International students

Language courses...

• are compulsory for some study programmes: please check your Modulhandbuch (modul handbook).
  
• are essential when it comes to applying for a semester/internship abroad or if you plan to attend international meetings.
  
• help you hone your language skills so that you can submit term papers, write your thesis or publish in English and German.
• are a valuable springboard when it comes to applying for a job or for admission to another degree programme.
  
• are vital if you want to communicate with the people in the country you are living and studying in.
• will earn you extra credit points.

The Language Center offers over 20 languages each semester. With some exceptions, all language courses are open to you.

Please be aware that not all language courses will be accepted for your degree programme so please check your module handbook (Modulhandbuch) before signing up. Courses can also be attended on a voluntary basis.

If your German level is below B1, you will be able to participate in the following courses without any difficulty. For more information, click on the language.

• 1) German (Deutsch als Fremdsprache) courses at your level (Grundkurs 1-3)
• 2) All English courses
• 3) All courses in the African languages we offer (Wolof, Bambara, Swahili)
• 4) Grundkurs 3 (G3) or higher in all other languages (Spanish, Italian, French, Russian, Chinese, Portuguese, Swedish, Turkish, Polish, Korean, Japanese and Arabic).
• 5) We offer one Grundkurs 1 (G1 beginners) in French, Italian, Portuguese, Japanese and Spanish where the language of instruction is English. This information will be visible in CMlife so that you know which course to sign up for.     

• Language classes are not lectures: active participation is required. 
• Attendance is compulsory. In a course with 4 contact hours per week you may miss a total of 4 sessions; in a course with 2 contact hours per week you may miss a total of 2 sessions.
• Courses are capped at 20/25 participants. Registration via CMlife is mandatory. If you are not officially registered for the course you will not be allowed to remain.
  
• There is a final exam at the end of every course.

If you have had previous instruction in a language, you will need to take a placement test unless you have already taken a course or a placement test at the University of Bayreuth. Click here and then select the language you are interested in.

Placement tests always take place in the first week of term. Click here and then select the language you are interested in.

Yes, you must register for all language courses through CMlife: Course finder

Places are allocated on a "first come, first served" basis. If a course is fully booked, you will automatically be given a place on the waiting list (WL) and move up the line according as other students deregister. If you are still on the waiting list after registration closes, you may NOT attend the course.

Yes, but deregistration is only possible until registration closes (at the end of the second week of the semester). If you drop the course after this deadline "X-5,0" will be entered in your student record.

Yes, our compulsory attendance policy applies to all courses at the Language Centre.

• 1) Start your language training early.
• 2) Register as soon as you know your schedule. Some courses are booked out very quickly!
• 3) If you need a placement test, sign up via CMlife. (Tests normally take place in the week before the semester begins.)
• 4) Sign up for your language course via CMlife. (Course registration normally begins during the first week of the semester).
• 5) Begin attending your language course in the second week of the semester.
• 6) De-register from a course if you know you will be not able to attend.

You may take one or more placement tests without your student card. Please go along to one of the sessions and tell the supervisor about your problem. However, you will not be able to register for language courses without access to the system.

 That depends. Please contact the Secretary's Office (Sekretariat) at the email address below.

If you have not received a place in a course that you are required to take, please contact the Secretary's Office (Sekretariat) at the email address below.

Yes, because private information of this kind is data protected.

Come to our Language Lounge to a) be paired for a language twin (tandem) and b) to attend the Sprachstammtische (Language Clubs) that we offer.

• The following German courses G1, G2, G3, G4, Kompaktkurs Aufbaustufe 1 (B2.1), Kompaktkurs Aufbaustufe 2 (B2.2) and Kompaktkurs C1.1 can only be taken in sequence.
• From level B2.1 on, courses with one weekly session (2 SWS) may taken together in the same semester, e.g. the course "Schreiben im akademischen Kontext (B2)" can be taken separately or in combination with "Kompaktkurs Aufbaustufe 1 (B2.1)", "Kompaktkurs Aufbaustufe 2 (B2.2)". 
  

Our English courses start at level B1+/B2.