Preparatory Study at the Studienkolleg
Some international secondary school certificates do not directly qualify students to study at a German university. In these cases, you can qualify for a degree program at a German university via the Studienkolleg.
What is the Studienkolleg?
The Studienkolleg is an educational institution for students who are qualified to study in another country, but not in Germany. The final exam after the course at the Studienkolleg is the so-called Feststellungsprüfung. Successfully completing this exam qualifies you to apply for a degree program at a German university. The preparatory phase in the Studienkolleg takes 2 semesters.
The Studienkolleg München ist responsible for applicants to all bavarian universities, including TUM.
Degree Program or Studienkolleg?
Be sure to check as soon as possible whether your secondary school diploma qualifies you for direct access to a German university. If you are qualified to study in your own country, but not in Germany, then the courses at Studienkolleg are a way to qualify for a regular degree program at a German university. In some countries, you also need to have completed a university entrance exam or to have studied for at least one year at a univerity or similar institution.
- On the Deutschen Akademischen Austausch Dienstes DAAD website, you will find an overview of applicants for whom the assessment test is required and those who may be admitted directly into the German university system.
- Important information on recognizing and assessing educational certificates and diplomas awarded in other countries can be found in the Datenbank anabin of the Bavarian Central Accreditation Agency.
Please be aware that the language of instruction at Studienkolleg is German. To apply, you need to provide proof that your German language skills are at least on Level B2. During the admission exam to Studienkolleg you will then have to prove that your language skills are sufficient to successfully complete the course there.
If you apply for Studienkolleg, you do not need a Preliminary Documentation (VPD) by uni-assist.
Additional regulations apply to applicants from certain countries. For more information, see "Online Application"
Application for Studienkolleg – Step by Step
The courses at Studienkolleg have a limited capacity – be aware that there is not guarantee for a spot in the courses, and that applications which do not fully comply with the formal requirements cannot be considered.
Applications for Studienkolleg are filed via our online application portal TUMonline – you cannot apply directly at the Studienkolleg itself. During the online application, you will be asked which degree program you wish to apply for after successfully completing the Feststellungsprüfung. The degree program you choose in this step determines the course at Studienkolleg you are assigned to, so choose carefully.
To our online application guide for the Studienkolleg
Application periods:
- For summer semester: 15.11. – 15.01.
- For winter semester: 15.05. – 15.07.
By the end of the application period, you must have completed the online application and uploaded all required documents:
- your higher education entrance qualification
- a translation of your higher education entrance qualification by a sworn translator, if it has not originally been issued in German or English.
- your passport
- a current and complete curriculum vitae in German detailing schools visited, examinations passed, etc.
- Proof of German-language proficiency Level B2 (Common European Framework of Reference for Languages)
- verification of any prior university study (e.g. Transcript of Records)
- a certificate issued by the “Akademische Prüfstelle“ (APS) (for applicants from China or Vietnam)
- please note the special rules applying to specific countries
Applicants from Iran with a secondary school leaving certificate obtained later than June 2019 require a decision from the Zeugnisanerkennungsstelle (ZAST). Only if this notice is submitted in time by the Studienkolleg application deadline can we continue to process your application. If the confirmation is not received in time, you can only reapply for the next semester.
In order to receive the decision from the Zeugnisanerkennungsstelle, apply for the Studienkolleg via TUMonline in the regular way and upload your documents. As soon as your documents have been processed, you will receive a confirmation in your TUMonline account and by e-mail that you need to submit a notice from the ZAST. You can then use this email from TUM to request the document you need from ZAST.
To do this, send your original certificates, a translation (from Germany or Iran with legalization from the German embassy) and the e-mail from TUM to the certificate recognition office:
Bayerisches Landesamt für Schule – Abteilung Zeugnisanerkennung
Stuttgarter Straße 1
91710 Gunzenhausen
Deutschland
Current information and a contact form can also be found on the website of the Zeugnisanerkennungsstelle (German)
If you comply with the admission criteria and all of your documents have been checked successfully, you will receive an invitation to the admissions exam at Studienkolleg. The same message also informs you about your assigned area of concentration – depending on the desired degree program you stated during the online application.
