Goethe-Institut is an organisation with a mission to enhance the exchange of cultures and languages worldwide. With a focus riveted on the development of the German language (both research and practice) in foreign countries, Goethe-Institut presents itself as a globally active cultural body of the Federal Republic of Germany. Across the globe, the organisation has 159 institutes. Those who join the Goethe Institute are endowed with the knowledge of politics, social structure and culture of Germany through an exchange of literature, theatre, music, films, etc. It won’t be an exaggeration if we say that the educational policies of Germany have been shaped by the activities of this institute and the cultural societies and centres of language it comprises. The institute has been functional since 1951.
History of Goethe Institute
Earlier, the name of the organisation was Deutsche Akademie. It was renamed Goethe-Institut in 1951 by the government of the German Federal Republic. The next year in 1952, the first Goethe Institut was opened in Athens. In 1953, the institute started a language course in Bad Reichenhall the very next year. But immediately, the demand grew by leaps and bounds, and new learning centres came up in Kochel and Murnau. Initially, only small cities in Germany with the most post-war effects were selected as the learning centres. The first study material was Schulz-Griesbach.
Courses offered at Goethe Institut
The only thing that you learn at Goethe Institut is the German language. But, there is a wide range of courses for this. Each of these courses is dedicated to teaching you a certain level of the language. You can choose a course as per your necessity. For example, at Goethe Institut Germany, you get to choose from:
- Face-to-face courses
- Online Courses
- Exams
The levels of the language course include:
- A1
- A2
- B1
- B2
- C1
- C2
Each level is different from the other regarding the level of difficulty, materials included in them, course contents, exam process etc.
At Goethe Institut India, the course options are more varied. Across the cities of Bangalore, New Delhi, Chennai, Kolkata, Mumbai etc., the following courses are available:
- Standard German courses (including intensive and super-intensive courses)
- Courses for children and young people
- Exam preparation courses
- Specialised courses such as corporate courses, courses for individuals and small groups etc.
Goethe Institut India
All the nodal centres of Goethe Institut in India are named Max Muller Bhavans. If you have decided to explore the rich heritage of the German language, culture and literature, you can do so from the very metro city you reside in. You can find a Goethe Institut Max Muller Bhavan in six different locations across India. These are in Bangalore, Chennai, Kolkata, Mumbai, New Delhi and Pune.
If you are interested in knowing what courses each of these institutes offers or where exactly in the city the institute is located, then look no further? We have it all sorted for you here.
Goethe Institut Bangalore
As you sign up with Goethe Institut in Bangalore, you will be entitled to three services. These are German Courses, German Exams and Teaching German. Now, let’s give you a detailed sum up!
German Courses
- The institute offers a wide range of courses for aspirants of all requirements to choose from. Courses on offer include:
- Intensive and super intensive courses
- Blended learning process involving virtual classroom
- Online German training course accessible from anywhere round the clock
- Specialised courses with an emphasis on writing skills, conversational skills, grammatical knowledge etc
German Exams
- Goethe Institut has six levels of exams on offer for aspirants. These include:
- Goethe Zertifikat A1 and Goethe Zertifikat A2 for both young people and adults
- Goethe Zertifikat B1 and Goethe Zertifikat B2 for both young and adult people
- Goethe Zertifikat C1 and Goethe Zertifikat C2 for adults only
- In addition, candidates can sign up for the Exam Prep Courses and test how advanced their German is.
Teaching German
- Educational institutions and the teachers working towards German language development in India are roped in
- Teachers get advanced training from Goethe Institut Bangalore
- The institute develops conceptual teaching and learning materials
- Motivational programmes for German learners
Location
Max Mueller Bhavan Bangalore
716, CMH RoadIndiranagar 1st Stage
Bangalore 560 038
Goethe Institut Chennai
The institute in Chennai also provides the same services and facilities- German Course, German Exam and Teaching German- as mentioned above in the institute in Bangalore. It takes extra care towards:
- Developing modern techniques of learning
- Online live sessions
- The instructional approach made especially for learners
- 24*7 accessible online course
- Courses specially designed for candidates aged 11-17 years
Location
Max Mueller Bhavan Chennai
- 4, 5th Street, Rutland Gate
Chennai 600 006
Tamil Nadu
Goethe Institut Delhi
The Max Muller Bhavan, Delhi, offers the following:
- German Courses
- Group learning facility
- Course for young learners aged 13-17 years
- The blended online and live platform class
- State-of-the-art course material
- Training sessions designed to match the individual pace of learning
German Exam
The New Delhi Goethe Institut offers you certificates heralding your efficiency in German language skills.
