Courses for prospective students Studienkolleg
Page Overview
Am I eligible/required to attend a Studienkolleg?
Prospective students with non-German indirect university entrance qualifications, i.e. without direct university access, are required to attend the Studienkolleg before starting their desired degree programmes in Germany.
If you have a direct university entrance qualification for your intended degree programme, it is neither necessary to attend the Studienkolleg, nor is it possible on a voluntary basis.
You can use the anabin online service (German language only) to check whether you may be eligible/required to attend a Studienkolleg: Click “Schulabschlüsse mit Hochschulzugang” → “Suchen” → select the country of your diploma/certificate → select your diploma/certificate.
Do you have a direct university entrance qualification and would you like to profit from a targeted preparation specifically for the linguistic and thematic challenges of your intended degree programme? In this case, our Foundation Semester Courses may be of interest to you.
Do you have a direct university entrance qualification but not a recognized German language certificate? Or are your German skills not good enough yet for your intended degree programme or - if you have an indirect university entrance qualification - for the Studienkolleg? Then our German courses at the Kolleg für deutsche Sprache may be of interest to you.
What courses are offered?
How to apply?
Please note:
- You cannot apply directly at the Studienkolleg of Heidelberg University.
- To attend the Heidelberg Studienkolleg, apply to a university or teacher training college ("PH") in the state of Baden-Württemberg, for example the Heidelberg University. (The Karlsruhe Studienkolleg is responsible for applications for mathematics and science subjects at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology or the Stuttgart University. If you want to study at a university of applied sciences in Baden-Württemberg, please apply to the Constance Studienkolleg).
- If you have successfully applied to a university or teacher training college, you will receive an invitation to the obligatory entrance examination ("Aufnahmeprüfung") at the Studienkolleg. You can only attend the Studienkolleg if you pass this entrance examination.
- Application periods may differ from university to university. For Heidelberg University's application periods, please click the red button below:
How long does it take to complete the Studienkolleg?
The preparation for the Assessment Examination (“Feststellungsprüfung”) at the Studienkolleg Heidelberg usually takes two semesters.
In the first semester, the focus is on improving your German language skills:
- 20 hours per week of German language instruction as preparation for the Assessment Examination in German + 12 to 16 hours per week for the other, course-specific subjects
- Assessment Examination in German at the end of the first semester
In the second semester, you will concentrate on the course-specific subjects:
- approx. 30 hours per week as preparation for the Assessment Examination in the course-specific subjects
- Assessment Examination in the course-specific examination subjects at the end of the second semester
When and where do the classes take place?
For the core courses, the lecture periods at Heidelberg University apply:
- October to February (winter semesters)
- April to July (summer semesters)
As a rule, the Entrance Examination is held one week before the beginning of the lecture period.
Classes run from Monday to Friday from 8.00 am to 3.15 pm, sometimes until 5.00 pm. All courses take place in the Studienkolleg building (Im Neuenheimer Feld 684, 69120 Heidelberg).
Dates for the winter semester 2024-25
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No classes | 23 Dec 2024 to 06 Jan 2025 | |||
Dates for the summer semester 2025
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What fees do I have to pay?
For each semester at the Studienkolleg, you have to pay the current standard semester fees at Heidelberg University.
There are no special tuition fees for international students at the Studienkolleg. These fees will only be relevant, if, after completing the Studienkolleg, you start a degree programme at a Baden-Württemberg university and do not have an EU/EEA citizenship.
Who can I contact with questions?
If you have any questions about application procedures or requirements (including questions regarding an application you have already submitted), please contact the Service Portal of Heidelberg University:
Tel.: +49 6221 54-5454
What do our former students say?
»Ich habe im Jahr 2020 an dem Studienkolleg studiert. Ich wollte mich bei Ihnen für die Kenntnisse und Fähigkeiten, die Sie mir beigebracht haben, bedanken. Ich studiere jetzt allgemeine Biologie am KIT und meine Kenntnisse aus dem Studienkolleg helfen mir bei Prüfungen und Praktika.«
»I studied at the Studienkolleg in 2020. I would like to thank you for all the knowledge and the skills you taught me. I am now studying General Biology at KIT [= Karlsruhe Institute of Technology], and my knowledge from the Studienkolleg helps with my exams and practical courses.«
»Am Studienkolleg (M-Kurs) habe ich in den Jahren 2022 und 2023 gelernt. Erst dort konnte ich die medizinischen Fächer richtig erfassen. Obwohl das Lernen am Studienkolleg für manche mitunter anspruchsvoll war, habe ich dort sehr wertvolles und umfangreiches Wissen erworben. [...] Die Atmosphäre am Studienkolleg war stets sehr freundlich, und ich stehe weiterhin in engem Kontakt mit meinen ehemaligen Kommilitonen. Derzeit studiere ich Humanmedizin an der Universität Freiburg. Ich möchte mich herzlich für all die Erfahrungen bedanken, die mir jetzt im Studium von großem Nutzen sind.«
»I studied at the Studienkolleg (M course) in 2022 and 2023. It was only there that I was able to really grasp the medical subjects. Although studying at the Studienkolleg was sometimes demanding for some, I gained very valuable and extensive knowledge there. [...] The atmosphere at the Studienkolleg was always very friendly, and I am still in close contact with my former fellow students. I am currently studying medicine at Freiburg University. I would like to thank you very much for all the experiences that are now of great benefit to me in my studies.«
Courtesy of our former students
