What is university preparation with a language course?
University preparation covers all courses between school and the start of a degree that make an application possible. The language course is almost always the largest part. It leads to the language certificate the university requires and prepares you for exams such as the DSH, Germany's university entrance exam for German.
Two gaps make university preparation necessary, and each needs a different kind of course.
- The language gap: your school certificate qualifies you for university, but your language level is not yet high enough. A language course followed by a test is then sufficient.
- The qualification gap: your school certificate is not recognised as equivalent in the destination country. You then need a preparation programme with subject teaching, such as a Studienkolleg in Germany or a foundation year in the UK.
Online courses mainly cover the language part. They suit the time before you move abroad, test preparation and preparation for entrance exams. Subject teaching and final exams usually take place on site.
First find out which gap you have. If you only have a language gap, targeted test preparation can save you a whole year compared with a preparation programme.
4 routes to admission with a language course compared
The right route depends on your school certificate, your language level and the destination country.
| Route | Who it suits | Duration | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| Test preparation (IELTS, TOEFL, TestDaF) | school certificate is fine, language is missing | 2 to 6 months | recognised test result |
| Pre-sessional course (UK) | conditional offer, score slightly too low | a few weeks to several months | language condition met |
| Foundation year (UK, Netherlands and others) | school certificate not equivalent | usually 1 academic year | progression to year one |
| Studienkolleg (Germany) | foreign certificate does not give direct access | usually 2 semesters | Feststellungsprüfung |
IELTS and TOEFL are internationally recognised English tests, and TestDaF is the standardised Test of German as a Foreign Language. A pre-sessional course is a language course a UK university runs before term starts. A foundation year is a one-year preparation programme with language and subject modules.
Whether your school certificate qualifies you for study in Germany is shown in the admission database of the DAAD, the German Academic Exchange Service. In the UK, each university assesses foreign qualifications itself.
Studienkolleg and the Feststellungsprüfung in Germany
A Studienkolleg prepares applicants whose foreign school certificate does not give direct access to university in Germany. It usually lasts two semesters, and very strong students can sometimes finish in one. It ends with the Feststellungsprüfung, an assessment exam that qualifies you for a specific group of subjects.
5 groups of focus courses at a Studienkolleg
| Course | Subjects | Type of institution |
|---|---|---|
| T course | mathematics, sciences, engineering | university |
| M course | medicine, biology, pharmacy | university |
| W course | economics and social sciences | university |
| G and S courses | humanities, languages | university |
| TI, WW, GD, SW | engineering, business, design, social work | university of applied sciences |
Teaching is in German, and the Studienkolleg takes your German to about C1, the fifth of the six levels of the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR). You need solid German to get in. The Studienkolleg in Kassel, for example, requires B1 with a certificate or a B1 course of at least 400 lessons, and it also tests German and mathematics. Frankfurt uses an electronic German test.
State-run Studienkollegs are free apart from the semester fee. Private ones charge fees, and only a few may hold a state-recognised Feststellungsprüfung, so check before you enrol. You can also take the Feststellungsprüfung as an external candidate, but places are often limited.
Online courses help most before you travel: German up to B1 or B2 and targeted preparation for the entrance test in German and mathematics.
Preparing online for the DSH and TestDaF
If you want to study in German at a German university and your school certificate is recognised, you usually need one of these two certificates. Under the framework regulation of the German Rectors' Conference, DSH-2 and TestDaF with TDN 4 in all four parts give unrestricted admission. TDN stands for TestDaF level. The DSH is Germany's university entrance exam for German, and TestDaF is the standardised Test of German as a Foreign Language.
| Feature | DSH | TestDaF |
|---|---|---|
| Run by | each university itself | TestDaF Institute, worldwide |
| Location | at the university in Germany | test centres, digital on a computer |
| Parts | listening, reading with academic grammar, writing, oral exam | reading, listening, writing, speaking |
| Result | DSH-1, DSH-2, DSH-3 | TDN 3, 4 or 5 per part |
| Advantage | taken at the target university after arrival | possible in your home country before you move |
TestDaF has a clear advantage for online learners, because you take it in your home country before applying. The DSH usually takes place after arrival, and each university designs it slightly differently.
