What does the language course cost and who pays for it?

What lies behind it

The German course is a fixed part of the au pair stay. After all, learning and improving German is one of the main reasons an au pair comes to Germany.

The host family pays a legally required subsidy of 70 € per month for this. Over twelve months, that comes to 840 € in total. If the language course costs more than this subsidy, the au pair covers the additional costs themselves.

There are basically two options:

In-person language course

Many Volkshochschulen (adult education centres) and language schools offer courses locally. Prices can vary considerably depending on the region and provider, and can be significantly higher than the monthly subsidy. It should therefore be agreed with the au pair before booking which course they would like to attend and whether they are prepared to cover any additional costs from their own pocket money.

Online language course

A flexible alternative is an online language course. This can be a good solution especially for families who live further out, or where an in-person course is difficult to fit around working hours. The au pair also saves the journey to the language school and can fit the course into their weekly schedule more easily.

Important: the language course is not a side issue during the au pair year. The family should give the au pair enough time to attend regularly and keep developing their German.

Our recommendation for an online language course

We work with Proaupairs24. There, au pairs can attend their German course flexibly online. Through "Besondere Sterne", your au pair receives a discount of 15–25% on the course fees. When signing up, simply enter the discount code "BESONDERE STERNE".