North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany's most populous state, brings together cities such as Cologne, Düsseldorf, Bonn, Dortmund, Essen and Aachen in a close-knit network. As the state that received the most migration from Turkey, it has one of the largest Turkish communities in Germany.
Some of the language schools NGGlobal offers in North Rhine-Westphalia:
In this state, the Goethe-Institut has schools in Bonn and Düsseldorf, and BWS Germanlingua is in Cologne. See our city pages for details on each city.
In North Rhine-Westphalia you can book courses of as little as one week. On an intensive program, one German level usually takes 6-8 weeks. A complete beginner typically needs 6-12 months to reach the B2-C1 level required for university.
The biggest factor in the price is the length of your booking: the weekly fee drops noticeably for bookings of 12 weeks or more. Winter is usually cheaper than the summer months. NGGlobal students can take advantage of the schools' seasonal discounts and offers.
At most language schools courses start every Monday, though complete beginner courses may have set start dates. For long programs that require a visa, we recommend applying at least 3 months ahead. Summer is the busiest period.
Short courses can be taken on a Schengen visa. Programs longer than three months require a German language course visa (national visa), which calls for enrolment in an intensive course of at least 18 hours a week, proof of funds through a blocked account or an obligation letter, and health insurance. Applications in Turkey are made by appointment.
Students who come for a long-term language course on a national visa may work up to 20 hours a week. Cafés, restaurants, retail and logistics are the sectors where students most often find jobs. Those on a Schengen visa cannot work.
Accommodation costs in the state vary by city: Cologne and Düsseldorf are relatively expensive, while Ruhr cities are cheaper.
Living costs in North Rhine-Westphalia are around the German average, with Ruhr cities such as Dortmund and Essen being budget-friendly choices.
The state has one of Germany's densest regional rail networks. With the €63 monthly Deutschlandticket you can travel between all its cities on regional trains.
North Rhine-Westphalia has a temperate climate with mild winters, warm summers and rain throughout the year.
Düsseldorf (DUS), Cologne Bonn (CGN) and Dortmund (DTM) airports have direct flights from many Turkish cities.
Because Germany uses daylight saving time, the time difference changes with the season: from late March to late October North Rhine-Westphalia is 1 hour behind Turkey, and in winter it is 2 hours behind.
You can decide with NGGlobal which school, course and type of accommodation suit you best. We follow the whole process for you, from application to arrival.
Cologne for social life, Düsseldorf for business and fashion, Bonn for a quiet setting and Dortmund or Essen for a tight budget.
Yes. North Rhine-Westphalia has one of the largest populations of Turkish origin in Germany.
No. Schools run beginner courses, and a placement test on your first day puts you in the right class.
On a national language course visa you can work up to 20 hours a week; working is not possible on a Schengen visa.
We recommend applying 4-6 weeks ahead for short courses and at least 3 months ahead for long programs that require a visa.
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