With over 50 years experience as an international language provider, teaching German as a foreign language has always had an important focus in the work of Carl Duisberg Centren.
Our German Language Courses are offered in Berlin, Cologne, Munich, and Radolfzell on Lake Constance. At the Carl Duisberg Training Centers you will be taught by experienced trainers, who all have a university degree. In lessons, great emphasis is put on training communication skills.
The learning progress is measured according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages. Prior to the start of the course, your actual language ability will be assessed by a placement test. On course completion, you will receive an official certificate of attendance.
At various stages of the course program, you can have your improvement documented by taking the internationally recognized tell examinations. Naturally, at the four Carl Duisberg Training Centers, a media resource center with a multitude of teaching materials is available. This also includes computer learning programs for self-study. You will receive all the books and materials used in the lessons free of charge which can then be kept at the end of the course. Additionally, there are no extra costs for registration, placement test, and weekly interim tests.
For those who decide to learn a foreign language in the country where it is spoken, they will also get to know the culture, customs and ways of its inhabitants. The same applies to your language course in Germany. The varied leisure and cultural program create relaxed, realistic everyday situations, where you can put your newly acquired language knowledge into practice. At the same time, you can gain an insight into German culture and mentality.
Carl Duisberg German courses are offered at four very different locations: you can choose between the capital Berlin, the Rhine metropolis Cologne, the Bavarian state capital Munich, or the charming little town of Radolfzell on Lake Constance. Each location has its own character and its own merits.
The nationality and age mix at Carl Duisberg Centrum Koeln / Cologne varies over different time periods, courses and levels. Throughout the year, the average age is 24. In the summer, the average age is 22.
CDC Cologne teaches students from all over the world, including:
CDC Cologne does not hold classes on the holiday dates below. The school does not compensate for these holidays, so make sure to choose your start date accordingly.
The Carl Duisberg Training Center Cologne and headquarters are centrally located at the edge of the downtown area. A short walk will take you to the cathedral and the picturesque historic district. Your lodgings, train station or airport are all just a short subway or rapid transit train ride away. In the Cologne Training Center most of the classrooms are air-conditioned and there is a media resource center at your disposal. You can have breakfast or lunch in our cafeteria, or eat at one of the numerous, reasonably priced restaurants nearby.
I enjoyed the classes, they were very interactive and the cultural exchange was very interesting as well. I only got the chance to participate in one activity beyond classroom due to lack of participants, so I would've liked if the activities got further promotion. The location was okay, and I didn't personally occupied housing.
Show details » Read more...The location of the school was nice as well as the facilities. Both the teaching staff and administrative personnel were very friendly, always ready to provide support when required. I had to print and send several documents for my work, and their assistance was greatly appreciated.
Accommodation with the host family was ideal. The hosts were incredibly warm and offered very good lodging. It's worth noting that the location is somewhat distant for those without access to a car, necessitating the use of public transportation (cannot go walking), which can be somewhat challenging. Fortunately, I had my own vehicle, so this wasn't an issue for me.
I was on B1.1.
My classe was very cool, the students have integrated me directly, so I felt very Gogol there from the first day. Miss. Stempell is an enjoyable teacher because the cours were interactives and we work all the student together almost all the time.
My hosing was only at some U-Bahn station so was convient to make the trip easily.
With the schools some activities have been organized so it allowed me to meet people who were not in my class, and on addition to that they were pleasant activities.`
My hose was very clean, and my roommate were nice.
I thoroughly enjoyed my two weeks at Carl Duisberg Centrum Koeln. I got a basic understanding of the German language in those two weeks, with an ability to interact in German for everyday communications and basic personal needs. The location is great within a 15 minute walks of most places in central Cologne.
Show details » Read more...The bad: 1. extraordinarily expensive. 2. They offer one week courses not at all prepared to be "one week" course, since you will just join a normal intensive course (already started or not) for that week but the course is supposed to last one month. (I would really make it more intensive, with a clear plan of what you are going to see, and for sure not using a whole book that you will barely start, or even worst, two books because the class didn't finish with the previous ones and they still needed a couple of days to do so, forcing you to see again those last units as well). 3. Due to the fact that they didn't have enough rooms for every course and with the aim of making more money, lessons from my "morning" course took place half of the time in the afternoon instead, reason why I had to miss half of the workshops since they only took place in the afternoon. The good: good teachers, good workshops about specific topics. I would only recommend this course if you are given a grant to study there for a long time. Then is for sure a good option.
Show details » Read more...I loved my stay at CDC, the teachers were really helpful and explained really clearly the German grammar.
I was in a class with students between 20 and 30 years old so it was very dynamic.
The location was good, very easy to access with the subway and close to the center.
This week at the Carl Duisberg Centrum of Cologne has been a very nice experience. The course was very interesting, the teacher very good and all the staff nice and friendly.
Show details » Read more...I have stayed for one month and two weeks at carl Duisberg Centrum in köln. For me it was a good experience, the teachers are really good and available for any questions.
The extra activities are well organized. And the accommodations provided by the school are quite fine (maybe still a little far from the school localisation).
During my stay in February took place the carnival of köln, and I think that it's a good event to assist at least one time in a life.
In school, you have too the opportunity to meet people from all around the globe too :)
That was an amazing experience for me. Perfect location, perfect teacher, perfect classmates. Also housing was perfect, aparment owners were so kind and helpfull. Next year I will come again but wiht my friends:))) They should experience this lovely learn style.I was so happy there, I am looking forward to go again CDC. See you on 2018...