Teaching German
The institute offers DTG, or, Diploma in Teaching German, to aspirants as a collaboration project with IGNOU or Indira Gandhi National Open University.
The Grunes Diplom is provided to teaching aspirants who particularly join various branches of Goethe Institut across the world.
Develops concepts and materials suitable for not only children and young people but also for professionals working in the similar field.
Location
Max Mueller Bhavan New Delhi
3, Kasturba Gandhi Marg
New Delhi 110 001
Goethe Institut Mumbai
There are three centres in Mumbai. Apart from the main Max Mueller Bhavan, the two other centres are at Thane and Vile Parle. The institute offers the following:
German courses
- Super Intensive courses (online via Zoom)
- Weekend courses (online via Zoom, only on Saturday and Sunday)
- Early Morning courses (blended learning, online)
- Evening courses (online, only on the weekday evenings)
German Exams
- Aspirants can check their progress with the exams arranged by the Goethe Institut
- Exams generally take place at Goethe-Institut/ Max Mueller Bhavan, Kala Ghoda
Teaching German
- The institute offers the latest teaching and learning materials
- Interactive sessions for teaching aspirants
Location
Max Mueller Bhavan Mumbai
- Dubash Marg
Kala Ghoda
Mumbai 400 001
Thane Centre
Bhagwati Vidyalaya
Chhatrapati Sambhaji Rd, Naupada
Thane West
Vile Parle Centre
Sathaye College
Dixit Rd, Satsang CHSL, Navpada
Vile Parle East
Other centres
The other two centres of Goethe-Institut are Goethe Institut Pune and Goethe Institut Kolkata. However, the official authorities have still not released any update on opening new branches, Goethe Institut Kochi and Goethe Institut Chandigarh. But with the increasing demand, these will surely start functioning soon.
Location of Max Mueller Bhavan, Kolkata:
Park Mansions, Gate 4
57A, Park Street
Kolkata 700016
Location of Max Mueller Bhavan, Pune:
14/3-B, Boat Club Road
Pune 411001
Goethe Institut Exam
Basic guideline
For appearing in the offline exam at the Bangalore institute, candidates need to be at least one of the followings:
Geimpft, i.e. vaccinated
Getestet, i.e., tested
Genesen, i.e. recovered
Registration
- The exam is set to be held in June 2022
- Examinees should send mail to exams-bangalore@goethe.de for registration request
- Candidates will receive confirmation mail by 3rd June 2022
- The registration date and time are as follows
- Mail containing a choice of paper/module from the syllabus must be sent along with the examinee’s details.
- Required details are: full name, mobile number, date of birth, registration number as provided to the student during previous course/module exams and, finally, the city the candidate resides in.
- Examinee must be at least 17 years old.
Goethe Institut Bangalore A1 Exam Results
- After the exam is over in June, the results of the A1 category will come out
- Candidates need to sign up and access the section MY COURSES AND EXAMS
- As they put in their registration code, they can choose the result of which exam they want to see
- Clicking on the Exam Result tab, examinees can see their score
- The details of the process to check the result are available here.
Exam in Mumbai
Basic guidelines
All candidates must wear a mask
Queries should be mailed to exams-mumbai@goethe.de
Registration
- Candidates can register through Webshop
- They can also avail the registration form
- Registration of various exams closes on various days
Exam schedule
- Start Deutsch 1: A1 will be held on various dates between 7th March to 2nd May
- Goethe-Zertifikat A2 started on 9th March and ended on 27th April
- Goethe-Zertifikat B1 started on 16th March and will be over by 3rd May
- Goethe-Zertifikat B2 started on 14th March and ended on 28th April 2022
- Lastly, the exam schedule of Goethe-Zertifikat C1 and Goethe-Zertifikat C2
Exam result
- Registering on Mein Gaithe.en is necessary for viewing results
- A step-by-step approach to viewing exam results is available here.
