Goethe-Institut Philippinen: The Only German Language Exam Provider in the Philippines
Updated as of April 25, 2023.
As early as the 19th century, Germany and the Philippines have built strong cultural ties thanks to our national hero, Dr. Jose Rizal who, during his time, lived in Germany for quite some time where he wrote the second half of his novel Noli Me Tangere.
From then on, German entrepreneurs were introduced to the Philippines to expand and explore the country for possible trade businesses. Soon after, numerous academic establishments were built to strengthen the booming cultural exchange of the two countries, which includes the Goethe-Institut Philippinen.
At the lobby of Goethe-Institut Philippinen
For over 62 years, Goethe-Institut Philippinen, the only provider of German Language exam in the Philippines, strengthens German and Philippine cultural ties through diverse activities focusing in literature, arts, music, festivities, film, theatre, culture, and language.
It opened its doors back in 1961 and since then, they have been promoting German language and encouraging international cultural exchange through the German language courses and exams they offer.
Classroom setting of Goethe-Institut Philippinen
Goethe Institut offers six-course language and exams divided into three levels:
ELEMENTARY USE OF LANGUAGE
- A1 LEVEL
Can understand and use familiar sentences, can introduce oneself and respond or communicate with simple questions.
For the exam, the Goethe-Zertifikat A1 is ideal for children between 10 to 16 years old, or those who wanted to join their husband/wife in Germany. The A1 level certifies that the student has basic language skills.
- A2 LEVEL
Can understand common sentences used in expressions, can describe oneself’s background in a simple way.
For the exam, the Goethe-Zertifikat A2 is ideal for young people between 12 and 16 years old, or adults who have a basic knowledge of the German language. It requires elementary language skills. The A2 level certifies that candidates have acquired basic language skills.
INDEPENDENT LANGUAGE USE
- B1 LEVEL
Can understand the main points of standard language, can deal with most situations in the language region, can express oneself simply, can report on experiences and can make short statements.
For the exam, Goethe-Zertifikat B1 is ideal for those who want to attend courses or Studienkolleg and qualify to universities in Germany. This is also perfect for those who want to live and work in Germany. The B2 level certifies that candidates are independent users of the German language.
- B2 LEVEL
Can understand the main contents of complex texts, can understand specialized discussions, can communicate spontaneously and fluently, can express oneself on a wide range of topics.
For the exam, Goethe-Zertifikat B2 is ideal for those who want to study in a German-speaking country or apply for jobs in Germany. The Goethe-Zertifikat B2 is a German exam for adults and it will be available to young people as well from 2019. It certifies that candidates have acquired advanced language skills.
AUTONOMOUS LANGUAGE ABILITY
- C1 LEVEL
Can understand a wide range of challenging, longer texts and also grasp implicit meanings, can express oneself spontaneously and fluently, can use the language effectively, can make clear, constructed and detailed statements.
For the exam, Goethe-Zertifikat C1 is ideal for those who want to obtain higher education or jobs in Germany. Goethe-Zertifikat C1 is an examination for adults and certifies that candidates have acquired advanced language skills.
- C2 LEVEL
Can effortlessly understand practically everything, can summarize information from written and spoken source can express oneself spontaneously with high fluency and precision, and can understand complex topics.
For the exam, Goethe-Zertifikat C2: Großes Deutsches Sprachdiplom (GDS) is ideal for those who want to conduct research or teach in Germany. The Goethe-Zertifikat C2 is a German exam for adults that certifies that candidates have acquired extremely advanced language skills.
All certifications correspond to the six-level scale of competence laid down in the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR).
Educational German textbooks inside the Goethe-Institut Library
For those who are eager to learn the language in a shorter time frame, Goethe Institut also offers extensive, intensive, and super intensive courses where you can attend classes regularly, trimming down the standard course into an 8-11 week class depending on your level. For a complete list of schedule and prices, you may view it here.
Aside from that, you can also apply for online courses at Goethe Institut: The Deutsch Online Individual and the Deutsch Online Spezial. For a complete list of classes and prices, you may view it here.
Students, searching for books inside the Goethe-Institut Library
In Goethe Institut, it’s not just about language and communication, as they also introduce German culture to the Philippines through their fun-filled library and educational activities.
The Goethe Library offers various German films, books, DVDs, German daily newspapers and magazines, reference books and dictionaries, music CDs, and more that could help students to further understand the German culture as well as its ties to the Philippines.
The Goethe-Institut Library
They also have film viewings every week and are constantly creating future projects including the upcoming German Unity Day and the yearly German Film Week.
As they say, experiences are still the best teacher. Here in Goethe Institut, film festivals, cultural exhibits, classes, and educational partnerships are what makes them more than just a German language school.
Goethe-Institut Philippinen is located at G/F, 4-5/F Adamson Centre, 121 L.P. Leviste Street, Salcedo Village, Makati City. Tuition fee starts at Php 10,500, plus Php 1,000++ for course materials and Php 5250 for exam certification.
For more information, you can contact them at (02) 840 5723, (02) 840 5724, and (02) 817 0978. For updates, visit Goethe-Institut Philippinen’s website, or follow it on Facebook and Instagram.
This first appeared on Philippine Primer Japanese Magazine’s October 2018 issue.
Updated as of February 13, 2019