Areas of Concentration
Studienkolleg offers several areas of concentation. Depending on the choice made in TUMonline, you are assigned to one of the three courses
- T-course for technical and mathematical programs and programs in the natural sciences
- M-course for medical programs and programs connected with biosciences or sports
- W-course for business and economics programs.
- G-course for programs in arts and humanities.
You can only take the exam if you have received an invitation from a university – e.g. from TUM.
The admission exam takes place on a certain date for every semester. The dates can also be found on the website of the Studienkolleg.
Should you fail the exam, you can repeat it twice. Should you not attend an exam date, it will count as a fail – provided you do not inform the Studienkolleg in time via email, including your application number.
If you are assigned to the T-course, the M-course or the W-course, you also have to complete a maths test.
Learn more about the admission exam on the website of Studienkolleg
If you pass the admission exam, you can start your course at Studienkolleg.
Once you receive your offer of admission, you can download the application for enrollment in your TUMonline account. You need to download it, sign it, and send submit it to TUM together with the remaining documents for enrollment. You can do this in person or via post. A list of these documents will also be available in TUMonline.
As soon as
- your application for enrollment
- and all documents for enrollment are received
- and the payment of the semester fees is confirmed,
you are enrolled as a regular student at TUM.
As student at Studienkolleg, you only have to pay the student union fees.
After 2 semesters (one year) you take the so-called Feststellungsprüfung. If you pass, you receive a subject specific higher education entrance qualification for Germany – and are free to apply for the bachelor's program of your choice (see step 1).
After Studienkolleg – Application for a Bachelor's
In order to apply for a regular bachelor's after Studienkolleg, you need to submit a new online application within the designated application periods.
Even if you have originally applied for Studienkolleg via TUM, you need to submit a new application and upload all required documents in time.
Together with the qualification for higher education from your home country, the Zeugnis über die Feststellungsprüfung qualifies as a subject-specific higher education entrance qualification. This means you can apply for all undergraduate programs within the range of your subject-specific qualification. The Zeugnis über die Feststellungsprüfung is also valid as proof of your German skills, provided that German is listed as examination subject.
Your qualification for higher education from your home country (50%) + Zeugnis über die Feststellungsprüfung (50%) = subject-specific higher education entrance qualification (100%)
The subject-specific qualification is defined by the course you take in Studienkolleg. With it, you can apply for all subjects from your area of concentration in Studienkolleg.
If you have applied for Studienkolleg via TUM, you have already chosen a degree program you are interested in pursuing after Studienkolleg. You are, however, eligible to apply for every undergraduate program with the subject-specific qualification.
Thank you for understanding that we can only assess your eligibility to apply for a certain program within the regular application process. A preliminary evaluation is not possible.
Your higher education entrance qualification consists of both the qualification for higher education from your home country and the Zeugnis über die Feststellungsprüfung. The results from both documents will be evaluated equally.
So both the general grade average as well as the subject-specific grades the average from both documents will be considered.
To give an example:
Grade from your secondary school diploma: 2.5
Grade from the Feststellungsprüfung: 1.5
Average grade considered for the application: 2.0
After the end of the online application via TUMonline, you will receive an individual list with the documents you have to submit within the designated deadline.
Your higher education entrance qualification consists of both the documents which constitute a qualification for higher education in your home country (e.g. your secondary school diploma) and the Zeugnis über die Feststellungsprüfung.
If you have applied for the Studienkolleg via TUM, we already have the documents attesting to your qualification for higher education in your home country. In this case you do not have to submit them again in hardcopy.
Please be aware that you do not require a preliminary documentation by uni-assist when applying with a Zeugnis über die Feststellungsprüfung.
You can apply for an undergraduate degree program at TUM if your Zeugnis über die Feststellungsprüfung confirms your qualification to study at German universities and universities of applied science. Also, the program you apply for has to be within the range of your subject-specific qualification.
Thank you for understanding that we can only assess your eligibility to apply for a certain program within the regular application process. A preliminary evaluation is not possible.