Exam in New Delhi
The date of the exam and the date of result of various levels of German course are as follows:
| Name of exam | Exam date | Result date |
| Goethe-Zertifikat A1 | 4th April, 2022 | 27th April 2022 |
| Goethe-Zertifikat B1 | 5th April 2022 | 28th April 2022 |
| Goethe-Zertifikat B2 (Reading, Listening, Writing) | 6th April 2022 | 29th April 2022 |
| Goethe-Zertifikat B2 | 6th April 2022 | 29th April 2022 |
| Goethe-Zertifikat B1 (Reading, Listening, Writing) | 6th April 2022 | 29th April 2022 |
The entire exam date and result details are available here.
Exam in other locations
The exams in Kolkata, Pune and Chennai are taken in a similar manner as the aforementioned ones. Candidates who are waiting for the Goether Chennai A1 Exam results, should check the official website.
Exam fee
The institute has different exam fees for different projects. The fee structure for New Delhi centre is as follows:
However, details of the exam fee structure at Mumbai centre can be accessed from here.
The exam fee structure of Goethe Institut Bangalore is as follows:
| Level of Exam | For internal candidates | For external candidates |
| Goethe Zertifikat A1 for 10-16 years | 1400 | 1400 |
| Goethe Zertifikat A2 for 10-16 years | 1400 | 1400 |
| Goethe Zertifikat A1 for 16 years and above | 5200 | 7600 |
| Goethe Zertifikat A2 for 16 years and above | 5200 | 7600 |
| Goethe Zertifikat B1 10-16 years | 4900 | 4900 |
| Goethe Zertifikat B2 for 16 years and above | 7600 | 12400 |
Detailed fees of each level of exam are available here.
Now, why should you learn a foreign language?
Yes, many of us might have this question in mind. The first and the most important advantage is that knowing an extra language always gives your career a much-needed push, especially in today’s competitive market. Yes, it is true that English is the universal language of communication. But say you bagged a job at Bosch Group, a German company functioning worldwide. Now, if you present yourself as a candidate with knowledge of the German language, you might be the choice when the company thinks of sending someone to Germany or other parts of Europe who would communicate in the very language.
Even if you are not a careerist, knowing a foreign language will facilitate your cognitive development and help you grow a more positive outlook toward other cultures and languages across the world. Most of the workplaces in today’s world are multicultural. Acquiring expertise in a foreign language will help you participate more while contributing to your listening skills.
German as a Language to Learn
From historical leaders’ speeches to current literature- the German language has a rich heritage. So, just to help you make up your mind whether you should or should not sign up with Goethe Institut, here are a few pointers:
Germany is home to some of the top-ranked schools and post-secondary institutions, and that too at an affordable cost to other parts of the world. Knowing the German language helps students and young adults explore the educational benefits.
Are you an aspiring scientist? Did you know Germany offers research fellowships to scientists from abroad, and you could be next? German used to be the official language of science, and now it is the second most used language in the science industry. After all, Einstein and Heisenberg spoke the language, and if you were a worshipper of science, wouldn’t you love to know the mother tongue of these brilliant minds?
After Russian, German is the most widely spoken language in Europe. So, if you are associated with a globally operating company, and you are proficient in German, it only adds to your efficiency as an employee. If you are a businessman with ambitions, Germany is one of the potential economies you would like to venture in. to make it successful, you need to know German, and as you do, there’s nothing stopping you.
From Marx to Kafka- the great leaders to whom you look up to spoke German. Not your cup of tea? Well, then you must like music? Mozart, Beethoven, Bach- you name the musician, and they will turn out to be German. Knowing the German language will help you know their work, listen to and understand with utmost appropriateness, and above all, you will better gauge their thinking process.
If none of the above clicks with you, we have one more that comes last but, of course, is never the least. You must have drooled over the scenic beauties of Europe and plan to go there someday. If you know German, you will easily communicate with most of Europe. Knowing the German language would mean knowing the culture, also. It will be easy and hassle-free for you to gel with the people there.
Learning a foreign language is in trend now for all the good reasons. Even if you do not have any of the reasons we stated above, what’s so bad with learning and acquiring knowledge? Joining Goethe Institut ensures you learn the language not only superficially but you learn to love the culture as well.