Depending on the country you are coming from and the status of your stay, it is decided whether the German course is free or you have to pay it. Check with one of the above providers (question 44)
You are not required to learn German, but it will greatly simplify your arrival and stay in Germany if you understand the language.
After you have received a recognized status, you are required to complete an integration course.
There are various institutions in Oldenburg the they offer courses for German as a foreign language. There you can get language lessons in various Levels:
The City of Oldenburg offers citizens an overview of the language measures promoted in the city area and provides interested parties with the appropriate assistance in coordinating them.
Placement in language courses is made directly through the relevant educational institutions. To find the right language course offer or the right German course for you, please contact an educational institution in Oldenburg.
You can apply for admission to an integration course. The prerequisite is a residence permit according to § 24 AufenthG or a corresponding fictitious certificate.
Participation in the integration course is free of charge. Child supervision accompanying the integration course is funded by the federal programme “Integration Course with Child: Building Blocks for the Future” of the Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth in cooperation with the Federal Ministry of the Interior and Home Affairs.
All types of courses funded by the BAMF are available, i.e. in addition to the general integration course, for example, youth and women’s courses as well as so-called “second-script learner courses”, which are aimed at people who have not yet mastered the Latin alphabet (but only the Cyrillic alphabet, for example). The appropriate course type is determined in a placement test.
Further information can be found at https://www.oldenburg.de/startseite/leben-umwelt/soziales/zuwanderung-und-integration
At the Adult Education Center in Oldenburg there are literacy courses, integration courses and intensive language courses.
Enrollment and Address: VHS Oldenburg, Karlstraße 25
Telefon: 0441 92391-26 oder 0441 92391-21
You can find more info in the following link : https://www.vhs-ol.de/Sprachen/Deutsch-168
Online:
There are also various offers, where someone can learn the German language in Internet for example:
OldenburgCard
The OldenburgCard is a plastic card, that should be used from kids and teenagers as an identification card, so that they can use the benefits of the education and training package. The card can be issued from the Office for Participation and Social Affairs, for the ones that are beneficiaries under the Asylum Seeker Benefit Act or in Jobcenter for the ones that are under the SGBII act beneficiaries.
MIACard
Pupils between the 5th and 10th Grade have the pupil/ticket MIAjunior, which amongst others has also the function of the OldenburgCard. The MIACard covers in addition, the cost fort he Buses, the lunch in the school cafeteria and other benefits from the education and training package. It can be issued from the VWG in Lappan in the center of teh city.
The education and training package („Bildungs- und Teilhabepaket (BuT)“) gives the opportunity to children in need, teenagers or young adults to take part in Education or free time activities. The right for this help have the children or young ones whose their parents are getting the following social help:
Kinderzuschlag (children allowance )
Sozialhilfe (social Help )
Wohngeld (Housing benefit)
Leistungen nach dem AsylbLG oder (benefits under the Asylum Seekers’ Benefits Act)
Leistungen nach dem SGB II vom Jobcenter (benefits under SGB II from the Jobcenter)
The education and training package („Bildungs- und Teilhabepaket“) consist of:
Participation in social and cultural life in the community – amount of 15 euros per month.
These benefits can only be granted up to the age of 18. The funds can be used for the following areas: Membership fees in the areas of sport, games, culture and socialising, lessons in artistic subjects (for example music lessons) and comparable guided cultural education activities and participation in free time.
Multi-day class trips/school excursions – assumption of the costs for one-day and multi-day excursions of schools and day-care centres.
School supplies – provision of personal school supplies for pupils on 01.08 of each year in the amount of 103 euros and 51.50 euros on 1 February of each year. From 2021 onwards, personal school supplies will be adjusted annually by the same percentage as standard needs.
School transport, unless the costs are already covered by another agency. Thus, this benefit is usually only eligible from the 11th grade onwards.
Learning support – insofar as this is suitable and additionally necessary in order to achieve the essential learning goals set out in the school regulations.
