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

1/14

MBA IN INDUSTRIAL MANAGEMENT --> YOUR KEY TO SUCCESS

Esslingen University - one of Germany’s leading universities for applied sciences. Core areas: engineering, management, applied research.

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

Professional Master of Public Policy (MPP)

A brighter future needs smarter policies. Shape solutions for global policy challenges with our MPP program, designed for young professionals.

More
Logo Universität Bayreuth

Food System Sciences (M.Sc.)

Your master’s degree for a better world! Be a part of our international master’s programme at the Faculty of Life Sciences: Food System Sciences and apply now!

More

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

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

More

Master in Human and Artificial Intelligence (M.Sc./M.A.)

"Discover our interdisciplinary Master's program in Human and Artificial Intelligence for Philosophy, Psychology, and Computer Science graduates."

More

MBA & Engineering in Life Science Management Programme

Internationally accredited MBA&E providing life science expertise required in leaders of the future combining comprehensive, industry-specific knowledge and management skills.

More

Get a truly international education!

Are you looking to study at a German university that will launch your international career? Join us at ESB Business School for a top-tier education!

More

Discover the business of tomorrow – enhance your career opportunities ...

Advance your career with an MBA from Pforzheim University, one of the leading Business Schools in Germany!

Mehr

Global Food, Nutrition and Health (M.Sc.)

Your master’s degree for a better world! Be a part of our international master’s programme at the Faculty of Life Sciences: Food, Nutrition and Health and apply now!

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

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

AI & Robotics (M.Sc.)

Join a new AI-focused university – and shape the future. Start your Master’s at the University of Technology Nuremberg, Germany.

More

LL.M. in European and International – Start your global career now!

Study European Integration, Economic Law, Trade, Investment and IDR as well as Human Rights together with students from more than 30 countries!

More

Contact

Location pin on map display