German Nationals Certificate of Non-German Educational Qualifications (German Citizens)
German citizens who hold non-German certificates of educational qualifications and wish to begin their studies at a university in Baden-Württemberg must contact the Stuttgart Regional Council of the State of Baden-Württemberg (Regierungspräsidium Stuttgart des Landes Baden-Württemberg) to have the foreign educational qualifications recognised and to establish equivalence with the general and subject-restricted German higher education entrance qualifications.
Exception: German citizens who apply for a degree programme with a centralised allocation procedure and nationwide admission restrictions (at Heidelberg University, this is Human Medicine, Dentistry, and Pharmacy) may submit their certificate of foreign educational qualifications for recognition directly to hochschulstart.de, along with their application for admission. Please note: Recognition of the foreign certificate of educational qualifications must, however, be submitted to the Regierungspräsidium Stuttgartof the state of Baden-Württemberg and subsequently be submitted to Heidelberg University.
Assessment Test and Subject-Specific University Entrance Qualification
If, in the opinion of the Regierungspräsidium, the foreign educational qualifications do not directly entitle the holder to study at a German university, a so-called Feststellungsprüfung (assessment test), which will then be required for obtaining a higher education entrance qualification, can be taken as part of a preparatory course at the Studienkolleg (preparatory college). Successful completion of the assessment test, together with the certificate of foreign educational qualifications, provides applicants with a subject-specific higher education entrance qualification for admission to a degree programme at a German university. Written permission from the Regierungspräsidium Stuttgart is required for participation in the assessment test. Upon approval, the Regierungspräsidium will refer the candidates to either the Heidelberg or Karlsruhe Studienkolleg as the location for the assessment test.
Heidelberg University Studienkolleg (Preparatory College)
The Studienkolleg prepares students for the assessment test (Feststellungsprüfung ). The Studienkolleg at Heidelberg University offers two-semester, subject-specific courses to prepare students for the assessment test (Feststellungsprüfung ) for university studies.
In the state of Baden-Württemberg, to which Heidelberg also belongs, an application for the preparatory courses for the assessment test is not made at the Studienkolleg itself, but at the Baden-Württemberg university at which the subsequent specialized studies are to be carried out.
Applicants who have been admitted to the Studienkolleg Heidelberg must take an entrance examination (German test). The result decides on admission to the Studienkolleg. It is not possible to be exempted from the entrance examination for the Studienkolleg at Heidelberg University.
The information on the application procedure presented below is intended for prospective students who wish to apply for admission to the Studienkolleg and pursue the subsequent specialized studies at Heidelberg University after passing the assessment test.
Application Deadlines for Participation in the Studienkolleg with Subsequent Assessment Test
An overview of the undergraduate subjects offered at Heidelberg University leading to a Bachelor's degree or state examination can be found on the website "All subjects". Applicants for the Studienkolleg apply for admission to the Studienkolleg course that is assigned to the desired field of study. Please refer to the corresponding overview for an assignment of the Studienkolleg courses to the respective fields of study. Further information can be found in the information sheet "Application to the Studienkolleg".
The application for the desired Studienkolleg course is made via the online portal heiCO within the following application periods:
- From May 1st until June 30th for the following winter semester
- From November 1st until December 15th for the following summer semester
The application requires registration on the online platform and the upload of all necessary documents. Application documents received by Heidelberg University after the application deadline cannot be considered in the selection and admission process.
Supplementary examination at the Studienkolleg
Applicants who, after passing the assessment test, would like to take up a course of study in a degree programme for which the assessment test they have already passed does not entitle them to do so, may be admitted to a so-called supplementary examination (Ergänzungsprüfung).