German Course B1/B2
Preparatory Intensive Course German as a Foreign Language
Participants
The intensive course has been designed for international applicants with or without refugee background whose secondary school leaving certificate is recognized as a Higher Education Entrance Qualification (Hochschulzugangsberechtigung – HZB) in Germany.
Course Description
In the intensive course German B1/B2, participants will develop university-specific language skills which will enable them to efficiently prepare for a degree program at a German university. Classroom teaching will be supplemented by self-study components including digitally assisted language learning.
Participants will complete three language levels within one semester. After successful completion of the intensive course, participants may be admitted to the German Course C1 with DSH exam, provided that funding is granted.
Course levels
| German course B1.1 - B2.1 | prerequisite: minimum level A2.2 |
| OR | |
| German course B1.2 (consolidation) - B2.2 | prerequisite: level B1.1 or B1.2 |
The course levels will be determined on the basis of the results of the selection procedure.
Due to its university-specific orientation, the German course B1/B2 is also interesting for applications who have already completed level B1 in an integration course.
Classes
Summer Semester 2026 - Course Dates
Course start: April 9, 2026
- daily classes, 24 hours of instruction per week
- combination of classroom days in Cologne and digital classes via an online conferencing tool (Zoom)
- self-study periods in the afternoon and during weekends (if necessary)
- additional e-learning units (ILU, Speexx)
Costs
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.
Therefore, you do not have to pay any participation fees for the course.
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 2025: €334.70). You will receive a payment notification for the semester fee once you have enrolled at TH Köln.
(Please note: Refugees have the possibility to register as auditing student ("Gasthörer*in"). You will receive further information after your application.) - maintenance and living costs
Requirements
You are interested in applying for the German Course B1/B2 and taking part in the selection process? Make sure you meet the following 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.
3. Willingness to actively engage in all class activities
(including classroom teaching, workshops, additional e-learning units with ILU and Speexx and self-study periods)
Application Process
Applications can be submitted
- for the winter semester from the beginning of April to the end of May
- for the summer semester from mid October to mid December.
(Subject to change.)
The current deadlines for each semester will be published on this page.
Submitting your complete and correct application early will increase your chances of getting a place on the course.
Please read the following information on the application process before submitting your application. Click on the plus sign (+) to see more information about each step.
Step 1: Submission of application documents to uni-assist
Summer Semester 2026 - Application Period: October 10 - December 15, 2025
Submitting your complete and correct application early will increase your chances of getting a place on the course. Applications received after the end of the application period cannot be accepted.
The application must be submitted to uni-assist.
Applications can be submitted for the winter semester from the beginning of April to the end of May and for the summer semester from mid October to mid December. (Subject to change.)
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
Summer Semester 2026: Selection Procedure
Jan 12-23, 2026
Feb 9-25, 2026
Mar 9-20, 2026 (if necessary)
Once your documents have been approved by uni-assist, you will receive an invitation to the selection procedure consisting of two rounds:
- Round 1: placement test onSET German
This computer-based C-Test consists of 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 the two target groups described above
- 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.
The program is also open to prospective students without refugee background (up to 49% of the funded course places).
Course places are allocated based upon the following criteria:
- quota for the two target groups described above
- 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.
