FAQ´s Studienkolleg

Studying in Germany

To study at a university in Germany, you need a university entrance qualification - if the school leaving certificate from your home country does not give you a direct university entrance qualification, you have to take an assessment test, which proves that you have acquired the necessary knowledge and language skills. The preparatory year prepares you for this.

You can find more information here: https://www.uni-assist.de/bewerben/vorab-informieren/studienkolleg/

You can check your school accreditation from here:
https://www.uni-assist.de/tools/check-hochschulzugang/

No, it is not decisive for the later choice of the course whether the assessment test in chemistry or physics was taken.

The Studienkolleg Middle East offers the assessment test (FSP) only for its participants

The final exam can be retaken twice.
Risking a fail is not recommended.

Studienkolleg Middle East in Saudi-Arabia

Language level requirement
We accept you with a B1 German language level. Preparatory years in German require a B2 level. German universities require C1. More than 90% of bachelor’s degree studies are in German. To be successful, you need a really good German language acknowledgment
Lower costs
To study in Germany, you need a blocked account of 10,332 euros - since you have living expenses of 861 euros every month. If you stay in the region, it will be cheaper.
Good for young school students
In Germany you are of legal age from the age of 18 – only then can you sign contracts. So it's worth waiting until you turn 18.
With better preparatation to Germany
We prepare you professionally and linguistically so well that you can do your desired degree in Germany without any major worries.
Local teachers
Our teachers know your curriculum, difficulties, and learning styles - they take these into account and prepare you perfectly for the German system.
Good chances of integration
Intercultural and regional lectures will show you how you can best get involved in Germany and how to find your way in public life.
Easier acceptance
The acceptance rate for German preparatory years is low due to students applying from all around the world. The contest in North Africa is lower and due to that, you have a better chance to find a place in the preparatory year Middle East in Saudi Arabia than in Germany.

The Goethe Institute not only prepares you professionally for your studies in Germany but also from the first step of the application to the start of your studies in Germany, including support in applying for a visa.

In cooperation with the technical university of Berlin, the technical course (T-Kurs) will be offered. This course prepares for natural, engineering, computer science, and mathematical studies. For all other courses e.g. (M-Kurs) for medicine, you can apply for other preparatory year programs in Germany.

The courses of the preparatory year Middle East in Saudi Arabia will take place online. For the language course, it is free to choose, whether the course will take place online or present at Goethe institute Riyadh. The courses take place online and for mathematics, chemistry, physics, and computer science, there is a week where the students are present at the institute.

Yes, there is a partial scholarship program.
For more information, please contact us via email: studienkolleg-riad@goethe.de

Yes, the Preparatory year is a full-time program and regular attendance (online and offline) is a requirement to be admitted to the assessment tests.

The participants take 15 hours of German lessons per week, as well as mathematics, chemistry, physics, and computer science lessons in German. In addition, there are intercultural and cultural events that prepare for life in Germany.

Requirements

German B1 language level
Secondary degrees that do not have a direct access qualification to German universities
When you have an American diploma, you must study at an accredited university for a year.

You can check your school accreditation here:

https://www.uni-assist.de/tools/check-hochschulzugang/

No, there is not a certain age for applying to the preparatory year.

All school graduates who don’t have a direct access qualification to German universities and have a German language level of B1 can apply for the preparatory year Middle East in Saudi Arabia.

You can find more information here:
https://www.uni-assist.de/bewerben/vorab-informieren/studienkolleg/

Yes, students from all nationalities who have an interest can apply for the preparatory year Middle East in Saudi Arabia.

Yes, Palestinian school graduate students can apply for the preparatory year Middle East in Saudi Arabia. For all questions and chances for financial support, please contact us via: studienkolleg-riad@goethe.de

Yes, Yemeni school graduate students can apply for the preparatory year Middle East in Saudi Arabia. For all questions and chances for financial support, please contact us via: studienkolleg-riad@goethe.de

It is mandatory in some cases to attend the preparatory year with an IB/GIB. You can find more information here: https://www.daad.de/en/study-and-research-in-germany/plan-your-studies/recognition-ib-diploma/

No, it is not possible to attend the preparatory year with a GCE/IGSE. You can find more information here:
https://www.daad.de/en/study-and-research-in-germany/plan-your-studies/recognition-gce/

No, if you have already finished your bachelor's degree in Saudi Arabia, you don’t have to attend the preparatory year. In this case, you need the C1 certificate, which you can get at Goethe Institute.
https://www.goethe.de/de/spr/kup/kur/wwt.html

But, if you are currently enrolled or have only studied for one year, preparatory Saudi Arabia can be your stepping stone to Germany. Please check your qualifications here: https://www.uni-assist.de/tools/check-hochschulzugang/

In 2024/25, the costs are as follows and are payable in three installments in September, February and May:

Saudi Arabia: SAR 33,900

Knowledge of German Language

It is possible under certain conditions. Please contact for this via Email: studienkolleg-riad@goethe.de

The B1 certificate does not have an expiry date, however,
a placement test must be taken when the certificate is from a non-accredited institute or when the certificate is older than a year.

