Studienkolleg and Foundation Years: What to Do When Your School Certificate Is Not Enough

Fee figures: catalogue of 6 October 2026.

In several European countries a foreign school-leaving certificate does not give direct access to university, most often because the school system it comes from is shorter than the local one. The answer is a preparatory year. This guide explains how it works in the countries in our catalogue, as of October 2026.

When you need one

• Your school system lasts fewer years than the destination requires, typically 12.
• Your certificate gives access to university at home only together with an entrance exam you have not taken.
• You meet the academic conditions but not the language level.

Whether your certificate is sufficient is decided by a recognition procedure, described in our guides on documents and recognition. Do that check first: many applicants enrol in a paid foundation course they did not need.

Germany: Studienkolleg

If your certificate gives only conditional access, you attend a Studienkolleg and pass the assessment exam (Feststellungsprüfung, FSP).

• Courses by subject area: the T course for mathematics, science and engineering; the M course for medicine, biology and pharmacy; the W course for economics and social sciences; the G course for humanities and German studies; the S course for languages. Universities of applied sciences have their own parallel courses.
• You cannot choose freely. The course must match the degree you intend to study, and the result gives access only to that group of subjects.
• Length: normally two semesters. Strong students may be allowed to take the exam earlier.
• Entry: you apply through a university or uni-assist and sit an entrance test in German, often also in mathematics. You need intermediate German before you start; the Studienkolleg is not a beginners' language course.
• Cost: public Studienkollegs charge no tuition in most states, only the semester contribution. Places are limited and competition is real. Private ones charge fees; check that their exam is state-recognised.
• The exam covers German and the subjects of your course, in writing and orally. The mark is combined with your school average for admission.

You hold a visa for study preparation while you attend. See how to get into a university in Germany and document recognition in Germany.

Italy: foundation courses

Italy requires 12 years of schooling. Applicants with fewer can make up the difference with a foundation course offered by Italian universities, or with a completed year of university at home. Foundation courses last about a year, are taught in Italian or English, and carry fees set by each university. Confirm in writing that the course is accepted for the degree you want. See declaration of value and CIMEA.

Czechia: preparatory courses

Public universities teach in Czech free of tuition, so many foreigners spend a year learning the language first.

• University language centres offer one-year preparatory courses combining Czech with entrance exam subjects such as mathematics, biology or chemistry.
• The courses are paid. They are not degree study, so the residence and work rules for students of accredited programmes do not all apply.
• You still need recognition of your school certificate. See nostrification in Czechia and the Czech language exam.

France

There is no general foundation year. The usual preparatory routes are:

• an intensive year of French at a university language centre, ending with a university diploma in French studies or a DELF or DALF certificate
• special access diplomas for people without a baccalaureate equivalent
• two-year preparatory classes for the grandes écoles, which are a competitive track in their own right and not a remedial year

See French language exams.

Spain

Students whose certificate needs homologation do not attend a formal foundation year. They prepare, often at private academies, for the specific competence tests (PCE) organised by UNED, which build the access score. See homologation and UNEDasiss.

Switzerland

Universities publish the conditions for each country's certificate. Applicants who fall short may be asked to pass the complementary examination for foreign students (ECUS), held once a year, for which a preparatory course exists in Fribourg. See document recognition in Switzerland.

Portugal

Access for international students is decided by each institution, which may accept your home exams or set its own. Some offer a preparatory year in Portuguese. See how to get into a university in Portugal.

Choosing a preparatory course

1. Ask the university you are aiming for, in writing, which preparation it accepts.
2. Prefer courses run by public universities or leading to a state-recognised exam.
3. Check what visa the course gives and whether it can be converted to a study permit without leaving the country.
4. Count the cost of the year: fees, living costs and proof of funds apply as for a degree.

Official sources

• Studienkollegs in Germany
• uni-assist
• DAAD: admission database
• swissuniversities: admission with a foreign certificate
• Study in Czechia

Always check current information on the official website of the university before you apply.