The Studienkolleg entrance test is not one exam
There is no national test. Below: a table from the pages of six state Kollegs and North Rhine-Westphalia, the summer 2027 calendar, and how to walk into the test with B2.
本页内容
The Studienkolleg entrance test (Aufnahmetest) is not a central exam; the Kolleg sets its content, level and date. According to the DAAD you prove German at B1-B2 on admission and pass an entrance examination; some Kollegs test German and mathematics, others German only. Two large exceptions: Studienkolleg Hamburg runs no test and ranks by points, and North Rhine-Westphalia has no university Studienkolleg left, so the Feststellungsprüfung is taken externally.
If your German is B2. Every Kolleg's door is open. What is left is the choice of Kolleg and the application route; for the test, working through the Kolleg's sample under time is enough.
If your German is B1. Hannover will invite you to the test; Halle, TU Berlin and NRW will not. A B2 certificate before the November-December windows changes how many Kollegs you can choose from.
If the target is summer semester 2027. Hamburg's and NRW's summer windows closed on 1 September. Still open: TU Berlin 1 November to 31 December, Halle until 15 December, the Bavarian universities until 15 January.
适用对象
Applicants on the Studienkolleg route, before deciding which Kolleg, with which German level and by which date.
关键事实
German at application
B1-B2
Hannover invites at B1; Halle, TU Berlin and NRW require B2 [1][15][13][19][26]
Mathematics part
T, M, W
a prerequisite for these three courses in Munich [10]
Kolleg with no test
Hamburg
places are allocated on up to 59 points [23]
University Kollegs in NRW
None
since 2010/11; the Feststellungsprüfung is external, two periods a year [25]
Figures are the DAAD's, the Studienkollegs' own pages' and Bezirksregierung Köln's.
Test, level and application route by Kolleg
Dates are for summer semester 2027. The result column is the shape of the test.
| Studienkolleg | Application route | German at application | Test |
|---|---|---|---|
| Munich (Bavaria) | Not directly: to a Bavarian university by 15 January; the university assigns you to the Kolleg and the test invitation comes with the assignment letter | B2 "indispensable"; the test itself is at B1+/B2 | German 50 min + mathematics (T 45, M/W 30 min); both parts must be passed [8][9][10][11] |
| Halle (Saxony-Anhalt) | Exclusively via my.uni-assist.de; 15 December recommended for summer | A certificate of at least B2 | German for everyone; W maths, T maths and physics, M natural sciences, G English [13][14] |
| Hannover (Lower Saxony) | No direct application; first to a Lower Saxony university, 8-10 weeks or longer until the test invitation | Invitation on proof of B1 | German C-Test for everyone; W/T maths, M biology-chemistry-maths, G/S history-politics; 25 February 2027 [16][15] |
| TU Berlin | First the VPD from uni-assist, then TU Berlin's portal; 1 November to 31 December 2026 | At least B2 | Four C-tests at B2 plus subject tests, about 1 hour per subject; 22 January 2027 [19][20][18][17] |
| KIT Karlsruhe (Baden-Württemberg), T course | To KIT's International Students Office | The German part is the onSET | Online, same day: onSET max 40 min + mathematics about 1 hour; 11th-grade level, no integral calculus [22][21] |
| Hamburg | The Kolleg's own online registration; 1 July to 1 September for summer (January start), 1 January to 1 March for winter (August start) | German earns up to 25 bonus points | No entrance test; ranking on up to 59 points [23][24] |
| North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) | To Bezirksregierung Düsseldorf at least 6 months before the exam: 1 March for the winter period, 1 September for the summer period | At least B2; C1 is the target | No university Kolleg: external Feststellungsprüfung, 3 written + 1 oral, two periods a year, Cologne only [25][26][27] |
Dates and levels can change each semester; read the current line on the Kolleg's page before applying.
Countdown to summer semester 2027
For the same semester, one Kolleg's window can already be closed while another's has not opened yet.
September to October 2026
Choice of state, Kolleg and course (T, M, W, G, S); if your German is B1, the B2 course starts now. In Lower Saxony the lead time from university application to test invitation can be 8-10 weeks or longer. [16]
15 December 2026
Halle's recommended latest date for a summer application; exclusively via my.uni-assist.de. [13]
22 January 2027
TU Berlin entrance test. [17]
25 February 2027
Hannover entrance test. [15]
Only the institutions in the table. Dates differ from Kolleg to Kolleg.
