Take this with you

  • An intensive course gets you started, but spaced study consolidates knowledge.
  • Compare total hours, group size, placement test and speaking time.
  • Plan six weeks of review after the course — before September starts.
  • Courses can be co-funded (BUR, KFS), but the agreement must be signed before the start.

Intensive doesn't mean permanent

A two-week course of several hours a day can give a big boost of confidence and vocabulary. Research on learning shows, however, that spaced study consolidates knowledge better than massed study. A 2025 meta-analysis of studies in real classrooms found a moderate advantage of spaced over massed practice — especially when knowledge was tested after a longer delay.

The conclusion isn't 'don't sign up for an intensive course', but 'plan what comes after it'. The course is the start; consolidation happens in the following weeks.

How to choose a course

Summer offers vary a lot. Before paying, compare a few specifics:

  • Total teaching hours, not just the number of days — and how many are with a teacher versus self-study.
  • A placement test before the course and groups by level.
  • Group size — with a dozen people everyone speaks much less than with six.
  • How much time goes on speaking: ask for a sample daily plan.
  • Whether the course prepares for a specific exam, if you need a certificate.
  • What document you get at the end and whether it states the level on the CEFR scale (A1–C2).

In person, online or abroad

A local in-person course gives contact with a group and teacher without travel costs. An online course is easier to combine with work but needs discipline. A course abroad offers immersion but costs the most — check how many hours of classes the programme actually includes and how much is free time and excursions.

A six-week plan after the course

The biggest risk is September, when everyday life crowds out the language. A simple consolidation plan:

  • Weeks 1–2: 10 minutes of flashcard review of course vocabulary daily, a short written text twice a week.
  • Weeks 3–4: review every other day, one conversation a week (conversation club, tandem, online lesson).
  • Weeks 5–6: review twice a week, one longer piece of material in the language (series, podcast, article).
  • At the end: take the placement test again to see what stuck.

Funding

Language courses for adults are sometimes co-funded by regional operators of the Development Services Database (BUR), and employees can ask their employer about the National Training Fund (KFS). Usually you must sign up for a service meeting the programme's requirements and sign the agreement before the course starts — so plan a summer course well in advance.

Sources & further reading

Prepared with AI assistance using the sources below. Editorial standards ↗