Information for Exchange Students
Welcome to TH Köln! As an exchange student you will certainly have many questions at the beginning. To help you find your way around TH Köln quickly, we have compiled some useful information for you so that nothing stands in the way of a successful stay. If something still goes wrong? We at the Department of International Affairs will be happy to help you at any time.
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German Courses
Good German language skills are important for successful studies at TH Köln. In general, you need to have good knowledge of German already at the time of your application, as the language of instruction in most courses of study is German.
The language center of TH Köln offers language courses to accompany your studies. Besides German, you can take classes in other foreign languages such as English, French, Italian or Spanish. These language courses are free of charge for students of TH Köln. If you attend these courses regularly, you can receive ECTS points for them.
For the language courses you must register online at the language center before the start of the semester. If you not a beginner in your foreign language anymore, you have to take a mandatory placement test. Alternatively, you can send your current language certificate to the language center: sprachlernzentrum@th-koeln.de.
Further information on German language courses and placement tests are available here.
If you are interested in doing a full Bachelor or Master study program taught in German at TH Köln after your exchange stay, the language center offers preparatory German courses at various levels. Further information can be obtained directly from the language center.
The Academy of Continuing Education of TH Köln also offers courses with ECTS [Website only in German, some courses in English].
Grading System
In the German grading system, courses are graded from 1 to 5, with 1 being the best and 5 the worst grade. A course is considered passed if the grade is 4 or better.
Courses in which no grades are awarded are called ungraded lectures. On the transcript of records, these ungraded lectures are listed as passed or failed.
Should your home university nevertheless insist on grades for an ungraded lecture in your transcript of records, please contact the responsible lecturer at the beginning of the semester.
Grading system
- 1.00 - 1.50 very good
- 1.51 - 2.50 good
- 2.51 - 3.50 satisfactory
- 3.51 - 4.00 sufficient
- > 4.00 failed
Transcript of Records
How do I get my Transcript of Records?
You can print your Transcript of Records in German and English via the online examination and student service (PSSO). This is still possible up to six months after your stay at TH Köln.
Please note that the Office of Examinations Services cannot complete your transcript of records until your departure. Lecturers usually have six weeks to correct all exams. Only then will they pass the grades on to the Office of Examinations Services. If your grades do not appear in PSSO after six weeks, please contact the respective professor. Please ask them to send your grade to Office of Examination Services as soon as possible.
How do I know if all my grades are already reported?
You can check this yourself via the “Examination and Student Service Online (PSSO)”. Only once all your grades are visible in the software, you can print out your transcript of records. If you need a transcript of records with an original signature and seal stamp for your home university, please contact the Office of Student and Examination Services at your campus via e-mail. Please include your matriculation number and your address in your home country. The staff can then send your transcript of records abroad to you.
Please contact the faculty coordinator for your transcript of records, if you are an exchange student at the Faculty of Cultural Sciences (KISD, Cologne Game Lab and Cologne Institute of Conservation Sciences) or the Faculty of Information and Communication Studies (Institute of Translation and Multilingual Communication and Institute of Information Sciences).
Re-registration for another semester
If you spend another semester at TH Köln, you will have to re-register.
In order to retain your student status and use the NRW-Ticket, you must transfer the semester fee for the coming semester by January 10 (for the following summer semester) or July 10 (for the following winter semester).
Please note that there is a late fee of 17,50€, if you transfer the semester fee after the deadline. You can find detailed information about the re-registration here.
You would like to extend your stay for another semester?
This is possible if you follow these steps: First, please talk to your departmental coordinator at TH Köln and then with your home university. If both sides agree to an extension, inform the Department of International Affairs of TH Köln immediately. Please also remember to answer the question in Mobility Online. Once you have completed all the steps, you can also re-register for the second semester. Please note the above mentioned deadlines.
