Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Here you will find answers to frequently asked question about our language courses and examinations.
Why should I take a language course when there are language learning apps?
In a language course, you learn a new language in the best and most effective way. While language learning apps are very common, learning together in a group course at a language school offers distinct advantages over isolated app-based learning:
- Personal interaction with the teacher
- Individual attention and adaptation to the learner’s needs
- Structured learning concept
- Promotion of communication skills
- Motivation through the presence of other learners
- Learning discipline through personal control
Individual Attention and Guidance: Our highly qualified language teachers are able to respond to the individual needs of each participant, offering their experience and knowledge. Unlike apps, they provide tailored support based on each individual’s progress, strengths and weaknesses. Instant feedback and the ability to ask questions greatly accelerate the learning process. Our teachers will help you improve your pronunciation, correct grammar mistakes and answer questions, which will help you speak the language in a natural and fluent way.
Cultural Context and Immersion: In our language courses, you will not only learn the grammatical rules and vocabulary of a language, but also experience cultural aspects of the language and how it fits into cultural contexts. Through interactive conversations, group activities, and role-playing, you not only improve your understanding, but also develop the confidence to use the language in real-life situations.
Motivation and Social Interaction: learning together in a group creates a motivating and supportive environment. By speaking with other participants, you will improve your conversational skills and learn how to communicate effectively in a group. Also, in a group setting, you can learn from and support each other, which increases motivation to learn and engagement. The social interaction also helps to reduce inhibitions and practice fluency in a relaxed atmosphere.
Structured Curriculum: Our language courses follow a carefully developed curriculum that ensures all relevant aspects of the language are covered. From grammar to listening comprehension to writing exercises, our structured approach ensures a comprehensive learning progression that is often missing in the world of language learning apps. These different skills are actively practiced during the course to help you fully master the language and express yourself clearly and confidently in any situation.
Real experiences, real results: Contact with real people in a learning environment promotes not only an understanding of the language, but also an understanding of cultural nuances and contexts. Our participants are better prepared to express themselves in authentic situations, whether traveling, working, or in interpersonal encounters.
We offer a variety of language courses tailored to different needs and language levels. We offer beginner, intermediate and advanced courses to help you improve your language level and achieve your goals. To give you the most flexibility, we combine our live face-to-face training with the advantages of the Internet and offer you live online training in a virtual classroom – where you decide where you want to learn. Our teachers live and breathe their language and are committed and experienced. We offer a range of course times and course types, including fully flexible one-to-one tuition to ensure that the course fits in with your schedule.
Is a human teacher better than artificial intelligence (AI) for learning a language?
Learning a new language is a goal that requires not only memory, but also an understanding of culture and context. While AI technologies have made significant advances in recent years, there are many reasons why learning with a human teacher is still the better choice, as a human teacher offers valuable advantages over artificial intelligence:
Personalized attention and adaptability: everyone learns differently and a human teacher can tailor lessons to each student’s individual needs, learning style and learning level. While AI programs often offer standardized lessons, a real teacher can flexibly respond to a student’s strengths and weaknesses and design lessons accordingly. This leads to a more effective and efficient learning process.
Emotional support and motivation: Learning a new language can be challenging, sometimes even frustrating, and often requires a lot of patience and perseverance. A human teacher can provide emotional support, encouragement and motivation when the learning process becomes difficult. This human interaction and assistance can make all the difference and spur students on to keep going and not give up in order to get through difficult learning phases. In addition, a teacher in a classroom can build a community of learners who work together and learn from each other, creating a richer and more enjoyable learning experience.
Cultural understanding and context: A human teacher brings not only linguistic knowledge, but also cultural knowledge and context, which is essential for a deep understanding of a language. Languages live and evolve in cultural frameworks, and a human can share stories, anecdotes and examples that cannot be found in any textbook and that an artificial intelligence can only reproduce without real understanding. A human teacher can explain cultural nuances and contexts that are crucial to understanding and using the language. This is particularly important to avoid misunderstandings and to use the language correctly in real-life situations.
Interactive and dynamic learning methods: Human teachers can use a variety of interactive and dynamic teaching methods to make lessons exciting and engaging. The adaptability of a human teacher is their strength. While an AI relies on pre-programmed algorithms, a real teacher can spontaneously respond to current events or interests of the course participants and design the lesson accordingly. Role plays, discussions and group work are just a few examples of activities that bring learning to life and improve participants’ language skills in real-life contexts.
