Dutch for GSSE PhDs 0>A1

At the Language Centre, you will learn Dutch at a fast pace with the help of teaching methods we developed ourselves. Our language courses focus on speaking and understanding the Dutch language. This way, you will quickly start to feel more or less at home with the language, and you naturally expand your knowledge of grammar and vocabulary.

Who is this course for?

This course is aimed at GSSE-PhD students who do not speak Dutch yet. During the course, we will work towards CEFR level A1. You can take this course at the expense of the Board of the University of Groningen - read all about this arrangement here! 

What will you learn in this course?

The course comprises 12 lessons. Each lesson lasts two hours in a course on location, and 1.5 hours in an online course. During the course, you will learn, among other things:

• The alphabet
• Pronunciation: sentence accent, word accent, and ending sound
• Creating and using sentences that express a command
• Plurals and adjectives 

How many hours of independent study are required?

You should expect to spend a total of 30 hours on independent study in order to stay on track with this course. This involves, for example, reading texts, learning vocabulary, watching grammar and pronunciation videos, and completing grammar and writing assignments. 

What will you be able to do after the course?

• Introduce yourself
• Talk about your relatives and friends 
• Buy groceries at the market
• Order food and drinks at a restaurant or café 

After successfully completing this course, you will be ready for the follow-up course Dutch for UG students, PhDs, and postdocs A1>A2!

Course material

During this course, the first half of the book Nederlands in gang is covered. You will need to purchase this book yourself.

• Nederlands in gang (chapter 1-7)
  Berna de Boer, Margaret van der Kamp, Birgit Lijmbach
  ISBN 9789046905609 (3rd edition | 2017)

This book also comprises an individual login code for a website containing additional exercises, listening fragments, videos, and songs. You need this code to be able to actively participate in the course. You can also purchase the code separately from the publisher Coutinho. This is necessary when you purchase a second-hand copy of the book.

Please note: due to the frequent use of illegal digital versions of this book, participants of the on-site course are required to purchase the paper copy of the book. Digital versions are not allowed. If you had already purchased a legal e-book for a previous course, please email your teacher before the start of your course to report that you have a digital version. A check will be performed during the first lesson to establish whether it is a legal version. If you are taking an online course, a legal e-book is allowed.

Where do I purchase the book?

• At the Support Office of the Language Centre, during opening hours. 
• Through your local bookstore or online sellers such as Coutinho or Bol.com. When purchasing a physical book online, pay attention to the delivery time to ensure you receive the book on time!

Practical information

• Registration and payment procedure
• Language levels
• Discount schemes
• Following a course and final assessment

This may also interest you

Three times a year, we launch our free online beginners course Introduction to Dutch. This three-week self-study module introduces you to the Dutch language and culture, as well as to the city of Groningen. This course is ideal for getting a taste of Dutch before starting one of our group courses!

Have a look at all our Dutch for UG students, PhDs, and postdocs options.

Course fee

Free for PhDs not using the expat scheme
€216 for PhDs using the expat scheme

For some PhD students, the free or partly free registration for these courses may not go through immediately. If you are having trouble registering, because the page after logging in says you do not belong to the right target group, please have the HR department or your Graduate School send an email to languagecentre@rug.nl confirming that you are indeed a PhD student. We will then manually add your account to the right target group.

Available dates