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Frequently Asked Questions

How much does a language course cost?

Students of Osnabrück University pay a total of 40 € for a four-hour-per-week language class, and 20 € for two-hour-per-week classes.

Students of the Hochschule Osnabrück as well as employees of Osnabrück University have to pay a total of 110 € for four-hour-per-week classes, and 80 € for two-hour-per-week classes.

Courses in German as a foreign language (DaF) are free of charge. However, only students and employees of Osnabrück University are allowed to register for DaF courses.

Which course should / can I take?

Modern foreign language courses:
If you have no previous knowledge of the target language, please register for a class on level A1 or 1. If you have completed a language proficiency level according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR), you should sign up for a course on the next level.
If you are unsure about your proficiency in the target language, we ask you to self-assess your current language level(s) according to the CEFR scales. Please note that the languages listed there refer to your first language, NOT the target language. In case of doubt, please contact our language coordinators for additional counseling.

German as a foreign language (DaF) courses:
A1.1: If you do not have any prior knowledge of German and want to participate in an ab initio level course (A1.1), then please register for the course in Stud.IP during the DaF-A1.1 registration period. This will be announced in good time on our webpage and in the course description.
A1.2 – C1: If you’ve successfully completed a German language proficiency test (e.g. TestDaF, DSH, telc or Goethe-certificate), you’ll be placed into our courses based on your test result. To register, please send a copy of your test certificate to:claudia.nathaus@uos.de
All other students with prior knowledge of German but who DO NOT HAVE a certificate must take a placement test. Placement tests are offered shortly before the start of each new semester. Within 24 hours after taking the placement test, you will receive an email with information about the course that you have been assigned to. If you are unable to participate, please send an email to Claudia Nathaus.

Where do I find information about the placement tests?

Foreign language courses: For the moment students interested in our courses do not need to sit for an obligatory placement test. However, if you would like to complete a test to check your proficiency level in your chosen langauge, please contact Jan-Heinrich Brockmann.

German as a foreign language (DaF) courses: You can find all relevant information before the start of the semester on our webpage under “News and Events”. For a sample test go to www.onset.de and look at "Services" at the bottom of the page.

Download information sheet (PDF, 650 kB)

Do I have to sign up for the placement tests?

You do not need to register for the placement tests. Just come to the test venue on the given date.

When do I (not) have to take a placement test for a language course?

Only German as a foreign language (DaF) courses: You do not have to take a placement test, if you do not have any previous knowledge and intend to participate in an ab initio level course (A1.1) or if you have already successfully participated in a German course at the Language Center and you intend to continue with a course on the next proficiency level. Furthermore, you do not have to take a placement test, if you have successfully completetd a German language proficiency test (e.g. TestDaF, DSH, telc or Goethe-certificate). In these cases, please contact Claudia Nathaus via email.

How do I sign up for a course?

Modern foreign language courses: The dates for the registration period can be found on Stud.IP. Just sign up for your class within the stipulated time frame.

German as a foreign language (DaF) courses:
A1.1: Please register for the course in Stud.IP during the DaF-A1.1 registration period.
A1.2 - C1: After the placement test or your e-mail to us, you will be placed in a German course and registered as a participant on Stud.IP. Please find more information here (PDF, 650 kB).

What should I do if I am unhappy with the proficiency level that I have been assigned to?

If you feel that your language competence has not been assessed adequately, please come and see one of our language coordinators during their office hours.

Do I have to register on HISinOne to participate in the final exams?

No. However, if you intend to use the ECTS credit points for your study programme or if you want your language course to be listed on your Transcript of Records, you should sign up on HISinOne. The registration period for all our courses is usually between week 7 and 11 of the teaching term.
Kindly refer to the explanation videos on our website for more details on how to register on HISinOne.

Where and when do I get my course certificate?

If you use HISinOne and if you have sigend up for the exam via the system, the grades for your language courses will appear automatically on your Transcript of Records.

If you do not use HISinOne, please pick up your certificate from the Language Center after the grades have been entered into HISinOne.

• Certificates for all modern foreign language classes can be picked up from Mr Brockmann or Mr Lauterbach during office hours.
• Certificates for German as a Foreign Language classes can be picked up from Ms Nathaus during office hours.

Can I use the placement test result for an exchange programme application?

No. The test result can only be used for access to our language classes. However, you may take a DAAD test with us.

How and where can I take a DAAD test?

For information about the DAAD test, please consult the Stud.IP page “DAAD-Tests für Auslandsaufenthalte” or mail / call / see Mr Brockmann.

I am a student at the Hochschule Osnabrück. How do I sign up for a course?

To register in a modern foreign language course, use your HS user ID and password to log on to the University’s Stud.IP system. Use the button “Login für Externe”.

Courses in German as a foreign language (DaF) are unfortunately only open to University students.

I am not a student. Can I take a language course?

If you are not an employee of Osnabrück University, you unfortunately cannot participate in any of our language courses.

I study at a different university or college. Can I take a course?

Yes, you can participate in a foreign language course (not German as a foreign language). However, if your university does not use Stud.IP as a learning platform, you have to apply for an account and access code to Stud.IP by contacting our colleagues at the Center for Information Management and Virtual Teaching (virtUOS) by sending an email to studip(at)uni-osnabrueck.de.

How do I enter my bank details on Stud.IP?

You must first activate the "Bezahlkurse-Kontodaten" tab (no English language version available) in your personal Stud.IP profile. You can then enter your account data and authorize direct debit. We recommend that you enter the bank details well in advance of the start of the registration period. However, it is also possible to enter them during registration itself. For more information, please watch the explanation video "Before your course stars" on our webpage.

Until when can I deregister a language course without having to pay the course fee?

For semester-long courses, please deregister until midnight on Sunday of the second week of the University's official teaching term (i.e. for courses at the Language Center, until the end of the first week of classes); for other course formats (e.g. workshops or short-term courses), please do so until two days after the start of the course.
Your deregistration is only valid in writing. Please send an e-mail to the Language Center; it does not suffice to inform your lecturer.

If you decide to leave the course after the end of the deregistration period, we are unable to reimburse your course fee. Please take note of our Terms and Conditions, which can be accessed via a link on your chosen course's Stud.IP page under "Overview" > "Details" > "Admission settings".

I feel over-/ underchallenged in my current language class. Can I change courses?

Please talk to your teacher first. If switching courses is advisable, you may change to another class, only if there are free spaces available. This is only possible within the first two weeks of class though. Also consult Mr Brockmann (Foreign Languages for General and Professional Purposes), Mr Lauterbach (Foreign Languages for Academic Purposes) or Ms Nathaus (German as a Foreign Language) about the course change. Please refer to our website for further contact details.