German Course B1/B2
Preparatory Intensive Course German as a Foreign Language
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Summer Semester 2027 - Important Dates at a Glance
Application Period
Oct 15 - Dec 15, 2026
Selection Procedure
Jan 25 - Feb 3, 2027
Feb 22 - Mar 3, 2027
Course Start
Apr 1, 2027
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Who can apply?
The German Course B1/B2 has been designed for international applicants with or without a refugee background whose secondary school leaving certificate is recognized as a Higher Education Entrance Qualification (Hochschulzugangsberechtigung – HZB) in Germany.
How is the course structured?
German Course B1/B2: Semester Cycle Summer Semester
(Image: TH Köln)
In the intensive course German B1/B2, participants will develop university-specific language skills and complete three sub-levels at B1/B2 within one semester. The classes follow an action-oriented and competency-based approach. After successful completion of the thee sub-levels, participants may be admitted to the German Course C1 with DSH exam, provided that funding is granted.
The starting level will be determined on the basis of the results of the selection procedure.
Because of its university-specific orientation, the German course B1/B2 is also interesting for applicants who have already completed level B1 in an integration course.
The course usually takes place from Monday to Friday (9:00 am - 1:15 pm). Attendance during the course meetings is mandatory. The course combines classroom days in Cologne and digital classes via an online conferencing tool (Zoom). The afternoons are used for individual preparation / follow-up as well as for additional workshops.
How much does the course cost?
You do not have to pay any participation fees for the course.
Course places for international applicants with or without refugee status are funded by the Ministry for Culture and Science of NRW (Ministerium für Kultur und Wissenschaft des Landes NRW) through the funding program NRWege ins Studium, provided that funding is granted.
The following costs are to be paid by the participants themselves:
- handling fees for the processing and evaluation of your application via uni-assist (approx. €75)
- semester fee at TH Köln (winter semester 2026/27: €352.70). You do not have to pay until you have enrolled at TH Köln.
(Exception: Refugees have the possibility to register as auditing student ("Gasthörer*in"). You will receive further information after your admission.) - maintenance and living costs
What are the requirements?
1. General requirements for participation in the NRWege ins Studium program
Before applying, please check if you meet the general requirements for participation.
2. German language level A2
You do not have to include a German language certificate in your uni-assist application. Your level of German will be assessed during the selection procedure.
How can I apply?
Submitting your complete and correct application early will increase your chances of getting a place on the course.
Application periods (subject to change):
- for the winter semester from the beginning of April to the end of May
- for the summer semester from mid October to mid December.
You can find the current deadlines on the top of this page.
Please read the following information before submitting your application. Click on the plus sign (+) to see more information about each step.
Step 1: Application through uni-assist
Please click here for detailed information on the uni-assist application process and an overview of the required application documents.
How can I find the preparatory German languages courses on uni-assist?
1) Go to https://my.uni-assist.de/studiengaenge
2) Under "Search criteria" please enter the search term "Deutschkurs".
3) Please select the semester, the university and the federal state. Leave the "Type of degree" field empty.
4) The two preparatory German courses will now appear in the search results. Click on "select" to choose the course you would like to apply for.
If you have a refugee background, please mention this in your uni-assist application. You can find a list of residence titles confirming the refugee background here.
Step 2: Review of your application by uni-assist
uni-assist will check your application documents.
About four to six weeks after your application, uni-assist will inform you via e-mail whether your application documents are complete. If documents are missing, you can submit them until the end of the application period.
If your application meets the requirements of the language course, uni-assist will forward it electronically to TH Köln.
Please note: Transmission of your application documents by uni-assist does not guarantee admission. The decision as to whether you will be admitted to the German course B1/B2 is made by TH Köln.
Step 3: Participation in the selection procedure
Once your application has been forwarded to TH Köln, you will receive an invitation to the selection procedure consisting of two rounds:
- Round 1: placement test
This computer-based C-Test consists of gap texts in which the beginnings of words have to be completed correctly. - Round 2: interview (approx. 15 minutes)
In this one-on-one interview, we would like to learn more about you and your German language skills and will, in addition, provide further information about the program.
An online selection procedure will be offered for applicants who are not yet in Germany.
Should there be significantly more applications than course places, not all applicants will be invited to the selection procedure. Invitations will be sent out based on the following criteria:
- quota for applicants with (at least 51 %) or without (up to 49 %) refugee status
- date of submission of your application to uni-assist
Step 4: Admission procedure at TH Köln
The number of places in the German course B1/B2 is limited.
TH Köln follows the guidelines of the Ministry for Culture and Science of NRW (Ministerium für Kultur und Wissenschaft des Landes NRW) in the context of the NRWege ins Studium program.
Course places are allocated based upon the following criteria:
- quota for applicants with (at least 51 %) or without (up to 49 %) refugee status
- date of submission of your application to uni-assist
- successful participation in the selection process
It is therefore possible that, despite a successful application and a successful selection procedure, we may not be able to offer you a place.
Step 5: Enrollment at TH Köln
In order to accept the course place, please follow the instructions in your letter of admission and upload the required documents within the enrollment deadline.
There is no entitlement to admission to the German course B1/B2. Please note that all dates are subject to change.