Interaction and immediate feedback: Direct human interaction is a key element in language acquisition. The nuances of pronunciation, the subtleties of tone of voice and even body language are best captured in real time with a human teacher giving feedback and correcting. A human teacher can provide immediate feedback and correct mistakes directly, which is crucial to avoid bad habits and accelerate learning progress. AI programs can also provide feedback, but the nuances and subtleties that a human teacher recognizes and explains are usually lost. In addition, artificial intelligences are known to hallucinate, i.e. to pass off false or made-up information as true facts. This is particularly fatal when an artificial intelligence explains incorrect rules in a language course or uses inaccurate examples.
Learning with a human teacher offers many advantages that go beyond the mere transfer of knowledge. The personal attention, emotional support, cultural insights, interactive methods and immediate feedback make the learning process not only more effective, but also more enjoyable and motivating. A real, human teacher understands and lives a language, whereas an artificial intelligence can at best only reproduce it without understanding. If you want to learn a new language, a real, human teacher is the best choice.
When do the next courses start? Where can I find an overview of the course dates?
Our course modules usually start every four weeks. You can find an overview of our course starts on the course dates page.
When do I need to register for a language course?
German Intensive:
There is no specific registration date for our registration process.
Registration is even possible one day before the start of the course, sometimes even after the course has commenced, if free places are available.
However, registration should be done as soon as possible, since we work on a fair course allocation system, based on the registration date (first come, first serve). Please understand that in the case of last-minute registrations shortly before the start of the course, there may be no more seats available.
Evening Courses:
There is no specific registration date for our registration process.
Registration is possible at any time. Joining a course after it has commenced is also possible at any time, should free places be available, and if the participant has the required language level.
Private Lessons:
Private lessons can, as a rule, be organized at very short notice, as per your requirements and the desired intensity of the lessons.
How do I know which is the right language course for my language level?
To test pre-existing language skills, a placement test is performed with each potential course participant. The results of the placement test allow us to allocate the optimal course for your language level.
Please understand that we can only schedule you for a specific course if you have taken the placement test in time before the course starts.
Do I need to complete a placement test for my language course if I am able to present a certificate from the Goethe Institute, or from another language school?
A certificate or a placement test from another language school or examination institute is not sufficient.
We conduct a placement test with every new participant who already has relevant language skills. Only this placement test conducted by us enables us to obtain detailed verification of a potential participant’s existing knowledge as well as deficits, and to determine the appropriate course.
Please understand that we can only schedule you for a specific course if you have taken the placement test in time before the course starts.
Can I obtain a document confirming my participation in the language course?
A confirmation certificate can be made available on payment of a handling fee.
Before the start of a course, a registration confirmation can be made available, which verifies that registration has been concluded for a specified time period. Relevant information, such as the monthly teaching hours and course times, are specified in the registration document.
After the course has begun, a booking confirmation, which verifies that registration has been concluded for a specified time period and that the course has commenced, can be provided. Relevant information, such as the language level of the course, monthly teaching hours, and course times, are specified. This booking confirmation, however, is not a participation confirmation, as the course would not have been completed at this point in time.
After completion of the course, a participation confirmation can be issued, which verifies that the course has been attended. In the participation confirmation, relevant information such as the language level of the course, the monthly teaching hours, and course times are specified.
Am I guaranteed a seat in the language course once I have registered?
We always do our best to offer all our customers a place according to registration.
In reality, however, there is unfortunately never a guarantee of a seat in a course, even if dubious providers lure you with this, as the capacity depends, among other factors, on the number of free places, spontaneous cancellations and, of course, the number of registrations, and can change again and again until the actual start of the course. In addition, there is the possibility of cancellations due to illness or other unforeseeable events. We therefore ask for your understanding that we cannot give a dubious guarantee for a course place, and instead promise open communication.
I need a visa. What do I need to take into consideration?
Please check with the relevant embassy or consulate regarding the provisions for a visa, such as the required course duration and the required number of lessons per week. For further information, please contact the Federal Foreign Office / Auswärtige Amt.
Please register well in advance of the commencement of the language course, as processing your visa application may take several months.
In addition to your registration, please request a registration confirmation, which can subsequently be submitted to the relevant embassy or consulate.
Does the school also offer accommodation?
As a language school, we only offer language courses. We do not provide accommodation.
When are the school holidays?
