Subjects
Currently, Niedersächsiches Studienkolleg offers three different course types:
"M-Course" is designed for applicants who intended to move on to degree courses such as Biology, Agriculture, Foresting, Medicine and Pharmacy.
"T-Course" is designed for applicants of degree courses in Science, Mathematics, technical and engineering courses.
" W-Course" is designed for applicants of degree courses in Economics, Business Administration and the Social Sciences.
The table below shows a timetable which includes subjects and a weekly schedule:
M-Course T-Course W-Course
German 10 lessons 10 lessons 10 lessons
Mathematics 5 lessons 8 lessons 6 lessons
Physics 5 lessons 8 lessons
Chemistry 5 lessons 4 lessons
Biology 5 lessons
Economics/ Business. Admin. 6-8 lessons
History, Geography, Politics 4 lessons
English 4 lessons
Informatics 2 lessons 2 lessons 2 lessons
Statistics 2 lessons
Applicants for G-Courses (German, Arts and humane sciences) and S-Courses (languages) will be put in contact with Studienkolleg Halle and then transferred. Halle does offer such courses Students for Halle will keep their study place reservation for the respective university. The university entry exam of the respective faculty taken in Halle is acknowledged by universities in Lower Saxony..
Duration of Courses
In general the courses at Niedersächsisches Studienkolleg take one year (two semesters). Students are being admitted to the second semester if all grades (except for one subject that can have a grade five, but not German) are four and better in all subjects taken during the first semester.
One semester can be repeated maximum once. College students with very good marks in first semester can be admitted preliminary to second semester. They save one semester. At the end of the second semester students sit the Feststellungsprüfung (university entry exam).
Students showing particularly good performances will be offered a one semester crash course.
How to register for Studienkolleg
Potential students cannot directly apply to Niedersächsisches Studienkolleg. Applicants therefore have to send their application/admittance forms to a university or university of applied sciences in Lower Saxony (Universities will provide the actual deadlines for the application). Once the university has admitted the respective applicants, Niedersächsisches Studienkolleg will be notified, and the applicants will be invited for the entry exam (Entry exams take place in February and September). With the registration universities usually guarantee a study place.
Entry Exam
In the entry exam skills in Mathematics and German will be examined thus to assure that students will be able to follow lessons at Niedersächsisches Studienkolleg.
University Entry Exam
Students will end their education at Studienkolleg with the university entry exam. Applicants with very good knowledge of German and the respective subjects in the above mentioned courses can sit the university entry exam without having taking part in the two semester course at Studienkolleg (external candidates). These applicants have to file for admittance at a university or university of applied sciences in Lower Saxony. In this application students have to state that they will sit the university entrance exam without having visited Studienkolleg. Once a study place has been guaranteed students will be invited for the external university entrance exam. However, it has to be stressed that statistics have shown that external candidates have a much lower chance to pass the exam in comparison to students who successfully took part in the preparatory year at Studienkolleg. Furthermore, external candidates have to be aware that the exam can only be repeated once.
Obligation to attend
Students at Studienkolleg have to partake in all lessons and all written tests. (If students are absent for more than three days they have to hand in a GP´s certificate that proves sick leave). The same accounts for tests that have been missed.
Students holding a Deutsches Sprachdiplom der Kultusministerkonferenz (2. Stufe) (Language certificate of the education ministry, level 2, the diploma der Deutschen Sprachprüfung für den Hochschulzugang ausländischer Studienbewerber (DSH), the extended or standard German Language diploma or cerificate of Zentralen Oberstufenprüfung (ZOP) of the Goethe Institute do not have to attend German lessons at Studienkolleg. These certificates do also replace the German exam in the university entrance exam.
Status
Students at Studienkolleg have the student status of Leibniz Universität Hannover, i.e. they are part of the university´s student body and have to pay the respective fees. Once the fee is paid they can use and partake in all institutions of this university. Furthermore, they will receive the so-called Semesterticket (student travel card) for public transport in the Hannover Region and for local trains in entire Lower Saxony and Hamburg and Bremen central station.
Students attending Studienkolleg cannot be part of the student health insurance; they have to take a private insurance. The course at Studienkolleg does not credit towards the later university degree courses, i.e. courses and classes do not substitute lectures and seminars at any university or university of applied sciences. Since students at Studienkolleg have to weekly attend 30 lessons or more, there usually is hardly any time left to attend additional lectures at university.