结论
Which Kolleg you apply to decides whether there is a test, at which level it starts and when the window closes. The decision starts with the choice of Kolleg, not with test preparation. [6][1]
The Kolleg directors' joint site says admission procedures and dates are "very different"; the DAAD gives a B1-B2 band and the institutions in the table fill both ends of it.
Check on the university's international office page where the Studienkolleg application goes, and on the Kolleg's page the current test date and the sample test.
- Fachhochschule Kollegs (TI, WW, GD, SW): according to the directors' site, someone who completed a Fachhochschule Kolleg can "as a rule" not enter a university, only a Fachhochschule; a university Kolleg opens both.
- Private Kollegs: state Kollegs are free apart from the semester contribution, private Kollegs "often" charge fees; check whether the chosen private Kolleg offers a state-recognised qualification.
The German part: the level depends on the Kolleg
Gap-filling German tests are common, but they are not one exam. TU Berlin runs four thematically different C-tests at B2, about an hour per subject. In Hannover the C-Test applies to all participants. Munich checks "language competence at B1+/B2": alongside the C-Test come a sentence-structure test, a reading text with errors to find, multiple-choice questions and a short writing task; 50 minutes in total, no oral part. KIT uses a separate exam, the onSET: eight texts with 20 gaps each, at most 40 minutes.
The application threshold and the test level are not the same thing. Hannover invites on proof of B1; Halle requires a certificate of at least B2 to admit you to the test, TU Berlin at least B2; Munich calls B2 "indispensable" for a successful stay at the Kolleg. A B1 certificate opens some doors and not others. [18][15][9][21][13][19][11]
The mathematics part: T, M and W courses
In Munich mathematics is a prerequisite for the T, M and W courses and "both test parts (German and mathematics)" must be passed. The T test takes 45 minutes: fractional expressions, quadratic equations, polynomial division, simple systems of equations, equations with roots, geometry around Pythagoras. The M and W tests take 30 minutes: arithmetic, fractions and percentages, basic algebra, quantitative and formal problems. The pass marks are published: for T at least 30 percent in the multiple-choice part and 40 percent overall; for M/W more than 30 percent per section and 40 percent overall.
KIT's mathematics runs to the 11th grade of a German grammar school, with integral calculus no longer included. Halle adds physics to mathematics for T, tests natural sciences for M and English for G; Hannover tests biology, chemistry and mathematics for M, history and politics for G/S. Sample tests are on the Munich, Halle, Hannover and TU Berlin pages; preparation starts there. [10][21][14][15][18]
The route: university first, uni-assist, or the Kolleg
In Bavaria you cannot apply to Studienkolleg München directly: first a Bavarian university, by 15 January (summer) or 15 July (winter); the university assigns you to the Kolleg and the test invitation comes with the assignment letter. Lower Saxony has no direct application either; the university tells you during admission whether the Kolleg is required. Halle is the opposite: exclusively my.uni-assist.de. TU Berlin has two stages: the VPD from uni-assist, then its own portal. Hamburg uses its own online registration.
uni-assist says so itself: "In some cases, uni-assist handles applications to university courses, but not applications for the Studienkolleg", and Kolleg deadlines are "often set earlier" than university deadlines. The DAAD's summary: directly to the institution or via uni-assist, and at private Kollegs a direct application is "often possible". [8][16][13][19][24][3][2]
North Rhine-Westphalia: no university Kolleg, an external Feststellungsprüfung
Bezirksregierung Köln: since the winter semester 2010/2011 the Feststellungsprüfung in NRW can only be taken externally, because the Studienkollegs at the universities no longer exist. The regulation (PO-FeP-Hochschule of 21 January 2010) says preparation takes place "in courses under private law inside and outside the universities" and the state exam follows the regulation.
