The Studienkolleg is a public educational institution in Germany, Austria and Switzerland, for students whose secondary school certificate is not recognized as equivalent to the

Abitur ''Abitur'' (), often shortened colloquially to ''Abi'', is a qualification granted at the end of secondary education in Germany. It is conferred on students who pass their final exams at the end of ISCED 3, usually after twelve or thirteen year ...

. It is a preparatory course or first year program for academic studies at university.

Training

German is spoken in all courses. The students are prepared in a two-semester course which is subject-specific. Usually these types of courses are offered: ;University Preparatory schools: * G-course for the

humanities Humanities are academic disciplines that study aspects of human society and culture. In the Renaissance, the term contrasted with divinity and referred to what is now called classics, the main area of secular study in universities at the t ...

* W-course for

social sciences Social science is one of the branches of science, devoted to the study of societies and the relationships among individuals within those societies. The term was formerly used to refer to the field of sociology, the original "science of soci ...

(including

economics Economics () is the social science that studies the Production (economics), production, distribution (economics), distribution, and Consumption (economics), consumption of goods and services. Economics focuses on the behaviour and intera ...

and

law Law is a set of rules that are created and are enforceable by social or governmental institutions to regulate behavior,Robertson, ''Crimes against humanity'', 90. with its precise definition a matter of longstanding debate. It has been vario ...

) * M-Course for medical studies (

medicine Medicine is the science and practice of caring for a patient, managing the diagnosis, prognosis, prevention, treatment, palliation of their injury or disease, and promoting their health. Medicine encompasses a variety of health care pract ...

biology Biology is the scientific study of life. It is a natural science with a broad scope but has several unifying themes that tie it together as a single, coherent field. For instance, all organisms are made up of cells that process hereditary i ...

dentistry Dentistry, also known as dental medicine and oral medicine, is the branch of medicine focused on the teeth, gums, and mouth. It consists of the study, diagnosis, prevention, management, and treatment of diseases, disorders, and conditions o ...

pharmacy Pharmacy is the science and practice of discovering, producing, preparing, dispensing, reviewing and monitoring medications, aiming to ensure the safe, effective, and affordable use of medicines. It is a miscellaneous science as it links heal ...

and

veterinary medicine Veterinary medicine is the branch of medicine that deals with the prevention, management, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, disorder, and injury in animals. Along with this, it deals with animal rearing, husbandry, breeding, research on nutri ...

) * T-Course for technical studies (

engineering Engineering is the use of scientific method, scientific principles to design and build machines, structures, and other items, including bridges, tunnels, roads, vehicles, and buildings. The discipline of engineering encompasses a broad rang ...

math Mathematics is an area of knowledge that includes the topics of numbers, formulas and related structures, shapes and the spaces in which they are contained, and quantities and their changes. These topics are represented in modern mathematics ...

physics Physics is the natural science that studies matter, its fundamental constituents, its motion and behavior through space and time, and the related entities of energy and force. "Physical science is that department of knowledge which r ...

chemistry Chemistry is the science, scientific study of the properties and behavior of matter. It is a natural science that covers the Chemical element, elements that make up matter to the chemical compound, compounds made of atoms, molecules and ions ...

) and * S-Course for

philology Philology () is the study of language in oral and writing, written historical sources; it is the intersection of textual criticism, literary criticism, history, and linguistics (with especially strong ties to etymology). Philology is also defin ...

;Technical College Preparatory schools: * TI-Course for Technical and Engineering studies * WW-course for Economics and Business studies * GD-course for Art and Design studies * SW-course for Social Science studies

Costs

The lessons and tests at the Studienkollegs (except in Dresden and Glauchau) are currently free, but the registered students have to pay semester fees (registration fee, social contribution, semester ticket, etc.). These costs are depending on each college from 100 to 400 euros per semester. The cost of living (housing, clothing, food and drink etc.) are around 700 euros per month. For the students of Studienkollegs there are usually no scholarships.

Secondary School Education (Abitur)

After two semesters of study the students complete their secondary school education. Exams must be passed in different subjects, such as maths, sciences, economics, languages. In the German language test, students must achieve level C1 of the

CEFR The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages: Learning, Teaching, Assessment, abbreviated in English as CEFR or CEF or CEFRL, is a guideline used to describe achievements of learners of foreign languages across Europe and, increasing ...

. After passing the Studienkolleg, the students can apply to either the university or technical college of their choice. However, graduates of a university-preparatory ''Studienkolleg'' cannot attend a Technical College and graduates of a technical-preparatory ''Studienkolleg'' cannot attend university.

References

External links

Studienkollegs in Deutschland
{{Authority control Secondary school qualifications Education in Germany Education in Austria Education in Switzerland