• You must be 18 or above.
• German is a foreign language for you.
• You live in Bern or Ostermundigen and are registered where you live.

• Are you sans papiers (undocumented migrant)? Do you live in the city of Bern? You can still apply for the DeutschBon voucher. Please contact the Berner Beratungsstelle für Sans-Papiers.

Please note:

You cannot apply for a DeutschBon voucher if someone is already paying for a German course for you.

This might be asylum social assistance (Asylsozialhilfe) or the canton.

This also applies if you have protection status S.

We have 600 vouchers. Perhaps more than 600 people will apply. In that case, not everyone will receive a voucher, and instead we will hold a draw. People who receive a reduction in their health insurance premium (Prämienverbilligung) are given priority.

You may receive money from the canton to pay your health insurance premium – called Prämienverbilligung in German. If this is the case, the canton has written to tell you – it has sent you confirmation.

Please make a copy of this confirmation and send it to us with your application for the DeutschBon voucher. Then you will receive a voucher before other people.

I don't receive the Prämienverbilligung. What should I do?u can find out on this website if you can receive the Prämienverbilligung.

• You can find out on this Webseite if you can receive the Prämienverbilligung.   

You can apply for a voucher in autumn 2026.

Yes, you can still apply.

However, people who have not had a voucher before have priority. This means that they get a voucher first. After that, there is a draw for the remaining vouchers.

Yes, you can still apply.

However, you are last in the queue for a voucher. After three years, your details will be deleted. Then you will have normal priority again. That means you can get a voucher in the normal process.

Please read the information under Who can apply for a voucher?.

Are there several people in your family who want to apply? Each person must apply separately.

Please note:

• The voucher may only be used once. 
• The voucher is for one particular person only. If you receive a voucher, you may only use it yourself. You may not give it to someone else.

No, you may not give your voucher to someone else. The voucher is personalised – only you may use it. You may not give your voucher to someone else. 

Yes, people with protection status S may apply for the DeutschBon voucher.

Please note: If you are already attending a German course paid for by someone else, for example asylum social assistance (Asylsozialhilfe) or the canton, you cannot apply for the DeutschBon voucher. This also applies if you have protection status S.

Each voucher is worth 400 Swiss francs.

Does your German course cost 400 Swiss francs or less? Then you pay nothing.

Does your German course cost more than 400 Swiss francs? Then you must pay the difference yourself.

You may only use the voucher once.

The red voucher from 2025 is valid until 31 October 2026. This means you must start the course by 31 October 2026. 

Are you attending a course that costs less than 400 Swiss francs? Then you can book two courses and use the voucher to pay.

If the two German courses together cost more than 400 Swiss francs, you must pay the difference yourself.

You may only use the voucher for group courses. You may not use it for individual private lessons. You may not use it to pay for exam fees.

You can take the course that suits you best. For example:

• You only know a little German? Then take a course for beginners.

• Can you already speak German quite well? Then take an advanced course.

Would you like to attend an online course?

• You can also use the voucher to attend an online group course.

You can use the voucher in 13 schools in Bern that teach German. Here you can find more information on these schools.

Yes, there are German courses with childcare available. 

• MuKi-Deutsch (MutterKind): For children from around 2 1/2 to 5 years old
• Jobcom ElKi (Eltern-Kind) Deutsch: For children from 2 to 5 years old
• HEKS Integrationsprogramme HIP: For children and babies from 3 months
• ECAP Bern: For children and babies from 6 months
• Lernpunkt: For children and babies from 6 months

The DeutschBon voucher is not social assistance. If you receive a voucher, this does not affect your residence status.  

You can choose how often you want to go to a course. Either:

• choose a course that takes place once a week, or
• choose an intensive course if you want to learn German every day. An intensive course takes place every day from Monday to Friday.

Write us an e-mail deutschbon@bern.ch or call us on +41 31 321 72 00 (Monday to Friday, 10am to 12pm).

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