- Sample exams from the target university show how its DSH is built.
- Online courses train note-taking in lectures, which counts in both exams.
- Academic grammar such as the passive and noun-heavy style is easy to practise online.
Pre-sessional courses and foundation years in the UK
UK universities offer two routes when your language or your school certificate is not yet enough.
Pre-sessional course when your score falls just short
Many universities make a conditional offer when your IELTS score is slightly below the requirement. IELTS is an internationally recognised English test with a scale from 0 to 9. You meet the condition by passing the university's pre-sessional course, a language course before term starts. Its length depends on the size of the gap, and some universities run it fully or partly online.
Foundation year when your school certificate is not equivalent
A foundation year is for applicants whose school qualifications are not equivalent to British A-levels. It combines academic English with subject modules and usually lasts one academic year. Students who pass progress to the first year of a matching bachelor's degree.
For a UK student visa, the government requires English at CEFR level B2, the fourth of the six levels of the Common European Framework, for courses at degree level or above. Below degree level, which includes stand-alone language and preparation courses, B1 applies and must be shown with an approved test. Universities may assess English themselves for degree-level courses, but they must ensure B2.
Online language courses help you narrow the gap before you apply. Every half IELTS band you close shortens the pre-sessional course and saves course fees.
University preparation for France with the TCF DAP
If you apply from abroad for the first year of a bachelor's degree (Licence 1) at a French university, you go through the DAP, the demande d'admission préalable, a preliminary application. Universities require proof of French for it.
The TCF DAP is the version of the Test de connaissance du français used for this procedure. France Éducation international runs it, and results are valid for two years. The scale runs from 100 to 699 points. Campus France, the French agency for international students, names about 400 points as a target, which marks the start of CEFR level B2.
Applicants who already hold a DELF B2 or DALF C1, the French language diplomas of the French education ministry, are generally exempt from the TCF DAP. Confirm this with Campus France in your country, because rules can change between years and procedures.
- ✓In many countries you can take the TCF DAP through Campus France.
- ✓Online courses train every part of the test.
- ✓A DELF or DALF diploma does not expire.
- ✗Test dates fall early in the application year.
- ✗TCF results expire after two years.
- ✗Master's programmes and later years use other procedures.
7 building blocks of a good online university preparation course
A good online preparation course is built around your target university, not around a general textbook. It should contain seven building blocks.
- A placement test at the start places you on the CEFR, the six-level scale of the Common European Framework of Reference.
- The course names the exam your target university requires and aligns its exercises with that format.
- Full practice exams under time pressure show how far you are from the target score.
- Long, lecture-style recordings train note-taking.
- Short academic texts introduce structure, argument and citation.
- For a Studienkolleg, the German preparation year for applicants whose school certificate is not equivalent, the course practises mathematical and scientific vocabulary in German.
- Live sessions take place at times that suit your time zone.
Ask the provider how many participants reached their target score last year and how long it took. A reputable provider gives figures or explains why it does not collect them.
Online at home or a language course in the destination country
Many applicants combine both. They study online at home up to B1 or B2, the third or fourth level of the Common European Framework of Reference, and then switch to a course on site, for example to prepare for the DSH at the target university. The DSH is Germany's university entrance exam for German and takes place only in Germany.
- ✓Online, you avoid travel, rent and living costs abroad.
- ✓You keep your school, job and home until admission is confirmed.
- ✓You take standardised tests such as TestDaF for German or IELTS and TOEFL for English in your home country.
- ✗In the destination country you hear and speak the language every day, also outside class.
- ✗On-site courses prepare directly for the DSH of a specific university.
- ✗Arriving before the degree starts makes finding a flat and dealing with authorities easier.
