Study Preparation Year: Bridge to Studies – Online Track Brandenburg University of Technology Cottbus-Senftenberg

Prepare intensively for your studies at Brandenburg Technical University Cottbus-Senftenberg, first in your home country and then on campus at the BTU.

Acquire German language skills at level B2 and C1 in the online study preparation year. Learn more about BTU and academic life at a university in Germany.

German teachers and student tutors will accompany you in learning German in online live sessions and in independent studies. The course includes 10 hours of synchronous online-classes and approximately 10 hours of self-study per week during the online phase in the winter semester.

For the TestDaF examination, you will be thoroughly prepared during the second semester on-campus. If you successfully pass the TestDaF, you will be able to apply for your desired study programme of choice at the BTU Cottbus-Senftenberg!

If you successfully pass the TestDaF at the end of this programme, you will be one step closer to your desired degree programme at the Brandenburg University of Technology (BTU). You can then apply for BA and MA programmes at the BTU.

First semester online, end of second semester on campus

557 EUR

For the first semester, which is entirely online, students have to pay 165 EUR (semester fee excluding the price of the semester ticket).

For the second semester, which features classes on campus and the TestDaF exam, the full semester fee of 391.80 EUR has to be paid.

The online track of our intensive Bridge to Studies programme gives you the opportunity to directly start your studies at the BTU after you successfully complete the language certification.

Consequently, you only can apply to this programme if you can verify that you have a higher education entrance qualification to German universities. If you are not sure whether your specific diploma allows you to enter higher education in Germany, please find more information here.

The canteens at all three BTU locations offer a variety of affordable lunch options every week day. Breakfast and other snack options can also be found in the canteens. 

A social and leisure programme is only available during the semester on campus.

Participate in our social programme at the Brandenburg Technical University Cottbus-Senftenberg with other international students organised by the International Relations Office.

Get to know people by joining one of our diverse sports courses. From dance classes to climbing to numerous ball sports, it is easy to find something that suits you. 

Located on three campuses and with about 70 study programmes, BTU Cottbus-Senftenberg offers a broad spectrum of market-oriented programmes as well as traditional degree programmes.

From the natural sciences and engineering to economics, cultural studies, and even health sciences, BTU offers a wide range of courses. Our 21 study programmes taught exclusively in English are very popular among both German and international students from all over the world.

BTU is partnered with over 220 universities throughout the world, which provides students with a multitude of excellent opportunities to spend part of their time studying or conducting research abroad. Furthermore, in cooperation with our international partner universities, BTU offers a wide range of double degree and joint degree programmes.

Cottbus is located in the north-east of Germany, between the capital city, Berlin (100 km), and Dresden (120 km). With a population of approx. 100,000 inhabitants, Cottbus is the second largest city after Potsdam in the federal state of Brandenburg. The Polish border is only approx. 30 km away. The location of Cottbus offers a convenient starting point for trips into the picturesque region of Lower Lusatia. The landscape of Lower Lusatia is characterised by the Spreewald with its small canals and waterways as well as by the Slavonic minority called Sorbs or Wends. Their language, similar to Polish, is still used and spoken in Lower Lusatia. For this reason, many of the road signs and informational boards in Cottbus and the surrounding region are written in both Sorbian and German. Cottbus gained importance as a trade centre in the 12th century. Parts of the original city wall from the 14th century as well as the beautiful town houses around the old market square are proof of the city’s early splendour. Additionally, the city is characterised by buildings from the "Wilhelminian" times of rapid industrial growth in Germany, which occurred towards the end of the 19th century. The city that first rose to prominence with its cloth and linen weaving industry soon evolved into a growing centre of brown coal mining. Today, Cottbus is in the midst of structural transformation. The BTU supports this development with the engagement in the mega-project "Lausitz Science Park", which aims to build an attractive innovation location with great appeal.

Senftenberg is the centre of the Lusatia Lake District. Former excavation and mining pits have been flooded in order to create the largest artificial lake system in Europe, with a total of 23 large lakes. The water sports area "Senftenberger See", with its water surface of 1,300 hectares, offers exceptional sailing and surfing opportunities, and it is suitable for all kinds of water sports. Senftenberg has thus become a tourist attraction within the region.