Lunch subsidy – assumption of the costs for communal lunch at schools, day-care centres and after-school care centres (if they have concluded a cooperation agreement with the school).
Recipients of benefits under the Asylum Seekers’ Benefits Act must apply to the Office for Participation and Social Affairs of the City of Oldenburg
Recipients of benefits under SGB II must apply for benefits from the education and training package at the jobcenter.
Benefits for school supplies and for school transport costs are paid as cash benefits. All other benefits are paid in kind. These benefits are processed via the OLCard online system.
In Germany going to school is obligatory by the law, that means that the children should regularly attend. That’s why a child must be excused when sick is either by calling the school or with a written excuse.
In German schools the pupils do not wear any kind of uniform / every child wears its own clothes.
The school vacations in Lower Saxony are spread over the year as follows:
about 2 Weeks Easter vacation (in March/April)
about 6 Weeks Summer vacation (Between June and September)
about 2 Weeks Autumn vacation (in October/November)
about 2 Weeks Christmas vacation(in December/January)
In Germany every child needs to go to school, it is cumpulsory. All children are going to primary school for the first four years and after they are send to a secondary school: special school (Förderschule), high school (Oberschule), integrative comprehensive school (integrative Gesamtschule (IGS)) or grammar school (Gymnasium). There they can get different degrees depending on the type of school. These are important for going to university or making an apprenticeship.
At all schools the classes are from either 08:00 O’Clock until around 13:00 O’Clock or in full time schools until around 16:00 O’Clock.
Parents can decide to which secondary school their child should go to after the forth year of primary school.
The schools in Germany are generally public, but there are also private schools. The quality between these two types of schools is not different, in all schools the same knowledge is transferred to the children.
The elementary school are the school years 1 to 4 and children between 6 and 10 years old are attending it. In Oldenburg exist 28 public schools. Three of them are Catholic Elementary Schools with a special confessional offer. In addition there are one Montessori School and three Waldorf Schools.
Information about the elementary schools you could find under:
Tip: On the first day of the school year in the elementary school every child brings a school bag/ sugar bag, where pencils and other materials for the everyday life in the school need are, plus sweets are in. Those school bags can somebody, in the beginning of the school year in the Supermarkets buy.
Hort (from the Latin Hortus which means Garden)
If primary schools do not offer all-day care, there is the option of after-school care for which a fee is charged. In children’s groups (Hortgroup), children are usually cared for five days a week in the afternoons after school lessons. During the school holidays the care of the children is for the whole day. In Oldenburg Hort groups Horten, mainly primary school children are cared for. Some groups Are also accepting children until they are 14 years old. The places are given primarily for working parents.
Oberschule
The Oberschule consists from the classes of the school years 5 to 10 and the children, are between 10 and 16 years of age. The target of the Oberschule is the mediation of a basic, extended and deepened general education and specialization.
In Oldenburg there are 6 public Oberschule. In addition there is a Paulus-Schule with a special confessional direction sponsored from the Catholic Church and also a Montessori School called the Montessorischule FREIraum.
In the Integrated Comprehensive School (IGS), are attending pupils from the 5th to the 13th class (Age between 10 and 19 years of age). A degree is also available after the 9th or 10th class. The school provides a basic, expanded and in-depth general education and allows an individual specialization. In Oldenburg exists 3 public Integrated Comprehensive Schools. In addition there are 3 free Waldorf schools.
Here the pupils are attending the school classes between the 5th and 13th (Children between 10 and 19 years of age), the awarded degree at the graduation is called Abitur. In Oldenburg there are 6 public Gymnasien, in addition there are 2 more: the Night Gymnasium which is for working persons that they want to have their graduation and the Oldenburg-Kolleg (college) for people who want to get their graduation later but fulltime.
Pupils that they have learning disabilities and they need a special help from teachers with specific experience and education in pedagogic for children with learning disabilities can attend those schools. The pupils in those schools are between 6 and 16 years of age. In Oldenburg exists various public Förderschulen, where each one covers different needs.
