Studienkolleg in Germany

Are you a recent high school graduate and you have a certificate which is not recognized by the higher educational institutions in Germany? You have two paths to follow: 1) Enroll at a university in your home country, for at least one year, then you can directly apply to a German university if you meet the language requirement or 2) Attend the Studienkolleg in Germany.

What is studienkolleg in Germany?

Studienkolleg is one kind of preparatory courses for those who are willing to study at a university in Germany. It is usually a one year course, which is equivalent to two semesters containing the possibility to repeat only one semester. Studienkolleg are equivalent to the foundation or pathway programs and they are widespread in English-speaking countries. They are designed into 4 courses and each one has its varying subjects which depends on one’s choice of future studies. They are as follows:

• T-Kurs : German , Mathematics , Physics , Chemistry and Informatics
• W-Kurs : German , Mathematics , Economics , Business and Sociology
• M-Kurs : German , Mathematics , Physics , Chemistry and Biology
• G-Kurs : German , History , German Literature , Sociology and Statistics

What are the requirements for admission to studienkolleg?

In order join a public German Studienkolleg, you need to fulfil the following requirements:

1. Language: To get a chance to study studienkolleg in Germany, you must have at least B2 level in German language proficiency which should be confirmed by an international certificate.
2. Entrance exams: Though you have the certificate you must face the German exam and the second subject may vary depending on the course you are going to study. ( For T-kurs: mathematics, for W/G-kurs: intermediate English test)
3. School education: Studienkolleg is for those who have already got their secondary school leaving certificates.
4. Terms and deadlines: The deadline to submit the application, the date of entrance exams and the date of the beginning of study are the three dates you need to take into consideration.

How much does it cost to study studienkolleg in Germany?

If you get a chance to study at state Studienkollegs in Germany, it’s absolutely free of cost. Though in some cases you may need to pay a semester fee. Not only that you won’t get the opportunity to enjoy accommodation, food or medical insurance while studying Studienkolleg.

How to apply for Studienkolleg in Germany?

If you wish to apply for a Studienkolleg in Germany you need to follow the following steps:

I. Check your previous qualifications: First of all you need to check whether your school-leaving certificate is in your home or not. Then visit the university website and find the entry requirements.
II. Find a Studienkolleg and a course: Before getting admitted, you have to find a proper Studienkolleg and a suitable course. A lot of universities run these courses on their own. Moreover, some private institutions organize Studienkolleg courses also separated from any university.

III. Check the requirements: Entry requirements varies from one university to another. But the most common requirements are:
• Grades from previous education
• School leaving certificate
• Curriculum vitae
• Language proficiency
• Translated copies of the documents above by a certified translator.

IV. Apply for a place at the Studienkolleg: After collecting all the required documents, submit your application. You cannot directly apply to the Studienkolleg except if it is a private institution. You can apply through online or by post. You can apply through Uni-Assiste.de.
V. Get your German student visa: If you are a non-EU students and wish to go and study in Germany you have to take a student visa in advance.
VI. Take the entrance exam: In order to enter in a Studienkolleg in Germany, you have to sit on an entrance exam which is the test of your overall knowledge and skills in core subjects related to the intended regular course. This exam is not that much hard. The intention of the exam is to identify your major struggles in language and other important subjects. After the end of the course, you will sit on an assessment test which will show your improvement you have made during the course. If you fail to show your improvement, you won’t be given a place at the University.

Who will be eligible for Studienkollegs?

Studienkollegs is suitable for those foreign applicants:

I. Who want to earn a degree in Germany and
II. Who need to prepare for TestDaf/DSH exam (taking at the C1 level to enter a university)

Studienkolleg is a foundation course in Germany and it’s free! Yes, you can skip a Studienkolleg course. But you must have the excellent knowledge of numerous subjects and the final exam is not so easy. So bearing that in mind, we highly recommend you to attend the course before going to sit for the entrance exam.