Germany | Hamburg | Intensive German Course

Location

Germany’s “Venice of the North” is an ideal destination for a language school trip to Germany, filled with all the attractions of a major city in a walkable, friendly atmosphere that belies the city’s size. Hamburg is a truly global city, the port through which millions of emigrants left Europe for America in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and now a thriving centre of trade, science, culture, sport and learning.

A trip to Hamburg is a chance to come face-to-face with history, from the charred ruins of St Nicholas’ church which stand as a reminder of the horrors of World War 2, to the remarkable Speicherstadt district whose brick warehouses rise straight out of the waters of the Elbe. A boat tour of Hamburg’s port is a must, where gigantic container ships from around the world bring goods to fuel Europe’s industries. Other attractions include the world’s largest model railway Miniatur Wunderland, the ultra-modern Elbphilharmonie concert hall, the Maritime Museum and the Chocoversum.

Served by flights from London and other UK airports, Hamburg makes an ideal destination for students of German.

Our partner German language school in Hamburg is located close to the Esplanade, in historic buildings right in the city centre. From here you are only a few steps from the Alster River and the Jungfernstieg promenade.

The modern, well-equipped school is designed to give students the very best environment within which to work. With 15 classrooms, study centre, multi media room, internet cafe, student lounge and spacious terrace, students enjoy a bright, airy and welcoming environment in the heart of the city.

Language Course

The core course comprises 20 lessons per week which concentrate on learning and actively using the German language. The tuition is very much practice oriented. You will participate in group sessions alongside other students of a similar level, with lessons focused on improving all aspects of the language; speaking listening, reading and writing. There are four 45-minute lessons per day and these take place during the morning. This course is designed for students who wish to learn or improve their German, meet new people and have some free time to participate in German culture and life in Germany.

For students who want a more intensive experience, it is possible to add 5 or 10 1:1 classes throughout the week (for an additional cost), the content of which will be decided by you in advance. We will ask you before you travel what you would like to cover with your tutor during these individual sessions, for example grammar, a specific thematic topic, conversation or pronunciation.

You will be given a written assessment before you travel and a speaking assessment on the first morning before lessons in order to place you in the group most suited to your ability level. Once you have been allocated to the correct level you will be invited to purchase the coursebook from the language school bookshop, this will be approximately 40€. Classes have an international flavour and a lively feel because they are grouped by ability not nationality or age.

Students interested in this course may also be interested in our Work and Study package available in Berlin or Hamburg as an alternative.

Optional Social and Cultural Programme

The school offers a range of social and cultural activities including sport events, sightseeing trips and guided tours of the city.

Accommodation

Host Accommodation

For students wanting to completely immerse themselves in German language and culture we recommend that a stay with one of our carefully selected German hosts. In a home away from home, students get to experience the German way of life and practise the German language but will also give you a taste of local and delicious regional specialities. Host accommodation is situated within the Hamburg metropolitan area within easy reach of the school by foot or U-bahn / S-bahn (underground/ local train).

Host accommodation includes half-board catering (breakfast & evening meal) from the Sunday before your course starts to the Saturday after it finishes.

Subject to availability, an extra day on one side of your trip may be available on request to facilitate flight dates. A surcharge is payable for any extra nights.

You can read more about what it means to stay with a host in our Host Accommodation Guide.

* Please note that, unlike in France and Spain where families are vetted using the local equivalents of the UK DBS check, hosts in Germany are not required to undertake a police check. Hosts are stringently vetted by the accommodation officer attached to the language school and students’ reviews of hosts are used to inform the suitability of hosts for future use. 

Residence

Residence accommodation is only available for students over 18 years old.

The school has a range of beautifully appointed single and twin, self-catering apartments situated on the school campus. Apartments include a fully equipped kitchen, private bathroom, TV, phone, WiFi, bedsheets and towels. The facilities are ideally located for access to the school and local facilities, including cafés, restaurants, bars and shops.

Availability

Language courses

Monday–Friday throughout the year (closed over Christmas)

Accommodation

Sunday–Saturday

School closures 2025

Lessons will not be taught on these days and no replacement lessons are arranged.

Insurance

Travel and Medical Insurance is available as an optional extra with this package. For more details please see our Insurance page.