The International Coaching Course is a postgraduate study course, implemented by the Sports Science Faculty of Leipzig University. It aims at physical education teachers and coaches from developing countries in Africa, Asia, Latin America and Europe as defined by the DAC list of ODA recipients.

The program currently includes the following sports or specialisations:

Football — Handball — Basketball — Volleyball — Track and Field — Swimming — Table Tennis

Conditioning coach — Handicap sports — Kids in Motion (Kids' sports U12)

All classes of a course are translated into the following languages:

Arabic
English
French
Spanish

The International Coaching Course (ITK) is part of the foreign cultural and educational policy of the Federal Republic of Germany. The German Foreign Office has been funding ITK since 1991, in addition the Saxon State Ministry of Science, Cultural Affairs and Tourism has been funding ITK since 2021. Still, the history of ITK traces back to 1964. Since that time, way more than 5500 coaches and physical education teachers from 150 countries have participated in the courses.

In 2027, the ITK will offer a hybrid postgraduate study course including a four-month on-site phase in Leipzig from August to November, as well as an online programme covering different topics of training and sports management.

Postgraduate on-site course 2027

The specializations that will be offered on site are: Basketball (in Arabic), Football (in French), Sports for the Disabled (in English) and Kids Sports U12 (in Spanish).

Postgraduate online programme 2027

The specializations that will be offered online are: Neuro-centered and Cognitive Training, Training Planning in Individual Sports, Training Planning in Sports for the Disabled - Team Sports, and Leadership and Management. More Information on these courses will be available as of September 2026.

Application:

Please note that the previous application procedure for the ITK postgraduate courses conducted on site in Leipzig has changed significantly.

From now on, this new procedure will be used only; the previous procedure is no longer valid!

From now on, anyone wishing to apply for a postgraduate on-site course in Leipzig first of all needs to register online, using a registration form. The relevant link will be available on the ITK website once the application period opens. It will take you directly to the page containing the registration form. Please fill in your personal details in accordance with the questions provided. You won’t require any documents for an upload!

By completing and submitting the registration form, you agree to the ITK Leipzig privacy policy (details regarding data protection can be checked directly in the registration form).

Once you have successfully registered, you will receive an automated email confirming your registration and containing two important documents as attachments.

These two documents (the contact form and the medical questionnaire) have to be downloaded and have to be filled in. As you are the applicant, you are asked to fill in the contact form yourself. The medical questionnaire has to be completed, signed and stamped by a qualified person. You may, for example, contact your general practitioner or a local hospital for this. Please note that – unlike in the past – no laboratory tests are required.

More information on the new application procedure can be found here.

Required Documents:

In the original:

- Contact form filled in completely in the course language
- Medical form filled in completely in the course language, (please note: these medical documents must not be older than three months prior to the application deadline.)
- In the original* or as certified copy – and if required as certified translation into the course language in case your documents were issued in another language:
-Academic degree on the completion of a study program in the area of sports, respectively in an adequate education as physical education teacher, coach or instructor including attestation of relevant advanced trainings
- Proof of your personal professional experience in sports, e.g. in lecturing or in training in the sports discipline/specialisation of the chosen course
- Proof of your personal experience as an active athlete in the sports discipline of the chosen sport, respectively in your major type of sport if you apply for the course „Conditioning Coach“ (not applicable if you apply for the course „Handicap Sports“)
- Proof of your current professional occupation
- Proof of your fluent mastery of the course language – in speech and writing – if the course language is not an official language of your country.
- A passport copy

Once you have collected all the documents listed above, please contact the German Embassy in your home country to submit them there. Please note: your application can only be considered complete if you have accomplished both steps: registration online and submission of your documents via the German Embassy.