Show details » Read more...The German lessons I had in Carl Duisberg were very dynamic and productive. I learned in a very pleasant way and worked on grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation and written and oral understanding. The teachers and staff were very friendly and attentive.
Show details » Read more...The classes were very good. The professors were very skilled, although the organisation could have been better. There were too many changes of the professors from week to week. That was not very good and most of the students did not take that too well. The location was perfect. It was near the center of Cologne, so I think it was reachable for most of the students. The activities were very nice opportunities for meeting new people from other countries.
Show details » Read more...CDC services were above average. Classes were properly scheduled to enable me to internalize daily teachings/themes. Teachers were well-prepared in almost all classes offered. The location and facilities offered at CDC are good. The extra activities offered were excellent, like attending the Cologne Carnival, Dom visitation, and others. The guest family was kind to me and the house was located at an appropriate distance from CDC.
Show details » Read more...The classes were good and well organised. The teachers were well-knowledgeable and organised. The facilities were okay and comfortable for a serious education and learning environment. It was quite advanced. The school can improve more by employing smart board technology.
Show details » Read more...The teachers and students were very kind and were especially helpful in any area, in order to emphasize the courses.
Show details » Read more...Everything from my host family to the teacher and curriculum was above par! I learned more German in 3 weeks than I have learned in the last 5 years. My teacher balanced the work between speaking, listening, reading and grammar perfectly, and the other students in my class were welcoming and just as eager to learn. The family I stayed with provided all I needed and more, and we even took a few family outings to go sight-seeing. Cologne is a beautiful city, and I definitely was able to take advantage of that. I had a fantastic experience and would recommend Carl Duisberg to anyone. Thanks for a wonderful 3 weeks! Wish I could have stayed longer.
Show details » Read more...I was in Cologne for 6 weeks.
The courses were great: only in German (easier to progress), good teacher (not each but most of them were really nice)
About my stay with the family I have to say that I'm a little disappointed: if I wanted to be with a family, it was to speak in German! I was with 2 others boys and we were in a little apartment for the three of us. It was easier for us to speak in English because we were "alone" all the time without the family. We only saw the lady every morning and every night when she brought us the food and that was it. I had this feeling that we were there for them just for the money and it's not a good feeling. And I don't know if it was normal but we were the only ones who needed to pay extra to the family for the laundry.
But for the rest my stay in Germany was really nice: nice city, great school and I met some lovely people.
I don't have any regrets.
The first teacher lessons were very hard for me, but also very productive. After a week, I improved to a higher level, so my lessons were already in another group (14 people out of 8). In this group, it was quite boring and not really motivating. So it very much depends on what teacher will you get.
Activities I didn't like, honestly. Mostly, they were just sports. I'm more interested in museums.
About the family. I liked them very much! Very kind and intelligent people. We talked a lot and they always answered all my questions. My house was very close to the city center and school, so most of the time, I just walked.
In general, my trip was very interesting and productive. I met a lot of nice people from different countries. And I was very glad to notice that there were not many Russians so I had to use German a lot.
Homestays are carefully selected and offer students the opportunity to learn more about the local culture in a comfortable setting while studying German in Cologne. These homes are often between 15 - 45 minutes away from the school by public transport. Families usually offer affordable meal plans that allow you to sample the local cuisine. If you have special requests or diet restrictions (because of religion or health reasons), please let us know in advance. Your housing starts on the Sunday before your first day of class and ends on the Saturday after your last day of class, unless otherwise noted. Learn more about homestay housing
It is possible to live in a rented apartment during your study in Cologne, but this tends to be more expensive. CDC Cologne provides some assistance with apartment rentals or you can rent an apartment on your own. Learn more about apartment housing
We cannot apply for visas on behalf of students. However, the school can supply you with all the documentation you need to support your visa application.
Your letter of acceptance will be sent to your home address by regular mail at no charge to you. If you wish to receive your paperwork by express mail, you will be charged 70 € when you register.
Please note that we do not book flights for our students. If you are researching airfare costs, we recommend using Kayak.com, a search engine that lets you compare flight options from your home country to Cologne based on your budget, schedule and preferences.
Study abroad worry-free with Language International's health and personal effects insurance coverage. When you book a course with us, you can opt to purchase an international insurance plan that covers not only your health care cost but also loss of your personal belongings. You must book your insurance in advance when you register.
The Carl Duisberg Training Center Cologne and headquarters are centrally located at the edge of the downtown area. A short walk will take you to the cathedral and the picturesque historic district. Your lodgings, train station or airport are all just a short subway or rapid transit train ride away. In the Cologne Training Center most of the classrooms are air-conditioned and there is a media resource center at your disposal. You can have breakfast or lunch in our cafeteria, or eat at one of the numerous, reasonably priced restaurants nearby.
Have questions? Get answers from Carl Duisberg Centrum Koeln / Cologne staff, Language International student advisors, and past students.
Ask a questionThe books for the basic courses are called: "Schritte international" published by Huber and for the advanced learners "Aspekte" published by Langenscheidt
We can send the respective letter of acceptance as soon as the booking process has been finalized. We usually issue our documents in English. As far as we know, CADIVI accepts English documents. In order to avoid unnecessary translations, we kindly ask you to verify if the Spanish translation is really necessary.
We can accept your student with pleasure, but please keep in mind that we need a Minimum participant number of 6 for this course
The prices for homestay and shared apartment are the same.
Yes, this is correct, because he intends to apply for the Test daF course and not for our regular intensive course.