We do not have holidays. Our language courses run continuously without interruption.
The only exceptions are public holidays and our winter break over Christmas and New Year’s Eve, when there are no classes.
What do I do if I’m registered for a language course, but I am not given a visa?
In such a case, there are two possibilities:
- Rebooking: It is possible to change the start date of the course by rebooking, if for example you have to move the course start date by one or two months. Such a rebooking is possible for a rebooking fee and by written confirmation of the rebooking by means of a respective online rebooking. If you would like to rebook, please contact us.
- Cancellation: If you do not receive a visa, cancellation of the course is possible, subject to a cancellation fee. In such a case, please send us the official document confirming the refusal of the visa.
Can I cancel my registration for the language course?
You can cancel your registration at any time. Please note, however, that an already paid down payment may be lost, or further costs could ensue; specified cancellation periods apply for open-ended contracts. The exact conditions of cancellation are dependent on the relevant course, so please refer to the respective conditions of registration.
Can I change my language course within a running course module?
The placement test before the start of the course and the resulting course allocation are binding.
Please understand that swapping courses during a progressing course module is not feasible, as this would not guarantee our customers a homogenous course group for the respective course block. Constantly switching participants would disturb the classes and detract from the learning experience.
However, a course can be switched after consultation with the management, at the commencement of the next course block, if there are sufficient reasons requiring the transfer.
Are language classes taught in two languages, i.e. are explanations given in my mother tongue?
Language lessons are monolingual and not bilingual, only in the language you wish to acquire. So, for example, German lessons are only taught in German. This has been proven to be the most efficient way to learn a foreign language.
Can children and minors participate in the language courses?
Since we offer education for adults, participation in our group courses is only possible for adults, i.e. for persons who are at least 18 years old.
Do I have to take a final test after each language course module, in order to be admitted to the next module?
It is possible to take an optional evaluation test after each course module, which allows an assessment of your language skills according to a specific language level, confirming this with a certificate. This evaluation test is not mandatory.
For further information on evaluation tests, please contact us directly.
Do I have to first attend a language course or can I register for a language exam without a course?
Registration for a language examination is possible at any time, independent of course attendance.
Am I automatically registered for exams when I attend a language course?
A separate registration is always required for examinations.
Please inform yourself of language exams under Language Exams, or refer to the notices in our classrooms, detailing the upcoming examination dates.
Which course book is utilized, and where can I get it?
The course-book cannot be purchased or borrowed from MONDIALE, but must be purchased separately from a regular book store. Please note that the course-book is not included in the course fee.
The books used may change at short notice. You may receive further information for your specific course with the course confirmation. We therefore recommend that you wait to purchase a book until you have received the actual confirmation for your course or specific details of the book used!
German Intensive A1:
Linie 1 A1
Deutsch in Alltag und Beruf
Kurs- und Übungsbuch mit Audios und Videos inklusive Lizenzschlüssel allango
ISBN 978-3-12-607007-2
+
Linie 1 A1
Deutsch in Alltag und Beruf
Intensivtrainer
ISBN 978-3-12-607059-1
German Intensive A2:
Linie 1 A2, Deutsch in Alltag und Beruf
Kurs- und Übungsbuch mit Audios und Videos inklusive Lizenzschlüssel allango
ISBN 978-3-12-607008-9
+
Linie 1 A2, Deutsch in Alltag und Beruf
Intensivtrainer
ISBN 978-3-12-607078-2
German Intensive B1:
Linie 1 B1, Deutsch in Alltag und Beruf
Kurs- und Übungsbuch mit Audios und Videos inklusive Lizenzschlüssel allango
ISBN 978-3-12-607017-1
+
Linie 1 B1, Deutsch in Alltag und Beruf
Intensivtrainer
ISBN 978-3-12-607098-0
German Intensive B2 & C1:
On the first day of the course, the teacher will tell you which course-book will be utilized for the course.
Evening Classes:
On the first day of the course, the teacher will tell you which course-book will be utilized for the course.
If I missed a lesson, can I simply add on a lesson or reschedule a subsequent lesson?
Group courses: Please understand that the group courses are organized in fixed course blocks which guarantee our clients a homogenous course group for the duration of the respective course block. Constantly switching participants would disturb the classes, and detract from the learning experience. Unfortunately, a missed date can thus not just be added to your course duration. However, on request, we can send you the teaching material of the missed course period by e-mail.
