International Undergraduate Students
Have you completed your secondary education abroad or have you already studied abroad, and are you now interested in undertaking a standard degree programme at our university? You can find out more about the options available here.
Requirements
Please note that, with the exception of a few courses, our degree programmes are taught exclusively in German. You will therefore need to have sufficient language skills to be able to study at our university. It is possible to undertake a PhD in another language, subject to agreement with your supervising lecturer.
As an international applicant with foreign qualifications, you must be able to provide one of the following language certificates with the relevant grade in order to study at our university:
- DSH-2 (German Language Test for University Admission, Level 2 or above)
- TestDaF (Test of German as a Foreign Language, with a minimum score of 4 × 4 TDN)
- New Goethe Certificate C2: Großes Deutsches Sprachdiplom (GDS) or one of the previous examinations: Kleines Deutsches Sprachdiplom (KDS), Großes Deutsches Sprachdiplom (GDS) or Zentrale Oberstufenprüfung (ZOB)
- telc German C1 University
- DSD II: German Language Diploma of the Conference of Ministers of Education – Second Level
- German Language Examinations II of the Munich Institute for Languages and Interpreting
- Certificate of the assessment examination
Detailed information on the language requirements and examination regulations for the various language certificates is available at:
- Language certificates (in German and English)
- TestDaF
- Goethe Certificate
- Examples of a DSH examination
- Information on the Telc C1 University examination
Please note: If you are unable to provide a valid language certificate by 30 September at the latest, you will not be able to commence your studies at our university. For students starting in the summer semester, the deadline is 31 March.
As an international applicant with foreign qualifications, you must be able to provide one of the following language certificates with the relevant grade in order to study at our university:
- DSH-2 (German Language Test for University Admission, Level 2 or above)
- TestDaF (Test of German as a Foreign Language, with a minimum score of 4 × 4 TDN)
- New Goethe Certificate C2: Großes Deutsches Sprachdiplom (GDS) or one of the previous examinations: Kleines Deutsches Sprachdiplom (KDS), Großes Deutsches Sprachdiplom (GDS) or Zentrale Oberstufenprüfung (ZOB)
- telc German C1 University
- DSD II: German Language Diploma of the Conference of Ministers of Education – Second Level
- German Language Examinations II of the Munich Institute for Languages and Interpreting
- Certificate of the assessment examination
Detailed information on the language requirements and examination regulations for the various language certificates is available at:
- Language certificates (in German and English)
- TestDaF
- Goethe Certificate
- Examples of a DSH examination
- Information on the Telc C1 University examination
Please note: If you are unable to provide a valid language certificate by 30 September at the latest, you will not be able to commence your studies at our university. For students starting in the summer semester, the deadline is 31 March.
All prospective students wishing to study at a higher education institution in the Federal Republic of Germany must provide proof of a valid university entrance qualification (HZB). This also applies to prospective students with a foreign school leaving certificate. We therefore check, prior to enrolment, whether your school-leaving certificate entitles you to study in Germany. You can find initial guidance on whether your qualifications might be sufficient to study at a German university on the website of the Central Office for Foreign Education.
| Prospective students from the European Union (EU): | If you hold a school leaving certificate that entitles you to study at a higher education institution in your home country, you can normally study at German higher education institutions. However, the final decision as to whether your school-leaving qualification is sufficient for studying in Germany depends on the subjects you have studied at school and the subjects you wish to study in Germany. Your certificates will therefore be checked by the International Office before you are admitted. |
| School-leaving qualifications of prospective students from countries outside the EU: | Your school leaving certificate must be specifically assessed and recognised by us. The Standing Conference of the Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs of the Länder has issued recommendations on this matter, which our university follows. Recognition is carried out by the International Office. School leaving certificates from some countries can only be recognised as equivalent if you can prove that you have already successfully studied for one or two years at a higher education institution in your home country that is recognised in Germany. As proof, in addition to your school-leaving certificate, you will also need your higher education qualification or an interim certificate, which you must enclose with your application documents as a certified copy in the original language and as a certified translation. This rule applies to applicants from countries where university entrance qualifications are attained in fewer than 12 years of schooling. These include, in particular, the CIS states |
| Applicants with Chinese certificates (with the exception of Hong Kong and Macao) as well as certificates from Vietnam or India: | In all cases, you will always need a certificate from the Academic Examination Centre (APS) of the German Embassy to apply. Further information is available from: Academic Examination Centre, Beijing ; Academic Examination Centre, Hanoi ; Academic Examination Centre, New Delhi |
All prospective students wishing to study at a higher education institution in the Federal Republic of Germany must provide proof of a valid university entrance qualification (HZB). This also applies to prospective students with a foreign school leaving certificate. We therefore check, prior to enrolment, whether your school-leaving certificate entitles you to study in Germany. You can find initial guidance on whether your qualifications might be sufficient to study at a German university on the website of the Central Office for Foreign Education.
