Requirements for participation in the NRWege ins Studium program

The general requirements apply to all parts of the NRWege ins Studium program (preparatory German language courses and grant program). Students who would like to apply for the grant program must also provide proof of a refugee background.

General requirements for all parts of the program:

• You have obtained your higher education entrance qualification (HZB) abroad.
  Before you apply, you can find out for yourself whether your school leaving certificate from your home country - the university entrance qualification (HZB) - is recognized in Germany. Please click here for further information.
• You have entered Germany no more than five years ago.
  The deadline can be extended once by a maximum of two years if you have looked after or cared for at least one child under the age of 18 or a family member or if you have had periods of illness. The deadline does not apply if funding has already been provided by the NRWege or the federal Integra program.

• For further specific requirements (e. g. language skills), please refer to the respective website:
  German Course B1/B2
  German Course C1 with DSH exam
  "NRWege ins Studium“ Grant Program

Excluded from program participation:

• persons granted a permanent settlement permit (§ 26 AufenthG),
• persons who are under an immediate obligation to leave the federal territory (§ 50 AufenthG),
• persons who have a German educational qualification.

A refugee background in terms of the NRWege ins Studium program is given if

• an initial decision on your asylum application has been made by the BAMF or
• you have been admitted for temporary protection or on humanitarian grounds or
• you have been admitted from abroad and there is no enforceable obligation to leave the country and no permanent settlement permit.

Documents accepted as proof:

• residence permit according to §§ 22, 23, 23a, 24, 25 AufenthG,
• residence permit according to §§ 29, 30, 31, 32, 34 para. 1 and 2, 36 AufenthG (family reunion for refugees),
• permission to remain pending the asylum decision ("Aufenthaltsgestattung") (after a BAMF decision), as long as there is no request to leave the country,
• temporary suspension of deportation ("Duldung"),
• provisional residence document ("Fiktionsbescheinigung") in combination with one of the proofs mentioned here.

• Persons staying in Germany in the context of family reunion with German citizens (§ 28 AufenthG) can apply as international applicants for the preparatory German language courses.
• Late repatriates (Spätaussiedler*innen) with a foreign higher education entrance qualification (HZB) are regarded as international applicants without refugee status.

(last updated: July 11, 2025)