Ap­plic­a­tion DSH-Course

University Entrance Qualification (HZB) Check 

Before Applying:

Before you apply, please use the DAAD admissions database to check if you meet the minimum requirements for either a restricted or general direct university entrance. To be admitted to the preparatory German course (DSH course), you will need one of the recognized types of university entrance qualifications listed there.

Application Steps:

Using the DAAD admissions database and our checklist, you can easily prepare your application for a successful submission.

Important Note:

After applying for the preparatory German course, we strongly recommend applying for student housing as soon as possible, as waiting times can be up to 6 months. For more information about housing, please see the “Housing and Childcare Facilities” section at the bottom of this page.

Application Process:

1. Application for Admission:

Download the application form, fill it out and sign it. Please refer to the Info Sheet for guidance.

For question 1, "Information about the intended studies," please only select programs offered by the University of Paderborn. If you are applying for a master’s program, please note that the desired master’s program must be consecutive to your completed bachelor’s degree. Non-consecutive or unrelated master’s programs may decrease your chances of admission.

Ensure that the correspondence address provided is current! Please answer question 11 in the application ("Are you applying for a language course in the coming semester?") with "Yes."

2. Relevant Certificates:

Include the following documents in the original language:

• High school diploma
• University entrance examination certificate (if applicable)
• Transcripts showing grades and subjects for all study years
• Degree certificate (if applicable)
• APS certificate (for applicants from China, Vietnam, and India) – please always submit the original.

3. Official Translations:

Include an official translation of the certificates. Exception: Documents in English, French, or German do not require translation.

4. Power of Attorney*:

Submit the completed and signed authorization form along with copies of IDs for both the applicant and the authorized representative.
*If you cannot submit the application or enroll yourself, you may authorize a trusted person to do so on your behalf.

Please use the form at go.upb.de/Vollmacht_DSH.

5. Current Residence Permit:

If you are a refugee or already residing in Germany, please include a legible copy of your current residence permit. If you are an asylum seeker, your residence permit should confirm that you are allowed to live in Paderborn or the surrounding area to attend classes daily.

6. Submitting Your Documents:

Send all documents together via post to the International Office within the application deadlines mentioned above.

Note: If you are sending your application documents from abroad, you or the sender must cover shipping and customs fees. If the International Office is charged with any shipping or customs fees, your application documents will not be accepted.

7. Next Steps After Applying

For more information click here

Important:
Application documents are generally not returned, so please do not send original documents.

Our DSH courses are designed to make you meet the language requirements for German taught degree courses. For this reason, applicants are asked to state the degree course they wish to start after having gained the DSH. Admission to the DSH course requires higher education entrance qualification for the chosen degree. In addition, the degree course needs to be offered at the University of Paderborn. Furthermore, admission is subject to available places.

New students are accepted for the DSH courses in April and October. A placement test at the beginning determines at which stage you can enter the course.

Paderborn University offers courses starting at level A2. This level must be reached by the time of the placement test at the latest. Depending on your previously acquired language skills, the duration of the preparatory German course ranges betweem three months (applicants with level C1 CEFR) and 12 months (applicants with level A1 CEFR).

Please be aware that obtaining a visa for entering Germany may take several weeks or even months. Therefore it is neccesary that you submit your application within the above deadlines. We will inform you of the result of the admission process around 8 weeks after the applicable deadline. Due to the equal treatment of all applicants and for organisational reasons, we cannot make any exceptions. This rule must be taken into account when making an appointment at the embassy. We ask you to refrain from inquiring about the application status within this time.

IMPORTANT: When applying, please provide an address that is still valid!

Student Dormitory

The Studierendenwerk Paderborn offers a variety of different housing options. In order to apply for a room at the student residence, you must first fill out the online form. Since the waiting time could be even more than nine months, you should apply as soon as possible. This is also possible if you have not yet received confirmation of your place in the language course or your letter of admission.

    Online application form
    Accommodation options

Private Accommodation

The best time to find an apartment is in March and September. At this time most rooms and apartments become available because many students finish their studies and move out. You can find private providers both online and "offline".

Online:

• private housing offers via the platform of the Studierendenwerk
• private dormitory Technologiepark
• private dormitory Warburger Straße
• privates dormitory Vogeliusweg

You can also find the most important portals of housing exchanges on the site of immobilienportale.de. The site wg-gesucht.de is also popular.

"Offline": On Wednesdays and Saturdays the local newspaper Westfalen-Blatt publishes many real estate ads for Paderborn.

Cost of Living and quality of life in Paderborn according to Numbeo

Childcare options

Please note that the application deadlines for daycare places end in October each year for places starting in August the following year. This means that you need to apply about a year in advance. Childminders in Paderborn are also currently fully booked and have waiting lists of up to one year. If you are admitted and are travelling with child(ren), we recommend that you inform yourself in good time at the Family Service Office of the University of Paderborn.

Private Health Insurance

It is not possible for DSH course participants to be covered by statutory student health insurance. As a language student, you can take out private health insurance. Please make sure that you have health insurance that is valid in Germany - even between entering Germany and applying for your residence permit. Otherwise, in the event of illness, you may be faced with unpredictable costs.

If you come from an EU country, your health insurance will probably cover many of the costs of medical treatment in Germany. Please check with your insurance company.

If you are not from an EU country, you will need private health insurance.

Private health insurance during pregnancy and birth

It should be noted that many private insurances do not cover or only partially cover services around birth and pregnancy. The costs may have to be covered by oneself (approx. 4,000 euros). Preventive check-ups and vaccinations for newborns/children are also usually not covered by private insurance.

Casualty Insurance

We also recommend signing up for insurance against damage to third parties and accidents.

If you have been accepted for the preparatory German language course (DSH course) you will receive an acceptance letter for the DSH course - not yet for the degree course of your choice. Whether you are eligible for the degree course can be assessed only at the end of the DSH course due to administrative reasons.

You do not have to apply again. The International Office will take into account the desire to study, which you must confirm in due time (15.06. / 15.01.) with the form "Admission to Subject Studies" if you are in the intermediate or advanced level of the DSH course. You will then receive the application form by e-mail from Ms. Rudolph Brandão. The admission criteria (e.g. entrance tests, language skills, required minimum grades, accrediations of previous study achievements) to degree courses might change. You are asked to inform yourself about admission requirements of the degree course you wish to attend. You can find more information in this regard at Transition to Bachelor and Master Programmes.