Learn German in Freiburg
Learn German in Freiburg, a renowned ‘eco-city’ that serves as the gateway to the Black Forest.
Prices & dates for Freiburg
Why learn German in Freiburg?
Nestled on the edge of the Black Forest, Freiburg im Breisgau is an idyllic destination for your German language course. Known as Germany’s sunniest city, Freiburg boasts a semi-Mediterranean climate, perfect for enjoying its stunning surroundings. The city is surrounded by charming orchards, lush mountains, and picturesque vineyards, making it an ideal base for hikers, skiers, cyclists, and mountain bikers. The locals take great pride in their pristine environment and have worked diligently to establish Freiburg as a truly ‘green’ city.
Beyond its natural beauty, Freiburg has a rich history that unfolds as you stroll through the streets of the old town. Home to one of Germany’s oldest universities, founded in the 15th century, Freiburg blends its medieval heritage with a vibrant, youthful energy. As you wander, don’t miss the impressive Gothic Minster, which dominates the city’s skyline and lends its name to the main square, Munsterplatz. This lively square serves as the heart of the city, bustling with regular markets. Follow the famous Baechle, the miniature canals that have carried water from the river through the city centre for centuries. These charming waterways not only refresh the air but also come with a local legend: if you happen to fall or step into one, you will marry a Freiburger.
Our school in Freiburg
Just a short walk from the city’s main square, Munsterplatz, and very close to the university, our school is perfectly located as a base to explore the city. Close by you will find plenty of shops and restaurants and you can even buy delicious meals on a budget at the university’s restaurant.
Your lessons will take place in one of the eight brightly lit classrooms and afterwards you will have plenty of opportunities to socialise with your fellow German language students, and also with local German people participating in other training courses in the same building.
The minimum age requirement at our school in Freiburg is 15 years, although the average age is usually 20-25 years. Having said that, we do take plenty of students either side of this age bracket and, as most students travel alone and have similar interests, we do usually find that everyone is very keen to get along and make friends. If you are aged 17 years and under you may like to consider one of our courses for young students, as this will allow you to learn German with students of a similar age to yourself!
Location of our school in Freiburg
What courses are available in Freiburg?
Available courses
The most popular option that we offer in Freiburg is the ‘Intensive’ course, which consists of 20 group lessons per week. Lessons can be arranged 09:00-12:20 or 13:00-16:20 Monday to Friday (including a break of 20 minutes). The timetable will be confirmed once all students have arrived and have been placed into groups according to the result of their level test.
Most students prefer this course because it strikes the perfect balance between the amount of time spent in the classroom and the opportunity to explore the city and put what has been learnt into practical use.
The programme will help you to improve your overall level of German. However, if you need to focus on very specific aspects of the language, then the best option for you would be a course of private lessons. You can take private lessons by themselves or add some to a group course.
Our school in Freiburg also offers ‘Exam Preparation’ courses for students who wish to take the Start Deutsch 1 and 2, Zertifikat Deutsch and TELC Deutsch exams. Please contact us for further information on this.
All courses are taught in German by native speakers, all of whom are qualified to teach German as a foreign language.
What accommodation is available in Freiburg?
Available accommodation
To reinforce what you have learnt in the classroom, it is a good idea to practise speaking German with the locals as much as possible. This is why we always recommend host family accommodation as the best option for students who wish to make as much progress as they can in the time available to them.
You can choose to stay on a self-catering, bed and breakfast, half or full board basis. Bear in mind that the evening meal is the best time to sit down with your host(s) and have a conversation and so you may like to consider half board accommodation if you do wish to have plenty of contact with them. Please note that those staying on a self-catering basis will usually have the least amount of contact with their host(s), so this really is for those who wish to have more independence. This type of accommodation includes kitchen access, as does accommodation booked on a bed and breakfast basis.
Most hosts live in the suburbs with good transport links to the city centre. You should expect to travel 10-40 minutes by public transport to the school.
What activities are available in Freiburg?
Do not worry if you will be travelling to Freiburg alone. Most of our students do so and this is one of the reasons that our colleagues offer regular activities, including the Stammtisch (or ‘regular’s table’), which is arranged every Tuesday year-round to help students get to know each other and the teachers in a warm and friendly setting.
During the busy summer months the school arranges something every day, with varied sports and cultural activities regularly included in the programme. The regularity of activities lessens during the quieter winter months, but if there is demand there are usually a couple of options proposed each week in addition to the Stammtisch. Please note that whilst some activities may be free of charge, others may incur a small additional charge, payable directly to the school or other activity provider.
