Learning German in the US

Books stacked in front of a bookshelf.
© DAAD/Hüb
Are you interested in learning German to study or research in Germany? Or did you simply fall in love with the beauty of the German language and its wonderful grammar like Mark Twain did? If you haven’t had the pleasure reading Twain’s take on the German language, you can find the complete text as a download below. Whatever your reason, there are many resources to learn German in the US, online and offline.

German Language Requirements

For most degree programs, knowledge of German is a prerequisite for admission to German university. However, you do not need to know German if you intend on enrolling in an international degree program. Currently, there are 1,800+ international degree programs offered at German universities, most of them on the graduate level. If you are planning to do research in Germany, you may need to be fluent in German or not need any German at all, depending on your research field. Most research in the STEM fields do not require German, whereas research in the humanities still requires at least some knowledge of German.

Click here for more information on German language requirements. In the following clip, an international student talks about her experience on how much German you really need at the university:

How much German do I need in Germany?

How much German do I need in Germany?

Activate video

To activate the video, please click on "Load video". We would like to point out that data will be transmitted to YouTube after activation. You can find more information about this in our data privacy statement.

American Association of Teachers of German (AATG)
An organization of German language instructors at all levels including university and high school; it features a generous section of resources for German language learning
American Institute for Contemporary German Studies (AICGS)
A scholarly organization of academics
Coalition of Women in German
Deutsche Akademie für Sprache und Dichtung
Confers the annual Georg Büchner Prize
Deutsches Literaturarchiv Marbach
German Historical Institute (GHI)
German Studies Association / DAAD-GSA Book Prize / DAAD-GSA Article Prize
German Studies Network
A network within the Society of the Anthropology of Europe
Internationaler Germanistenverzeichnis
Of the Deutscher Germanistenverband and DAAD
Monatshefte
A quarterly journal of German Studies in North America

Mark Twain on the German Language

Read more about Mark Twain’s take on learning German as a second language here:

Mark Twain – On the German Language [PDF 1.26 MB]

Advertisements by German Universities

1/12

Be part of the transition to the future shape of energy

Join our English-taught Bachelor of Science in Energy Systems Engineering and Management!

More
Hof University - University of Applied Sciences Logo RGB

Hands-on Master’s programs at Hof University Graduate School

Boost your career with our practical M.B.A. and M.Eng. programs, including a one-year industry internship to gain real-world experience!

More

Study in Stuttgart – one of the biggest German tech hotspots!

Join the University of Stuttgart and study among world-leading companies and hidden champions.

More

Study Abroad in Berlin – Summer and Winter

FUBiS is an intensive academic program of Freie Universität Berlin through which students can earn ECTS credits. Sessions run for 3 to 6 weeks taking place in summer and winter.

More

A degree that makes a difference – study at RPTU in Landau!

Embark on a journey to understand global challenges from a wide range of perspectives with our international and interdisciplinary master’s degree in Environmental Challenges and Human Responses.

More

English-taught Bachelor’s and Master’s programs at Hof University

Shape your future with our career-focused Bachelor’s and Master’s programs in English, featuring hands-on learning, internships, and strong industry connections!

More

GET MA – Global and European Transformations: Social Sciences with a G...

GET MA offers an interdisciplinary master's program combining political science and sociology, with a double degree from Berlin and Ankara. Ideal for careers in diplomacy, policy advising, NGOs and ac...

More

Mechanics of Sustainable Materials and Structures (MS²)

Explore sustainable materials & structures in a joint program between Germany, Italy and France. MS² offers EMJM scholarships for top international students!

More

Study in Berlin - MBA & International Master’s Programmes

Study management in English. Improve your leadership skills. Gain digital know-how. Become part of an international student body. Benefit from many corporate activities, valuable career consultation a...

More

A degree that makes a difference – study at RPTU in Landau!

Embark on a journey to unravel environmental challenges with our international degrees in Environmental Sciences and Environmental Pollution Management.

More

Level up your finance future — propel your career with our MBA in Fina...

Unlock your finance and leadership potential – our premium, accredited MBA in Financial Management opens doors to top careers in Germany’s thriving market.

More

Beyond data: MSc Project Management & Data Science - Berlin

Become the data-savvy professional employers want! Bridging data and business, strong in stakeholder communication and successfully delivering projects amid constant change.

More

Contact

Location pin on map display