Registration goes to Bezirksregierung Düsseldorf (Dezernat 48) at least six months before the exam: 1 March for the winter period, 1 September for the summer one. Two exam periods a year, April to the end of June and October to mid December, currently in Cologne only. B2 is required at registration, the stated reason being to reach C1 within six months; TestDaF with at least TDN 3 in all four parts, or a DSH-1 from an HRK-registered institution, is accepted. An applicant who cannot show the kind and extent of their preparation is not admitted.
Three written subjects and one oral; the written papers take three hours each, German four; to pass you need at least 4.0 in every subject. T: German, mathematics, physics written, chemistry oral. M: German, physics, biology written, chemistry oral. W: German, mathematics, economics written, English oral. G: German, social sciences, history written, German literature oral. S: German, English, history written, German literature oral. A failed exam can be repeated once, at the next date. Anyone who has attended a Studienkolleg in any German state, or sat a Feststellungsprüfung anywhere, is not admitted to NRW's external exam.
For someone planning to study in Essen or Düsseldorf: in NRW there is no state-Kolleg entrance test step; in its place, registration six months ahead, proof of B2, proof of preparation, and a state exam in four subjects. The application form lists, alongside Bezirksregierung Köln, the Kolleg of the Ökumenisches Studienwerk in Bochum and Studienkolleg Mettingen as bodies offering the exam; their admission rules are on their own pages. [25][28][26][27]
If you fail, or if there is no test at all
Munich lets you repeat the entrance test twice, three attempts in total. NRW's external Feststellungsprüfung can be repeated once, at the next date; a second repeat only for special reasons. KIT runs a selection if there are more registrations than places; the directors' site says places are as a rule allocated by ranking. Passing may not be enough; the rank matters too.
Hamburg has no entrance test. Places are allocated on up to 59 points: up to 30 from the school-leaving grade average (30 for 1.0, 1 for 3.9), up to 25 bonus points for German, and 4 for graduates of German-funded schools abroad (DSD schools, German schools). There you prepare your diploma grade and your German certificate, not a test. [12][28][22][6][23]
Two things the official pages do not say
Does uni-assist explain the entrance test in detail?
官方来源中没有 ·
No. Its glossary says that before being accepted for the Studienkolleg you need to pass an entrance test that assesses your command of German and your basic knowledge in your chosen subject area; its Studienkolleg page says the language requirement varies by Kolleg and deadlines can be earlier. Neither page gives the test's format, level, duration or date. [4][3]
我们对申请人的说法
Where there is a test, the Kolleg sets it. The address for format, date and sample test is the Kolleg's own page, which is what this guide's source list is made of.
How many points do you need to pass the entrance test?
官方来源中没有 ·
Of the six institutions in the table, only Munich publishes a percentage threshold. The test pages of Halle, Hannover, TU Berlin and KIT give no pass mark; KIT says a selection is run if places run out, and the directors' site says places are as a rule allocated by ranking. [10][14][15][18][22][6]
我们对申请人的说法
Prepare to rank, not to "just pass" an exam whose threshold you do not know: work through the Kolleg's sample test under time and learn the C-Test format beforehand.
Both are absences checked on the date shown; if a Kolleg announces a pass mark, this is the first block that has to change.
Walk into the test with B2, and let us carry the application
On every row of the table, the German level is what opens the door. Rheinland-Privatschule's German courses take you from B1 to B2; dates and levels are on the course page, the placement test is free. Once you register, your advisor manages the choice of Kolleg and course, whether the application goes to the university, uni-assist or the Kolleg, and the dates in one calendar.
- A B2-targeted German course; dates and levels on the course page
- Choice of Kolleg and course (T, M, W, G/S), application route and document list
- Preparation for the entrance test and the Feststellungsprüfung
分级测试免费，您在付款前就知道自己从哪一期开始。
Admission is the Kolleg's and the university's decision; no test result or place is ever guaranteed.
您可以通过哪种方式申请德国大学？
约 2 分钟 · 无需密码
What you need before the test
- Target Kolleg chosen; whether the application goes to the university, uni-assist or the Kolleg read on that institution's page
- German certificate at the level that Kolleg asks for (B1 or B2), in a form it accepts
- The Kolleg's sample tests worked through under time: German C-Test or onSET, mathematics for T/M/W
- Application window, test day and the visa time after the test in one calendar
- If NRW is the target: registration in Düsseldorf at least six months before the exam, proof of B2 and of preparation
常见问题
What is the Studienkolleg entrance test?
