FSP (Feststellungsprüfung) Grades – Why They Matter for Admission
The final grades in the Feststellungsprüfung (FSP) do not just decide whether you pass or fail – they also strongly influence:
the average grade you apply with
your actual chances of getting a study place in competitive subjects (e.g. medicine, pharmacy, business administration)
German grades generally range from 1.0 (best) to 5.0 (fail).
You pass the FSP only if your final average is 4.0 or better.
Grading scale:
| Grade | German term | Meaning in English |
|---|---|---|
| 1.0 – 1.5 | Sehr gut | excellent |
| 1.6 – 2.5 | Gut | very good |
| 2.6 – 3.5 | Befriedigend | good / satisfactory |
| 3.6 – 4.0 | Ausreichend | sufficient / just pass |
| > 4.0 | Nicht bestanden | failed |
The final grade is a weighted average of:
first subject exam (e.g. mathematics)
second subject exam (e.g. physics, chemistry, economics)
German (written and/or oral parts)
sometimes a presentation or an additional oral exam
The exact weighting depends on the Studienkolleg, but subject exams of your course (M/T/W/G/S) usually carry more weight than German alone.
1. Non-restricted study programs (zulassungsfrei)
In these programs, it is usually enough to pass (≤ 4.0).
The exact FSP grade often doesn’t matter much.
2. Restricted programs with NC (Numerus Clausus)
Here your FSP grade becomes crucial:
the closer your grade is to 1.0, the higher your chances
many universities using a points system (e.g. for medicine) reward better FSP grades with more points
Example:
Student A with an FSP grade of 1.3 → good chances to get Business Administration in a major city university (depending on the competition)
Student B with 3.8 → may be rejected or only get offers from less competitive universities or in a later semester
In principle: No – the final FSP grade is set once.
Some Studienkollegs allow a retake only if you failed, not to improve an already passed grade.
If you are aiming at a highly competitive subject like medicine or pharmacy, try to:
achieve an FSP average between 1.0 and 2.0
keep your secondary school grade (as evaluated for Germany) as strong as possible
collect additional points through:
excellent language certificates (C1, TestDaF 4×4)
internships, voluntary work or relevant experience
applying to multiple universities with a smart priority strategy (e.g. via hochschulstart.de for medicine/dentistry)
