Studienkolleg

Certificate recognition for applications to universities of applied sciences in Baden- Württemberg

You can apply for certificate recognition at any time, there is no application deadline. However, please note the application deadlines of the universities to which you are applying.

Our processing times can be 3-4 weeks, depending on when you apply.

Application to the preparatory college of the HTWG Konstanz

The application deadlines for the Studienkolleg are 1 May for the following winter semester and 1 November for the following summer semester.

Characeristics of a certification

The official seal (top left image) must be visible on all sides. For this purpose, the corners are folded over, the pages are laid on top of each other in an offset manner and stamped with the official seal. In this case, the declaration of certification and the signature of the certifying person on only one page is sufficient.
A notary certifies with string and embossed seal. In this case, the declaration and the signature of the notary on only one page is also sufficient.

We cannot recognise certifications by translators.

Where can I have documents certified?

Certifications outside Germany:

    German embassies and consulates
    issuing institutions (e.g. schools, universities), if we receive the documents in a sealed envelope
    Apostilles from notaries only if Germany accepts apostilles from this country. You can find a list of these countries here  

Certifications within Germany:

    Town halls/ citizens' offices
    Notaries
    District administrations/ local authorities
    State universities

We do not recognise certifications from the following offices:

Church organisations (e.g. parish offices), interpreters, health insurance companies, banks or the AStA.

In countries where the German embassies and consulates do not certify certificates, we can also recognise certifications by the Ministry of Education or the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, depending on the individual case and the country of origin of the certificates.

German -language degree programs

If you are applying directly to a German -language program, you will need to submit one of the following:

• German Language Diploma of the "Standing Conference of the Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs of the States in the Federal Republic of Germany" - Second Level - or a language certificate recognized as equivalent by this organization.
• Assessment test
• DSH 2 or 3
• TestDaF (at least 16 points) with an average of 4.0 or 5.0
• Proof of German language skills which have been recognized by bilateral agreements or other agreements reached by the KMK and HRK as sufficient proof of language skills for admission to university- level degree programs.
• the Großes and Kleines Deutsches Sprachdiplom ("big and small German language diplomas")
• telc German C1 University
• Goethe-Zertifikat C2: Großes Deutsches Sprachdiplom (GDS) certificate (Goethe-Institut)
• "Deutsche Sprachprüfung II" from the Sprachen- und Dolmetscher-Institut München for candidates whose first language is not German
• ÖSD C2

If you are attending an English-language degree program, please enquire at the university concerned whether you need to submit proof of German proficiency. In this case you do not need to submit proof of German proficiency to the Studienkolleg in order to get your certificates recognized.

German language skills for the Studienkolleg

In order to be accepted to the Studienkolleg or take the entrance test we require one of the following proofs of German proficiency:

• German Language Diploma of the KMK - First Level
• Certificate B1 of the Goethe Institute, if the examination was taken abroad
• ÖSD Certificate B1

Online Verification of Certificates

If it is possible to verify your certificates online, we will make use of this option. The prerequisite for this is the security of the underlying source. This must be checked by us on a case-by-case basis.

Online verification is usually possible in the following cases:

    Code card of the university entrance examination from Turkey
    Secondary school certificates from India (online verification is not possible in all cases)
    Cambridge Assessment Certificates
    Electronic apostilles from the countries from which Germany recognises apostilles (please also note our information in the ‘Authentication’ section), provided that the certificate document on which the apostille is based can also be viewed online.
    Secondary school leaving certificates of the West African Senior School Certificate (you must arrange for this to be viewed at the issuing school)
    IB Diploma (you must arrange for this to be viewed at the issuing school)

Please note that online verification will not be possible in all cases. If this is not the case, a certificate recognition can only be issued upon presentation of notarised documents.

Depending on the university, 8-10% of all study places in Baden-Württemberg are reserved for non-EU citizens. EU citizens apply to university the same way as German applicants.

Students are accepted based on their grade point average on their final school reports. Due to the tuition fees for international students in Baden-Württemberg, the chances of beeing accepted are currently quite good.

The educational certificates we require depends on the country where you completed your education or training. You can find an overview of possible certificates on page 2 of our application form. Please read our country-specific instructions before sending us your documents.

You can only submit your application after you have received your school-leaving certificate; it is not possible to submit it before then. Only the language certificate can be submitted later.

We are currently offering our entrance test online. Therefore, you can also participate if you are not yet in Germany.

There are no fees for having your certificates recognized. It is free of charge.