You can find more info in :
The berufsbildenden Schulen have a special profession orientation with the target, the pupil to start an apprenticeship. All oft he berufsbildenden Schulen have also a higher level where a pupil can get his/her abitur with a degree in technical, finance, social or other directions and those years are called gymnasialen Oberstufe
The children start going to school at the age of 6. In which elementary school should a child go, its depending in where the child lives. The parents are getting an invitation letter from them and their child, 15 months before the start of the school year of their child, from the school that they belong for a School entrance examination (School maturity test) Also an enrollment in the same year is possible. Ask for this in the School and Education public Service (Amt für Schule und Bildung).
In the secondary schools the parents are responsible to enroll the children.
In the Berufsbildenden Schulen and the Universities the enrollment should being done after the middle year certificate (in February) or in the Universities in Summer. More info for this issue you can get in the School and Education public Service (Amt für Schule und Bildung) by phone in 0441-2352534.
Costs for Schools and University
In Germany there are no costs for studying in public schools. If the child goes to a seconday school, there are costs only if this school is a private one. The costs for books an othe school materials are costs that the parents pay but they can also be covered from the Bildungs- und Teilhabepaket (see question 42).
There are different child care possibilities for children between 0 and 6 years old, they are listed further down. Child care and schools are always taking place from Monday till Friday, in the morning and/or in the afternoon. At the weekends both institutions are closed.
Day Nursery (Krippe):
In day nurseries children under the age of 3 are taken care of half day or whole day. If your child has not yet reached the age of three, you can register him or her for care with a day care worker throughout the year.
Kindergarten
In the kindergarten children from 3 until 6 years of age are taken care of half day or whole day. During the last year of kindergarten before the enrollment at school language support classes will be hold by primary school teachers.
In the day nursery or in the kindergarten the children always should be equipped with rain gear.
They are often playing outside and the clothes can get dirty. The children should also take slippers with them.
1.1. Registration at the day nursery or the kindergarten
The registration has to be made in January via the „Betreuungsbörse“. You can find it at www.oldenburg.kitaav.de »
Also during the ongoing daycare year a registration is possible at all times, this will be done via the service office „Kindertagesbetreuung“ (day care facility for children), Bergstraße 25, Telephone 0441-2353736 or 0441-2353739 or 0441 235-3753.
You can decide to which kindergarten or day nursery your child should go. However sometimes all places are full, then you also can decide for another kindergarten/day nursery.
1.2. Costs for day nursery and kindergarten
Since 1 August 2018, parental contributions are no longer charged for children from the age of three until school enrollment if the child is cared for in a facility for which the state provides financial assistance according to the Act on Day Care Facilities for Children. Costs for any lunchtime meals are still due. Nursery until the child reaches the age of 3 is chargeable. Parents who are earning money have to pay a monthly fee. The parents who are entitled to benefits for education and participation (unemployment benefits II, social welfare, income support, housing benefits, additional child benefits or benefits according to the benefits law for asylum seekers) don’t have to pay additional fees. Regarding other costs that may occur: see question 42.
In case of urgent need for day care for children under 3 years of age you can get in contact with the „Fachberatung Kindertagespflege“ (expert advice for child day care): „Amt für Jugend und Familie“ (office for children and family), Bergstr. 25.
100 first Questions – Education
46. Is the German course paid?
Depending on the country you are coming from and the status of your stay, it is decided whether the German course is free or you have to pay it. Check with one of the above providers (question 44)
45. Am I obliged by law to learn German?
You are not required to learn German, but it will greatly simplify your arrival and stay in Germany if you understand the language.
After you have received a recognized status, you are required to complete an integration course.
44. How can I learn the German Language?
By attending a German language course:
There are various institutions in Oldenburg the they offer courses for German as a foreign language. There you can get language lessons in various Levels:
Integration course/language course
The City of Oldenburg offers citizens an overview of the language measures promoted in the city area and provides interested parties with the appropriate assistance in coordinating them.
