Information on preparatory courses (Studienkolleg)

If you are qualified to study in your home country with your school leaving certificate, but this degree is not recognised as a higher education entrance qualification in Germany, you usually will need to attend a Studienkolleg (preparatory course) before starting your studies.

You can use the Anabin database [German] to find out whether your school leaving certificate is recognised as a direct university entrance qualification in Germany.

You can attend a Studienkolleg at a university or at a university of applied sciences. If you have successfully passed the final exams (Feststellungsprüfung) at a university Studienkolleg, you can study at a university or at a university of applied sciences. If you have passed the exams (Feststellungsprüfung) at a Studienkolleg connected to a university of applied sciences, you are usually not qualified to study at a university, but can only study at a university of applied sciences. Graduates of Studienkollegs can apply to study in all of Germany.

We will also be happy to advise you in the Department of International Affairs. We have offices at three campus of TH Köln. Please also note our opening hours.

The Feststellungsprüfung (e.g. as a degree from a Studienkolleg in Germany) is only valid in conjunction with your foreign secondary school certificate and therefore counts as a foreign higher education entrance qualification, i.e. not as a German certificate. Please follow the instructions in the table.

The Studienkollegs offer different specialized courses, designed to match different  study programs.

The university Studienkollegs offer the following specialised courses as preparation for studying at university:

• M-course: for medical, biological and pharmaceutical study programs
• T-course: for mathematical, scientific or technical study programs
• W-course:for business, economics and social science study programs
• G-course: for humanities and design/art study programs or German studies
• S-course: for language degrees

The university of applied sciences Studienkollegs offer the following specialised courses as preparation for studying:

• TI-course: for technical and engineering degrees
• WW-course: for economics and business degrees
• SW-course: for social science degrees

When you apply for a Studienkolleg, you must already decide in which subject area you would like to study after the preparatory course. You therefore decide on a specialisation course which, after passing the final exam, allows you to study in your desired subject area in Germany.