The choice depends mainly on your budget and your route to admission. If you need TestDaF or IELTS, an online course can often take you all the way. If you have to sit the DSH or attend a Studienkolleg, a preparation year with subject teaching, you will spend the final phase on site anyway.
An 18-month timeline for university preparation
University preparation takes longer than many applicants expect, because application deadlines fall well before the start of the degree. An example for a degree starting in autumn:
| Time before the degree starts | Step |
|---|---|
| 18 months | placement test, choice of route, start of an online course |
| 12 months | B1 reached, entrance test or language test planned |
| 9 months | test preparation with practice tests, documents translated and certified |
| 6 to 8 months | test taken, application submitted |
| 3 months | offer received, visa application, academic writing practice |
The table shows a typical sequence; each university sets its own deadlines. Studienkollegs, the German preparation years for applicants whose school certificate is not equivalent, have their own deadlines too, in Frankfurt for example 15 July for the winter semester.
Cambridge English guidance on the levels of the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) helps with language planning. It estimates about 350 to 400 guided learning hours to B1, 500 to 600 to B2 and 700 to 800 to C1. Starting from zero, few learners reach C1 within a year alongside school or work.
6 common mistakes in university preparation
Most delays come from wrong assumptions about requirements and deadlines.
- Choosing the wrong route: if you only have a language gap, you do not need a Studienkolleg or foundation year, the preparation years with subject teaching. If you have a qualification gap, a language test alone will not get you in.
- Skipping the admission rules: each university lists the certificates and minimum scores it accepts.
- Testing too late: without time for a second attempt, a narrow miss can sink the application.
- Not checking private providers: only a few private Studienkollegs may hold the Feststellungsprüfung, the state-recognised final exam.
- Practising only test formats: if you cannot follow lectures in the first semester, you lose time that no test score gives back.
- Overlooking validity: results of the French TCF test are valid for two years, and many universities accept English tests only up to two years after the test date.
A good online preparation course addresses these points. It clarifies your goal at the start, names the right exam, schedules practice tests and trains lectures, reading and writing alongside test formats.
Frequently asked questions about university preparation
Who needs a Studienkolleg in Germany?
A Studienkolleg is needed by applicants whose foreign school certificate does not give direct access to university study in Germany. The DAAD admission database shows whether this applies to your certificate. The Studienkolleg usually lasts two semesters and ends with the Feststellungsprüfung, an assessment exam.
What German level is needed to enter a Studienkolleg?
Entry to a Studienkolleg usually requires German at CEFR level B1. The Studienkolleg in Kassel, for example, asks for a B1 certificate or a B1 course of at least 400 lessons and also tests German and mathematics. Each Studienkolleg sets its exact requirements.
Can I prepare for the DSH online?
You can prepare well for the DSH, Germany's university entrance exam for German, online. Online courses train listening with note-taking, reading, academic grammar and writing. You sit the exam itself at the university in Germany, so its sample exam is worth studying.
What is a pre-sessional course at a UK university?
A pre-sessional course is an English course a UK university runs before term for admitted applicants whose test score is slightly too low. Passing it meets the language condition of the offer. Its length depends on the size of the gap, and some universities run it online.
How does a foundation year differ from a pre-sessional course?
A foundation year and a pre-sessional course close different gaps. A foundation year usually lasts one academic year and compensates for school qualifications that are not equivalent to British A-levels. A pre-sessional course lasts weeks to months and closes only a gap in English.
Do I need the TCF DAP to study in France?
Applicants from abroad need the TCF DAP for the first year of a bachelor's degree at a French university unless they hold a DELF B2 or DALF C1. TCF DAP results are valid for two years. Master's programmes and later years use other procedures.
Does a state-run Studienkolleg charge tuition fees?
A state-run Studienkolleg charges no tuition fees, and you pay only the semester fee. As an enrolled student you can then use the canteen, library and other student services. Private Studienkollegs charge fees.
Sources
The information is based on these sources. Check fees and dates with the provider before you register.