| Prospective students from the European Union (EU): | If you hold a school leaving certificate that entitles you to study at a higher education institution in your home country, you can normally study at German higher education institutions. However, the final decision as to whether your school-leaving qualification is sufficient for studying in Germany depends on the subjects you have studied at school and the subjects you wish to study in Germany. Your certificates will therefore be checked by the International Office before you are admitted. |
| School-leaving qualifications of prospective students from countries outside the EU: | Your school leaving certificate must be specifically assessed and recognised by us. The Standing Conference of the Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs of the Länder has issued recommendations on this matter, which our university follows. Recognition is carried out by the International Office. School leaving certificates from some countries can only be recognised as equivalent if you can prove that you have already successfully studied for one or two years at a higher education institution in your home country that is recognised in Germany. As proof, in addition to your school-leaving certificate, you will also need your higher education qualification or an interim certificate, which you must enclose with your application documents as a certified copy in the original language and as a certified translation. This rule applies to applicants from countries where university entrance qualifications are attained in fewer than 12 years of schooling. These include, in particular, the CIS states |
| Applicants with Chinese certificates (with the exception of Hong Kong and Macao) as well as certificates from Vietnam or India: | In all cases, you will always need a certificate from the Academic Examination Centre (APS) of the German Embassy to apply. Further information is available from: Academic Examination Centre, Beijing ; Academic Examination Centre, Hanoi ; Academic Examination Centre, New Delhi |
If you have submitted your complete application documents to us and it transpires that your school certificates from abroad cannot be recognised as equivalent to the German Abitur, and you meet certain requirements, we will inform you that you can make up for the missing qualifications at the Studienkolleg in Heidelberg through a one-year course.
The Studienkolleg is an institution of the Ruprecht Karls University of Heidelberg. Over the course of one year, it prepares you, both linguistically and academically, for a final examination equivalent to the German ‘Abitur’, which entitles you to study at a university in the Federal Republic of Germany.
You cannot enrol directly at the Studienkolleg yourself; instead, you must first apply for a degree programme at our university. We will then register you with the Studienkolleg for an entrance examination. To have a good chance of being admitted to the Studienkolleg, you should have completed at least 750 hours of German language tuition and be able to provide documentary evidence of this. The Studienkolleg decides whether to admit you on the basis of an entrance examination (language test).
Information about the Studienkolleg is available from the ISZ at Heidelberg University.
If you have submitted your complete application documents to us and it transpires that your school certificates from abroad cannot be recognised as equivalent to the German Abitur, and you meet certain requirements, we will inform you that you can make up for the missing qualifications at the Studienkolleg in Heidelberg through a one-year course.
The Studienkolleg is an institution of the Ruprecht Karls University of Heidelberg. Over the course of one year, it prepares you, both linguistically and academically, for a final examination equivalent to the German ‘Abitur’, which entitles you to study at a university in the Federal Republic of Germany.
You cannot enrol directly at the Studienkolleg yourself; instead, you must first apply for a degree programme at our university. We will then register you with the Studienkolleg for an entrance examination. To have a good chance of being admitted to the Studienkolleg, you should have completed at least 750 hours of German language tuition and be able to provide documentary evidence of this. The Studienkolleg decides whether to admit you on the basis of an entrance examination (language test).
Information about the Studienkolleg is available from the ISZ at Heidelberg University.
