FAQ - frequently asked questions
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If the admission requirements are met, it is possible to first complete the "Weiterbildendes Studienprogramm DaFZ" (WBSP DaFZ) and later switch to the Master's program DaFZ. In this case, achievements from the WBSP can be recognized upon application, so that the Master's program is shortened. Information on the Master's program DaFZ can be found here.
Applicants with a university degree in German Studies or German as a New Philology or other language-related subjects can be admitted to the postgraduate study program German as a Foreign and Second Language .
- Applicants with university degrees in German Studies or German, a modern philology or other language-related subjects are admitted without conditions.
- Applicants with other fields of study can be admitted with conditions if they can prove teaching experience in the field of German as a foreign and/or second language amounting to at least 500 teaching hours.
If you need/want to have your admission checked (or apply for special admission): The examination board will decide on admission. In this case, please send a short application to the office of the DaFZ department. The office will forward your documents (curriculum vitae, short application, motivation, certificates, etc.) to the examination board. In general, please enclose copies of your certificates, any relevant performance records, and proof of your teaching experience. The examination board will decide on admission and, if necessary, set conditions attached to admission.
Applicants must have submitted their application by September 15 of each year in order to be able to participate in courses for the basic module in the following winter semester. For application documents see regulations § 2, applications are to be sent to the secretary's office of the DaFZ department.
After a consultation, the application for participation should be sent by mail or in person to the Department of German as a Foreign and Second Language.
- Letter of motivation
- Application form (can be printed out in the download area)
- Copy of university entrance certificate
- Certified copy of degree certificate
- Curriculum vitae (in tabular form)
- Proof of good German language skills (TestDaF level 4, DSH 2 or an equivalent examination - foreign students and native speakers are exempt)
- If available: Proof of teaching experience in DaF or DaZ.
No, you do not have student status. You are participating in a continuing education program that is usually already part-time.
The chances are very good at the moment. However, you must be aware that this is usually a fee-based job (even, for example, if you are a lecturer at the Goethe-Institut) and that this field of activity is dependent on political decisions (e.g. admission of refugees; Immigration Act). If applicable, the regulations on teacher qualification of the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF) should also be taken into account.
Abroad, there is an increased demand for German lessons in some countries, especially in the adult sector.
The following applies to teaching abroad:
You should find out whether a certificate of further education is sufficient for your intended job. For many employers and clients, especially abroad, native language competence and teaching experience are often more decisive criteria than a further degree.
For an application to the DAAD, the WBSP DaFZ certificate is also sufficient, since it corresponds to a one-year postgraduate course. At the DAAD, a degree in German studies is a prerequisite for many lectureship positions, but depending on the country or job advertisement, applicants with other subjects and an additional DaF qualification may also be of interest.
For an academic position where a foreign university is the employer, you will improve your chances if you have a Master's degree. With the WBSP you keep the option open to change to the Master's program of the University of Kassel immediately after its completion or even later.
For the study abroad section please refer to the following publication:
Dagmar Giersberg (2004): Teaching German Worldwide. 2nd ed. Bielefeld: Bertelsmann.
We also recommend the following article from "Deutsche Welle".
The "Weiterbildendes Studienprogramm Deutsch als Fremd- und Zweitsprache" (WBSP DaFZ) concludes with a certificate from the University of Kassel, which provides evidence of further education in the field of didactics and methodology DaF/DaZ. In addition to the grades for the individual course achievements and the overall grade, the certificate also shows 50 credits according to the ECTS system.
The WBSP DaFZ certificate is not comparable with university degrees such as a Master's degree. In terms of scope, it corresponds to a one-year supplementary course or a postgraduate course DaF/DaZ. The Master's program at the University of Kassel comprises two years of full-time study and 120 ECTS credits are awarded. Achievements from the "WBSP DaFZ" are credited towards this upon application.