Private Lessons: If the original appointment was canceled on time, an alternative date may be rescheduled according to availability, either at the end of the training program, or at an individually agreed time.
When is the closing date for registration for an examination?
You should register at least 14 days before the exam.
Starting 21 days before the exam date, a late registration fee will be charged due to late registration.
How can I pay for the telc exam and until when?
You can pay by PayPal account, direct debit (SEPA direct debit), credit card, Google Pay or Apple Pay, as well as by invoice (advance payment) up to three weeks before the exam. Registration and payment is only possible online.
Please note that your payment must be received by us no later than 72 hours after registration when using the payment method “advance payment”. Otherwise your booking will be cancelled automatically.
Can I also register in person at the office and pay in cash, for example?
Registration and payment is only possible online via the website.
Do I have to first attend a course or can I register for a language exam without a course?
Registration for a language examination is possible at any time, independent of course attendance.
How long does the exam take?
Our telc exams usually start at 13:30. Unfortunately, we cannot give a specific time for the end of the exam in advance, as this depends on many factors. Please keep the afternoon free until at least 18:00. Special time requests can not be considered!
Can I postpone my exam date?
It is possible to postpone your booked exam date up to a certain deadline by prior arrangement. Please take note of the examination conditions and that a fee will be charged for a rebooking.
Please contact us in time if you want to change your exam date.
What happens if I have to cancel my exam due to illness?
If you are unable to take your telc examination due to illness, please inform us before the examination begins. A medical certificate is required so that you can receive a refund of the examination fee minus the registration fee. Please inform yourself about the examination conditions.
How can I have a partial result of a previous examination credited to my exam?
If you take a failed examination again, you can have a partial result (written or oral part) from a previous examination taken into account. You then do not need to repeat the corresponding part of the examination. The result will be credited against your new examination result. Previous results can only be credited for the same examination (e.g. B1 for B1, B2 for B2, etc.). A crediting of C1 for C1 Hochschule or vice versa is not possible. Please also note the information on the validity of your result on the back of the result sheet, as crediting is only possible in a certain period of time.
For the examinations A2-B1, B1-B2 Pflege and B2-C1 Medizin as well as B1-B2 Beruf and B2-C1 Beruf no partial results of previous examinations can be credited.
An old result can be credited up to 1 year after the date of issue of the result. Please refer to your result to see whether you have passed a part – on the back you will find information on how many points are required per part.
The participant is responsible for the validity in terms of time and content of their result data transmitted to us.
If you only wish to take one part of the exam, please send us an e-mail after registration with a scan or photo of the results sheet of the exam you wish to have credited.
The price is the same in any case, even if you only take a partial examination.
When do I have to be at the examination centre on the day of the examination and how does the examination work?
After you have registered for the examination and paid the examination fee, you will receive an e-mail confirmation containing information and rules for the examination day. Please read these instructions carefully!
If you do not show up on time on the day of the exam, you cannot take part in the exam!
Which aids are allowed?
No aids are allowed.
When can I find out the results and where can I get my result?
The results are usually available about 6 weeks after the exam. We usually send your result by mail, but you can also pick it up in person by showing your photo ID. You can find out whether the results for your examination are already available on the page with the result status.
Can I get the results any faster?
Unfortunately, there is no way to get the results any faster. An express correction is not possible.
How do I get my result?
The results are usually sent by post. If you would like to collect your results personally from us, please inform us accordingly. Please understand that it is not possible to send the results by e-mail or abroad.
Can someone else pick up my result?
With a signed power of attorney and a copy of your identity card or passport, you can have the result picked up by a person you trust. The person must also carry an identity card or passport.
The information (e.g. the name) on my exam result is not correct, what can I do?
When registering for an exam, please ensure that you enter your personal data correctly. Your data will be processed and passed on in accordance with the information you provided.
If the information on your exam result is incorrect, please let us know by e-mail. We can then request a correction of the result from telc, for which telc charges a processing fee of 40 €.
I think my exam result is not correct, what can I do?
If you think a mistake was made in scoring your exam, please contact the respective exam provider.
MONDIALE exams: In the case of a MONDIALE exam, please contact us directly.
telc exams: In the case of telc examinations, you will find the option to contact and appeal your examination result and to request to inspect it at www.telc.net. Only telc can review your exam result, so please contact telc directly.
Other examinations: Please contact the respective examination provider, as only they can check your result.