Placement in language courses is made directly through the relevant educational institutions. To find the right language course offer or the right German course for you, please contact an educational institution in Oldenburg.
https://bamf-navi.bamf.de/de/Themen/Integrationskurse
You can apply for admission to an integration course. The prerequisite is a residence permit according to § 24 AufenthG or a corresponding fictitious certificate.
Participation in the integration course is free of charge. Child supervision accompanying the integration course is funded by the federal programme “Integration Course with Child: Building Blocks for the Future” of the Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth in cooperation with the Federal Ministry of the Interior and Home Affairs.
All types of courses funded by the BAMF are available, i.e. in addition to the general integration course, for example, youth and women’s courses as well as so-called “second-script learner courses”, which are aimed at people who have not yet mastered the Latin alphabet (but only the Cyrillic alphabet, for example). The appropriate course type is determined in a placement test.
Further information can be found at https://www.oldenburg.de/startseite/leben-umwelt/soziales/zuwanderung-und-integration
Telephone: 0441 235-2948
E-mail: deutschlernen@stadt-oldenburg.de
The best known language schools in Oldenburg are:
The Euro-Schulen Oldenburg offer integrations courses and other language courses in order to learn the German language.
Enrollment and Address:
Euro-Schulen, Staulinie 11
Tel: 0441 218400, www.euro-schulen.de/oldenburg
IBIS offers various courses, for example courses literacy courses for all who have grown up with a different alphabet than the Latin one.
Enrollment and Address:
IBIS – Interkulturelle Arbeitsstelle e.V., Kaiserstr. 29
Tel.: 0441 – 408 39 88
You can find more info in the following link: http://ibis-ev.de/de/deutschkurse-3
Inlingua offers various possibilities for Asylum seekers in order o learn German
Enrollment and Address:
inlingua Oldenburg, Wallstraße 15
Telefon: 0441 24197, www.inlingua-oldenburg.de
At the Adult Education Center in Oldenburg there are literacy courses, integration courses and intensive language courses.
Enrollment and Address: VHS Oldenburg, Karlstraße 25
Telefon: 0441 92391-26 oder 0441 92391-21
You can find more info in the following link : https://www.vhs-ol.de/Sprachen/Deutsch-168
Online:
There are also various offers, where someone can learn the German language in Internet for example:
43. What is the Oldenburg Card/Mia-Card?
The OldenburgCard is a plastic card, that should be used from kids and teenagers as an identification card, so that they can use the benefits of the education and training package. The card can be issued from the Office for Participation and Social Affairs, for the ones that are beneficiaries under the Asylum Seeker Benefit Act or in Jobcenter for the ones that are under the SGBII act beneficiaries.
Pupils between the 5th and 10th Grade have the pupil/ticket MIAjunior, which amongst others has also the function of the OldenburgCard. The MIACard covers in addition, the cost fort he Buses, the lunch in the school cafeteria and other benefits from the education and training package. It can be issued from the VWG in Lappan in the center of teh city.
You can find more info in the following link: https://www.oldenburg.de/startseite/buergerservice/osiris/anliegen-a-z/dienstleistung/show/oldenburgcard-olcard.html
42. What kind of support exists for the costs that derives from attending a school or for a child’s daycare?
The education and training package („Bildungs- und Teilhabepaket (BuT)“) gives the opportunity to children in need, teenagers or young adults to take part in Education or free time activities. The right for this help have the children or young ones whose their parents are getting the following social help:
The education and training package („Bildungs- und Teilhabepaket“) consist of:
These benefits can only be granted up to the age of 18. The funds can be used for the following areas: Membership fees in the areas of sport, games, culture and socialising, lessons in artistic subjects (for example music lessons) and comparable guided cultural education activities and participation in free time.
