To help you adjust to life in Germany and meet the need for counselling, the Federal Government has decided to open up the following courses and services to people seeking protection from Ukraine who have a residence permit in accordance with Section 24 of the Residence Act (AufenthG):

• Migration counselling for adult immigrants (Migrationsberatung für erwachsene Zuwanderer, MBE)
• Youth Migration Services (Jugendmigrationsdienste, JMD) migration counselling for young people up to the age of 27
• Initial orientation courses for people seeking protection and immigrants (Erstorientierungskurs, EOK)
• Programme ‘Migrantinnen einfach stark im Alltag’ (MiA courses for female migrants)
• Integration courses
• Language courses, occupational language courses (Berufssprachkurs, BSK) and job-related occupational language courses (Job-BSK)

Migration counselling (MBE) is an individual counselling service that you can contact regarding your personal questions about settling in Germany, e.g. about finding accommodation, a job or a doctor. You can also use the ‘mbeon.de ’ app for this purpose. The addresses, telephone numbers and email addresses of all MBE counselling centres can be found in the BAMF-NAvI.

The initial orientation courses (EOK) are a low-threshold programme that offers people seeking protection and immigrants an initial overview of life in Germany. At the same time, they acquire their first knowledge of German. Topics covered include work, shopping, medical care and everyday life in Germany.

You can find more information about EOK here.

Flyer Initial Orientation Courses PDF, 483 KB, non-accessible PDF, 422 KB, not barrier-free

There are numerous programmes aimed specifically at women. The MiA courses, for example, are an easily accessible programme where women can find support in a safe space to help them settle in and make progress in Germany. Participants receive relevant information for everyday life, e.g. how the school and education system works in Germany. MiA courses are not a conventional language course but have the primary goal of empowering women.

You can find more information about the MiA courses here.

You can find more information about the programmes for women here.

Integration courses are much more extensive and always consist of a language course and an orientation course. In the language course, you will learn the basics of the German language, e.g. to be able to write letters or emails or apply for a job. The orientation course covers topics such as the German legal system and the history and culture of Germany. You will learn about your rights and duties and be taught the values that are particularly important in Germany, e.g. freedom of religion, tolerance and equal rights. In addition to general integration courses, there are also special courses, e.g. for women or young people, as well as intensive courses. At the end of the integration course there is a language test as well as a final test on life in Germany and a certificate is awarded if the tests are passed.

You can contact the BAMF regional office responsible for your place of residence if you have any questions about the integration course. You can find the contact details on the BAMF-NAvI page.

You can also find more information on integration courses here.

Occupational language courses (BSK) build on the integration courses and teach German language skills for the world of work. They prepare participants for the world of work in Germany. In addition to occupational language courses with a certificate examination, there are also job-specific courses for certain target groups, for example for apprentices and employees in healthcare professions.

Job-related occupational language courses (Job-BSK) complement the portfolio of occupational language courses. The courses are flexible, short and customised to the needs of employees and companies. Individual language coaching and team teaching by teachers and specialised lecturers provide ideal preparation for communication in the workplace.

You can find more information about BSK and Job-BSK here.

The counselling services are available to you free of charge.
Participation in the integration course is usually subject to a fee. However, under certain conditions (e.g. if you receive benefits under Book Two of the German Social Code (Bürgergeld)), the costs may be covered.

You can find more information on this here.

If you have successfully attended a general integration course within two years (or three years in the case of a special course) from the date of issue of your attendance qualification (final test ‘Deutsch-Test für Zuwanderer’ with at least level B1 and achievement of the required score in the ‘Leben in Deutschland’ test), you can apply for a refund of half of the costs you have paid. Participation in the occupational language course (BSK) is usually free of charge. If your taxable annual income is over €20,000, you pay 50 per cent of the cost reimbursement rate. For a course with 400 teaching units, this amounts to a total of €1,024. The cost contribution can also be paid by the employer.

Further information can be found here.

Refugees from Ukraine can generally attend all BAMF-funded courses; registration for integration courses is done by applying to the BAMF. To register for an occupational language course (BSK), please contact your local job centre, employment agency or the BAMF. You can register directly with the course providers for the initial orientation and MiA courses as well as migration counselling. The BAMF-NAvI makes it easy to find the right course in your area. You can find the occupational language courses on KURSNET (a service provided by the Federal Employment Agency).

Detailed information on all courses and services as well as registration details are available in our information brochure: Integration Services for Refugees from Ukraine PDF, 421 KB, non-accessible PDF, 421 KB, non-accessible PDF, 421 KB, not barrier-free