More international students

Hochschule RheinMain (HSRM) aims to attract a greater number of international students in the future. In order to achieve this goal, the university of applied sciences has developed an innovative program called PreStudyING@HSRM designed to contribute to alleviating the skills shortage in Germany. The program will initially be introduced at the Faculty of Engineering in Rüsselsheim.

“We are delighted that with PreStudyING@HSRM we are able to offer prospective international students the opportunity to take a special exam that will allow them to study for a bachelor’s degree in engineering at the Rüsselsheim campus. At the same time, we have developed training programs for our teaching staff to prepare them for their responsibilities as they support and mentor our international students,” says Professor Christiane Jost, Vice-President for Academic and International Affairs at HSRM. “These include seminars on the subject of intercultural awareness in everyday university practice, to which all employees of the Faculty of Engineering, that is, lecturers, secretarial teams, library staff, laboratory engineers and other interested parties, are all invited,” adds Professor Ulrike Stadtmüller, Associate Dean of the Faculty of Engineering.

In addition, in close cooperation with the city of Rüsselsheim and other stakeholders – including potential students’ home countries – opportunities are being created to provide future students with the best possible conditions for successful studies at HSRM. These include activities to speed up bureaucratic processes and a commitment to providing accommodation for international students.

PreStudyING@HSRM

PreStudyING@HSRM is designed to contribute to overcoming the skills shortage in the engineering sector. By providing tailor-made study preparation, the program aims to increase the number of international students at Hochschule RheinMain and improve their academic success. The program was made possible by an amendment to the Hessian Higher Education Act, which allows separate entrance examinations for international students who have acquired a higher education entrance qualification for STEM subjects in their home country.

Intensive language and subject-related courses

PreStudyING@HSRM is therefore designed for prospective international students who do not have a direct higher education entrance qualification for Germany. It includes intensive language training leading to proficiency levels B2 and C1, which prepare participants for the necessary language examinations. In addition, courses in mathematics and physics are offered to provide the necessary subject-specific basic knowledge for embarking on a degree program in engineering. In workshops on study competence and future skills, participants also acquire important proficiencies in the areas of academic research and writing, time management and intercultural communication. Internships also provide an opportunity to gain initial work experience and make direct contact with potential employers.

Three routes to the entrance examination

An entrance examination for a degree program via PreStudyING@HSRM can either be taken without a preliminary preparatory course or after attending a one- or two-semester preparatory course. Each option requires documentation of a higher education entrance qualification for STEM subjects in the student’s home country and proof of adequate German language skills.

The first preparatory courses will begin in March 2025 and are already open for applications. The application deadline is January 15, 2025. After passing the exams, applicants can enroll for a bachelor’s degree in engineering at Hochschule RheinMain.

Further information is available at www.hs-rm.de/prestudying