German Course C1 with DSH exam
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
Mandatory Placement Test
February 25, 2027
Course Start
March 1, 2027
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Who can apply?
The study preparation course for German is aimed at 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 and who have completed the language level B2.
How is the course structured?
Participants will develop university-specific language skills which will enable them to efficiently prepare for a degree program at a German university. The classes follow an action-oriented and competency-based approach.
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.
German Course C1 with DSH exam: Semester Cycle Summer Semester
(Image: TH Köln)
At the beginning of the course you will take a mandatory online placement test. Your result will determine the duration of your course: 4 months or 6 months.
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 die NRWege ins Studium program
Before applying, please check if you meet the general requirements for participation.
2. Proof of German language level B2
- a certificate that states that you have completed level B2 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR), also accepted: "Deutsch-Test für den Beruf B2"
- a TestDaF certificate with a total score of at least 12 points (minimum level TDN 3 in all subtests)
- a DSH1 certificate
- a certificate that states that you have completed level C1 of the CEFR
If you do not yet have any of the above language certificates by the time of your application, you may submit one of the following documents to uni-assist:
- current certificate of attendance for a German course at B2 level
- registration for a B2 exam
If you are applying for the winter semester, your B2 certificate has to be submitted by mid-July at the latest; if you are applying for the summer semester, it has to be submitted by the end of January at the latest. You will be asked to submit it when you enroll at TH Köln.
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 for 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 C1 with DSH is made by TH Köln.
Step 3: Admission procedure at TH Köln
Once your application has been forwarded to TH Köln, it will automatically take part in the admission procedure.
The number of places in the German course C1 with DSH 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
It is therefore possible that, despite a successful uni-assist application, we may not be able to offer you a place.
You are admitted to the German Course C1 with DSH exam for only one semester. After that you (must) take the DSH exam.
A place in the German Course C1 with DSH exam does not guarantee that you will later be admitted to a course of studies at TH Köln. After passing the DSH you will have to apply again to enroll in your chosen course of studies. Information on how to apply for a degree course can be found on the website of the Department of International Affairs.
Step 4: 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.
Step 5: Placement test
After your enrollment you will receive an email with an invitation to the placement test. Participation in the placement test is mandatory.
The result of the onSET placement test determines the duration of your course.
There is no entitlement to admission to the German course C1 with DSH exam. Please note that all dates are subject to change.
