Required language skills

Language skills

Information for study applicants on the recognition of German language skills  

Study applicants who did not earn their university entrance qualification at a German speaking institution, need to provide evidence of sufficient knowledge of the German language together with their application. The Higher Education Act of Schleswig-Holstein determines in §40 Sect. 2 No. 2. according to §5 Sect. 3 No. 2 of the enrolment regulation for UAS Kiel that proof of the accepted language certificates comply with the legal framework of German language tests for studying at German universities (RO-DT).  

Accordingly, the UAS Kiel accepts the following German language certificates:  

  1. Certificate of the ‘Deutsche Sprachprüfung für den Hochschulzugang’ (German Language Test for University Admission) for foreign applicants 
    (DSH 2 or DSH 3)
  2. Certificate ‘Test Deutsch als Fremdsprache für Studienbewerber’ (Test - German as foreign language for study applicants, TestDaF) The result of all four partial tests must at least state the attainment of TestDaF- Level 4 or higher. Please consider that only TestDaF certificates issued by the institutes of Bochum or Hagen are accepted. Only in such cases will the DaF certificate be acknowledged.
  3. Certificate ‘Deutsches Sprachdiplom der Kultusministerkonferenz’ (German language certificate of the Conference of Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs) – second level
  4. Certificate of suitability for foreign study applicants to start a study course in Germany (assessment test)

Information: A person who possesses one of the following certificates does not need the aforementioned certificates from 1 to 4.:

  • the minor or major German language certificate from the Goethe-Institute, the central advanced language test (ZOP),
  • the Goethe Certificate C2: major German language certificate that has replaced the former tests since 01.01.2012,
  • the passed “Austrian Language Diploma C2 (ÖSD C2)” 
  • the passed ‘telc German C1 University’ examination

Additionally, the University of Applied Sciences Kiel accepts vocational training completed in Germany as evidence of a satisfactory language level.

You receive more information here:

Office for Student Affairs
Sokratesplatz 3
24145 Kiel
Tel: 0431 210-1339/1338
E-Mail: zulassungsstelle(at)haw-kiel.de or studierendensekretariat(at)haw-kiel.de