STEP

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STEP – Study Eligibility Program

According to German education system, International students with a high school certificate (12 years of schooling) do not qualify for a direct entry to study for a Bachelor degree in Germany. One needs to complete thirteen years of education to be eligible to apply for the bachelor degree. International students need to undergo this 13th year of schooling via a Pre-bachelor program, which is equivalent to the German school system (Abitur).

Students can apply for Technical (T) courses to study a technical program (Engineering) or Wirtschaft (W) course to study an Economy/Management-oriented course and for a Medical (M) related course.

So our STEP program prepares the student for the pre-bachelor program either in T or W or M course and enables them to join Bachelors in Germany in their respective fields. At the end of the STEP course, students should appear for the final exam and successfully pass the Feststellungsprüfung (FSP) to join Bachelors at any German university afterwards.

This certificate is recognized by all German Private & Public Universities including TU9 & Universities of Applied Sciences (Fachhochschule or Hochschule).

Our STEP coursework takes each student through this process where they start their A1 till B1 online/presence and then parallel to German language (B2/C1 level) students proceed with respective subjects of T, W or M course at our campus in Germany.

By applying to STEP Students also receive:

Admission letter for STEP (for the coursework part in German campus)
Pre-conditional offer letter from a public or a private university
With these two letters students are eligible to apply for the visa, provided the other relevant documents are submitted, and the living cost is also covered.

Duration
14 Months Program
5 Months A1 to B1 Language (Online/Presence)
9 Months Intensive language (B2/C1) and subject related courses at German Campus.

CURRICULUM

The Curriculum corresponds to your elected major and language pathway

  • T-Course for Technical Studies
    • Physics, Mathematics, Chemistry, German & English
  • M-Course for Business Studies
    • Biology, Mathematics, Chemistry, German & English
  • W-Course for Business Studies
    • Mathematics, Economics, Business studies, German & English

Possible Bachelor programs after…

  • T Course: natural science degree programs except biology related and other mathematical, scientific or technical/engineering degree programs
  • M Course: dentistry, medicine, veterinary medicine, pharmacy, biochemistry, bioinformatics, biology and other medical, biological or pharmaceutical degree programs
  • W course: business administration, economics (BWL and VWL), and other economics and social science degree programs

Apart from the subject related coursework, STEP curriculum also contains: 

  • Industrial/Company Visits
  • Exhibition and Seminars
  • Personality Development Classes
  • Industry Oriented Partner Programs (e.g. SAP)
  • Cultural Programs
  • Social & Cultural Integration

The STEP curriculum has been planned in such a way to help the candidates to integrate better socially, culturally and professionally.

1. Complete the Application Form and send across the required documents, wait for our International office to verify/proof-read your documents (1 to 2 Weeks)

2. When accepted students receive admission acceptance form. It has to be signed and sent back to IAS via email as a scanned copy.

3. Transfer Fees

4. Open Blocked Bank account in Germany

5. Skype-interview

6. After Skype-interview IAS sends original admission letter

7. Apply for Visa

8. Pack your bags to fly to Germany

Frequently Asked Questions

What is STEP?
The STEP Program is a Pre-Bachelor foundation course for foreign students who wish to study a Bachelor degree in Germany.

According to German education system, International students with a high school certificate (12 years of schooling) do not qualify for a direct entry to study for a Bachelor degree in Germany. One needs to complete 13 years of education to be eligible to apply for the bachelor degree. International students need to undergo this 13th year of schooling via a Pre-bachelor program (Studienkolleg) and write the final exam called FSP (Feststellungsprüfung), which is equivalent to the German school system (Abitur).

This certificate is recognized by all German Private & Public Universities including TU9 & Universities of Applied Sciences (Fachhochschule or Hochschule).

Our STEP coursework takes each student through this process where they start their A1 till B1 online/presence and then parallel to German language (B2/C1 level) students proceed with respective subjects of T, W or M course at our campus in Germany. For more information on our courses see Q2).

By applying to STEP Students also receive:

Admission letter for STEP (for the coursework part in German campus)
Pre-conditional offer letter from a public or a private university
With these two letters students are eligible to apply for the visa, provided the other relevant documents are submitted, and the living costs are also covered.

What different courses are offered in the STEP Program?
Students can apply for Technical (T) courses to study a technical program (Engineering) or Wirtschaft (W) course to study an Economy/Management-oriented course and for a Medical related (M) course.
So our STEP program prepares the student for the pre-bachelor program either in T or W or M courses and enables them to join Bachelors in Germany in their respective fields.