The certificate is positively evaluated as proof of qualification or is often made a prerequisite for employment, for example at adult education centers, language schools, educational institutions in adult education. The Central Office for Schools Abroad strongly recommends that applicants acquire a DaF certificate - but it can also be a certificate from another university, the Goethe-Institut or other providers - in order to improve their chances of being hired. These are always advanced or continuing education certificates, for many teaching purposes these certificates are completely sufficient, and on the basis of these certificates many teachers in the school sector in Germany receive a teaching permit for DaF/DaZ or are employed in corresponding courses.
The certificate of the "WBSP DaF/DaZ" is evaluated for teacher graduates or teachers in the school service of the state of Hesse with the subject German to the extent of the study of a teaching profession subject and entitles them on application to an extension examination in the subject German as a foreign language (teaching qualification). Teachers of other subjects may have to fulfill further requirements; details are available on request from the Hessian Teachers' Academy - Examination Office Kassel - Rothwestener Str. 2 - 14, 34233 Fuldatal. A one-hour oral examination must be taken as part of this extension examination.
Recognition for work as a teacher in integration courses (teacher qualification) is generally possible with the advanced training certificate, as it corresponds to the completion of a university advanced or supplementary DaF/DaZ course. Further individual requirements may have to be clarified with the BAMF.
In addition to the university certificate as proof of your continuing education, proven teaching experience in German as a foreign language is important for many jobs. Therefore, you should definitely acquire this if you do not already have it. This is also an advantage for course participation.
The requirements for a job at a university cannot be described here in a generally valid form, since much depends on the profile of the position and the institutional framework conditions. However, if you are seeking employment at a university abroad, for example, the following applies: It might be advantageous to aim for a Master's degree in addition to the university certificate, which is a training course, lasts longer than the continuing education courses, but enjoys greater recognition abroad.
If the admission requirements are met, it is possible to first complete the "Weiterbildendes Studienprogramm DaFZ" (WBSP DaFZ) and later switch to the Master's program DaFZ. In this case, achievements from the WBSP can be recognized upon application, so that the master's program is shortened. Information on the master's program can be found here.
It is a continuing education certificate that provides important competencies for many teaching purposes and is often completely sufficient for teachers in the school sector to receive a teaching permit for DaF/DaZ or to be employed in corresponding courses.
The certificate of the "WBSP DaF/DaZ" is evaluated for teacher graduates or teachers in the school service of the state of Hesse with the subject German to the extent of the study of a teaching subject and entitles them on application to an extension examination in the subject German as a foreign language (teaching qualification). Teachers of other subjects may have to fulfill further requirements; details are available on request from the Hessian Teachers' Academy - Examination Office Kassel - Rothwestener Str. 2 - 14, 34233 Fuldatal. A one-hour oral examination must be taken as part of this extension examination.
Recognition for work as a teacher in integration courses (teacher qualification) is generally possible with the further education certificate, as it corresponds to the completion of a university postgraduate or supplementary study course DaF/DaZ. Further individual prerequisites may need to be clarified with the BAMF.
If you wish to teach integration courses, we recommend that you contact the language course provider or the BAMF directly to find out about the requirements for admission as a course instructor in integration courses. Information is available at: www.bamf.de/DE/Infothek/Lehrkraefte/lehrkraefte-node.html
General information at
www.goethe.de/z/50/commeuro/deindex.htm
Global level descriptions at
www.goethe.de/z/50/commeuro/303.htm
Both are also available in print:
"Common European Framework of Reference for Languages: teaching, learning, assessment". Council of Europe - Council for Cultural Cooperation, Munich: Langenscheidt, 2004
"Common European Framework of Reference for Languages: teaching, learning, assessment. Companion volume." Council of Europe - Council for Cultural Cooperation, Stuttgart: Klett, 2020.
The implementation of the optional descriptions for the levels for DaFZ teaching is described on CD-Rom: "Profile Deutsch", Glaboniat et.al., Munich: Langenscheidt, 2005 (ISBN 3-468-49463-7).