Deutschkurse für Ausländer - DKFA

Has anyone attended courses at Deutschkurse für Ausländer? I did a search (using the full name and the DKFA) and only found the link to the site, but no comments.

Am thinking of doing an intensive course there this spring for two months and looking for feedback on the program.

Thanks

Have a letter for entry, but haven't started the course yet. I am comparing this course against a course at Goethe (from my husband's company, part of what he negotitated up front that I get 2 segments at Goethe). DH will ask the people at the govt. run course if the Goethe course will count for this. I work all day at home, and to have to be out from 9-12 is tough.

I'll be taking mine (govt. course) in Weilheim if I have to do it, supposedly it is good here, smaller classes. Let me know what you hear.

I've done 7 months of German course there and I was wery satisfied. I spoke to a lot of people before making the decission and it seems to be one of the best places in Munich.

Thanks for the info Miluska. It is perfect for me as I only live a block away and the price is right so think I will sign up for a 2 month course in the spring.
thanks agian

Definitely give Inlingua at Sendlinger Tor a try. I'm fluent in German after 4 months of training and it costs less than half the price of the Goethe Institute.

I tried Inlingua 2 yrs ago and had a HORRIBLE experience with them and would never go there again.

I am not looking at going to the Goethe Ins, but the DKFA, which nearly half of Inlingua - not to mention 30 seconds from my front door

Hi, I don't know what I'm doing here and am new to this site. I'm the mom of a college student who is thinking of studying in Germany this summer. She is in school in England this year. We lived in Heidelberg for 5 years back in the 90's so she speaks German pretty well- or used to anyway. We don't want to send her through an expensive US program for exchange students. Do you have anymore information about this school? Is the neighborhood nice? Any contacts for homestay programs? Thanks in advance. We are in the upper Midwest- far away from Germany. It's tough to help her from so far away...

Would definitely recommend DKFA, especially if you need DSH exam, very productive. Nice teachers, attentive although groups can be fairly large (20). Not very effective for practicing speaking, as they are mostly focusing on grammar, reading and writing.

I thought you needed an official govt. letter to get into these courses, correct me if I am wrong, but I think these are strictly for folks who are immigrating to Germany. The course is a requirement for citizenship now. 100 hours, 70 language, 30 culture. At least that's what I was told in Weilheim.

I've taken a lot of classes there and so have a lot of my friends. The courses are good and you will definitley learn German. I would advise though, that if in the first week or so, you don't like your teacher, ask to be put in another class. Some of them have been there forever and are downright hostile toward their students.

I stand corrected, looks like the DKFA at least in Munich is open to anyone with a diploma: http://www.dkfa.de/eng/faq.php#wer

Not sure if these are two different organizations or what? Sorry to give bad info. Hope your daughter finds a school!

good idea since she would waste your money and her time anyhow. about half of the exchange students i knew spent the most of the time partying and site seeing.

but be forewarned, munich is an expensive city. this is the school i went to in freiburg: Sprachenkolleg für Studierende Ausländer. it's not as cheap as it used to be, but cost the same as the DKFA.

I did the First Two courses with them back in 2000:

# Basisstufe I – starting with "Themen aktuell" vol. I, lesson 6
# Basisstufe II – starting with "Themen aktuell" vol. II, lesson 3

Both @ Josephplatz

My opinion it's a cheap course mostly used by people who want to study in Germany.

I chose it because it was cheap -> big plus point especially if your paying!

Plus points:

Cost
For absolute beginners you get a good grasp of Vocab and grammar
Nice people

Minus points:

Large Classes
Very Grammar and Vocab orientated - very little spoken German
No real contact to Germans - except of course the teachers

All in all I think it was a good basis for learning the language as the Grammar and Vocab form the basis off being able to speak German but the key is to speak German!

I took their course 8 years ago and can only recommend it. They put a lot of emphasis on Grammar...a lot...it was almost like a brain-washing experience (or what I think a brain-washing experience could be like). Basically they prepare you for the exam you need to take (and pass) in order to be able to go to University... my teachers were all very nice, one of them even organised an early night out with the class (we all went to the Paulaner Keller after class)...

I found the school through my mums recommendation, who took their German classes 20 years before I did. It wouldnt surprise me if some of my teachers have once been hers too.

The fact that they dont practice a lot of speaking in class would have bothered me if I had not been living in Germany. But considering I was surrounded by Germans most of the time, it wasnt a problem at all.