Nuremberg Institute of Technology offers special preparatory courses at B2 and C1 levels specifically designed to prepare you for the DSH exam.

You will be required to sit a placement test before beginning each course. Participation is obligatory. The result of the placement test is binding and determines which level you will start at. Prerequisite: solid B1 proficiency according to CEFR. This means that you will be ready for the DSH exam in two semesters.

Short description

In the DSH Preparatory Course - B2, your language knowledge will be developed. There is a fundamental shift in teaching method here towards more learner-oriented, self-determined exercises. Greater focus is placed on writing in the foreign language and text analysis and interpretation as key skills of academic language.

Prerequisite: solid B1 proficiency according to CEFR.

Course contents:

  • Practising general language and grammatical structures relevant to studying
  • Introduction to text work on topics relevant to studying at university (exercises to improve reading and listening comprehension)
  • Introduction to techniques and skills relevant to studying at university (describing simple graphs, oral presentations, taking notes, etc.)
  • Process-oriented writing

The DSH Preparatory Course C1 begins at a very advanced level. It is aimed at new students with the corresponding level of prior knowledge of German but is also designed as a follow-on course after the B2 preparatory course. The course is very achievement-oriented and focuses on academic language alongside working methods relevant to your studies. It also has a strong exam focus. One of the central components is regular simulation of exam situations using actual past examinations from Nuremberg Tech. The end of the course and the date of the DSH-Advanced exam are coordinated.

Prerequisite: solid B2 knowledge according to CEFR. 

Content:

  • Deepening and consolidating grammar topics relevant to studying at university
  • Expanding knowledge to include structures typical of academic language (DSH exam section 3)
  • Text work using more challenging, natural sciences-related, non-fiction texts (listening and reading comprehension with the same length as the exam)
  • Topic-specific vocabulary training (practising expressions for giving reasons, assessments, consequences, pros and cons, etc.)
  • Deepening and expanding exam-relevant working methods and skills (graphs, diagrams, definitions, etc.)
  • Preparation for the text production exam section

In line with the study focus of applicants to Nuremberg Tech, we focus on the following areas:

  • Business
  • Engineering/Technology
  • Environment
  • Working environments
  • Education and university
  • Media
  • Design
  • Architecture
  • Social work

The preparatory courses are held at the following times:

Summer semester

On-campus course

Course start: Mid-March

Duration/workload:  16 contact hours/week (240 instruction hours)
Class timetable: Monday-Thursday, 9.00 am - 12.30 pm

 

Winter semester

On-campus course

Course start: Mid-October

Duration/workload:  16 contact hours/week (240 instruction hours)
Class timetable: Monday-Thursday, 9.00 am - 12.30 pm


You can find the current course and exam dates under this link.

All university applicants from abroad with a valid passport can attend.

Registration:
The course fee is 850 euros per semester (without enrolment)

 

Please pay the fee in full prior to beginning the course. We do not accept payment by instalment. You will receive an invoice before the course begins.

Cancellation:

Before expiry of the cancellation period:

Course fees already paid will be reimbursed, minus a processing fee of 50 euros.

After expiry of the cancellation period:  

Course fees already paid will be reimbursed, minus a processing fee of 75 euros.

After courses start:

Cancellation is only possible during the first week after class begins.

Cancellation fees also apply, if the placement test is failed.