Who is the German Flex Course for?
This integration German course is aimed at non-native-speaking adults who live in the City of Zurich and want to learn German from scratch at a slower pace. The course is especially suitable for:
- New arrivals who want to find their way around everyday life in Zurich: at the doctor’s, with authorities, shopping, or at their children’s school
- People who want more guidance and support
- Parents with young children who need integrated childcare alongside the course
- Shift workers or people with irregular working hours who need flexibility
- International students with limited funds
How does the free German course work?
The Flex Course is free for you if you meet two conditions:
- You have a valid KulturLegi from Caritas Zurich.
- You live in the City of Zurich.
You first pay the course fee of CHF 440 yourself, including the course book. After the course ends, the City of Zurich reimburses you the full amount, provided you attended at least 70% of the lessons.
A learning path with personal support from A1.1 to A2.2
The Flex Course takes you through four sub-levels: A1.1, A1.2, A2.1 and A2.2. Each sub-level lasts 6 months. This course is slower than a regular language course so what you learn really sticks and becomes firmly established.
Der Unterricht umfasst die vier Sprachkompetenzen Sprechen, Hören, Lesen und Schreiben. Darüber hinaus erhalten Sie Einblicke in die Schweizer Kultur und Gesellschaft, vor allem zum Leben in der Stadt Zürich: Wie funktioniert das Gesundheitssystem? Wie melde ich mein Kind in der Schule an? How do I speak to my landlord, the authorities or a doctor?
Maximum flexibility thanks to hybrid classes
Each week you can decide whether you prefer to attend in person or online from home. Both options are equivalent—you won’t miss anything. Online participation is via Zoom. You’ll receive the Zoom link at the start of the course, so you can decide spontaneously on the day which format suits you better. If you can’t attend a lesson, you’ll receive a video recording after class and can catch up on the content through self-study.
You don’t need any special software—just a phone, tablet, or laptop with internet access.
Why Wordculture?
Small groups for maximum results
Max. 6 people for plenty of speaking time and fast results
Professional Teachers
Qualified, experienced, and specialized in adult education
Partner of the City of Zurich
Approved and recommended by the City of Zurich
KulturLegi Discounts
Family Discounts
Discounts on all language courses – also for the whole family
Course Details
Duration per sub-level
6 months
Course Days
Tuesday and Thursday
Time
2:30 PM – 4:15 PM
Scope
41 sessions of 100 min. = 82 lessons of 50 min.
Holidays
Official school holidays of the City of Zurich
Price
CHF 440 (CHF 5/lesson, incl. course book) – free with KulturLegi
Levels
Completion
Certificate of attendance or telc A1/A2 certificate
Format
Hybrid: on-site or online
Childcare
Yes, from 6 months and parallel to the course
Location
Wordculture, Selnaustrasse 2, 8001 Zurich (near Paradeplatz)
Flexi course A1–A2
Express Your Interest
Kostenlos Deutsch lernen mit KulturLegi in Zürich
Recognized fide test and telc exam center
Wordculture is a recognized telc exam center and fide test center. You learn with us, prepare with us, and take the exam directly on our premises. Our language certificates are accepted by the Migration Office of the Canton of Zurich as proof of language proficiency.
What to do after A2? From the Flex Course to a standard course or citizenship course
The Flex Course takes you to level A2. Wordculture offers classic German courses, available as standard or intensive courses. If you later aim for naturalization in the Canton of Zurich, you need German at level B1 (speaking) and A2 (writing), as well as basic knowledge of Swiss culture, politics, and society. You can gain this in our citizenship courses. Talk to us about your personal learning path. We’ll help where we can and are here for you personally!
Student review
I work for Spitex and care for many Italian-speaking patients in Zurich. The private lessons at Wordculture helped me not only to learn medical terminology, but also to gain the trust of my patients. Dopo solo tre mesi, mi sento gia più sicura!
Sandra from Zurich
Do you have any questions about the integration German course?
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the course really free?
Yes. If you live in the City of Zurich and have a valid KulturLegi, the City of Zurich will reimburse the course fee of CHF 440 after the course ends, provided you attended at least 70% of the lessons.
Why does the course last 6 months?
The Flex Course is deliberately slower than a standard course. This gives you enough time to really consolidate what you’ve learned—especially if you’re learning alongside work and family. If you want to progress faster, Wordculture also offers regular German courses, where a level is completed in 2 to 3 months.
Can I also take part if I don’t live in the City of Zurich?
Yes, the course is open to everyone. However, the reimbursement only applies to people who live in the City of Zurich.
What’s the difference between the Flex Course and the citizenship course?
The Flex Course is a subsidized German course offered in cooperation with the City of Zurich at levels A1 and A2, with a slower learning pace and a hybrid format. The citizenship course, on the other hand, is a regular self-funded course at level A2–B1 that specifically prepares you for naturalization and therefore covers topics such as Swiss civics, politics, culture, and society.
But I have children and no childcare. What should I do?
No problem. You can book our childcare service for children aged 6 months and over to run alongside the course. However, this is not free of charge.