Internationale Deutscholympiade 2022

• The Internationale Deutscholympiade (IDO) is the world's biggest German language contest. This year it will be held from 25 July to 5 August under the motto “DABEI SEIN! Zusammen in Hamburg”, or “BE THERE! Together in Hamburg”. Some 140 high school students from 70 different countries will be gathering together in Hamburg for the finals.
• The winners of the national preliminary rounds will be putting their German skills to the test in the IDO finals at three levels of language proficiency: A2, B1 and B2. Communication skills and creative teamwork are also assessed in the contest.
• The IDO seeks to promote young talents around the world and kindle enthusiasm for the German language among young people abroad, shore up mutual tolerance and open doors to German culture and civil society for them. The IDO also serves to promote Germany’s appeal as a place to study and work.
• The finals are held every two years in a different Goethe-Institut location in Germany. Previous editions of the IDO took place in the following cities: 2008 in Dresden, 2010 in Hamburg, 2012 and 2014 in Frankfurt, 2016 in Berlin, 2018 in Freiburg, and 2020 online, though Dresden-based and -themed. The IDO will be heading to Hamburg in 2022.

• The next IDO will be held from 25 July to 5 August 2022 under the motto “DABEI SEIN! Zusammen in Hamburg” – “BE THERE! Together in Hamburg”.
  Some 140 students from 70 different countries will be heading to Hamburg this summer for the finals.

High school students who have qualified at A2, B1 or B2 level in a Nationale Deutscholympiade (NDO), or any other accredited national selection procedure, are eligible to compete in the IDO. Contestants must be between 14 and 17 years of age. The IDO will take place under the 2G regulation.

The following persons are not eligible to take part in the IDO:

• Students whose mother tongue is German or who have at least one native German-speaking parent.
• Students who have lived for more than six months at a time in a German-speaking country.
• Students at German schools abroad or private schools whose principal language of instruction and communication is German.
• Students who are already of legal age (18 or older).
• Students already enrolled to study at a university.
• Students who provide false information about themselves will be disqualified and/or stripped of their titles.
• Two contestants per country, whether at the same or different language levels, may compete in Dresden.
• Persons not fulfilling the 2G regulation (full vaccination protection, 2-times coronavirus vaccination, with a vaccine licensed in the EU).

• The winners of the qualifying rounds in each participating country’s national contest (Nationale Deutscholympiade) may then represent their country in the finals in Germany.
• Students can sign up for their Nationale Deutscholympiade through their school or their German teachers.
• See the Goethe-Institut website for information about competing in a Nationale Deutscholympiade. Bear in mind that not every country takes part in the IDO. If it is not clear whether a Nationale Deutscholympiade is held in your country, inquire at your nearest Goethe-Institut. If there is no Goethe-Institut or Goethe-Institut liaison office in your country, you can register through your country’s national German teachers’ association or the International Association of German Teachers. For more information, see the corresponding German teachers’ association websites.
• You can sign up for your Nationale Deutscholympiade through your school or your German teachers.
• For further information, inquire at your local Goethe-Institut.

The language training departments at Goethe-Instituts abroad are responsible for organizing their Nationale Deutscholympiade in concert with the German teachers’ association and other local partners.

• Contact your local Goethe-Institut to register for the Nationale Deutscholympiade. Each country is responsible for organizing its Nationale Deutscholympiade in detail, so we cannot provide any universally applicable information here.
• Nationale Deutscholympiade can sign up for the Internationale Deutscholympiade at a Goethe-Institut or Goethe-Institut liaison office abroad.

• The contestants will be Hamburg’s guests for a two-week program. The world’s top German learners after the qualifying rounds will vie for the first three places in three language proficiency levels. In addition to language skills, they’ll be expected to show intercultural competence and international teamwork.
• The contestants can take part in a number of interesting workshops and get to know the city of Hamburg by meeting local youngsters as well as local companies and people in culture and the arts. They can also look forward to an interesting cultural programme and a first-hand experience of the Olympic ideals of peaceful coexistence, fair competition {das faire Miteinander} and the rich diversity of the world’s many different cultures.

Participation in the IDO is funded by the Goethe-Institut’s scholarship programme.

• You’re in for a surprise! Though we can reveal this much: ALL the IDO contestants in Hamburg will receive a gift. And we’ve got special prizes in store for the three top contestants at each level (A2, B1 and B2)!