VHS courses aren't free for most people. Each level costs around 200 Euro, and the levels are A1.1, A1.2, A2.1, A2.2, B1.1, B1.2, B2 and so on, so it costs over 1000 Euros. It is still cheaper than other schools, and if you have a special circumstance, like being a German citizen or asylum seeker and registered with the job center, BAMF will pay for the courses in full. If you pay out of pocket and then pass the B1 test, I believe you get refunded 50% of your fees through level B1. If you take classes full time, going from A1.1 to B2 takes about a year.