German Course C1 with DSH exam
Preparatory Intensive Course German as a Foreign Language
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Target group
The study preparation course for German is aimed at international applicants with or without refugee background whose secondary school leaving certificate is recognized as a Higher Education Entrance Qualification (Hochschulzugangsberechtigung – HZB) in Germany. Applicants for this course have already completed the language level B2 but still need some improvement in order to begin a course of study at our university.
Course Description
In the preparatory intensive course German C1 with DSH exam, participants will develop university-specific language skills which will enable them to efficiently prepare for a degree program at a German university. Classroom teaching will be supplemented by self-study components including digitally assisted language learning.
The course usually takes place from Monday to Friday (9:00 am - 1:15 pm). Attendance during the course meetings is mandatory. The course combines classroom days in Cologne and digital classes via an online conferencing tool (Zoom). The afternoons are used for individual preparation / follow-up as well as for additional workshops.
German Course C1 with DSH exam (4 months):
In the first phase of the course, participants will systematically develop their university-specific language skills. The second phase is devoted to exam format training. At the end of the course, participants will take the written and oral DSH exam offered by TH Köln.
German Course C1 with DSH exam (6 months):
In the fhe first part of the course participants will build up language competence and apply already familiar learning contents. This block is followed by the phases described above (development of university-specific language skills, exam format training, DSH exam).
Grafik Deutschkurs C1 Sommersemester EN
(Image: TH Köln)
Course Duration
At the beginning of the course you will take the mandatory online placement test onset-Deutsch. This test measures with high accuracy the overall language competency in a standardized procedure.
Your placement test result will determine the duration of your course: 4 months or 6 months.
You will be informed about the duration of your course a few days after the placement test.
Costs
Course places for international applicants with or without refugee status are funded by the Ministry for Culture and Science of NRW (Ministerium für Kultur und Wissenschaft des Landes NRW) through the funding program NRWege ins Studium, provided that funding is granted.
Therefore, you do not have to pay any participation fees for the course.
The following costs are to be paid by the participants themselves:
- handling fees for the processing and evaluation of your application via uni-assist (approx. €75)
- semester fee at TH Köln (winter semester 2024/25: €303.30). You will receive a payment notification for the semester fee once you have enrolled at TH Köln.
(Please note: Refugees have the possibility to register as auditing student ("Gasthörer*in"). Please contact Dr. Mirjam Berg for further information.) - maintenance and living costs
Admission Requirements
You are interested in participating in the German course C1 with DSH exam? Make sure you meet the following admission requirements:
1. Higher Education Entrance Qualification (Hochschulzugangsberechtigung – HZB) recognized in Germany
Before you apply, you can find out for yourself whether your school leaving certificate from your home country - the university entrance qualification (HZB) - is recognized in Germany. Please click here for further information.
2. Proof of German language level B2
- a certificate that states that you have completed level B2 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR)
- a TestDaF certificate with a total score of at least 12 points (minimum level TDN 3 in all subtests)
- a DSH1 certificate
- a certificate that states that you have completed level C1 of the CEFR
A certificate of attendance is not sufficient proof.
Application Process
Applications can be submitted
- for the winter semester from the beginning of April to the beginning of July
- for the summer semester from mid October to the beginning of January.
(Subject to change.)
The current deadlines for each semester will be published on this page.
Please read the following information on the application process before submitting your application. Click on the plus sign (+) to see more information about each step.
Step 1: Submission of application documents to uni-assist
Summer Semester 2025 - Application Deadline: January 10, 2025
Applications received after the end of the application period cannot be accepted. Please apply in time with all the relevant documents.
The application must be submitted to uni-assist.
Applications for the winter semester can be submitted from the beginning of April to the beginning of July and for the summer semester from mid October to the beginning of January (subject to change).
Applying early will increase your chances of getting a place on the course.
Please click here for detailed information on the uni-assist application process and for an overview of the required application documents.
How can I find the preparatory German languages courses on uni-assist?
1) Go to https://my.uni-assist.de/studiengaenge
2) Under "Search criteria" please enter the search term "Deutschkurs".
3) Please select the semester, the university and the federal state. Leave the "Type of degree" field empty.
4) The two preparatory German courses will now appear in the search results. Click on "select" to choose the course you would like to apply for.
If you have a refugee background, please mention this in your uni-assist application. You can find a list of residence titles confirming the refugee background here.
Step 2: Review of your application by uni-assist
uni-assist will check your application documents.
About four to six weeks after your application, uni-assist will inform you via e-mail whether your application documents are complete. If documents are missing, you can submit them until the end of the application period.
If your application meets the requirements of the language course, uni-assist will forward it electronically to TH Köln.
Please note: Transmission of your application documents by uni-assist does not guarantee admission. The decision as to whether you will be admitted to the German course C1 with DSH is made by TH Köln.
Step 3: Admission procedure at TH Köln
If your application meets the requirements of the language course, it will be forwarded electronically to TH Köln and it will automatically take part in the admission procedure.
The admission procedure will be carried out after the end of the application deadline.
The number of places in the German course C1 with DSH is limited.
TH Köln follows the guidelines of the Ministry for Culture and Science of NRW (Ministerium für Kultur und Wissenschaft des Landes NRW) in the context of the NRWege ins Studium program.
The program is also open to prospective students without refugee background (up to 49% of the funded course places).
Course places are allocated based upon the following criteria:
- date of successful transmission of the application documents from uni-assist to TH Köln
- quota for the two target groups described above
It is therefore possible that, despite a successful uni-assist application, we may not be able to offer you a place.
You are admitted to the German Course C1 with DSH exam for only one semester. After that you (must) take the DSH exam.
A place in the German Course C1 with DSH exam does not guarantee that you will later be admitted to a course of studies at TH Köln. After passing the DSH you will have to apply again to enroll in your chosen course of studies. Information on how to apply for a degree course can be found on the website of the Department of International Affairs.
Step 4: Enrollment at TH Köln
You have received an admission letter for the German course C1 with DSH? Congratulations!
In order to accept the course place, please follow the instructions in your letter of admission and upload the required documents within the enrollment deadline.
Step 5: Placement test
Summer Semester 2025 - Latest onSET: February 21, 2025
You will receive an invitation to the onSET placement test after your enrollment. Participation in the placement test is mandatory.
After your enrollment you will receive an email with an invitation to the onSET placement test. Participation in the placement test is mandatory.
The result of the onSET placement test determines the duration of your course: 4 months or 6 months.
There is no entitlement to admission to the German course C1 with DSH exam. Please note that all dates are subject to change.
