Study orientation

Choosing a study programme, university admission, language requirements for prospective international applicants

Direction sign to university

Image: Anne Günther (University of Jena)

Attention

The following information only applies to applicants of foreign nationality and without German Abitur.

Deutsche Bewerber/innen oder Bildungsinländer/innen informieren sich bitte im Studienangebot de.

How do I find the perfect study programme?

Questions to ask myself

What are my interests? What do I enjoy? What am I particulary good at?
What degree do I want to pursue? What career do I have in mind?

Answering the 7 questions for a successful start to your studies and the questionnaire pdf, 751 kb · defrom the Central Academic Advisory Service will help you to find the right subject. Think about the values and motivationspdf, 719 kb · de that drive you and explore our University's website.pdf, 272 kb · de

Our study programmes

In our study programme database de, you can find descriptions of the individual study programmes, i.e. information on

the structure of the programme, content, recommended study plan and study regulations,
the combination options (double-subject bachelor's programmes),
the application category (free/restricted admission) and the correct application platform,
the career opportunities available to you with a degree in this subject,
the special features of the study programme at the University of Jena.

Please also see our international study programmes.

Who can I ask?

The subject-specific academic advisory services — you can find their contact information on the respective page in the study programme database de.
the International Office
the Central Academic Advisory Service
the Master Service Center in the case of questions on master’s degrees.

Admission requirements

Please check whether you already hold the university entrance qualification required to study in Germany. You can use the DAADExternal link or anabinExternal link databases to check whether your foreign educational qualifications are recognized in Germany.

If you do not hold an equivalent university entrance qualification yet, you will have to take the assessment test (FSP) at the preparatory college (Studienkolleg) before starting your degree programme. You can take a one-year preparation course at the Thuringian Studienkolleg in Nordhausen by applying at the International Office of the Friedrich Schiller University Jena. Applicants for the Studienkolleg must provide evidence of a B1External link level of German.

The information only applies to applicants of foreign nationality and without German Abitur.

Bewerber/innen mit deutscher Staatsangehörigkeit oder ausländischer Staatsangehörigkeit mit deutscher Hochschulzugangsberechtigung (Abitur) informieren sich bitte auf den allgemeinen Studieninformationsseiten. de

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Language requirements

If you are eligible for direct admission to university, you have to prove that your German language level corresponds to level DSH-2 (German Language Test for Admission to Higher Educationpdf, 61 kb · de). You cannot start your studies at the Friedrich Schiller University Jena if you have only passed the DSH-1 exam. The following certificates accredited by the German Rectors Conference will be recognized as equivalents:

Goethe Certificate C2 (GDS)
German Language Diploma Level II of the KMK (DSD II)
TestDaF, at least TDN 4 in all four parts of the examination
telc Certificate C1 German for Higher Education (at least grade "satisfactory")
German exam as part of the assessment test at a Studienkolleg

If you are yet to take the DSH-2 exam, you can request conditional admission onto a degree programme. You then must provide proof of participation in a German course, where the exam taken is at post-intermediate level (C1). This conditional admission will only become effective if you submit the DSH-2 certificate (or an equivalent certificate) by the enrolment date. Please note: Receiving a conditional admission is not possible when applying for first semester study places in Pharmacy, Dentistry and Medicine.

The Friedrich Schiller University Jena offers a preparatory language course for the DSH exam. To attend the course, your German level must be at least equivalent to level B1 CEFR.

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FAQs on choosing a study programme—important terms explained briefly

Subject-related admission to higher education

In the DAADExternal link and in the anabinExternal link database you can check whether you have a university entrance qualification for studying in Germany. If you only have a university entrance qualification for a certain subject or subjects, this is called subject-related university entrance.

Double-subject study programme

The Bachelor of Arts programmes and the teacher training programmes at the University of Jena are double-subject study programmes.

In the Bachelor of Arts you combine a major subject (120 credit points) and a minor subject (60 credit points). There are many interesting possibilities, as there are no restrictions on the combination. Some subjects are only available as minor subjects. In the teacher training programme, two subjects of equal rank are combined. Please pay attention to the information in the study programme database de.

Study programmes with restricted admission

For some study programmes, the University only has a certain number of places available. For these, the best applicants are selected in selection and award procedures. There are study programmes for which admission is restricted at all universities (nationwide) and study programmes for which admission is restricted only at certain universities (local admission restrictions). These study programmes are marked accordingly in the study programme database. de

DosV application procedure/DosV study programmes

The University of Jena has determined that some study programmes are subject to admission restrictions (local admission restriction). For these programmes, a central application and award procedure is offered by the ‘Stiftung für Hochschulzulassung’ (hochschulstart.de). This is called the ‘Dialogue-Oriented Service Procedure’ (short ‘DoSV’ in German). These study programmes are marked accordingly in the study programme database. de

If only one subject in the double-subject study programme you have chosen is subject to admission restrictions, select a ‘substitute subject’ for the second study programme in the DoSV online application at hochschulstart.de. In the case of admission to the 1st study programme with restricted admission, enter the non-admission-restricted study programme for your double-subject programme when enrolling at our University.

Our advice: Plan B in case of NC study programmes

Not every applicant gets a place on a programme with restricted admission. Therefore, we believe that you should think about applying for another or a further study programme without admission restrictions in good time.

Are you enthusiastic about the natural sciences? Then how about studying Biogeosciences, Chemistry or Physics de?

Please visit the study programme database de of our University. You will be surprised by what is on offer!