Registration Process
Eligible participants include KIT students and KIT staff, students from other universities, and students from the Eucor and EPICUR universities.
Registration for all courses is done through
Intensive Courses (during the break between semesters)
The intensive courses are administratively assigned to the preceding semester.
For more information, please visit the pages for the respective languages.
Registration begins
- French: July 1 at 8:00 a.m
- Italian: July 1 at 8:00 a.m.
- English: starting September 28 at 9:00 a.m
- Spanish: starting in mid-September (date to be announced)
Semester Courses
Courses take place weekly during the lecture period. A maximum of two language courses may be registered for per semester.
Priority Registration
Period: October 5, 2026 (9:00 a.m.) through October 16, 2026 (12:00 p.m.)
For students with verified priority eligibility (e.g., study abroad, major-related requirements).
Regular Registration Phase 1 (admission by lottery)
Period: October 19, 2026 (9:00 a.m.) through October 21, 2026 (12:00 p.m.)
During this phase, you may apply for a maximum of one course. The time of your registration within this window does not affect your chances of securing a spot in the course.
Lottery & Notification
Time: October 21, 2026, starting at 12:00 p.m.
Immediately following the lottery, you will receive an email for re-registration, informing you whether you have been assigned a spot in the course or placed on the waitlist.
Regular Registration Phase 2 (First Come, First Served)
Period: October 21, 26 (12:00 p.m.) through November 20, 26 (12:00 p.m.)
All remaining spots will be made available. Registration is on a first-come, first-served basis. You can register here for your first free course or, if spots are available, add a second (fee-based) course.
Course Period
Start: November 2, 26 | End: February 20, 27
The semester courses begin in the second week of classes and end with the official end of the KIT lecture period.
Notes for Students with Priority
Please be sure to use the two-week priority registration window (October 5 through October 16). After this window closes, priority placement is no longer possible. Late priority registrations must participate in admission by lottery starting October 19. A course spot cannot be guaranteed for late registrations.
Required credentials for registration
for a study abroad program: Students with a placement confirmation (via email or corresponding letter) from the sending institution. Please upload the document directly during registration in SignMeUp.
IStO, INTL & LAS: Students with confirmation of an Erasmus spot or a spot in the KIT-wide exchange programs will receive an invitation from us via email before the regular registration deadline so that they can register for their desired course on a priority basis. We already have the relevant lists from IStO, INTL, and LAS.
Major-specific requirements (EUKLID, Ethics/Latin, Art History/Italian): A document confirming that you are enrolled in one of these degree programs (e.g., a detailed certificate listing your study areas) must be emailed to the respective contact person or uploaded no later than the time of registration. We will verify this information. Students who meet the eligibility requirements will receive their course confirmation before the regular registration deadline.
Fees and Payment
KIT Students: One course per semester is free of charge. If you are assigned a second course in Phase 2, a fee will apply (a maximum of two courses per semester is allowed).
Other Participants: For non-KIT students (KIT employees and students from other universities in Karlsruhe), participation in language courses generally requires payment of a fee.
Payment: As soon as you have been officially assigned a spot in a course (following the lottery in Phase 1 or upon booking in Phase 2), you will receive an email with payment instructions. The fee is due via bank transfer upon receipt of this payment request. Please include all required information in the payment reference field or use the QR code in the confirmation email.
Course Selection & Placement
Please review the information on the respective language pages in advance.
English: Please note that the placement test is mandatory.
Parallel Courses: Letters following the course names (e.g., Italian 1b) indicate parallel courses at the same level. You are not required to start with course “a.”
Course Start Date & Participation Requirements
Semester courses begin in the second week of classes (starting November 2, 2026). If you are unable to attend the first class session, please be sure to notify us in advance so that we can reserve your spot in the course.
Courses may be canceled if enrollment is too low (beginners < 10, advanced < 7). In this case, you will be notified by email.
If you are unable to attend a class, please cancel your registration yourself as soon as possible via SignMeUp to free up the spot for others. If you have paid a fee for this course, it will only be refunded if you cancel before the course begins. For details, see the Fee Regulations (§4).
Contact
If you have any questions, please contact the respective contact person:
English: englisch∂spz.kit.edu
French: franzoesisch∂spz.kit.edu
Spanish: spanisch∂spz.kit.edu
Italian, Portuguese & Latin: torsten.augenstein∂kit.edu
All other languages: info∂spz.kit.edu