What Does an Integration Course Cost as a Self-Payer? Prices 2025/2026
What Does an Integration Course Cost as a Self-Payer?
As a self-payer, you currently pay 4.58 euros per lesson for a full integration course with 700 lessons. That comes to a total of around 3,206 euros. On top of that come the fees for the final exams. Self-payers are people who do not have an entitlement voucher from BAMF (the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees) and pay for the course entirely out of pocket.
Important: the self-payer price is exactly twice as high as the co-payment with an entitlement voucher. Those who have an entitlement voucher pay only 2.29 euros per hour. Those with a low income or who receive Buergergeld (citizen’s allowance) can be fully exempt from the fee.
The Costs in Detail
A standard integration course consists of 700 lessons:
- 600 hours of language course (six modules from A1 to B1)
- 100 hours of orientation course (law, history, culture, values)
Here is how the self-payer price breaks down:
| Part | Hours | Cost as a Self-Payer |
|---|---|---|
| Language course (6 modules) | 600 | around 2,748 euros |
| Orientation course | 100 | around 458 euros |
| Total | 700 | around 3,206 euros |
Note: the price may vary slightly depending on the school. Schools may not charge less than what BAMF normally pays as the self-payer price, but they may charge more. Always ask your school directly for the exact price.
What Do the Exams Cost?
At the end of the integration course, there are two exams. These are not included in the hourly price:
- Deutsch-Test fuer Zuwanderer (DTZ): around 117 euros. This is an exam with two possible results: A2 or B1. Which level you achieve depends on your score.
- “Leben in Deutschland” test: around 19 euros. Here you answer questions about law, society, and history.
Together that comes to around 130 to 140 euros. If you need to retake an exam, you generally pay for it yourself (around 150 euros per attempt).
Self-Payer or Entitlement Voucher? The Difference
Many people can obtain an entitlement voucher and save a significant amount of money:
- With an entitlement voucher: 2.29 euros per hour, so around 1,603 euros. Often free for those with low income.
- As a self-payer: 4.58 euros per hour, so around 3,206 euros.
You can usually obtain an entitlement voucher from BAMF, from the foreigners’ registration office, or from the job centre. Always check this first before booking as a self-payer. Since 2025, for example, refugees from Ukraine, asylum seekers, and EU citizens can in most cases only participate as self-payers.
A More Affordable Alternative: Learning Online
If an integration course as a self-payer is too expensive for you, you can also learn online and prepare specifically for the DTZ, telc, or Goethe exams. This is considerably cheaper.
The complete course from V-IZ, for example, covers levels A1, A2, and B1 and costs a one-time fee of 399,99 euros instead of several thousand euros. You learn in a video course with a real, qualified DaF teacher, use the Hueber textbook “Schritte plus Neu”, and practise speaking and letter writing with an AI trainer. This does not replace an officially recognized integration course with an entitlement voucher, but it is a good and affordable preparation if you would be learning as a self-payer anyway. Those who need only a single level pay 149,99 euros per level. You can find more details on the complete package A1 to B1 page.
Summary
As a self-payer, a full integration course costs around 3,206 euros plus around 130 to 140 euros for the exams. With an entitlement voucher, you pay only half or even nothing. Always check first whether you can obtain an entitlement voucher. If not, a good online course is often the more affordable solution for learning German and passing the exam.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does one lesson in an integration course cost as a self-payer?
As a self-payer, you currently pay 4.58 euros per lesson (45 minutes). With an entitlement voucher from BAMF, it is only 2.29 euros per hour, which is exactly half.
Do I need an entitlement voucher as a self-payer?
No. As a self-payer, you participate without an entitlement voucher and simply sign a private contract with the language school. However, check beforehand whether you might be eligible for an entitlement voucher, because with one you pay only half.
What does the DTZ exam cost at the end?
The Deutsch-Test fuer Zuwanderer (DTZ) costs around 117 euros, and the "Leben in Deutschland" test costs around 19 euros. These are usually not included in the course fee. A retake generally costs around 150 euros per attempt.
What language level will I reach in the integration course?
The target level is B1. The DTZ has two possible results: A2 or B1, depending on your score. For naturalization, B1 is generally the standard, not C1.
Can I repeat the integration course as a self-payer?
Yes, but you must pay for the repeat yourself, around 458 euros per module. With an entitlement voucher, there is a right to additional hours free of charge under certain conditions.
Is there a cheaper alternative to the self-payer integration course?
Yes. A good online German course often costs only a few hundred euros instead of several thousand. It does not replace an officially recognized integration course with an entitlement voucher, but it is an affordable way to prepare for the DTZ, telc, or Goethe exams.