Do you have any questions about this? Please contact us directly; we’ll be happy to help.
Organisation
Karlsruhe University of Education
Building
3
Room
117, 116
Organisation
Karlsruhe University of Education
Building
3
Room
117
Phone
Availability
By arrangement
Organisation
Karlsruhe University of Education
Phone
Applications and deadlines
Some degree programmes start in both the summer and winter semesters, whilst others start only in the winter semester. You can find the relevant application deadline for your chosen degree programme on the relevant programme page. The entry requirements for some degree programmes are also explained there.
Overview of all degree programmes
Tuition fees
Since the 2017/18 winter semester, the state of Baden-Württemberg has been charging tuition fees to international students who are not nationals of a Member State of the European Union or of another signatory state to the Agreement on the European Economic Area. Tuition fees currently amount to 1,500 euros.
Full details regarding the amount of the fees, exemptions and fee waivers can be found in the State Higher Education Fees Act.
Required paperwork and documents
Apply online via our application portal and submit your application through the portal. You will need:
- a copy of your school leaving certificate in the original language (including a summary of your marks),
- a certified copy of the translation of your school leaving certificate (including a summary of marks) – this is not required for certificates in English, French or Spanish,
- a copy of your university degree certificate or interim transcripts in the original language (if available), including a summary of marks,
- a certified copy of the translation of the university degree certificate or interim certificates, including a summary of marks. The translation is not required for certificates in English, French or Spanish,
- a copy of a suitable language proficiency certificate (may also be submitted by 30 September),
- proof of the Teacher Orientation Test.
- Depending on your personal circumstances, further documents may be required, for example, proof of having passed the entrance examination for the subjects of Physical Education or Art, language certificates for the European Teaching Qualification, proof of language proficiency in English or French for lower secondary education, proof of religious affiliation if you choose Theology as a subject.
Apply online via our application portal and submit your application through the portal. You will need:
- a copy of your school leaving certificate in the original language (including a summary of your marks),
- a certified copy of the translation of your school leaving certificate (including a summary of marks) – this is not required for certificates in English, French or Spanish,
- a copy of your university degree certificate or interim transcripts in the original language (if available), including a summary of marks,
- a certified copy of the translation of the university degree certificate or interim certificates, including a summary of marks. The translation is not required for certificates in English, French or Spanish,
- a copy of a suitable language proficiency certificate (may also be submitted by 30 September),
- proof of the Teacher Orientation Test.
- Depending on your personal circumstances, further documents may be required, for example, proof of having passed the entrance examination for the subjects of Physical Education or Art, language certificates for the European Teaching Qualification, proof of language proficiency in English or French for lower secondary education, proof of religious affiliation if you choose Theology as a subject.
Apply online via our application portal and submit your application through the portal. You will need:
- a copy of your university degree certificate or an officially certified copy of your interim transcripts in the original language (if available), including a summary of your marks,
- an officially certified copy of the translation of your degree certificate or interim transcripts, including a summary of your marks – a translation is not required for certificates in English, French or Spanish,
- a copy of a suitable language proficiency certificate (may also be submitted by 30 September or 31 March),
- any other documents you require for your application (where applicable, evidence of further language proficiency, evidence of credit points (CP) earned – please read the programme’s admission regulations carefully, in particular Section 3 ‘Admission Requirements’ and Section 4 ‘Form of the Application for Admission’).
Apply online via our application portal and submit your application through the portal. You will need:
- a copy of your university degree certificate or an officially certified copy of your interim transcripts in the original language (if available), including a summary of your marks,
- an officially certified copy of the translation of your degree certificate or interim transcripts, including a summary of your marks – a translation is not required for certificates in English, French or Spanish,
- a copy of a suitable language proficiency certificate (may also be submitted by 30 September or 31 March),
- any other documents you require for your application (where applicable, evidence of further language proficiency, evidence of credit points (CP) earned – please read the programme’s admission regulations carefully, in particular Section 3 ‘Admission Requirements’ and Section 4 ‘Form of the Application for Admission’).