After T Course possible Bachelor programs – natural science degree programs (except biology) related and other mathematical, scientific or technical/engineering degree programs

After M Course possible Bachelor Programs – dentistry, medicine, veterinary medicine, pharmacy, biochemistry, bioinformatics, biology and other medical, biological or pharmaceutical degree programs

After W course possible Bachelor Programs – business administration, economics (BWL and VWL), and other economics and social science degree program

Is it possible to start studying a bachelors course in Germany directly after I graduate from highschool, without STEP?
No it is not possible if you have only 12 years of schooling. As mentioned in Question 1), it is mandatory to do a pre-course to be eligible to apply for a bachelors program in Germany. It is possible if you provide 12 years of schooling plus one year of University studies. Note: 10+3 years of vocational training is not considered as 13 years of schooling. For those with Vocational training background please visit our AQUAS program (which culminates in Fachhochschulreife (FHR) exam and enables them to study bachelors in Germany).
1 have vocational training (3 years) after school (9 or 10 years), can I join bachelors in Germany?
In case of those with only 9 or 10 years of schooling and then 3 years of vocational training fall under a different category in Germany. They must complete the Fachhochschulreife Exam (FHR) and are then eligible to do bachelors at all Universities of Applied Sciences. We offer AQUAS program for those who wish to study bachelors in Germany after their vocational training.
Who can apply for STEP?

Those who wish to do bachelors in Germany and make a career later on.

Eligibility criteria are:

  • Completed 12 years of schooling
  • Min. 18 years of age (if still <18 then need to provide the Guardianship letter from parents/guardian).
Should I be able to speak German before applying and/or joining the STEP program? Do I need a German language prior to applying for STEP?

No, the STEP program will cover both, your basic to advanced German language and technical subjects (T, W or M course).

Is there any qualification exam?
Yes, at the end of the course the student will have to take up the FSP (Feststellungsprüfung) Exam for successfully applying to bachelor courses.
What should I do if I fail the final exam of STEP?
If you fail the final FSP exam, you can either apply for a re-exam or attend the
coursework again (mostly one semester).
Why should you do bachelors in Germany?
In Germany the education is excellent and yet, free of charge. In general, the public universities have no tuition fees. Students just have to pay administrative costs per semester, which often include the semester ticket for train and bus travel in the city or state area. With a student ID one will receive discounts in many places, like shops (mostly special days are designated for students to receive discounts), leisure activities (like cinema, sports, museums etc.) or travel within Germany or in Europe.
There is a wide range of bachelor courses, so candidates will surely find a course that matches their interests, be it with a practical approach or research oriented. Moreover, Germany suffers from a lack of manpower in many fields, foreign candidates with a good education and a solid command of German, are in high demand.
Overall Germany is an economically stable and safe country.
German taught or English taught bachelor, which one to choose?

In Germany the majority of Bachelors are taught in German. Few courses are offered in English in comparison to German taught bachelors. Studying an English bachelor course might seem the easiest way to get a degree, as most applicants already have a good command of English, and it can be a struggle to learn a completely new language… BUT there are various reasons why the commitment to learn German and later on studying in German is all worth it… Please check out our video and get inspired:

Video link: https://iaos.de/learn-german-online/

With a German bachelor degree candidates qualify themselves for many consecutive master degrees in Germany. It opens up multiple opportunities for their future.
OR
One can also start looking for a job after finishing a bachelor’s degree and put into practice what has been learned. Whereas an English based bachelor may lead to difficulties in finding an internship, thesis or jobs upon completion.

What does it cost to study bachelors in Germany? Are bachelor studies free in Germany?
To answer it shortly: In most public Universities there are NO tuition fees, as they are publicly funded. But there are some administrative charges which could be anywhere between 0 to 500€ per semester. This includes mostly the ID card, the administration fees, the local transport etc. Tuition fees are charged mostly at private universities as they are not funded by the government.
Bachelor in public or private University?
To sum it up: There is no right or wrong when choosing the type of university. See what fits your needs and interests best. With degrees from either university you will have chances to find a good job afterwards.
What should I do if I fail to obtain my school completion certificate on time?
If you are admitted to the STEP course but fail to get the domestic school completion certificate on time, you might request the College/University in Germany that you can submit it on a later date or the admission can be postponed to the next available intake (Summer or Winter). If you fail in your school final exam and have to reappear for the exam(s) then you need to apply again to the STEP course after successfully completing high school.
After enrolling in the bachelor's degree, if I want to change my course/field of study or university, is it okay?
Yes. During the bachelor’s degree, you can change the course/field of study, which is more suitable/interesting for you, provided all the eligibility criteria are fulfilled. Also, it is possible to completely change the University (in some cases, if admitted to the same or related course/field then the credit points earned so far could be transferred to the new University).
What are the Job opportunities after completion of the studies?
Once the student successfully completes the bachelor’s degree, he/she then can apply for the job search visa which is again given for a maximum of 18 months. Probability of finding a good job is very high. As Germany lacks manpower in many fields, foreign candidates with a good education and a solid command of German are in high demand.
It must be kept in mind that for the extension of the visa one needs a certain/sufficient amount of money in their bank account to cover the living costs.
I consulted other intermediaries and found that there are some similar preparatory programs. How are your preparatory programs different from those?
We are a professional college for direct enrollment, not an intermediary. Our college enrolls students for the preparatory programs only after the students have been reviewed. Students also receive a Pre-Offer or AAF for the STEP course as well as a conditional offer letter which guarantees admission to the university to study a bachelors degree.
If the student fails to pass the required language level (via our Online Learning System), the cost of preparatory study in Germany is not incurred, and there is no loss to the student.
Most Importantly, we are mentors for our Students, not recruiters. After our Program and studies our students have great opportunities later on to make a career in Germany.