Who can apply to the Studienbrücke program?

Conditions for taking part in the current "Studienbrücke" (Study Bridge) program in the U.S.A. as follows: high school students in their sophomore year or higher students must have been attending an American school for at least six years at the time of application students can prove and demonstrate knowledge of German at the early A1 level or higher Students of any nationality may apply.

Which language certification document must be included with the application?

The application should ideally include a Goethe-Zertifikat as proof of German language skills if the student has an A2 level or higher. These exams can be taken at the Goethe-Institut as part of the application process when the applicant is invited to an interview or after the interview. Certificates from internationally recognized exams may also be accepted with the application. Certificates may not be older than one year.

How do you know your language level?

A placement test is recommended for testing your language level. To register for the Goethe-Institut’s placement test, please contact us-studybridge@goethe.de .

Which references (in which form) must be included with the application?

All references must be provided in written form (English or German). It is not enough to provide the addresses of the people who will serve as references on the application. The students’ teachers should write a recommendation. The parents or guardians of the applicants must sign a declaration of consent and write a letter in which they state their support for their child to participate in the “Studienbrücke Deutschland” (“Study Bridge Germany”) program.

Do applicants have to want to study a STEM subject in order to be considered for the program?

The program focuses on studying STEM subjects and economic sciences. The program prepares participants to apply to our partner univeristies. Our partner universities offer STEM subjects and economic sciences.

© TestDaF Institut Following preparatory language courses and the TestDaF preparatory course, the TestDaF is taken within the framework of the Studienbrücke programme. To study at a German university, prospective students have to prove a sufficient command of German at B2/C1 level. This proof can be obtained by successfully completing the TestDaF at level 4. The test comprises four sections: reading comprehension, listening comprehension, written expression and oral expression. The test can be taken at your local Goethe-Institut or at another test centre near to where you live. Further information about the TestDaF

© TestAS Passing the TestAS forms part of the Studienbrücke programme’s university preparation. The TestAS is a central and standardized scholastic aptitude test for prospective students from abroad. They have to pass the test with a minimum score of 100 points in order to be admitted to study at one of the Studienbrücke programme’s partner universities. The test comprises a core test of cognitive abilities, plus a subject-specific test either for the subjects mathematics, IT and science, or for the engineering sciences. Further information about the TestAS TestAS example questions

Who can I contact about the Studienbrücke in the U.S.?

Dr. Anne Schönhagen Director Language Programs North America Goethe-Institut Washington D.C. anne.schoenhagen@goethe.de Nils Martin Coordinator, Study Bridge Goethe-Institut Washington D.C. nils.martin@goethe.de us-studybridge@goethe.de

Study Bridge

A direct route to studying in Germany

Germany is one of the three most popular places to study for foreign students. This is hardly surprising: higher education institutions in Germany offer the highest academic standards – and as such are the perfect springboard for a successful career at home or worldwide. The Goethe-Institut’s Studienbrücke program is specifically designed to prepare students from abroad wishing to embark directly on a course of study in Germany. Study Bridge Testimonials

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Programs
Study Bridge partner universities
Frequently asked questions
Participating countries
Contact

What is the Study Bridge

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Photo: Getty Images

Information Sessions

Upcoming virtual information sessions together with Study Bridge alumni will be taking on the following dates at 7 pm EST:

December 11

Please email us-studybridge@goethe.de to set up a call or a presentation about the Study Bridge.

Click on Information Sessions to register for our upcoming events and receive a Zoom link.

"Best country for international students"

In The Study.EU Country Ranking 2018 for International Students Germany remains #1 before UK; France claims 3rd rank.

Programs

The Study Bridge program has a modular design, but follows a set learning progression. Participants should start with the module that matches their language skills. The placement takes place at the time of application through the Goethe-Institut. The Study Bridge also offers possible stipends to help partially cover the costs of each module. Participants registered for the Study Bridge will participate in Goethe language courses at a reduced cost. The B1 Level and up will have an exclusive focus on students in the program with the purpose of preparing them well to gain acceptance in the partner German universities.

Pre-study Bridge	Level A1 - Ongoing
Language Course	Sign up for Goethe language Courses through our website. Upcoming dates for A1 level courses are as follows.
Costs* (Scholarships available) $607.50 per class (Study Bridge rate)	Courses can be currently scheduled flexibly.

Pre-study Bridge	Level A2 -Ongoing
Language Course	Sign up for Goethe language Courses through our website. Upcoming dates for A1 level courses are as follows.
A2 Exam	Goethe-Zertifikat A2 is required in order to continue participating in the program.
Costs* (Scholarships available) $607.50 per class (Study Bridge rate)	Courses can be currently scheduled flexibly.

Module III	Level B1- September 2025
Language Course	B1 online-language course (32 weeks) through the learning platform of the Goethe-Institut. This course will be tutored and includes virtual live sessions. Goethe-Zertifikat A2 is required to start the program with Modul III.
B1 Exam	Goethe-Zertfikat B1 is required in order to continue participating in the project
Costs* (Scholarships available)	$2080 Includes all 4 sections of B1 level plus advising and support with a focus on studying in Germany.

Module IV	Level B2 - July 2025
Language Course Cost ()	B2 online-language course (32 weeks) through the learning platform of the Goethe-Institut. This course will be tutored and includes virtual live sessions. Goethe-Zertifikat B1 is required to start the program with Modul IV.
Summer Course in Germany Cost	2-week stay in Germany including an intensive language course, a STEM-program and visits of the partner universities
Technical language preparation in the STEM subjects (online)	Technical language preparation in STEM subjects: Mathematics, Computer Science, Chemistry, Physics, Biology, Technology (engineering) as well as Economic Sciences
TestDaF preparatory course	Preparation for the individual test sections of the TestDaF exam (reading comprehension, listening comprehension, written expression, oral expression)
TestAS-Formattraining (online)	Preparation for the content and typical questions in the TestAS (scholastic aptitude test)
Fit für das Studium (online)	Preparation for university applications and introduction to campus life in Germany
Intercultural Training (online)	Intercultural training to prepare for living and studying in Germany
Academic guidance counselling	Supported by the DAAD
University Admission	Application to one of the (Partner-)Universities for a place in the STEM or Economic Sciences field
Costs	$5000 Includes all of the required courses for applying to a German university, all 4 sections of the B2 level, careful test preparation, housing and food in Germany, and access to a special application into the partner universities

* The costs above do not include travel costs to and from testing locations to take any of the required exams, travel costs to and from Germany as well as spending money for the stays in Germany. The Goethe-Institut does NOT cover any of the costs associated with applying for a visa or further studies in Germany.

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Study Bridge partner universities

The Studienbrücke partner universities offer successful programme participants a wide range of courses in the STEM subjects and economics, making a certain number of places available for them each year. The comprehensive support provided by the university’s to the new students gives graduates of the Studienbrücke programme the best possible start to studying and life in Germany. The partner universities are situated in the federal states of North Rhine-Westphalia, Brandenburg and Thuringia.

Partner Universities