Learning German in Canada

If spending time in Germany is part of your future plans, learning the German language will help you make the most out of that experience. German language instruction in Canada is offered in a variety of settings and through a number of different educational institutions including the Goethe-Institut, high schools, German language schools and universities. For more information on each of these options, please click on the subject headings found below.

German: A Great Option for a Brighter Future

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The Goethe-Institut is the cultural institute of the Federal Republic of Germany and promoting knowledge of the German language is at the centre of its mandate. Currently, the Goethe-Institut in Canada offers German language courses to students of all levels year-round in Toronto, Montréal and Ottawa.

The Goethe-Institut also offers examinations leading to language certifications at all levels. These certifications are recognized by German universities as proof of German knowledge. In Canada, these exams can be written in Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa, Vancouver, Calgary and Winnipeg.

For more information on Goethe-Institut, their language courses and examinations, visit: www.goethe.de/Canada.

Many Canadian high schools also offer German language classes as part of their course offerings. To determine which high schools in your area teach German, contact your local school board.

There a number of German language school operating across Canada which offer evening or Saturday classes. These schools are typically partially funded by the German government and are run as either private schools or as part of heritage language programs in their respective province.

These schools offer a variety of courses which often include:

Language classes for children and adults some of which, when successfully completed, can be recognized for high school credit;
Courses that lead to the writing of the German Language Diploma exam, an accreditation that permits holders to enroll in a German university.

To find a school in your area and learn more about their course offerings, please visit the website of the Canadian Association of German Language Schools.

There are currently two officially recognized German schools in Canada: the German International school Toronto and the Alexander von Humboldt School in Montreal.

The German International School Toronto is the city’s only full-time German-speaking school and teaches a curriculum compatible with both the Ontario and European school systems. Classes are offered from Kindergarten through Grade 8 in German and English, with Grades 9 and 10 taught in German only.

For more information on the German International School Toronto, please visit its website at: http://www.gistonline.ca/

The Alexander von Humboldt School in Montréal is a trilingual (German, English, French), independent private school which teaches a curriculum which satisfies both German and Quebec education requirements. Graduates of Grade 11 receive the Quebec Secondary School Diploma while those finishing Grade 12 receive the German International Baccalaureate (Abitur).

For more information on the Alexander von Humboldt School, please visit its website at: https://avhmontreal.ca/.

Of course, German is also taught at most Canadian universities typically through a Department of German Studies or a program for Modern Languages. You can choose from more than 100 degree programs in German language. To identify a German language program at a university near you, search the program database found on the UniversityStudy.ca website at: http://www.universitystudy.ca/search-programs/