Study and research in Germany

All about the Studienkolleg and Feststellungsprüfung

The following provides lots of useful information on the assessment test (Feststellungsprüfung) and preparatory course (Studienkolleg).

Why? If your school leaving certificate does not qualify you for admission to studies in Germany, you have to pass an assessment test to gain that qualification. Upon passing the test, you receive a certificate with which you can apply for a study place at an institution in Germany.

But please remember: The assessment tests for admission to Fachhochschulen (universities of applied sciences)  and Universitäten (universities)  differ. If you pass the assessment test for Fachhochschulen, you are only entitled to study at a Fachhochschule, not at a university. And the assessment test only qualifies you to study a subject from a specific core subject area: Those who have qualified in the field of economics and business cannot later register for a course in engineering or arts and humanities.

Where? You can prepare for the Feststellungsprüfung at a Studienkolleg  (www.studienkollegs.de/en)  and sit the examination there. Or you can prepare externally and then take the external examination. The individual Studienkollegs will provide you with further information on this.

How do I register at a Studienkolleg? Generally*, you will register via the university at which you later want to study. This means you have to submit a written application for admission at the Studienkolleg to the university of your choice (and not direct to the Studienkolleg). The university then  registers you at the Studienkolleg. While you are studying at the Studienkolleg, you will be registered as a full student at the relevant university.
* Please notice: Prospective students who plan to attend a preparatory course in the federal states of Baden-Württemberg or North Rhine-Westfalia must follow a different application process.
If you choose a preparatory course in Baden-Württemberg, please apply to the Institute for International students (ASK) at the University of Applied Sciences Konstanz (http://www.ask.htwg-konstanz.de/).
An application for a preparatory course in North Rhine-Westfalia is not possible any more, the public Studienkollegs in this federal state are closed.

What requirements do I have to meet?  For admission to a Studienkolleg you have to pass an entrance test. This includes a test of your German language skills. If you fail to pass the entrance test, you should take a foundation course (Vorkurs). Go to http://www.studienkollegs.de/en/ where you will find out which Studienkollegs offer such foundation courses.

When? The Feststellungsprüfung is held twice a year (as a rule at the end of the Studienkolleg semester). You sit written exams in at least three subjects; an oral exam can be held in all the subjects. The Feststellungsprüfung includes a German language test.

How often?  You can only re-sit a failed Feststellungsprüfung once, namely at the earliest after 6 months. You take this test at the same Studienkolleg.

Specifically for Fachhochschulen

The Studienkollegs for Fachhochschulen   generally offer two-semester preparatory courses in the following core subject areas and in the general course and examination subjects:

Course TI: Preparation for technical and engineering programmes
(German, mathematics, natural sciences, technical drawing/CAD or computer science)

Course WW: Preparation for economics and business oriented programmes (German, mathematics, economics and business administration, information technology and computer science, English)

Course GD: Preparation for design and art oriented programmes (German, mathematics, design, physics, computer aided design)

Course SW: Preparation for social sciences oriented programmes (German, mathematics, education, psychology, sociology, legal studies, information technology and computer science, English)

Course DÜ: Preparation for programmes leading to Diplom-Dolmetscher (interpreter) and Diplom-Übersetzer (translator) qualifications (German, 2nd foreign language English or French for advanced students only; 3rd foreign language English or French or Spanish; information technology and computer science).

Specifically for universities

The Studienkollegs for universities  prepare students for the Feststellungsprüfung in courses that run over two semesters. As a rule, the following core subject areas are offered together with the specified written examination subjects:

T-courses: for natural sciences (except biological), technical and mathematics programmes
 (German, mathematics/including computer sciences, physics or chemistry)

M-courses: for medical and biological programmes
(German, biology and/or chemistry, physics or mathematics)

W-courses: for economics and social sciences oriented programmes
(German, mathematics, economics, business administration)

G-courses: for arts and humanities, sociological, cultural and artistic programmes; German studies (German, German literature or English, social studies/geography)

S-course: (except German) for language oriented programmes (German, 2nd foreign language, history or social studies/geography or German literature).

Course DÜ: Preparation for programmes leading to Diplom-Dolmetscher (interpreter) and Diplom-Übersetzer (translator) qualifications (German, 2nd foreign language English or French for advanced students only; 3rd foreign language English or French or Spanish; information technology and computer science).

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