How to get to our school in Freiburg
The closest airport to Freiburg is EuroAirport Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg which is 70km south of the city. From here you could take a taxi, bus or train (journey time is between 55 and 90 minutes). Alternatively, you could also fly into Baden-Baden Airport. Freiburg is also well-served by train connections to many German and European cities. Transfers can be arranged by special request.
4.5 / 5
4.7 / 5
4.6 / 5
Freiburg: Student reviews & feedback
Intensive with Host family
I enjoyed it a lot. I think I had a good class with cool classmates representing four continents. My teachers were also awesome, and they did their best in teaching and answering all questions. I feel like I learnt and improved a lot.
I stayed with two guest families, and they were both really nice and friendly. Their homes were also cozy, and not far from the school. With my first guest family it took me 13 min to get to the school by foot, and with the other around 10 min by tram. Everything was nearby too, and I felt very safe.
The experience was better than I had expected. I truly recommend.
- E. Garcia Gonzalez
Intensive 20 with Host Family
My instructor Hanna was well organized and innovative. She was always supportive and helpful.
My host family served nutritious and delicious meals. We played games at night which helped my German immensely. I really enjoyed being included with Christmas activities.
Steph at Apple languages has been patient during the past three years of Corona. We’ve worked on various schools. I appreciate her flexibility and information on language options.
- N. Campbell
Intensive 20
It was useful and interesting.
- C. Lorenzo Gadaleta
Intensive 20 + Mini-group with Host Family
Excellent teaching plus the four teachers I had were committed and interesting and very professional. Course material relevant to my intermediate level. Variety of interesting teaching methods that kept us engaged throughout.
Very good accommodation,friendly family and eager to meet any needs. Only disadvantage was it was a tramcar and a bus ride away plus 10 minute walk. All in all about 45 mins travelling time.
All in all I enjoyed time with my friendly hosts and learnt so much from the teachers. Also enjoyed time getting to know other students as class size wasn't too big
- C. van Schoor
Intensive 20 with Host Family
The course satisfied my expectations. I started as A2 Deutsch beginner and as I had never been in a german environment before, I was able to understand very quickly although I couldn't speak yet. The teachers were good. They were always open to our questions and wanted to make sure that we understood everything. The atmosphere was also great. We laughed a lot with them and the other students.
The family in which I stayed for almost 7 months was probably the best in the whole city. Although it might sound cliché, they really made me feel like one of the family. We had lots of conversations, we played a lot together after dinner and laughed everyday. They were very welcoming and open-minded.
- C. Giroux
Private lessons
Janis was our instructor for private lessons for my daughter and me. He was extremely organized and designed the lessons to fit our ability and personalities. We made significant strides. Janis gave us some very helpful things to work on outside of class as well. I'm very satisfied and will arrange to do this again.
- C. Samas
Intensive 20
I attended a two weeks German course in Freiburg. The teachers were friendly and very good. The program and the materials of the course were interesting and helpful. I started from a basic level and improved my German speaking and understanding. I was plenty satisfied.
- D. Pulici
School statistics
Nationality (%)
(12)
(2)
(8)
Africa (4)
Asia (18)
Middle east (10)
North/south america/oceania (14)
Northern/eastern europe (14)
Southern europe (14)
Western europe (4)
Average Student Numbers
Average ages (June - Aug)
Student stories on our blog
Freizeit in Freiburg
Near the French border, deep in the south of Germany, lies Freiburg, a city that is undisturbed by Big Tourism. It's okay if you've never heard of Freiburg before, but if you're looking for a great environment to study German, this authentic city on the border of the Black Forest might just be the right place for you!
Even if it's not the biggest of cities, there's a lot to see and do here. The following seven reasons to go to Freiburg will show you exactly what this interesting city has to offer.
Read more...7 reasons to learn German in Freiburg
When people think about learning German in Germany they often tend to consider the big cities first. There is no doubt that cities like Berlin and Hamburg are remarkable places and definitely worth a visit. But why not try something new and exchange a big cosmopolitan city for wonderful and unhurried Freiburg im Breisgau!
In this blog post we would like to give you an insight into this charming town on the edge of the beautiful Black Forest. We also want to give you 7 reasons why Freiburg is an ideal place for your next German language course.
Read more...
United Kingdom
Ireland
Italy
Netherlands
Spain
United States
International
Company Number: 08311373