Bildungsurlaub — statutory educational leave — lets employees in many German federal states take paid time away from work for approved training. An intensive English course abroad is one of the ways it can be used. The practical detail matters, because approval depends on your state and your employer, not on the school.
The course behind it
The recognised programme is Intensive English 30: thirty lessons a week, 22.5 hours, running 08:45 to 14:15 Monday to Friday. It is structured as twenty General English lessons plus ten specialised lessons, with Business English among the available options — usually the most relevant for an employer-funded application. The minimum level is A2.
Where it is currently recognised
Berlin, Brandenburg, Bremen, Baden-Württemberg, Hamburg, Hessen, Niedersachsen, Rheinland-Pfalz, Saarland, Sachsen-Anhalt, Schleswig-Holstein and Thüringen.
How to apply
- Choose your preferred course dates.
- Complete the IH Malta enrolment form.
- Receive your invoice and enrolment confirmation.
- Submit the confirmation to your employer.
- Pay the 20% deposit within seven days to secure the booking.
The order matters. You need the enrolment confirmation to give your employer something concrete, but the place is only held once the deposit is paid — so leave enough time between submitting to your employer and the course start date.
What the school can and cannot do
IH Malta can confirm the course content, hours and dates, and issue the enrolment documents your employer will ask for. It cannot guarantee that your employer approves the leave, and it does not control the recognition rules in your state. Treat those two things as your responsibility and the process is straightforward.
Planning the week itself
Because lessons run until 14:15, the afternoon is genuinely free. Students often add accommodation through the school — Belview Residence is about seven minutes on foot — and the administration fee of €75 is charged separately from the course price. Accommodation, transfers and activities are optional extras rather than part of the course fee.