International students enrolled in English-taught degree programs at KU are required to provide proof of German language proficiency during their studies.
The required level (e.g., A2 or B2) and the deadline for submission depend on the specific degree program or double degree program.

KU’s German courses are progressively structured and support you in reaching the language level required for your program, step by step.

⚠️ Please note:
Failure to provide the required proof of language proficiency within the specified timeframe may result in academic consequences, including the loss of enrollment.

The Pre-Semester Intensive German Course is designed for students with no or limited knowledge of German who wish or are required to learn German, either voluntarily or as part of their admission requirements. It is equally suitable for students with solid German language skills who would like to further improve their proficiency, as well as for students with very good German skills who want to prepare optimally for attending German-taught courses and lectures.

Are you studying at KU or enrolled as a guest student and would like to improve your German skills alongside your regular studies?
KU’s Language Center offers a wide range of German courses during the semester, designed for different proficiency levels.

This course offer is intended for international students at KU who have received a conditional admission to a German-taught bachelor’s degree program. Such conditional admission usually includes the requirement to attend a DSH preparation course and to successfully pass the DSH examination within one year.

Admission to the DSH preparation course requires a minimum German language proficiency at level A2. Therefore, all applicants must take a placement test before the course begins. Students who have not yet reached this level can prepare specifically in the so-called Q course. The Q course is designed to qualify students linguistically and prepare them for the DSH placement test (Q = qualified for the DSH placement test).

After passing the placement test, students attend an eight-month intensive German course preparing them for the DSH examination. For students from selected partner universities, an alternative two-semester intensive German course is offered.

The KU Summer School in July and August is an intensive and enriching summer program for students of German Studies and the social sciences, as well as for professionals and anyone interested in deepening their German language skills and exploring German language and culture in an academic setting.

The program combines intensive German language training with courses in German studies and literature and is complemented by an extensive social and cultural program. Workshops, excursions, and joint activities allow participants to apply their language skills in real-life contexts and gain insights into German society and culture.

Participants are required to have at least German language proficiency at level A2. Courses are offered for levels ranging from A2 to C1.

Successful participation in the KU Summer School can be credited toward academic studies. Students earn 5 ECTS credits or up to 6 US credits.

In addition to KU’s German course offerings, a wide range of free online resources for learning German is available. Below you will find a brief overview of selected options:

The German courses offered by the Virtuelle Hochschule Bayern (vhb) include several formats:
CLASSIC vhb offers supervised online courses that can be credited toward a university degree with ECTS credits and are free of charge for students of the member universities.
SMART vhb provides flexible learning units designed to complement on-campus studies for students of the member universities.
OPEN vhb offers freely accessible online courses for all interested learners.

Additional free resources are available through learning German with Deutsche Welle and learning German with the Goethe-Institut.

A comprehensive list of all recommended resources can be found in the Virtual Shelf of KU’s Language Center.