Apply online via our application portal and submit your application through the portal. You will need: For the Early Years Education and Sport, Health and Leisure Education degree programmes, you must also register via hochschulstart.de! You will need
- a copy of your school leaving certificate in the original language (including a summary of marks),
- an officially certified copy of the translation of your school leaving certificate (including a summary of marks) – a translation is not required for certificates in English, French or Spanish,
- a copy of your university degree certificate or interim transcripts in the original language (if available), including a summary of marks,
- an officially certified copy of the translation of the higher education degree certificate or interim certificates, including a summary of marks – not required for certificates in English, French or Spanish,
- a copy of a suitable language proficiency certificate (may also be submitted by 30 September or 31 March),
- proof of payment of the administrative fee for the recognition of your certificates by the Karlsruhe University of Education,
- Evidence of prior qualifications, work placements, professional experience, etc., relevant to the degree programme, as well as
- proof of participation in the general self-assessment test for study orientation.
Apply online via our application portal and submit your application through the portal. You will need: For the Early Years Education and Sport, Health and Leisure Education degree programmes, you must also register via hochschulstart.de! You will need
- a copy of your school leaving certificate in the original language (including a summary of marks),
- an officially certified copy of the translation of your school leaving certificate (including a summary of marks) – a translation is not required for certificates in English, French or Spanish,
- a copy of your university degree certificate or interim transcripts in the original language (if available), including a summary of marks,
- an officially certified copy of the translation of the higher education degree certificate or interim certificates, including a summary of marks – not required for certificates in English, French or Spanish,
- a copy of a suitable language proficiency certificate (may also be submitted by 30 September or 31 March),
- proof of payment of the administrative fee for the recognition of your certificates by the Karlsruhe University of Education,
- Evidence of prior qualifications, work placements, professional experience, etc., relevant to the degree programme, as well as
- proof of participation in the general self-assessment test for study orientation.
Apply online via our application portal and submit your application through the portal. You will need:
- a copy of your university degree certificate or an officially certified copy of your interim transcripts in the original language (if available), including a summary of your marks
- a certified copy of the translation of your university degree certificate or interim transcripts, including a summary of your marks – a translation is not required for certificates in English, French or Spanish,
- a copy of a suitable language proficiency certificate (this may also be submitted by 30 September or 31 March),
- any other documents you are required to submit in accordance with the admission regulations for the relevant degree programme, for example, evidence of further language skills, a personal statement, a summary of your final thesis, and evidence of practical experience.
Apply online via our application portal and submit your application through the portal. You will need:
- a copy of your university degree certificate or an officially certified copy of your interim transcripts in the original language (if available), including a summary of your marks
- a certified copy of the translation of your university degree certificate or interim transcripts, including a summary of your marks – a translation is not required for certificates in English, French or Spanish,
- a copy of a suitable language proficiency certificate (this may also be submitted by 30 September or 31 March),
- any other documents you are required to submit in accordance with the admission regulations for the relevant degree programme, for example, evidence of further language skills, a personal statement, a summary of your final thesis, and evidence of practical experience.
Please upload all documents via the e-portal when applying.
In addition to the uploaded documents, you must submit a certified copy of the translation of your degree certificates to us in paper form before the application deadline. The date of the postmark will be taken as proof of receipt. Incomplete applications cannot be considered.
Please use the following letter regarding the documents to be submitted.
-
Cover letter for applications with foreign qualifications when submitting certified copies
- File type/size
- .pdf / 1 MB
- Language
- German
Copies or certified copies?
Please do not send us any original documents! Please send us only copies or, where required, officially certified copies. Please note that your translations must either have been produced by a translator who is officially sworn in Germany or by the diplomatic or consular mission of the Federal Republic of Germany in your home country.
Documents required for enrolment
Residence permit
If you are applying from abroad or are stateless, you will need a residence permit in order to enrol. Please enclose a copy of your residence permit. If this proof is missing, you will not be able to study with us.
Important: Citizens of the European Union (EU) or the European Economic Area (EEA) do not require a residence permit.
