Application process to preparatory college (Studienkolleg)

Maybe you're looking to find out how to enroll at a Studienkolleg. Let us help you clarify the steps of the Studienkolleg application process:

Step 1: Verify Your School-Leaving Certificate Qualification

It's important to check whether a foreign diploma is recognized for pursuing university studies. If it is, you can enroll directly at the university of your choice. But if it's not, you'll need to take a preparatory course (Studienkolleg) before you can pursue your university studies.

There are 2 ways to find out if your secondary school-leaving certificate is sufficiently qualified:

• Contact the university of your choice: check the admission requirements to see if your diploma is recognized or not. You can also send your diploma to their admissions office (usually called AAA or Akademisches Auslandsamt) for them to evaluate it and give you a response.
• Check the database of the Conference of Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs: anabin.org (Anerkennung und Bewertung ausländischer Bildungsnachweise = Recognition and evaluation of foreign educational certificates). It's a very simple portal to use. You just need to select the country where you obtained your certificate and the type of certificate.

If your school-leaving certificate is not qualified for direct university entry, you can move on to step 2 to apply for a Studienkolleg.

Step 2: Verify Required Documents

To apply for a Studienkolleg, you first need to know the required documents. You can find this information on the institution's website or by requesting it from the admissions office. Normally, most Studienkollegs require the following documents:

• Notarized copy of your secondary school-leaving certificate with a summary of subjects and grades in the original language
• Certified copy (by a notary) of your higher education entrance certificate (if you've already started university studies in your home country) accompanied by a transcript in the original language
• Certified copies and originals of diplomas in the original language (if you've already obtained any degrees)
• Notarized translations if the original certificates are not issued in German or English
• German language certificate (approximately 400-500 class hours, B1 certificate): original certificate from the language institute or notarized copy
• Notarized copy of the German language university entrance examination (DSH) certificate (if applicable)
• Notarized copies of work experience certificates to date (if required for admission)
• Copy of passport with residence permit
• Detailed and completed curriculum vitae

Once you know which documents are required, you should start preparing them as soon as possible, because issuing certificates and translations can take time. It's recommended to prepare multiple copies of documents for future use and keep one copy for reference.

Step 3: Submit Your Enrollment Application

After collecting all the required documents, you can now apply to the Studienkolleg of your choice. If your university is a member of uni-assist, you need to submit your application through the uni-assist portal. If not, you can send your documents directly to the Studienkolleg via their online portal or by mail, depending on the institution's requirements. The evaluation fee is approximately 75€.

The application deadlines for Studienkollegs are normally as follows:

• For the summer semester (starting in April): most Studienkollegs set a deadline in mid-January, some at the end of October
• For the winter semester (starting in October): most Studienkollegs set a deadline in mid-July, some at the end of April

Preparing early, as well as submitting your application early, is strongly recommended to secure a place in the course at your chosen Studienkolleg.

Step 4: Visa for Studying at a Studienkolleg in Germany

After being admitted to a Studienkolleg, you can apply for a student visa. You can check the required documents at the German embassy in your country or read our article on the German university application procedure, which contains a detailed section on obtaining a student visa for non-EU applicants.

Step 5: Taking the Studienkolleg Entrance Exam

You need to check with your Studienkolleg for the entrance exam date and the subjects tested. Some schools only have a German exam while others may require you to take both a German test and a mathematics exam. We advise you to take practice tests to acquire the necessary skills and techniques for these exams. You can find similar tests presented by many Studienkollegs here: studienkolleg.com.

The requirements for the entrance exam are not at a high level, so you shouldn't have any difficulty passing it. However, all tests are conducted in German, so it's necessary that you already have a sufficient level of German (normally, Goethe-Zertifikat B1). The entrance exam takes place in spring and summer before the start of the Studienkolleg. You can find appointment dates for entrance exams at several Studienkollegs here: studienkolleg.com.

After the course, you may be asked to take an assessment test to evaluate your improvement after the Studienkolleg, called Feststellungsprüfung (FSP). This exam will cover all the content and modules from the courses taken at the Studienkolleg. You can find similar assessment tests presented by many Studienkollegs here: studienkolleg.com.

Note that the university may later refuse your application if your performance on the final assessment test is not sufficient. So it's always better to work hard from the beginning. You can find appointment dates for assessment tests at many Studienkollegs here: studienkolleg.com.

With the instructions presented above, we believe it will be much easier for you to start your study journey at a Studienkolleg. Attending a Studienkolleg will not only help you pursue your university studies, but it will also allow you to integrate into the German academic environment. So take advantage of this opportunity during your preparation year to get along well with your future classmates. Finally, we wish you a pleasant stay in Germany and good luck in your future endeavors!