German as a Foreign Language ‐ German as a Second Language (International Master)

The final grade (CGPA) of undergraduate degrees from German Studies must at least be GOOD or better (upper second class honours or equivalent); degrees from other fields of science than German Studies must show that modules taken in the sector of German Studies during these programmes have been passed with marks of at least GOOD.

This master's programme requires the following language proficiencies:

• proficiency in at least two modern foreign languages (one must be English at minimum level B1)
• international applicants: German language proficiency at minimum level DSH-2 (or a recognised equivalent).

All Master students need to be well grounded in German language skills in order to be able to discuss in written form and orally.

For further information on the German language skills please see section „Additional application documents for international students“ below.

Your CV should have a tabular form, containing key information on your school record and academic career.

Please enclose a letter of motivation of 1-2 DIN A4 pages (max. 3,000 characters including spaces) with your application. Please answer the following questions in your letter of motivation:

1. What are your personal and subject-related reasons for applying to the Master’s degree program "Internationaler Master Auslandsgermanistik - Deutsch als Fremdsprache - Deutsch als Zweitsprache" at FSU Jena?
2. Which specific connections do you see between your subject-related interests and planned specialization related to the contents and objectives of our program? Which relations do you see between your previous studies or experiences and our program resp. specific research areas at the institute?
3. Which topics and contents relevant to our subject did you already work on? For example, did you already attend relevant courses or write papers?
4. What practical experience (e.g. teaching, internships) do you already have? What professional or academic perspectives do you see for yourself with a Master's degree DaF/DaZ from FSU Jena, and how would you like to prepare for these perspectives during your studies here?

Based on your letter of motivation, a video interview can also be conducted in case of doubt.

Please upload at the online application system your university entrance certificate/school leaving certificate. Usually, this means the school graduation diploma (German "Abitur"), i.e. the diploma that makes you eligible for studies at an University or other institution for higher education. Be mindful of the fact that here, we do not need any University diploma but a High School diploma! 

All previous University degrees (Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, etc.) if available before the application deadline - if not, please make a note of the anticipated date of issue of your degree certificate. Please upload your University degree or the most actual, detailed transcript of records/ mark sheet of all semesters available to you, should you not hold your degree certificate at the time of application. The main document is the degree/ transcript based on which you apply for the master programme.

Detailed transcript of records/ mark sheet of your first, subject-specific University degree, with which you apply for the master's programme. This transcript MUST contain an overall cumulative grade point average or average mark.

Candidates with less than 60 credits (ECTS) in German Studies might be admitted when demonstrating sufficient proof of subject-specific work experience or relevant academic achievements.

You have to submit the following proofs of language proficiencies:

• Proof of proficiency in at least two foreign languages (no specific language level required)
• international applicants: German language proficiency at minimum level DSH-2 (see following chapter "Additional application documents for international students")

In addition to the letter of motivation, please summarize your bachelor thesis or another thesis in 300-500 words in a separate document.

For German taught master's programmes, i.e. programmes with (predominantly) German as language of instruction, a sufficient German language proficiency proof is mandatory. Please see the information on the language requirements for the master's programme of your interest on the corresponding website.

The Friedrich Schiller University Jena accepts the following certificates as German language proficiency proof exclusively:

• the Goethe-Zertifikat C2 (GDS),
• the Deutsche Sprachdiplom der Kultusministerkonferenz (DSD II),
• the TestDaF, minimum TDN 4 in all four parts of the examination,
• Deutsche Sprachprüfung für den Hochschulzugang (DSH), min. level 2 (= DSH-2),
• Certificate telc Deutsch C1 Hochschule (min. level "befriedigend"),
• a German language examination in the framework of an assessment test at a preparatory college.

Please note: If you do not have the required mandatory German language proficiency proof at the time of applying, you may only apply if you can provide a certificate attesting your German language skills at least at level B2 (Common European Framework of Reference for Languages) as well as a confirmation that you have either registered for the DSH examination, the TestDaF or an equivalent examination or that you have sat it and are going to receive the results before the end of the current semester.

There is also the possibility to apply for the (chargeable) "German Language Course Preparing for the German Language Examination (DSH)" at the Friedrich Schiller University Jena. Please note: Prerequisites for the application for the preparatory course are language skills at least at the certificate level B1 / GER (e.g. Goethe-Zertifikat B1, TestDaF at least 4x3 and/or 800 teaching units from a recognized language school). For detailed information on the application and further information, please visit the website of the International Office or contact the International Office directly via Mail.

Shortly before taking the DSH-2-Examination or after successfully passing it, you are welcome to apply for a German taught master's programme!

The following applicants are exempted from providing proof of their German language skills:

• Applicants, who have obtained a German taught bachelor's degree within one of the following countries: Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein. This applies only to degrees that were awarded by a university in the relevant country (no satellite campuses or international branch campuses in other countries, no correspondence course degrees, no joint- or double-degrees with institutions in other countries);
• Holders of a German, Austrian or Swiss (from school where the language of instruction is German) university entrance qualification.

Every mandatory application document from foreign/external countries must also be available in either English OR German translation. Such a translation has to be conducted by officially acknowledged/ sworn translators or translation offices.

External/foreign degree certificates/ transcripts of records must contain information on the grading system (= description of the maximum grade possible and the minimum passing grade) used at the respective University. 

Mandatory for applicants with a Mongolian, Vietnamese or  Chinese degree.
For applicants with a Chinese degree the following applies: The APS certificate of the Academic Evaluation Centre (APS) in Beijing has to show that at least 6 semester of a 4-year Bachelors programme or 8 semester of a 5-year Bachelors programme respectively have been pre-checked and that the APS-interview was passed successfully in German. Please note:  re-certification (Nachzertifizierung) by the APS have to include the final grade.

Applicants from the following countries must submit a certificate of their university entrance examination/college entrance examination:

• Iran (College entrance examination certificate or certificate of pre-university course/year)
• Republic of Korea/South Korea: SAT (Scholastic Ability Test)
• People's Republic of China: College entrance examination certificate ("Gaokao")