# Purpose of the ISZ

**Source**: https://www.isz.uni-heidelberg.de/en/about-us/purpose-of-the-isz
**Parent**: https://www.isz.uni-heidelberg.de/en

## What is the purpose of the International Study Centre?

The International Study Centre (ISZ) is a central teaching facility of Heidelberg University. It provides students with non-German university entrance qualifications the linguistic and subject-specific knowledge necessary to succeed at German universities. Here students from various cultural backgrounds are introduced to Germany's history and culture, its social and economic structure as well as common scientific practices.

Organizationally and geographically, the International Study Centre has two parts: the Kolleg für deutsche Sprache und Kultur (KSK, located at the Max-Weber-Haus, Ziegelhäuser Landstr. 17) and the Studienkolleg (located Im Neuenheimer Feld 684). In the course of the ongoing internationalization of Heidelberg University, the ISZ has been significantly expanding its spectrum of courses in recent years, setting new focuses on pre-semester and semester courses for ERASMUS and exchange students from bilateral programmes, courses for international scholars and doctoral students as well as subject-specific foundation semester courses.

By joining our course programmes, students have the opportunity to

- receive guidance for studying at Heidelberg and other German universities
- become familiar with topics of German history and culture and the social and economic structure of Germany
- establish contacts with German and international students through cultural activities.

Course participants at the ISZ are enrolled as regular students at Heidelberg University.

The ISZ organizes special courses in cooperation with Heidelberg University's International Relations Division, heiSKILLS, the Insitute for German as a Foreign Language Philology,  the Baden-Württemberg Ministry of Science, Research and Arts, the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), and with universities outside Germany.

- [International Relations Division](https://www.uni-heidelberg.de/institutions/administration/international/)
- [heiSKILLS](https://www.heiskills.uni-heidelberg.de/en)
- [Insitute for German as a Foreign Language Philology](https://www.idf.uni-heidelberg.de/index.html)
- [Baden-Württemberg Ministry of Science, Research and Arts](https://mwk.baden-wuerttemberg.de/en/home)
- [German Academic Exchange Service](https://www.daad.de/en/)

[Deutsch](https://www.isz.uni-heidelberg.de/de/ueber-uns/aufgaben-des-isz)[Contact](https://www.isz.uni-heidelberg.de/en/about-us/purpose-of-the-isz?overlay=contact)