Germany takes more Russian-speaking students than any other country, and the reason is plain: in most federal states there is no tuition fee at a public university. It is also where the process most often breaks down, and families usually find out too late.
German schooling runs for thirteen years and ends with the Abitur. Russian schooling runs for eleven. The German system does not overlook the difference of two years: it requires that gap to be closed before a student attends a first lecture.
What the Hochschulzugangsberechtigung is
The governing concept in German admission is the HZB, the entitlement to enter higher education. It is not a document that is issued. It is a status that a school certificate either carries or does not.
The status is set out in anabin, the database maintained by the Standing Conference of the Ministers of Education. It lists countries, types of school and qualifications, each with a marking against it.
| Status | Meaning | What is required |
|---|---|---|
| H+ | Direct entry to university | Nothing further |
| H+/- | Entry with restrictions | Depends on the field and the institution |
| H- | No direct entry | Studienkolleg and the Feststellungsprüfung |
The Studienkolleg: a year that cannot be skipped
A Studienkolleg is a preparatory college attached to a university, running for two semesters. It closes the gap between a foreign school and a German first year: language, subject teaching and academic work in the German format.
It ends with the Feststellungsprüfung, and that result becomes the HZB with which an applicant can apply on the same footing as a German school leaver.
The stream is chosen at the outset and fixes the subjects taught. Changing stream after the course has begun normally costs a year.
- T-Kurs — engineering, technical subjects and mathematics.
- M-Kurs — medicine, biology and pharmacy.
- W-Kurs — economics and social sciences.
- G-Kurs — humanities and German studies.
- S-Kurs — languages and philology.
A Studienkolleg is not a language course and not preparation taken as a precaution. It is a required stage, and without it a university application is not considered at all.
Who does not need a Studienkolleg
There is a lawful way around the year, and it is far better known than it is used. An applicant who has studied on an accredited programme at a Russian university is treated as having closed the two missing years of school.
In practice one or two years of a relevant bachelor's degree in Russia give direct entry to a German university. The exact requirement depends on whether the field matches: changing subject on transfer may call for a longer period of study.
A third route is an international qualification. Certain combinations, among them A levels and the International Baccalaureate, carry H+ status directly. That decision is taken several years before leaving school, not in the final year.
What it actually costs
The phrase “tuition-free Germany” refers to the tuition fee, and in most states there genuinely is none. Money is still required, and it is required by the consulate rather than the university.
The German Federal Foreign Office puts it plainly: at least €992 per month, or €11,904 per year, must be available for a stay in Germany. The figure is tied to the BAföG rate. It is placed in a blocked account before the visa application and released after arrival in instalments of no more than the monthly rate.
Tuition is the exception in Baden-Württemberg. The state ministry of science confirms that from the winter semester of 2017/18 non-EU students pay €1,500 per semester. That covers Heidelberg, Tübingen, Freiburg and Stuttgart, a substantial share of the strongest universities in the country.
| Item | Amount | Who requires it |
|---|---|---|
| Blocked account | €11,904 per year | Consulate, before the visa application |
| Tuition, most states | €0 | — |
| Tuition, Baden-Württemberg | €1,500 per semester | University |
| Semester contribution | typically €150–350 per semester | University |
The deadlines that decide the year of entry
The German academic year runs in two semesters, each with its own deadline. For many programmes the rule is 15 July for the winter semester and 15 January for the summer semester. International applications are usually processed through uni-assist, the central service.
The service is explicit that these dates do not apply to every programme, and that processing takes time. An application submitted on the final day may not reach the university in time.
Language: two different thresholds
A persistent belief holds that Germany can be studied in English and that German is unnecessary. English-taught programmes do exist, but they are concentrated at master's level. Undergraduate teaching at public universities is predominantly in German.
German-taught programmes require proof of level, normally the TestDaF or the DSH. The threshold for a Studienkolleg is lower, since the language is developed on the course, but it is not open to complete beginners.
Frequently asked questions
Can a student enter a German university straight after eleven years of school?
As a rule, no. A Russian eleven-year certificate does not give direct entry, because German schooling runs for thirteen years. What is required is either a Studienkolleg with the Feststellungsprüfung, or one to two years at a Russian university, or an international qualification carrying H+ status in anabin.
How is recognition of a certificate checked?
In anabin, the database maintained by the Standing Conference of the Ministers of Education. The country and type of institution are looked up: H+ means direct entry and H- means a Studienkolleg is required. The check is made before universities are shortlisted.
How much money is needed in a blocked account?
The Federal Foreign Office states at least €992 per month, or €11,904 for a year. The figure is tied to the BAföG rate, is deposited before the visa application, and is released after arrival in instalments of no more than the monthly rate.
Is study in Germany really free?
There is no tuition fee at public universities in most states. Baden-Württemberg is the exception, where non-EU students pay €1,500 per semester. A semester contribution is charged everywhere, and proof of funds for living costs is required in all cases.
Is German necessary?
For undergraduate study at public universities, generally yes: teaching is predominantly in German and the level is evidenced by the TestDaF or the DSH. English-taught programmes exist but are concentrated at master's level.
Can the Studienkolleg be skipped by studying a year in Russia?
Yes, and it is a lawful and common route. Study on an accredited programme at a Russian university closes the gap between the two school systems. One to two years is normally sufficient, and the exact requirement depends on whether the field of study matches.
When are applications submitted?
For many programmes the deadline is 15 July for the winter semester and 15 January for the summer semester, usually through uni-assist. The dates do not apply to every course and processing takes time, so applications are submitted well in advance.
What to do first
The order of work is the reverse of the intuitive one. It begins not with choosing a university or reading rankings, but with establishing your own status, because that determines how many years the route will take.
- Find the qualification in anabin and establish its status.
- Where the status is H-, compare the two routes: a Studienkolleg in Germany or a year at a Russian university.
- Choose the stream in advance, since changing it later costs a year.
- Check whether the university sits in Baden-Württemberg: that is a further €3,000 a year.
- Count the calendar backwards from 15 July, including translation of documents and the language examination.
EDMONT works on applications to universities in continental Europe: we check recognition of qualifications against the official databases, compare admission routes by time and cost, and build the application calendar around the evidence-of-funds requirements.