Language requirements

Exempt from the German-language certificate

Applicants who meet one of the under mentioned requirements do not need to submit a German-​language certificate:

1. Federal or federally accredited Swiss or Liechtensteinian matriculation certificate (gymnasialer Maturitätsausweis) issued by a Swiss or Liechtensteinian secondary school.
2. Federal vocational matriculation certificate (Berufsmaturitätszeugnis) in conjunction with the supplementary exam certificate ("Passerelle" Ergänzungsprüfung).
3. Nationally recognised upper secondary specialised school matriculation certificate (Fachmaturitätszeugnis), in connection with the supplementary exam certificate ("Passerelle" Ergänzungsprüfung)
   
4. Mother tongue [Native language] German: By "mother tongue" we mean the main language which you acquired in childhood with no formal teaching. It is also the language in which you now write, speak and understand written and oral communication with the least effort and with the greatest competence (level C2 and higher according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages). By "bilingual" we mean that your knowledge of a second language fulfils the same criteria as those listed above for your mother tongue.
5. A full-​time, classroom-​based Bachelor’s degree programme of at least three years’ duration with Bachelor qualification in German, at a university in Germany, Austria, Liechtenstein or Switzerland.
6. German Zeugnis der allgemeinen Hochschulreife, provided the school is located in Germany or in the German-​speaking part of Switzerland. School and matriculation certificates which document German language skills (even Level C 2) and supplementary examinations in German to obtain the German Abitur are not accepted in place of a language certificate.
7. Austrian "Reifeprüfungszeugnis", provided the school is located in Austria or in Liechtenstein. School and matriculation certificates which document German language skills (even Level C 2) and supplementary examinations in German to obtain the Austrian Reifeprüfungszeugnis are not accepted in place of a language certificate.
8. Luxembourgian Certificat de fin d'études secondaires
9. Diplom über die bestandene staatliche Abschlussprüfung an der Oberschule at a school located in South Tyrol and where German is the main medium of instruction.
10. Abschlusszeugnis der Oberstufe des Sekundarunterrichts of the "Deutsche Gemeinschaft" in Belgium.
    

German language certificate required

Those who do not meet any of the above requirements (1 - 10) must submit one of the German language certificates listed below at the minimum level C1 of the external page Common European Framework of Reference for Languages.