Hermann Hesse Kolleg
Hirschgasse 8, Horb am Neckar, Baden-Württember 72160, Germany
Hermann Hesse Kolleg
For students who wish to prepare themselves for specific language exam levels, this course will be your choice. Delve into life in Germany, learn how to cope with everyday tasks like shopping, using community services, the usual life and interaction with locals, writing official and inofficial letters, banking and enjoying the spcific culture of the region, whether food, concerts or theater.
You will experience an ideal starting point for a year abroad, whether studying, working or doing an internship. In combination with our experienced homestay families, this course is way more than a 26 hours/week program, since you will be communicating in German from dawn till dusk.
The course includes guided field trips and excursions on every Saturday.
Listening, Speaking, Pronunciation, Reading, Writing, Vocabulary, Grammar and Activities
You can choose from the following class times:
Class schedule may change depending on availability and season.
Average | 8 students |
Maximum | 14 students |
Age range | 14 years old and older |
Average | 21 years old |
Situated in the heart of the medieval town center, the school offers excellent conditions for learning, with shops and cafes in the vicinity, as well as parks, riverside meadows and the Black Forest nearby.
Main learning objectives are structuring and enhancement of communicative skills. You will receive textbooks and learning material which is carefully prepared for your lessons.
You can choose between groups of different levels and learn at you own pace.
If you book longer than two weeks you get a qualified certificate "Deutsch als Fremdsprache" after you have finished the course, evaluating the skills oral and written expression, listening and reading comprehension.
The nationality and age mix at Hermann Hesse Kolleg varies over different time periods, courses and levels. Throughout the year, the average age is 21. In the summer, the average age is 21.
HHK teaches students from all over the world, including:
HHK does not hold classes on the holiday dates below. The school does not compensate for these holidays, so make sure to choose your start date accordingly.
Horb am Neckar, with 26.000 inhabitants in all, is a nice, calm town in the vicinity of the world-famous Black Forest (Schwarzwald). You will enjoy the calmness, the healthy air, and nature. "Horb is a perfect place for learning", is what our students often say. Actually, they mean the soft landing after a long journey. They yearn for calmness and security during the first weeks in a new country.
The school is located in a 500-year old, medieval building, the "Steinhaus" in the center of Horb. It is a footwalk distance to the main train station and there are plenty of shops, cafes, and restaurants around. Classes take place in the unique old rooms in the building, but we also take you on tours and excursions, so you learn how to communicate on the marketplace or in a store.
Horb is a very good starting point for leisure activities. Due to the convenient geographical position, you can reach France, Switzerland or Austria in a short time.
The teachers are nice and with good quality of teaching. I learned a lot and picked up my German speaking quickly under their guidance. The lessons are fun and lively with games sometimes and I loved that.
The location of the school is perfect and the facilities and staff are very nice.
First of all it was impossible to get any information directly from the school before I arrived, in spite of two messages to them. So I did not know what to expect. Fortunately the couple who hosted me (Suzanne and Helmut) were perfect - friendly, generous and supportive. It was only on the first morning that I found out that the school currently had a total of about six students, and we were all together in one class, with levels varying from A1 (beginner) to B2 (upper intermediate). I understand that at other times of year there are larger groups, from California. The other students present were all living and working more or less long term in the area, and preparing for exams for residence, work or study. The main advantage of the school for me was the informality - I could start and finish on any date since there were no fixed courses. However the quality of teaching varied - I had four teachers over the two weeks (two were substitutes). One, Sigi, was well qualified and was able to give us all suitable tasks and juggle the support she gave to each of us. Others were less proficient and so the material was often completely inappropriate for some of us. Fortunately I did not have specific expectations - I just wanted to be able to improve my speaking skills and consolidate what I'd studied at home. There were also no social activities organized. So in spite of the above, I would say that the trip was a success and I got what I wanted. However it may not suit everybody.
Show details » Read more...These three weeks that I spent studying German in Horb am Neckar were probably some of the happiest weeks of my life. I loved being able to connect with people from lots of different cultures and find friends all over the world. The teachers were very positive and encouraging, and our lessons were super-informative but not exhausting, so I didn't even notice how much I actually managed to learn in a relatively short period of time. My host family were amazing and they really helped me feel at home and navigate German culture. I feel that this trip gave me a rare opportunity to see a different country not simply as a tourist but from within, and it is a truly unforgettable experience!
