Hi everyone, My GF and I live in Zürich. She has a solid B1 in German and wants to reach B2 as quickly as possible, mainly to improve her job prospects here (she’s looking for a role in compliance/finance). Her idea is to spend 2-3 months in Germany doing a full-immersion program: a school or university course with 20-30 hours per week, living in a residence or with a host family, so she’s surrounded by German all day. Part of the motivation is that living costs in Germany are lower than in Zürich, though we know we’d keep paying our Zürich rent in the meantime, so I’m not sure how much we’d really save. My questions: Has anyone done something similar (intensive course abroad in Germany to jump from B1 to B2)? Was it worth it, and how long did it actually take? Any schools or programs you’d recommend (Goethe-Institut, university Sprachkurse in Heidelberg/Freiburg/Tübingen, private schools, etc.)? And any you’d avoid? Would you do it in Germany or stay in Switzerland with an intensive course (Klubschule, ECAP, etc.)? Is the immersion worth the extra cost and being apart? How much did it cost you in total (course, housing, exam)? For those working in finance/banking in Zürich: how much does B2 German really matter for hiring, compared with English plus experience? Which exam did you take (Goethe, telc, TestDaF) and which one do Swiss employers or authorities recognise best? Any experience, tips or warnings are very welcome. Thanks a lot! submitted by /u/Freedom_letters
Originally posted by u/Freedom_letters on r/Switzerland