Studienkolleg of the KIT (Karlsruher Institute for Technology) — Karlsruhe
Facts about the college
| Type | State |
|---|---|
| At which university | Karlsruhe Institute of Technology |
| Language of instruction | German |
| Duration | 2 semesters |
| Courses | T-Kurs |
| Entrance exam | German B2 |
| How the FSP is taken | At the college, by its own board |
| Application method | Via partner universities, for your future programme of study |
| Cost and fees | Tuition is free — only the semester contribution |
| Nearest intake | Summer semester 2027 · apply by 15.01.2027 · entrance exam ~14.02 |
Data from the college's official pages
* Exam dates are approximate — based on the previous intake.
About the college
In the preparatory college, students of different national origins, different religious and political convictions and different educational backgrounds come together to prepare for the same goal. This special situation requires that teachers and learners work together in mutual respect for each other's personality, religious beliefs, nationality and political views.
On behalf of the Baden-Württemberg Ministry of Science, Research and the Arts (MWK), the preparatory college prepares foreign applicants for the assessment test and the German language test for university entrance (or equivalent tests) and conducts these tests. The courses/exams are aimed at students whose educational qualifications can only be obtained in connection with a successfully completed assessment test (FSP) or German language test for university entrance (DSH or TestDaF or equivalent tests) for a course of study at a university, art college, teacher training college or cooperative education system entitle university. Furthermore, the preparatory college has the task of improving the technical language ability of the students.
The Studienkolleg is a central institution at the KIT (Karlsruher Institute for Technology) and is directly assigned to the Vice President for Teaching. The Language Center is affiliated with the Studienkolleg.
Courses of the college
The course is chosen for your future field of study: it cannot be changed after enrolment.
Exams
* Exam dates are approximate — based on the previous intake.
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The entrance test for T-course applicants consists of two parts:
- approx. one-hour online exam in mathematics
- approx. one-hour online exam in German
Both parts of the exam are taken on the same day.
Please note:
- You can only take part in the admissions test if you have a valid reservation and a seat confirmation after successful registration.
- No aids are allowed.
- Please bring your pre-registration and your passport with you to the entrance test.
- Please bring your access data with you to the following portals: onSET, Ilias
- Please come on time
Information on the German exam
The entrance test takes place with the help of onSET (= online placement test). You don't need computer skills. You just need to know how to use the keyboard and mouse. Everything else runs automatically. The onSET contains eight tasks. Each task consists of a gap text with exactly 20 gaps. You have a maximum of five minutes for each gap text. Overall, the test takes a maximum of 40 minutes.
You can find more information on the website https://www.onset.de/. You can prepare for onSET with a sample test. The test is shorter and slightly easier than the onSET. But he shows you what you have to do with onSET.
Information on the math exam
Format: The mathematics entrance test takes place as an electronic exam in the Ilias of the KIT.
Content: Curriculum including the 11th grade of a German high school
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Internal participants, i.e. students who attend the Studienkolleg, receive a semester grade for their performance in the second semester in all subjects (German, mathematics, physics, computer science with electrical engineering - internship or chemistry with chemistry - internship).
The written exam covers German, mathematics, physics or chemistry or computer science. The oral examination in the respective subject can be waived if the average of the semester grade and the written examination is at least 4.0 and the difference ('amount of the difference') is no more than one grade. If both grades (semester grade and written exam) are not sufficient in at least two subjects, there is no oral exam and the FSP is not passed.
Premature assessment test: If certain requirements are met, the FSP can be brought forward in one subject (or several subjects), i.e. it can be taken after the first semester. For this, the average grade of the first semester in the subject concerned must be at least 2.5 and all participating lecturers must agree.
If the FSP is passed, the overall grade results from the (possibly weighted) average of all relevant partial grades. You will be exempted from a subject if you have passed the early examination or (when repeating) the grade achieved has been recognised. In this case, the grade obtained in the early part is included in the overall grade.
If you don't get an adequate final grade in just one subject, you can take a re-examination. The re-examination takes place approximately one month after the FSP. The conditions are the same as for the (first) FP. In particular, the semester grade is retained, if available.
Calculation examples: Some cases that occur frequently are shown in a table. Please follow the link.
If you have any further questions, we will be happy to help you: send an email.
Structure
The exam is divided into a written and an oral part.
The subject of the written examination (focus T) are three subjects:
- German (approx. 4.5 hours including breaks and reading time)
- Mathematics (180 minutes)
- Physics, chemistry or computer science (180 minutes)
The oral examination covers the subjects of the written examination and another subject not chosen in the written examination (chemistry, computer science or physics).
Parts of the exam
German
The written test in German is based on the form and requirements of the DSH or the TestDaF. Applicants can apply to be exempted from the German exam if they can present one of the following certificates:
- The German Language Diploma of the Conference of Ministers of Education - Second Level,
- The certificate of having passed the Goethe-Certificate C2 (Great German Language Diploma (GDS) from the Goethe-Institut),
- The certificate of the German language test for university admission (DSH) with an overall result of at least DSH-2,
- the test German as a foreign language for foreign university applicants (TestDaF) with a result that shows at least TestDaF level 4 in all four partial tests,
- The certificate of having passed the "telc Deutsch C1 Hochschule" exam
The German part of the exam can be taken at an earlier date (preferred German exam).
Mathematics
The processing time for the written exam is 3 hours (180 minutes). A (non-programmable) pocket calculator and the formula collection are permitted as aids: Sieber; Mathematical Formulas E; Klett Verlag Stuttgart. The content is based on the material plan.
The oral exam usually lasts 15 minutes and has the same content as above.
Physics
The processing time for the written exam is 3 hours (180 minutes). A (non-programmable) pocket calculator is permitted as an aid. The content is based on the material plan.
The oral exam usually lasts 15 minutes and has the same content as above.
Computer Science
The processing time for the written exam is 3 hours (180 minutes). A (non-programmable) pocket calculator is permitted as an aid. The content is based on the material plan.
The oral exam usually lasts 15 minutes and has the same content as above.
Chemistry
The processing time for the written exam is 3 hours (180 minutes). A (non-programmable) pocket calculator is permitted as an aid. The content is based on the material plan.
The oral exam usually lasts 15 minutes and has the same content as above.
Linked universities
Universities the college works with. At a home university the college is part of the university or admits its applicants.
How to apply
- 1Check that you need a StudienkollegYour certificate's status in the recognition database decides — direct admission may be possible after one or two years at a university at home.
- 2German B2Confirmed by a certificate at the time of application.
- 3Apply via a universityYou apply to a bachelor's programme of a linked university; the university admits you conditionally and sends you to the college.
- 4Entrance examGerman and the main subject of the course; places go to the best results.
The application goes to a partner university of the college, for the bachelor's programme you want to study later; the university sends it on to the college.
Typical mistakes:
- ×incorrectly made certified copies and translations
- ×a wrong set of documents
- ×the application submitted the wrong way
- ×errors or gaps in the application form
- ×the application submitted at the wrong time — too early or too late
An incomplete or incorrectly prepared application is excluded from the selection — it can no longer be corrected after the deadline.
- ✓We check the certificate and the translations
- ✓We fill in and submit the application
- ✓We keep track of the deadline and the invitation to the entrance exam
Each additional college: €197
To apply with us, order at least 2 weeks before the application deadline — for the nearest intake by 01.01.2027. What matters is the order itself — documents can follow later: these two weeks are exactly the time for checking and preparing them. The earlier you order, even if something is still missing, the calmer and more reliably we prepare everything together for the strongest application.
Apply with our help · €297StudyInFocus does not represent the college and does not influence the admission decision.
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