Show details » Read more...I really enjoyed my experience at Herman Hesse Kolleg. The location was peaceful and calm, teachers were really good in communication with the class and the atmosphere itself encouraged me to speak German with everyone everywhere. Furthermore, I really liked my guest family, especially Günter Zeyer, very friendly and good man. I thank Herman Hesse Kolleg staff for this experience. The only bad thing about it is that I spent only 1 week here. Hope to come again this summer!
Show details » Read more...I had lessons for 2 weeks.
However I had a great time together with international classmates.
I loved my class at Hermann Hesse. The teacher was very helpful and willing to work with me even though I knew very little German entering into the class. The class size was a huge advantage in learning with small classes and individual attention. The location in the city was great but the city is very small. I stayed with a host family and my experience with that was very good.
Show details » Read more...I've started my course in October, and in 10 weeks my fluency and understanding of German have improved.
Show details » Read more...We liked most of the teachers and enjoyed meeting other students. We did 12 weeks of daily classes, then did several weeks of once a week private lessons.
I would have liked a more systematic approach to reviewing the language, but that may have been because we were in the advanced class.
There were no field trips planned on Saturdays while we were there.
Classes are taught only in German so total immersion was very beneficial. The teacher was good. We had about 14 people in our class. On the first day of class, the school gave a tour of the city but other than that, there were no other planned activities arrange by the school. Planned activities would have been nice.
My host family lived outside the city. Transportation was easy and convenient. The school had ping pong and foos ball that was fun to play with other students.
I choosed this college because it was not far from my home. The most I liked -small groups, so we all had opportunity to talk, techer could explain everything if you didn’t get something.
My teacher was very friendly, helpful, giving us explanations about everything. If we’re looking for some extra information, she always took time at home to find it.
I cannot tell you anything about activities or any facilities because I didn’t have. After classes everybody were going home.
The teachers are all extremely friendly and helpful. I really enjoyed the course and found it very helpful!
The location was perfect for me. It is very close to where I live.
When I just arrived I did not speak German. It was very difficult to understand teachers. But teachers pay individual attention to every student. By the help of teachers and support of director I learned German quickly
Show details » Read more...I liked my teacher and all my friends, the class was really comfortable, the location was really distant, but I liked walk so no problem. The activities were very interesting and beautiful. Frau Kohl was very kind and I haven't got problem with her.
Show details » Read more...The staff and teachers were courteous and helpful. The location was conveniently situated by the bus route and some local shops. I found that even for beginners I thought the small class size and dialogue type instruction in full German with one of the teachers for one day was more helpful than just going through a book with more English explanation in some other days with another teacher. Overall I enjoyed my time and I was able to communicate with my host family (not connected to the school) better by the end of my two-week stay!
Show details » Read more...Homestays are carefully selected and offer students the opportunity to learn more about the local culture in a comfortable setting while studying German in Horb am Neckar. These homes are often between 10 - 25 minutes away from the school by public transport. Families usually offer affordable meal plans that allow you to sample the local cuisine. If you have special requests or diet restrictions (because of religion or health reasons), please let us know in advance. Your housing starts on the Sunday before your first day of class and ends on the Saturday after your last day of class, unless otherwise noted. Learn more about homestay housing
Student residences are more suitable for an independent student, who is looking for clean, basic accommodation at an economic price. All students must be 18 - 100. Your housing starts on the Sunday before your first day of class and ends on the Saturday after your last day of class, unless otherwise noted. Student residences often do not include any meal plan. Learn more about student residence accommodation
HHK provides some assistance with hotel or hostel reservations or you can reserve a room on your own. Learn more about hostel housing
We cannot apply for visas on behalf of students. However, the school can supply you with all the documentation you need to support your visa application.
Your letter of acceptance will be sent to your home address by regular mail at no charge to you. If you wish to receive your paperwork by express mail, you will be charged 85 € when you register.
Please note that we do not book flights for our students. If you are researching airfare costs, we recommend using Kayak.com, a search engine that lets you compare flight options from your home country to Horb am Neckar based on your budget, schedule and preferences.
Study abroad worry-free with Language International's health and personal effects insurance coverage. When you book a course with us, you can opt to purchase an international insurance plan that covers not only your health care cost but also loss of your personal belongings. You must book your insurance in advance when you register.
Have questions? Get answers from Hermann Hesse Kolleg staff, Language International student advisors, and past students.
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