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German-Language Prerequisites for Application/Admission and Matriculation

If you are a student wishing to take a complete degree at JLU in German, you will have to show that you have acquired sufficient proficiency in the German language. This applies to all applicants without a German Abitur.

Please include evidence in your application for admission that you hold one of the following certificates (or higher). If you have no or not enough knowledge of German, our renowned German intensive courses will help you to get the necessary certificates within one year (or faster). Applications for a German intensive course in preparation for academic study are possible anytime!

1. Application

Please remember the application deadlines and include one of the following certificates in your application for admission:

All courses of study except medicine, veterinary medicine, and dentistry:

Applications for medicine, veterinary medicine, and dentistry:
  • DSH-1
  • TestDaF minimum 14 points
  • B2-Zertifikat (or higher) by Goethe-Institut, ÖSD or TELC - not "skaliert"
  • ZMP (Zentrale Mittelstufenprüfung)
  • onDaF with 65% minimum (TestDaF-Institut)
  • Deutsches Sprachdiplom der Kultusministerkonferenz - 2. Stufe (DSD II) with a minimum of 1x B2
  • a certificate stating that you have learned German for more than 1000 hours at a state school or institution of higher education
  • A degree completed at a German university in a course of study taught in German.

Please note that you will have to prove a higher proficiency in German for matriculation (see 2. Matriculation)!

Please submit one of the certificates listed under 2. Matriculation no later than January 15 (for the following summer semester) or July 15 (for the following winter semester).

German citizens, EU & EEA (Liechtenstein, Norway, and Iceland) citizens as well as foreign nationals with a German university entrance certificate apply via hochschulstart.de and prove their German language proficiency upon matriculation.  Matriculation is not possible without proof of sufficient German language proficiency. Please note: you cannot participate in the DSH-test immediately before matriculation. We therefore recommend that you also look for external or other German language tests as early as possible as matriculation can start already in February (for the summer semester) or August (for the winter semester).

 

The language requirements for the Studienkolleg are lower. Applicants must submit one of the following certificates: 

  • B2 certificate from the JLU intensive language courses. 
  • Level 4 of the intensive language courses of the University of Marburg
  • telc B2
  • Goethe Certificate B2
  • TestDaF 4 x TDN 3
  • DSH-1
  • ÖSD Certificate B2
  • DSD II

 

The University decides about admission to a Studienkolleg. 

Please write us an email if you have any further questions pertaining to German language prerequisites for admission and matriculation.

2. Matriculation

You need to demonstrate a higher proficiency in the German language before you can matriculate. You have to hold one of the following certificates (or higher) for matriculation:

  • DSH-2 (Deutsche Sprachprüfung für den Hochschulzugang, registered by HRK or passed at JLU Giessen) or
  • TestDaF with at least TDN 4 in all parts of the exam or
  • in each part of 2 directly consecutive TestDaF tests at least 1 x TDN 4 and always at least 16 points or
  • telc Deutsch C1 Hochschule or
  • ZOP (Zentrale Oberstufenprüfung) or
  • Kleines or Großes Sprachdiplom (Goethe-Institut) or
  • Goethe-Zertifikat C2 or
  • Deutsches Sprachdiplom der Kultusministerkonferenz - 2. Stufe (DSD II) or
  • Wirtschaftssprache Deutsch of ÖSD or
  • passed Feststellungsprüfung of a Studienkolleg of a German institute of higher education (minimum grade: 4) or
  • a degree from a German Institute of Higher Education

3. The DSH Exam

a) Preparation for & taking the DSH Exam

The DSH exam (Deutsche Sprachprüfung für den Hochschulzugang ausländischer Studienbewerber/German Language Examination for Foreign Student Applicants to Institutions of Higher Education) is designed to test whether you have enough German language proficiency to engage successfully in a course of study at university level. If you have applied for a place of study at JLU or THM, but you demonstrate language proficiency sufficient only for your application (see 1. Application), you can apply to take the DSH exam at JLU (usually in March or September). You do not have to sit the exam if you hold one of the German language certificates needed for matriculation (see 2. Matriculation).

The examination is immediately preceded by a one-week exam preparation course (ususally Monday-Thursday 8:45-12:15). You are not obliged to attend this course (which is free of charge), but we strongly recommend that you do so!

b) The DSH at JLU

The fees for the DSH exam at JLU amount to € 140,-. You can resit the exam twice. 3 months have to elapse between each attempt. This is why you have to affirm that you will sit the exam only at JLU before the respective semester and whether and at which university you have taken and failed the DSH exam before. A false statement will lead to the cancellation of your results.

If you have applied for the summer semester after January 15 or if you have applied for the winter semester after July 15, you may not take the DSH exam.

If JLU has not received your payment of the examination fees 10 days before the written part of the DSH examination, you may not take the DSH exam.

If the number of applicants exceeds the number of available places, we will select the best candidates. We will notify students who were not selected at least 6 days before the written part of the DSH examination. These students will receive an email (sent to the address given in the application form) and we will reimburse the examination fees. 

You automatically fulfil the qualifications for participating in the DSH exam if you have passed the C1-exam of the Goethe Institute or the TELC or if you have passed all parts of the exam 'Wirtschaftsdeutsch International' (PWD) or 'Deutsch als Fremdsprache in der Wirtschaft' (WiDaF) C1.

If you have applied with DSH-1 or TestDaF with 14-16 points, you must prove that you have prepared specifically for resitting the exam. You can do so by taking a German language course (level C1, with at least 120 contact hours of at least 45 minutes).

If you pass level 2 or 3 of the exam (DSH-2 or DSH-3) you may matriculate on the date indicated in your notification of admission.

The results of your passed exam will immediately be communicated to the admissions office of JLU or THM. The certificate will be issued 8 weeks after matriculation at JLU at the earliest. Please present your student ID card. This regulation does not apply to DSH-1 exam results. 

 Preparatory Language Courses

The International Office of JLU Giessen offers special fee-paying German intensive courses preparing students for the DSH.