Language skills
What level of German do I need to have?
If you want to study in a degree course that is taught in German and you did not receive your school-leaving certificate in Germany, you need to prove that your German skills are sufficient. HAW Hamburg accepts the following certificates and proof of ability:
List of accepted German-language certificates
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- Goethe-Institut C1 certificate
- TestDaF (minimum TDN 4 in all parts of the exam, TDN 5 ist above the required level and is also accepted)
- telc C1 Hochschule
- DSH2 or DSH3 (German language exam for university entrance) from a German university (DSH1 is not accepted)
- Deutsches Sprachdiplom (DSD) from the Standing Conference of Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs (second level)
- Kleines or Großes Deutsches Sprachdiplom from the Goethe-Institut
- Vocational qualification from Germany
- Certificate of completion of seventh grade at a German school
- Degree in a language-related subject with German as the first language
- Certificate of Studienkolleg completion
- Completion of the preparatory course with a grade of at least 4 in German
You can find more information about the language tests at www.sprachnachweis.de
What level of English do I need to have?
If you want to study in a degree course that is taught in English and English isn't your native language, you need to demonstrate that you have sufficient English skills. HAW Hamburg accepts the following certificates and proof of ability:
List of accepted English-language certificates
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- TOEFL test
- IELTS
- Cambridge certificates
- Higher education entrance qualification from a school in an English-speaking country
- Proof of at least two years of successful study at a university in an English-speaking country
Other language certificates may also be accepted (check the page for your degree course).
IMPORTANT: Please note that your certificate should not be older than two years. Please check the specific requirements on the webpage of the particular degree course and how many points or what level you are required to have.
List of countries where English is an official language
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Most study programmes refer to §7 of our HAWAZO, which refers to a list of countries, that have English as an official langauge. You can view the list here. Please note that only those countries that have English as their official language ("Amtssprache" - red countries on the map) and/or national language by definition are accepted.
Note: Even if your degree course is offered in English, you may still need to demonstrate proficiency in basic German in your application. You can find more information on the degree course webpage.
Note about the TOEFL test: Please don't have your TOEFL certificates sent directly to HAW Hamburg from ETS. You need to include them in your application documents.
