Examinations for access to universityAssessment Examination ("Feststellungsprüfung")
Who has to take an Assessment Examination?
To go to university in Germany, you need a direct university entrance qualification ("Hochschulzugangsberechtigung", "HZB") for your desired subject, e.g. a German Abitur or an equivalent non-German qualification.
If your non-German educational certificates are not considered fully equivalent providing you only with an indirect university entrance qualification (HZB), you must first take an examination before you can start your degree programme. This is the "Examination to Assess the Aptitude of University Applicants with Foreign University Entrance Qualifications", or Assessment examination ("Feststellungsprüfung" / “FSP”) for short.
The Studienkolleg offers you optimal preparation for the Assessment Examination and your desired degree programme. It usually takes two semesters.
If you already have a direct university entrance qualification (HZB) for your desired degree programme, the assessment examination is not relevant for you. If, however, you do not have a recognized German language certificate yet, you can take the German Language Examination for University Entrance (DSH) at the International Study Centre. To prepare you for this exam, we offer German courses at the Kolleg für deutsche Sprache und Kultur.
What subjects are examined?
The Studienkolleg of Heidelberg University offers 5 different core courses. The university where you are planning to start your desired degree programm will tell you which core course you need to attend.
German is taught and examined in all core courses. The German exam corresponds to the requirements of the DSH in terms of scope, form and content. In addition to German, there are 3 or 4 course-specific subjects. The subject examinations are based on the syllabi for the respective subjects.
Select a core course to find out more about what is taught and examined:
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When does the exam take place?
Students at Heidelberg University's Studienkolleg generally take the Assessment Examination in German at the end of their first semester.
The Assessment Examination in all other subjects usually takes place at the end of the second semester.