Your German high-school equivalent is rated Anabin H-? You need a Studienkolleg — a 1-year foundation year before Bachelor. Compare 30+ official Studienkollegs by city, track, and tuition.
30
Total Studienkollegs
25
Public (free)
5
Private (paid)
21
Cities covered
Do I need a Studienkolleg to study in Germany?
You need a Studienkolleg if your secondary-school qualification is rated H- in the official Anabin database (most non-EU diplomas). It is a 1-year preparatory programme ending with the Feststellungsprüfung exam. Public Studienkollegs are tuition-free; private ones charge 8,000–15,000 EUR per year.
Check your eligibility — Use our Anabin Eligibility Checker to see if you need it.
Get conditional admission — Apply to a German university — they will issue a conditional admission letter (Zulassungsbescheid mit Auflage).
Apply to Studienkolleg + take Aufnahmetest — Apply via uni-assist or directly. Pass the entrance exam testing German + maths.
Complete 1 year + pass Feststellungsprüfung — Choose your track (T/M/W/G/S) matching your intended Bachelor field.
Apply for Bachelor with the new certificate — The Feststellungsprüfung certificate is equivalent to a German Abitur for your chosen field.
Information compiled from official Studienkolleg websites + DAAD. Verify current admission rules + fees on the institution's own site before applying. List updated periodically.
Frequently Asked Questions about Studienkolleg
Everything you need to know about the foundation year in Germany
What is a Studienkolleg?▼
A Studienkolleg is a one-year preparatory programme for international students whose high-school diploma is not directly recognised for direct admission to German universities (Anabin H-). It bridges the academic gap and ends with the Feststellungsprüfung exam.
Do I need a Studienkolleg?▼
You need one if your secondary-school qualification is rated H- in the Anabin database (most non-EU diplomas, including Turkish lise, Indian 10+2, Pakistani FSc). EU diplomas usually don't need it. Use our Eligibility Checker to confirm.
Which tracks (Kurse) exist?▼
T-Kurs (Engineering, Natural Sciences), M-Kurs (Medicine, Biology, Pharmacy), W-Kurs (Economics, Social Sciences), G-Kurs (Humanities, German studies), S-Kurs (Languages, Philology). The track must match your intended Bachelor field.
How much does Studienkolleg cost?▼
Public (staatlich) Studienkollegs are tuition-free — you only pay the regular semester contribution (~150–350 EUR). Private Studienkollegs charge 8,000–15,000 EUR for the year, but offer faster admission + smaller groups.
How do I get into Studienkolleg?▼
You usually need: 1) Conditional university admission letter (Zulassungsbescheid mit Auflage), 2) German language B1/B2 certificate, 3) Passed entrance exam (Aufnahmetest) testing German + maths. Apply via uni-assist or directly with the Studienkolleg.
Can I skip Studienkolleg?▼
Yes, in two cases: (a) you complete 1–2 successful semesters at a recognised university in your home country with related subject, or (b) you pass the TestAS (Test für Ausländische Studierende) with high score — some unis accept it as alternative.
Get the weekly Germany guide in your inbox
New blog posts, application deadlines, scholarship announcements. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.
Weekly Germany guide — 1–2 emails/week, no spam.
New posts, deadlines, scholarship alerts.
Weekly Germany guide delivered to your inbox
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Feedback
Tell us about a bug, suggestion or issue
ApplyToGerman on your home screen
Install as an app — faster, offline-ready, no app store needed.
Add to Home Screen on iOS:
Tap the Share button in Safari (square with arrow)
Scroll down and choose "Add to Home Screen"
Tap "Add" — the icon will appear like any app
ApplyToGerman Assistant
Sources:
AI answers can contain mistakes. Please verify important details from official sources.
Cookie Preferences
We use necessary cookies for essential site functions. With your consent, we also use analytics tools and pseudonymous visitor statistics.
Details
Necessary
Session, security and language preference. Always on.
Google Analytics, Microsoft Clarity (heatmaps and session recording) and our own page-view counter.
Meta and TikTok pixels. Currently not configured, so nothing loads.