether as a musical city, trade fair Mecca, or city of books, Leipzig has always been an important European centre: Leipzig is exciting. Leipzig looks back on more than 1,000 years of history. The trade fair, the university, the music, the world of literature, and, last but not least, the Peaceful Revolution of 1989 have forged this city.
Whatever you are looking for in Leipzig, everything is just a few steps away. Leipzig has a vital and diverse arts and cultural scene. The city benefits from both the rich tradition and the creative young culture – whether in music, fine arts, or theatre.
Leipzig is a green city with many inviting parks and forests in which to relax and do sports and other activities. Of course, the numerous lakes in and around Leipzig are very popular as well.
Leipzig is a city for young people with a lot going on after sunset – in pubs and in numerous clubs, on small stages, or at innumerable concerts.
Thanks to an excellent transport system, you can quickly reach Berlin, Hamburg, Munich, and other popular destinations in Germany from Leipzig. Moreover, European capitals such as Prague, Vienna, or Paris are not far away and can be easily reached by plane, train, or coach.