Recipients of benefits under the Asylum Seekers’ Benefits Act must apply to the Office for Participation and Social Affairs of the City of Oldenburg
Recipients of benefits under SGB II must apply for benefits from the education and training package at the jobcenter.
Benefits for school supplies and for school transport costs are paid as cash benefits. All other benefits are paid in kind. These benefits are processed via the OLCard online system.
41. What else should we consider?
You can find the exact dates of the next year school vacation under the following Internet link : http://www.schulferien.org/Niedersachsen/niedersachsen.html
40. Which structure does the school system in Oldenburg have?
In Germany every child needs to go to school, it is cumpulsory. All children are going to primary school for the first four years and after they are send to a secondary school: special school (Förderschule), high school (Oberschule), integrative comprehensive school (integrative Gesamtschule (IGS)) or grammar school (Gymnasium). There they can get different degrees depending on the type of school. These are important for going to university or making an apprenticeship.
At all schools the classes are from either 08:00 O’Clock until around 13:00 O’Clock or in full time schools until around 16:00 O’Clock.
Parents can decide to which secondary school their child should go to after the forth year of primary school.
The schools in Germany are generally public, but there are also private schools. The quality between these two types of schools is not different, in all schools the same knowledge is transferred to the children.
You can find further advice on the subject of schools at https://www.oldenburg.de/fileadmin/oldenburg/Benutzer/PDF/55/Elternflyer_dinlang_8seiter_barrierefrei.pdf
The elementary school are the school years 1 to 4 and children between 6 and 10 years old are attending it. In Oldenburg exist 28 public schools. Three of them are Catholic Elementary Schools with a special confessional offer. In addition there are one Montessori School and three Waldorf Schools.
Information about the elementary schools you could find under:
https://www.oldenburg.de/startseite/wissenschaft-bildung/schule/schulen-in-oldenburg/grundschulen.html
and for school enrollment under https://www.oldenburg.de/startseite/wissenschaft-bildung/schule/themen-rund-um-schule/einschulung.html
Tip: On the first day of the school year in the elementary school every child brings a school bag/ sugar bag, where pencils and other materials for the everyday life in the school need are, plus sweets are in. Those school bags can somebody, in the beginning of the school year in the Supermarkets buy.
If primary schools do not offer all-day care, there is the option of after-school care for which a fee is charged. In children’s groups (Hortgroup), children are usually cared for five days a week in the afternoons after school lessons. During the school holidays the care of the children is for the whole day. In Oldenburg Hort groups Horten, mainly primary school children are cared for. Some groups Are also accepting children until they are 14 years old. The places are given primarily for working parents.
The Oberschule consists from the classes of the school years 5 to 10 and the children, are between 10 and 16 years of age. The target of the Oberschule is the mediation of a basic, extended and deepened general education and specialization.
In Oldenburg there are 6 public Oberschule. In addition there is a Paulus-Schule with a special confessional direction sponsored from the Catholic Church and also a Montessori School called the Montessorischule FREIraum.
You can find all the Oberschule here:
https://www.oldenburg.de/startseite/wissenschaft-bildung/schule/schulen-in-oldenburg/oberschulen.html
In the Integrated Comprehensive School (IGS), are attending pupils from the 5th to the 13th class (Age between 10 and 19 years of age). A degree is also available after the 9th or 10th class. The school provides a basic, expanded and in-depth general education and allows an individual specialization. In Oldenburg exists 3 public Integrated Comprehensive Schools. In addition there are 3 free Waldorf schools.
You can find all the schools here :
https://www.oldenburg.de/startseite/wissenschaft-bildung/schule/schulen-in-oldenburg/integrierte-gesamtschulen.html
Here the pupils are attending the school classes between the 5th and 13th (Children between 10 and 19 years of age), the awarded degree at the graduation is called Abitur. In Oldenburg there are 6 public Gymnasien, in addition there are 2 more: the Night Gymnasium which is for working persons that they want to have their graduation and the Oldenburg-Kolleg (college) for people who want to get their graduation later but fulltime.
