Application Procedure for Germans with international school leaving qualifications

We recommend that German citizens who have obtained a higher education entrance qualification (HZB) abroad, apply in time - free of charge - for a certificate recognition with conversion of the overall grade at a German certificate recognition office and submit it in the application portal Klips 2.0.

Certificate recognition is mandatory for holders of Turkish distance learning high school diplomas and US and Canadian secondary school diplomas.

If you are willing to study in NRW you have to contact Bezirksregierung Düsseldorf. If you live in any other federal state of Germany, please turn to the recognition office in a given state. You can check whether your foreign secondary school diploma (or university education) is recognized in Germany at Check: university admission (uni-assist).

German citizens who have a foreign university entrance qualification (HZB), are required to have excellent German-language skills. German citizenship only is not a proof of language ability. German-language proficiency can be ascertained by following language certifications:

• TestDaF TDN 4 in all examination parts
• DSH 2*
• Deutsches Sprachdiplom, level II of the KMK (DSD II)
• Telc C1 Hochschule
• Telc C2
• C1 certificate of the Goehte-Institut
• ÖSD C2
• Passed “German section” of the Feststellungsprüfung (FSP)

* Only DSH of higher education institutions with registered examination regulations in accordance with the provisions of the German Rectors' Conference (HRK).

According to the current DSH regulations, certain international school-leaving certificates, e.g. from German-speaking regions, are recognised as exceptions or as equivalent. If you have any questions, please contact us via our contact form.

Special application requirements

Special application requirements apply to certain fields of study. Please consult the relevant websites for more information:

Bachelor's degree programmes at the Faculty of Management, Economics and Social Sciences (WISO)

Bachelor (dual) Klinische Pflege (German only)

Bachelor (dual) Angewandte Hebammenwissenschaft (German only)

Bundesweites Auswahlverfahren für Medizin/Zahnmedizin (Hochschulstart) (German only)

Study aptitude test for 1-subject Bachelor of Psychology (German only)

You can find our entire range of degree programmes on the University of Cologne's study orientation portal.

The higher education compass offered by German Rectors' Conference (Hochschulkompass der Hochschulrektorenkonferenz (HRK)) provides you with information on all degree courses offered by German universities.

Please inform yourself (study programmes, point 2 above) which degree programme is offerd
- with or without admission restrictions 
- for which semester

When applying for the subjects of medicine and dentistry:
If you apply for Medicine or Dentistry you should not submit any further application to the International Office, since you already did apply at Hochschulstart.
You submit your proof of German language skills when you enrol at the University of Cologne. (Upload)

When applying for all other undergraduate degree courses:
Together with your online application, please upload the following documents to your Klips 2.0 basic account. The International Office reserves the right to request certified documents at any time.

• Copy of your passport / ID
• School leaving certifcate and a transcript of subjects and marks (with translation if not issued in German, English or French)
• German language proficiency certificate (DSD-2 / TestDaF 4x4 or equivalent, see Point 1 above) (can be submitted at the latest by the end of the enrolment period)
• recommended: Certificate recognition by the Düsseldorf district government with conversion of the overall grade

If applicable:

• Proof of passing the university entrance examination in the home country (officially certified copy)
• Certificate of assessment test (»Feststellungsprüfung« incl. »Vorbildungsnachweis«)
• Only for holders of an International Baccalaureate (IB): Copy of the IB certificate with proof of continuous attendance (2 years) of the examination subjects.
• Copy of university transcrips, along with subjects and marks (with translation if not issued in German, English or French)

If you are awarded a place in the selection process, you will receive admission for your chosen subject online in your KLIPS 2.0 basic account. Please track the status of your application continuously in your KLIPS 2.0 basic account.

After being admitted, you can enrol at the International Office of the University of Cologne.

To enrol you must complete the following by the deadline specified on the admission notification:

1. pay the semester fee in full and
2. submit all the documents needed for enrolment

The documents must be received by the International Office of the University of Cologne by the deadline (upload).

In your KLIPS 2.0 basic account, you will see which documents you must upload for enrolment.

New: Please note important information regarding proof of compulsory health insurance.

Please find all the necessary information regarding Student ID and Semester-Ticket on the website of our Student Application and Registration Office.