English in Germany

Have you ever thought about the possibilities of education in English in Germany? Many people mistakenly believe that English is not popular in Germany and the chances of getting a quality education and high employment are minimal, but is that so? Especially for you, we wrote an article on how to live in Germany with knowledge of English.

• Statistics and Facts

The official language in Germany is German, it is spoken by more than 96% of the population. The German language has over 100 different dialects, but the so-called Hochdeutsch is considered the generally accepted literary language. More than 6 million people speak the Russian language, 50% of whom are immigrants from the CIS countries (descendants of fledgling / migrating Germans). Over 51% of the German population speaks English, and about 17% speak French.

Germany ranks first among major countries in the world in English. According to the study of the educational center, Germany was ahead of not only Japan and Italy, but even India. Testing takes place in 88 countries and regions, knowledge is tested in 1.7 million people, aged 18-40 years. Large cities in Germany, such as Munich, Berlin, Dusseldorf, Hamburg and Cologne have a wide margin in the use of English at a domestic and professional level. The major city of Frankfurt deserves special attention, it is ahead of the level of language proficiency in such cities as Tokyo, Paris and Hong Kong.

• Institute for Improving the Quality of Education

This institute has existed since 2004, its purpose is to create educational standards for primary and secondary schools. The list of subjects includes mathematics and foreign languages. The Institute cares about improving the quality of education, therefore, it conducts independent testing of students throughout Germany for knowledge of a foreign language. Most young Germans choose English as an additional language (over 60% of schoolchildren), in second place French.

• Secondary and higher education

Private schools and universities have already established themselves in the labor market. Due to the fact that each educational institution must pass a special commission, because only after its approval, universities have the right to international accreditation. No private university in Germany has the right to conduct educational activities without accreditation, in contrast to the CIS, where diplomas are replaced with state-issued certificates. Private universities in Germany provide the opportunity to study in both German and English. In some large universities, there are mixed groups in which students study in both languages.

• Work and life

Living in large cities of Germany, many expats say that they are completely costing basic German. Plus, while studying / working in Germany, most of them begin to learn German in parallel and six months later they have the level A2 – B1. Many large companies such as Siemens, BMW, Metro, Volkswagen, Adidas support a multicultural society policy by hiring employees with knowledge of the English language. Corporate trainings, major international exhibitions and presentations are also held in English.

• German reaction

It is not paradoxical, but most Germans will happily speak with you in English, not only in the city center, but also beyond. The fact is that English has become a “trend” in the last 10 years. Some 100 years ago, English in Germany was accessible only to aristocrats and people from high society, and now more than 50% of the population is studying it.

Higher education in English in Germany opens the door to new opportunities. Double diplomas, creative specialties, a high percentage of employment after graduation attract students from all over the world.