German as a foreign language

Textbooks
- Stufen International Volumes 1, 2 and 3 Klett-Verlag Stuttgart.
- Stufen International Supplementary Exercises to Volumes 1, 2 and 3 Klett-Verlag Stuttgart.
The textbooks are handed out on the first day of the course.


Contents
The contents of our language courses are modelled on the reference levels of the European Council for describing linguistic proficiency. Our elementary grades 1 and 2 and intermediate grades 1 and 2 correspond to the reference levels A1, A2, B1 and B2 of the European Council. Controls of the learning objective are conducted at regular intervals in our courses.

Correspondence between the course grades of the Language Institute in the Kastrati Center and the reference levels of the European Council


Description according to the global scale of the European Council:

Elementary grade 1 (= A 1)
Can understand and use familiar everyday expressions and very basic phrases aimed at the satisfaction of needs of a concrete type.
Can introduce him/herself and others and can ask and answer questions about personal details, such as where he/she lives, people he/she knows and things he/she has.
Can interact in a simple way provided the other person talks slowly and clearly and is prepared to help.

Elementary grade 2 (= A 2)
Can understand sentences and frequently used expressions related to areas of most immediate relevance (e.g. very basic personal and family information, shopping, employment, local geography).
Can communicate in simple and routine situations requiring a simple and direct exchange of information on familiar and routine matters.
Can describe in simple terms aspects of his/her background and education, immediate environment and matters in areas of immediate need.

Intermediate grade 1 (= B 1)
Can understand the main points of clear standard input on familiar matters regularly encountered in work, school, leisure, etc.
Can deal with most situations likely to arise whilst travelling in an area where the language is spoken.
Can produce simple connected text on topics which are familiar or of personal interest.
Can describe experiences and events, dreams, hopes and ambitions, and briefly give reasons of and explanations for opinions and plans.

Intermediate grade 2 (= B 2)
Can understand the main ideas of complex texts on both concrete and abstract topics, including technical discussions in his/her field of specialisation.
Can interact with a degree of fluency and spontaneity that makes regular interaction with native speakers quite possible without strain for either party.
Can produce clear, detailed text on a wide range of subjects and explain a viewpoint on a topical issue giving the advantages and disadvantages of various options.


Intermediate grade 2 with “DSH-Vorbereitung“ (= C 2)
The student is prepared in particular for basic working techniques and in general for studies at a German-speaking university.


Contents

Grammar

  • Nominalization (Bei Sonnenaufgang... – Als die Sonne aufging...)
  • Conditional clauses (Wenn das Wetter schlecht wird – Sollte das Wetter schlecht werden)
  • Final clauses (Um Staus zu vermeiden.. – Zur Vermeidung von Staus)
  • Causal clauses ( Weil die Studentin sich Sorgen machte... aus Sorge....),
  • Temporal clauses (Nachdem er in Stuttgart angekommen war – nach seiner Ankunft in Stuttgart)
  • Active-Passive (Der Arzt untersucht den Patienten – Der Patient wird untersucht)
  • Participial attributes ( die erforschten Gene, die systematisch forschende Wissenschaftlerin)




Application

Fill in the registration form for preparation for university entrance and send it to us. A deposit of EUR 300 is payable together with your application. The confirmation of admission and our invoice will be sent to you shortly after we have received your deposit and application form.


Terms of payment

A deposit of EUR 300 is payable together with your application for registration; this is deducted from the total amount and, if requested, the optional travel cancellation insurance (see below). The remainder of the course fee is payable up to 30 days before the course begins. After receipt of your payment we shall send you our 'Letter of Welcome' together with detailed information.


Visa
For nationals of countries that are not members of the European Union a visa is required for entry into Germany for stays longer than three months. To apply for your visa, please present all necessary documents to the German Embassy located in your country. To apply for a visa for the purpose of attending a course of studies in Germany you will need a letter of confirmation from the Kastrati Center Language Institute. Therefore, you should first of all apply for admission to a university, with all necessary documents, and then apply for your visa. Please allow at least three months between application for and receipt of your visa!


Cancellation
If you wish to cancel your programme, please inform us in writing immediately. A cancellation fee is payable as follows: up to four days before the course begins: EUR 300. No refund possible for cancellation three days or less before the course begins, or if you do not show up when the course begins or after it has started. Cancellation becomes effective at the time your written communication arrives at the Kastrati Center.


Cancellation insurance
We recommend that you take out our special cancellation insurance, which costs 3% of the total amount and is payable together with the deposit. If you cancel before your day of departure owing to illness or illness of a member of your family, all programme costs will be refunded. A doctor´s certificate must be enclosed with every such cancellation.