Learn new languages, discover new cultures

Every year, in springtime and in summer, the Max Weber Program offers its scholarship holders the chance to stay abroad and take a range of three to four-week language courses – in the United Kingdom, France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Turkey, Jordan and Russia. Beyond learning new vocabulary and honing their grammar, these courses give our scholar­ship holders the chance to explore an array of wonderful locations in Europe and beyond. Most of the courses consist of morning lessons held in small groups. In the afternoons, de­pen­ding on the location and the individual school, students can take field trips and attend events relating to business, politics, literature and art. During their language course, stu­dents usually stay with host families.

If a scholarship holder wishes to attend a course in a language not offered by the Max Weber Program, grants are also available for Language Courses that students organize independently.

Scholarship holders report about their experiences and people they met during their stay abroad.

Over the summer, I took a three-week language course in Broadstairs. The weather was almost always good, which allowed us to enjoy Broad­stairs’ fantastic coastal location and its sandy beach. I refreshed my English language skills in many ways throughout my stay; personally, though, the most important accomplishment was the realisation that you just need to find the courage to speak as much English as possible – and that you’ll get by just fine. It was also useful that the corrections on my essays included very individual feedback.

One of my proudest accomplishments was the new friends I made on the trip. We enjoyed some wonderful evenings together and developed a real sense of community.

The three-week language course was very instructive for me. I felt that during these weeks I learned a lot more than in one year of lessons. Since it was my first trip with the Max Weber Program, I did not know what to expect and I was very pleasantly surprised. This variety of people from different study programs and from different universities led to exciting, funny and long discussions, so that we became a group from the first day and made something every day outside the language school.

In September, I took an Italian language course in Florence alongside other Max Weber Program scholarship holders – and I’m exceptionally grateful to have been able to do so. I enjoyed the format of the Italian lessons because, despite my lack of Italian skills, I and the rest of the beginner’s course were able to hold basic conversations in public and with our host families after just a few days. The relaxed atmosphere in class made attending the course an absolute pleasure. Living with a host family also played an important role.

Their warmth and hospitality and the insights into their day-to-day lives afforded me more intimate access to the language and culture than staying in a hotel. I met lots of new people and got on with them tremendously well; I’m looking forward to strengthening these new friendships, both within and outside of the Max Weber Program.”