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Preparatory German Course for prospective students from Non-EU/EEA countries
The German course is intended for prospective students from Non-EU/EEA countries for all degree courses (Bachelor and degree courses with state examination “Staatliche Prüfung”). The course takes 1 or max. 2 semesters. Please keep in mind, that the admission for a degree course cannot yet be guaranteed.
Exception: The EU application procedure applies to Non-EU/EEA citizens who have the same admission status as Germans or EU/EEA citizens: You are holding a university entrance qualification for German higher education institutions (EU/EEA secondary school or university degree). OR: You are resident in Germany and are married to a German or an EU/EEA national (also applies to registered civil partnerships) or can prove direct lineage to an EU/EEA national resident in Germany.
1. Requirements
a. Purpose to study at the University of Cologne finishing the following degree: Bachelor or State examination “Staatliche Prüfung”
b. Good German language skills (completed level B2)
c. A formal university entrance qualification
A University Entrance Qualification makes you eligible to apply to a German university. You can find out whether your secondary school leaving certificate is equivalent to a University Entrance Qualification in Germany here: https://www.uni-assist.de/en/tools/check-university-admission/
d. Optional: TestAS Certificate
You will need a TestAS certificate to study at the University of Cologne. A TestAS certificate is not yet obligatory when applying for the preparatory German course - however, it will increase your chances of getting a place in the German course.
Information for the degree course:
The minimum percentile rank depends on your choice of study. It is the average of the achieved minimum percentile rank of the core test and the field of study specific module. The paper-based TestAS and the digital TestAS are accepted.
| Faculty | Core test and a subject-specific module | Minimum Percentile Rank |
Faculty of Management, Economics
and Social Sciences | ECO | 40 |
Faculty of Law | HUM | 40 |
Faculty of Medicine | MEDICINE (MED) | 85 |
Faculty of Arts and Humanities | HUM | 40 |
| Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences | MATH | 75 (Biochemie)
45 (Biologie)
40 (all other study programmes) |
| Faculty of Human Sciences | HUM
HUM / MATH (Psychology only) | 40 |
| All teacher training degree courses | HUM | 40 |
2. Necessary German language skills
For the preparatory German course, you must prove that you have a good knowledge of the German language, at least a completed B2 level. We accept the following certificates:
- TestDaF with TDN 3 in all four competencies
- DSH 1*
- Telc Deutsch B2
- Goethe-Zertifikat B2
- ÖSD B2
* Only DSH of higher education institutions with registered examination regulations in accordance with the provisions of the German Rectors' Conference (HRK).
The German language certificate submitted with the application must have been obtained within the previous two years.
After your enrolment, a placement test will take place at the beginning of the German course.
3. Costs
Registration for the Preparatory German Course costs 500 € per semester. The final language examination for university admission is subject to a fee. Participants are regularly enrolled as students of the preparatory German course at the University of Cologne. A semester social contribution fee is also required (that includes a NRW semester ticket).
4. Application - On time via uni-assist e.V.
Non-EU-citizens applying for the preparatory German courses must use the online application portal of uni-assist e.V. https://my.uni-assist.de/
Attention: Paperless application procedure. Please do not send any documents by mail for this application. Upload all documents to the online application portal.
Until when do I have to submit my application to uni-assist e.V.?
- Application deadline for the winter semester: July 15th (date of receipt)
- Application deadline for the summer semester: January 15th (date of receipt)
5. Application - Documents
The following application documents must be submitted to the online portal of uni-assist e.V. (upload). The International Office reserves the right to request certified documents at any time.
Attention: Paperless application procedure. Please do not send any documents by mail for this application. Upload all documents to the online application portal.
- A copy of your passport
- A gapless curriculum vitae in tabular form written in German
- Your secondary education certificate including a subject and grading schedule and a translation (if not issued in German or English) or, in applicable, the letter of acceptance or the certificate of enrollment
- A proof about the knowledge of the German language, at least B2-level (see point 2)
- Optional: TestAS certificate (see point 1)
- For applications for teaching degree courses: core test and subject-specific module HUM
- For applications at the Faculty of Management, Economics and Social Sciences: core test and subject-specific module ECO
- For applications at the Faculty of Law, Faculty of Arts and Humanities and the Faculty of Human Sciences: core test and module HUM
- For applications at the Faculty of Medicine: core test and subject-specific module MEDICINE (MED)
- For applications at the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences: core test and subject-specific module MATH
If applicable:
- A formal university entrance qualification of your home country (including translation if not issued in German or English)
- Only for holders of an International Baccalaureate (IB): IB certificate with proof of continuous attendance (2 years) of the examination subjects.
- University transcripts, along with the subjects and marks (including translation if not issued in German or English)
- For applicants with certificates from China and Vietnam an individual APS is necessary (see point 6)
6. Application - Special requirements for applicants from China, India and Vietnam
Applications at University of Cologne are only possible for holders of a valid individual certificate of a Akademische Prüfstelle (APS-Zertifikat).
7. Admission
After preliminary examination of the documents by uni assist e.V. and forwarding of your application to the University of Cologne, you will receive access data to the university’s KLIPS 2.0 online application portal.
The access data will be sent to your e-mail address that you have provided to uni-assist e.V. From then on, you can track the status of your application continuously in your KLIPS 2.0 applicant account.
If you get a place in the selection process, you will receive an admission to the German course online in your Klips 2.0 applicant account.
8. Enrolment
To enrol you must complete the following by the deadline specified on the admission notification:
- Pay the semester fee + course fee in full and
- Submit the documents needed for enrolment.
The documents must be received by the International Office of the University of Cologne by the deadline (upload).
In your KLIPS 2.0 applicant account, you will see which documents you must submit for enrolment and in what form.
Please find all the necessary information regarding Student ID and Semester-Ticket on the website of our Student Application and Registration Office.
9. After the German course - Application for the degree programme
After reaching the necessary German skills (DSH 2 or TestDaF TND 4 in all four competencies) I apply for the degree course, using the form "Application for admittance to a degree course following the German course". Application deadline is January 15th for the summer semester and July 15th for the winter semester 2021/22
Please submit the following documents to the International Office:
- Signed application form
- A copy of your language certificate (simple copy, if obtained at the University of Cologne)
- TestAS certificate (if not submitted yet)
- Copy of your passport or identification card