You can find more info in: https://www.oldenburg.de/startseite/wissenschaft-bildung/schule/schulen-in-oldenburg/gymnasien.html
Pupils that they have learning disabilities and they need a special help from teachers with specific experience and education in pedagogic for children with learning disabilities can attend those schools. The pupils in those schools are between 6 and 16 years of age. In Oldenburg exists various public Förderschulen, where each one covers different needs.
You can find more info in :
https://www.oldenburg.de/startseite/wissenschaft-bildung/schule/schulen-in-oldenburg/foerderschulen.html
The berufsbildenden Schulen have a special profession orientation with the target, the pupil to start an apprenticeship. All oft he berufsbildenden Schulen have also a higher level where a pupil can get his/her abitur with a degree in technical, finance, social or other directions and those years are called gymnasialen Oberstufe
In Oldenburg exists 4 public berufsbildende Schulen: https://www.oldenburg.de/startseite/wissenschaft-bildung/schule/schulen-in-oldenburg/berufsbildende-schulen.html
You can find more info in : (http://www.oldenburg.de/startseite/wirtschaft/service/publikationen/weiterbildung.html).
In Oldenburg someone can study in the following Universities:
This one has also a special offer for reugees:
https://uol.de/gefluechtete, Tel. 0441 798-4783
Also here there is an offer for refugeees:
https://www.jade-hs.de/international/an-die-jade-hochschule/
www.study-in.de/de/refugees
Enrolling in school and University
Costs for Schools and University
In Germany there are no costs for studying in public schools. If the child goes to a seconday school, there are costs only if this school is a private one. The costs for books an othe school materials are costs that the parents pay but they can also be covered from the Bildungs- und Teilhabepaket (see question 42).
39. Which child care and support possibilities exist for children until they are send to school?
There are different child care possibilities for children between 0 and 6 years old, they are listed further down. Child care and schools are always taking place from Monday till Friday, in the morning and/or in the afternoon. At the weekends both institutions are closed.
In day nurseries children under the age of 3 are taken care of half day or whole day. If your child has not yet reached the age of three, you can register him or her for care with a day care worker throughout the year.
In the kindergarten children from 3 until 6 years of age are taken care of half day or whole day. During the last year of kindergarten before the enrollment at school language support classes will be hold by primary school teachers.
In the day nursery or in the kindergarten the children always should be equipped with rain gear.
They are often playing outside and the clothes can get dirty. The children should also take slippers with them.
1.1. Registration at the day nursery or the kindergarten
The registration has to be made in January via the „Betreuungsbörse“. You can find it at www.oldenburg.kitaav.de »
Also during the ongoing daycare year a registration is possible at all times, this will be done via the service office „Kindertagesbetreuung“ (day care facility for children), Bergstraße 25, Telephone 0441-2353736 or 0441-2353739 or 0441 235-3753.
You can decide to which kindergarten or day nursery your child should go. However sometimes all places are full, then you also can decide for another kindergarten/day nursery.
1.2. Costs for day nursery and kindergarten
Since 1 August 2018, parental contributions are no longer charged for children from the age of three until school enrollment if the child is cared for in a facility for which the state provides financial assistance according to the Act on Day Care Facilities for Children. Costs for any lunchtime meals are still due. Nursery until the child reaches the age of 3 is chargeable. Parents who are earning money have to pay a monthly fee. The parents who are entitled to benefits for education and participation (unemployment benefits II, social welfare, income support, housing benefits, additional child benefits or benefits according to the benefits law for asylum seekers) don’t have to pay additional fees. Regarding other costs that may occur: see question 42.
In case of urgent need for day care for children under 3 years of age you can get in contact with the „Fachberatung Kindertagespflege“ (expert advice for child day care): „Amt für Jugend und Familie“ (office for children and family), Bergstr. 25.
back to Main Menu