# Study opportunities for refugees

**Source**: https://www.fau.eu/studying/international-students/study-opportunities-for-refugees/
**Parent**: https://www.fau.eu/

There are many reasons for people to flee their country. FAU stands for intercultural diversity, openness and tolerance. We are committed to helping refugees find their way to our university and doing the best we can to support them.

Refugees are warmly welcomed at FAU. This section gives information about studying and German courses available.

[Application and requirements

Consultation and German course](#angebot)
[Contact

Student Advice Center at FAU supports prospective students](#kontakt)
[FAQs

FAQs about studying for refugees](#faqs)

## Application and requirements

In order to apply, you must provide the following documents and meet the following prerequisites:

### Consultation: Accessing university study (in German and English)

#### Prerequisites and required documents:

- Sufficient knowledge of German or English for the consultation (level B2)
- Curriculum vitae (listing all schools and universities and online courses starting from primary education to higher education, including the month and year of admission and graduation. The CV should be written in tabular form without omissions).
- Secondary school leaving certificate (original and certified German/English translation)
- Academic achievements with subjects and grades (original and certified German/English translation)
- Certificate of German language proficiency (if available)
- Current residence permit and supplementary sheet (front and reverse of both documents)
- Valid passport (copy of photo ID, if available)
- Degree program you want to study

Please email us the required documents (see above) and tell us which degree program you would like to study: [zsb@fau.de](mailto:zsb@fau.de)

After we have checked your documents, we will contact you to arrange a consultation. It may take up to two weeks to process your application.

### Preparatory German course (DSH course)

With the exception of a small number of degree programs, German is the teaching language at FAU. Therefore, a very good knowledge of German is essential for successfully completing a degree program at our university. [An overview of all the recognized language certificates.](https://www.fau.eu/studying/international-students/application-and-enrollment-for-international-applicants/german-language-courses-german-language-proficiency-and-language-certificates/)

## Student Advice Center

The Student Advice Center at FAU supports prospective students and students who have fled their home country and who would like to study in Germany. It is the first port of call at FAU for any questio

[Student Advice Center](https://www.fau.de/studium/studienorganisation/studienberatung/)

## FAQs

FAQs about studying for refugees

### What are the prerequisites for studying at FAU?

- **Language\**With the exception of a small number of degree programs, German is the teaching language at FAU. Therefore, a very good knowledge of German (Level C1/C2) is essential for successfully completing a degree program at our university.\
  [Overview of recognized language certificates](https://www.fau.eu/studying/international-students/application-and-enrollment-for-international-applicants/german-language-courses-german-language-proficiency-and-language-certificates/)
- **University entrance qualifications:\** FAU follows the recommendations on university entrance qualifications from the [Central Office for Foreign Education](https://anabin.kmk.org/anabin.html) .**\**

### Which degree programs are offered at FAU?

Please refer to the list of degree programs offered at FAU:

- [List of all degree programs at FAU](https://www.fau.eu/studying/degree-programs/all-degree-programs/)

### Are there also degree programs taught in English?

\
FAU offers a few Bachelor’s degree programs and some Master’s degree programs in English. [List of FAU degree programs taught entirely in English](https://www.fau.eu/studying/degree-programs/special-ways-to-study/international-degree-programs/)

### Why do I need to attend the Studienkolleg?

The qualifications you gained from your secondary school in your home country do not necessarily entitle you to study at a German university. In many cases, international applicants have to take an assessment examination (Feststellungsprüfung) at a “Studienkolleg” or provide proof of previous study periods in their home country before they are admitted to the degree program. You can find a reliable assessment of the status of your secondary education qualification in the [database of the Standing Conference of the Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs](http://anabin.kmk.org/) which contains advice on which international qualifications are recognized. [Further information on applying to a Studienkolleg](https://www.fau.eu/studying/international-students/application-and-enrollment-for-international-applicants/evaluation-of-international-qualifications/#application-for-studienkolleg-via-fau)

### How can I apply to FAU?

[Information on the application deadlines, documents required and the application procedure](https://www.fau.eu/studying/international-students/application-and-enrollment-for-international-applicants/)

### Where can I get my foreign certificates certified?

[Information on certification of documents](https://www.fau.eu/studying/international-students/application-and-enrollment-for-international-applicants/information-on-document-certification-and-translation/)

### How much does it cost to study?

[Information on accommodation and living costs](https://www.fau.eu/studying/organizing-your-studies-and-where-to-go-for-advice/funding-your-studies/costs-of-studying/)

### How can I find accommodation?

[Tips and contacts for finding accommodation](https://www.fau.eu/studying/student-life/living/)

### Where can I find out more about scholarships?

You can find more information yourself on these websites:

- [FAU list of scholarship organizations](https://www.fau.eu/studying/organizing-your-studies-and-where-to-go-for-advice/funding-your-studies/scholarship-providers/)
- [DAAD scholarship database](https://www.daad.de/de/studieren-und-forschen-in-deutschland/stipendien-finden/)

### If I don’t get a place on a German course at FAU, are there other courses where I can learn German?

- Students who are not admitted to the University’s language course can attend a language course at a [private language institute](https://www.fau.de/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2025/10/FAU-Deutschkurse-an-privaten-Sprachinstituten.pdf).
- Deutsche Welle offers [free online language courses](https://www.dw.com/en/learn-german/s-2469).
- There are also more tips for learning German on the [DAAD website](https://www.daad-ukraine.org/de/studieren-in-deutschland/deutsch-lernen/).