Course progressions in the General Integration Course , Date: 2021.05.20, format: brief analysis, area: Authority

As part of the research project "Evaluation of the Integration Courses (EvIk)" the BAMF Brief Analysis 7|2021 addresses course progressions of participants in General Integration Courses in Germany and studies instances in which attendees dropped out of the course or switched from one course to another.

Based on data from the Integration Business File (INGE) from January 2018 to September 2020, this study examines the sequence of completed course sections among participants in the General Integration Course as well as the course section after which early dropouts typically occur. Moreover, the study explores whether dropped out course participants take up another course at a later point in time during the analyzed period, and hence continue their German language acquisition. It also includes a preliminary analysis of potential reasons for early course dropouts.

Key results at a glance

The number of participants fluctuates over the course duration

In 2018 and 2019, the General Integration Course was the most frequently attended type of integration course, with over 350,000 participants in about 17,000 courses. The number of participants fluctuates over the duration of a course, as some of them leave the course early and new attendees join as the course progresses.

A majority of participants attend the General Integration Course without any interruptions

A majority (62 percent) of participants who took up a course in the year 2018 attend the integration course from the first to the last course section without any interruptions. In contrast, the remaining participants (38 percent) leave the course prior to its conclusion, often relatively shortly after its beginning.

Dropouts return to the course system

Dropping out of an integration course early does not necessarily prevent attendees from ultimately successfully attending a course and learning German: As the analysis shows, more than one-third of participants who dropped out of their course early take up another integration course during the analyzed period. A majority of these individuals seamlessly draw on previously acquired knowledge by attending a subsequent course section. About two-thirds of integration course dropouts have not (yet) resumed their German language training in another integration course within the analyzed period.

The Brief Analysis was written by: Dr. Pia Homrighausen and Dr. Salwan Saif

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