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

Study in Berlin – Summer and Winter

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

More

Study the Master of Manufacturing Technology in Germany

Apply for the two-year, fully English-taught Master´s program in manufacturing technology (MMT) from Feb. 1st – Mar. 15th at TU Dortmund University, Germany. The program is free of tuition fees.

More

Study in Berlin - MBA & International Master’s Programmes

Our internationally recognized MBA & Master’s programmes will provide you with the knowledge and tools to conduct business in the global market.

More

Boost your career with the International Master‘s in Project Managemen...

Boost your career. Acquire a German Master’s degree in Data Science & Project Management. Join us at HTW Berlin – On Campus or Online!

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

Full Scholarships Available: Master of Law & Business

Apply by 15 January and study with a full or partial scholarship at one of Germany’s top private universities: Bucerius Law School in Hamburg. Find out more!

More

Study at one of Europe's top governance schools

Public Policy, International Affairs or Data Science – get to know the international master's programmes at the Hertie School in Berlin

More

Bonn Graduate School of Economics (BGSE) - Combined M.Sc. Economic Res...

Are you ready to advance your career in economics? BGSE offers a dynamic doctoral program designed to drive you towards success. Call for Applications. Scholarships Available. Admission with bachelor’...

More

Advance your career with an MBA from Pforzheim University!

The full-time MBA in International Management at Pforzheim University combines a classical management education with the most relevant future topics: Innovation Management, Sustainable Globalization a...

More

Professional IT Business & Digitalization Master

Ready for the next step in your IT-career? Welcome to the international master’s program Professional IT Business & Digitalization at HTW in Berlin. The program provides in-depth knowledge in the fiel...

More
1/10

Contact