The Kolleg's own test that decides whether you are admitted. According to the DAAD, admission requires proof of German at B1-B2 and passing an entrance examination; content and format depend on the Kolleg.
Which German level do I need for a Studienkolleg?
Hannover invites on proof of B1; Halle and TU Berlin require at least B2, NRW requires B2 at registration. The test itself is at B1+/B2 in Munich and at B2 at TU Berlin; KIT uses the onSET.
What is a C-Test?
A gap-filling text test; Munich calls it a "Lückentest". TU Berlin uses four thematic C-tests, Hannover gives everyone a C-Test. KIT's onSET is gap-filling too but a separate exam: eight texts with 20 gaps, at most 40 minutes.
Is there mathematics in every course?
No. In Munich mathematics is a prerequisite for T, M and W; Hannover tests mathematics for W/T, biology, chemistry and mathematics for M, history and politics for G/S; Halle tests English for G.
Can the entrance test be repeated?
It depends on the Kolleg. Munich allows two repeats, three attempts in total. NRW's external Feststellungsprüfung can be repeated once, at the next date. For other Kollegs, check the institution's page.
Is there a Studienkolleg in North Rhine-Westphalia?
No university Studienkolleg since 2010/11. Preparation happens in private courses; the Feststellungsprüfung is Bezirksregierung Köln's external exam, two periods a year, with registration in Düsseldorf at least six months ahead and proof of B2.
来源
- [1]DAAD, Requirements for studying in Germany: overview · 最后核对:
- [2]DAAD, Studienkollegs: duration, course types, application route, costs · 最后核对:
- [3]uni-assist e.V., Studienkolleg preparatory course · 最后核对:
- [4]uni-assist e.V., Glossary: Studienkolleg (entrance test entry) · 最后核对:
- [5]uni-assist e.V., Deadlines and processing time · 最后核对:
- [6]Working group of the Studienkolleg directors (studienkollegs.de), Application process · 最后核对:
- [7]Working group of the Studienkolleg directors (studienkollegs.de), Types of Studienkolleg · 最后核对:
- [8]Studienkolleg München, Application at the university (route and dates) · 最后核对:
- [9]Studienkolleg München, German entrance examination · 最后核对:
- [10]Studienkolleg München, Mathematics entrance examination · 最后核对:
- [11]Studienkolleg München, Language and subject prerequisites · 最后核对:
- [12]Studienkolleg München, Admission to the Studienkolleg (repeat rule) · 最后核对:
- [13]Studienkolleg Halle, Application (uni-assist, dates, B2) · 最后核对:
- [14]Studienkolleg Halle, Entrance test and sample tests · 最后核对:
- [15]Niedersächsisches Studienkolleg, Entrance test · 最后核对:
- [16]Niedersächsisches Studienkolleg, Application · 最后核对:
- [17]TU Berlin preparatory school, Schedules and dates · 最后核对:
- [18]TU Berlin preparatory school, Subjects and sample tests · 最后核对:
- [19]TU Berlin, Application for the Studienkolleg (application group A) · 最后核对:
- [20]TU Berlin, Application deadlines · 最后核对:
- [21]Studienkolleg Karlsruhe (KIT), T-course entrance test · 最后核对:
- [22]Studienkolleg Karlsruhe (KIT), T-course admission procedure · 最后核对:
- [23]Studienkolleg Hamburg, Admission procedure (points system) · 最后核对:
- [24]Studienkolleg Hamburg, Overview and dates (as of 06.08.2026) · 最后核对:
- [25]Bezirksregierung Köln, External Feststellungsprüfung · 最后核对:
- [26]Bezirksregierung Köln, Application, admission and exam samples · 最后核对:
- [27]Bezirksregierung Düsseldorf, Application form for the external Feststellungsprüfung (PDF, as of 06.08.2026) · 最后核对:
- [28]State of NRW, Feststellungsprüfung regulation (PO-FeP-Hochschule, 21.01.2010), BASS · 最后核对:
Summer semester 2027 and winter semester 2027/28 applications. Sources checked on 10 September 2026.