Intensive German in the Black Forest in March, August and September University of Freiburg

Our Summer & Winter School at the University of Freiburg invites you to spend four exciting weeks in our vibrant university town. The programme combines intensive German-language instruction with authentic cultural immersion.

From Monday to Friday each morning you attend four 45‑minute teaching units that combine conversation exercises, current listening and reading texts, and modern task‑based grammar training. Under the guidance of highly-qualified teachers you will deepen both oral and written skills while practising reading strategies and presentation techniques that follow the communicative‑competence goals of the CEFR.

In the afternoons you can choose between exercise courses — phonetics, grammar, vocabulary or everyday‑German practice — and seminars that explore current cultural and social‑science topics such as history, literature, environmental policy, European affairs and interculturality. The programme is complemented by a range of leisure activities: guided tours of the Black Forest, excursions to well‑known neighbouring cities, museum visits, and city walks, which together provide a genuine experience of German‑speaking culture.

All participants receive a graded certificate at the end of the course that records the individual CEFR level achieved and awards up to 6 ECTS credits.

Students of all subjects as well as non-students interested in German language and culture (also beginners), minimum age by the start of the course: 17 years old

The student dining hall ("Mensa") and the university cafeterias offer a wide range of dishes and snacks at reasonable prices, including vegetarian and vegan dishes.

Our diverse accompanying programme includes activities such as city tours, museum visits as well as hikes and trips in the region.

At the weekend, we also offer exciting day trips to well-known sights, both near and distant. You can visit famous cities such as Heidelberg or Strasbourg and cultural regions such as the Black Forest and Alsace. These excursions are available at an extra charge.

You can improve your German skills and discover the city and the region together with learners from all over the world. This makes the language course in Freiburg a very special experience!

The Language Teaching Centre (Sprachlehrinstitut – SLI) is part of the Faculty of Philology at the University of Freiburg, which was founded in 1457 and includes eleven faculties. With its 25,000 students, the university is an integral part of cultural, social, and economic life of the city and contributes to the tolerant, open-minded, and friendly atmosphere that is typical of Freiburg.

International language courses have been offered at the University of Freiburg for over 100 years. It started in 1911 with "Freiburg Summer Courses". Coming to Freiburg to learn languages and get to know the country and its people thus has a long tradition.

The university town of Freiburg lies at a tripoint – in close proximity to France and Switzerland – and is one of the most beautiful cities in Germany. The city’s historic old town and the Gothic Minster reflect its rich tradition. At the same time, due to its modern infrastructure and its innovative environmental and energy policy, Freiburg is one of the green cities. Having about 230,000 inhabitants, Freiburg is the southernmost major city in Germany. Theatres, museums and cinemas provide a diverse cultural experience, while the Black Forest invites you to take a trip into nature.