No, it depends on the quality and age of your German acknowledgment. If you took the certificate last year at Goethe institute, you are freed for the placement test.

Application

Your application to Studienkolleg Middle East in Saudi Arabia starts by sending the required documents listed below by email to us and we will check your documents:

To attend the preparatory year of Goethe Institute in cooperation with the technical university of Berlin, send your documents to: studienkolleg-riad@goethe.de

When they are complete, we will send you a confirmation.

Your school certificate must be certified by the Saudi ministry of foreign affairs and translated into German by an accredited translator before submitting it to us.

After submitting all required documents, we will invite you to a math placement test. Beispiele für den Mathematik-Aufnahmetest.

Depending on the quality and age of your German certificate, we will invite you to an additional German placement test.

You can find mock tests under the following link

Exams

You can find examples for the final exams here

2 exam phases in Unterkurs (September to January) in all subjects
2 exam phases in Oberkurs (February-May) in all subjects
B2 German exam in December/January
FSP (German) exam in June
FSP exam for all subjects and -after choosing – physics or chemistry

After passing the final exams, you can apply for natural, engineering, computer science, and mathematical studies at any German university excluding medicine. To study medicine, you must take a medical course (M- Kurs). Under the following link, you can find information about preparatory year programs in Germany that offer the M-Kurs
(B2 German level required): https://www.studienkollegs.de/Kontaktdaten.html

What is the difference between Unterkurs and Oberkurs?

Unterkurs is the first semester and Oberkurs is the second semester.

After the Studienkolleg

No, when successfully passing the final exams, you can either study there or you can enroll in any university of your choice

Once you have successfully completed the preparatory year, you can apply to any German university.

With the technical course, you can only enroll in natural, engineering, computer science, and mathematical studies.

Visa for Germany

The team helps you starting from the application process till applying for your traveling visa to Germany.

The preparatory year Middle East in Saudi Arabia does not offer support for applying for a Saudi visa for non-Saudi students at the moment.

FAQ´s Studienkolleg

Studying in Germany

What is a preparatory year?

How can I know, whether I should attend the preparatory year?

Does it restrict my choice of subjects if I choose chemistry or physics as an examination subject?

Can I take the final exam without attending the preparatory year?

Studienkolleg Middle East in Saudi-Arabia

What is the difference between the preparatory year in Germany?

What are the advantages of attending the preparatory year in Saudi Arabia?

Which course will the preparatory year Middle East in Saudi-Arabia offer?

Where will the preparatory year take place?

Is there a scholarship program?

Is attendance mantadory?

Which subjects are taught in the preparatory year and in which language?

Requirements

What are the requirements of applying for the preparatory year?

Is there a certain age for applying to the preparatory year?

Who can enroll for the preparatory year Middle East in Saudi-Arabia?

Can non Saudi school graduate students apply for the preparatory year Middle East in Saudi-Arabia?

Can Palestinian school graduate students enroll for the preparatory year Middle East in Saudi-Arabia?

Can Yemni school graduate students apply for the preparatory year Middle East in Saudi Arabia?

Is it possible to attend the preparatory year with an IB/GIB?

Is it possible to take the preparatory year with GCE/IGSE?

Can I apply for the preparatory Can I attend the preparatory year Middle East in Saudi-Arabia when I already finished my Bachelor’s degree in Saudi-Arabia?

How much is the fee of the preparatory year?

Knowledge of German Language

Can I apply for the preparatory year while taking the B1 course?

Does the B1 certificate have an expiry date?

Should I take the German placement test although I have proven my knowledge of German?

Application

Application process

How can I prepare myself for the entrance exam?

Exams

How do the final exams look like?

How do the final exams of the preparatory year look like?

After the Studienkolleg

Should I study at the technical university of Berlin?

For which universities can I apply, when I successfully complete the preparatory year?

Visa for Germany

Can the team of the preparatory year help with applying for the visa to Germany?

Can the preparatory year Middle East in Saudi Arabia help me with applying for a visa to Saudi Arabia?

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