Assessment of whether international students are required to pay tuition fees or are exempt from them
International students are generally required to pay tuition fees, which currently amount to 1,500 euros. However, under certain circumstances, there are grounds on which you may be exempted from these tuition fees. Regardless of whether this applies to you or not, we must review the facts of your case. For this reason, you are required to submit the completed information form to us together with your enrolment documents. Please remember to include the relevant supporting documents with your submission.
The grounds for exemption from fees for international students are as follows:
- You hold a residence permit on family grounds, because you have fled your home country, or you hold a permanent residence permit for other reasons.
- You have resided in Germany for a total of 5 years and have worked legally.
- One of your parents has resided in Germany for a total of 3 years and worked legally during the 6 years prior to the start of your studies.
- You have already completed a Bachelor’s degree and a Master’s degree in Germany.
- You have already obtained a State Examination, a Diplom or a Magister degree in Germany.
Further information can be found in the State Higher Education Fees Act.
Important: Citizens of the European Union (EU) or the European Economic Area (EEA) do not pay tuition fees.
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Enquiry Form for International Students
- File type/size
- .pdf / 647 KB
- Language
- German
Recognition of academic credits
If you wish to have credits from a previous degree programme recognised, please contact the relevant contact person for your subject area.
Recognition of a foreign teacher training degree
If you have already completed a teacher training degree in another country, please contact the Regional Council in Tübingen first to have your teaching qualification assessed and recognised. This applies to all teaching qualifications for teaching at primary schools, Hauptschulen, Werkrealschulen and Realschulen in Baden-Württemberg. We recommend that you contact the Regional Council by telephone beforehand to clarify any important questions in advance.
Once you have received the final decision from the Regional Council, you can apply to us at the PHKA for the necessary supplementary studies. Section ‘IV.’ of the decision specifies exactly which supplementary studies you must undertake in order to obtain a teaching qualification in Baden-Württemberg.
As in other countries students often study only one subject as a teaching subject, in Germany, for example, a second subject must be studied. In some cases, the subject you are required to study is specified; in others, however, you are free to choose which subject you wish to teach. If you are allowed to choose freely, you will find an overview of all subjects on offer on the page about teacher training. On the respective degree programme pages, you will find information on which subjects can be studied within each degree programme.
Apply for postgraduate study
- Please complete the application form for admission to postgraduate study for the recognition of your teacher training degree. When doing so, please enter the requirements provided to you by the Tübingen Regional Council, including the required credit points (CP). If you are free to choose your second subject, please enter the subject that you wish to study with us and later teach.
- Print out the application and sign it by hand.
- Send us your application by post, together with the notification from the Tübingen Regional Council and proof of the required language proficiency, or submit it to us in person.
-
Application for admission to a postgraduate teacher training programme for holders of a foreign teaching qualification
- File type/size
- .pdf / 951 KB
- Language
- German
Any questions?
If you haven’t found an answer in the frequently asked questions or need assistance with your application to continue your studies, we’ll be happy to help you personally.
Special offers
All international students regularly enrolled with us are supported by a dedicated tutor. You can also make use of the support and advisory services for international students provided by the Karlsruhe Student Services Organisation.
Additional courses, such as ‘German as a Language of Science’ (in the winter semester) and ‘German for Work and School’ (in the summer semester), are offered free of charge. Furthermore, if required, tutorials can be organised for particularly challenging lectures or seminars to ensure support with understanding texts and learning the course content.
As part of the Scholarship and Support Programme for International Students and Doctoral Candidates (STIBET), our university regularly awards a graduation scholarship or a scholarship for particularly committed international students, funded by the Federal Foreign Office (AA). These scholarships are available to international students who are regularly enrolled at our university on a Bachelor’s, teacher training, Master’s or doctoral programme. To be eligible, you must have achieved good academic results and, in addition, demonstrated outstanding commitment within an international context at your university. The scholarship may be awarded for a maximum of 12 months, with a minimum award of 250.00 euros. The International Office will provide you with full details as soon as you are enrolled.
In addition, you may be awarded the DAAD Prize for outstanding academic achievement, which we present to international students every year. The award comes with a cash prize of 1,000 euros. The award ceremony usually takes place during the university’s New Year’s reception.
Updated on 1 October 2026 by International Office