The total fees for the External Examination (PDF) depend on the path you choose to obtain the Double Degree (BA compact course or BA Translation preparatory year), at which Bavarian professional college for translation and interpreting you took the State Exam and whether you take the Bachelor's examination as an “alumnus/alumna” or directly after the State Exam at the SDI.

For further information on fees, please contact our Student Affairs Office.

Please fill out the BA External Examination registration form and submit it to the Student Affairs Office (A 409) or the Central Office; alternatively, you can send the form to the Student Affairs Office by email.

Please contact the Student Affairs Office for current examination dates and registration deadlines.

You can prepare for the academic examination at the SDI in two different ways:

• BA Translation compact course: This preparatory course is held in block format, and you attend online modules and some face-to-face modules to prepare for the theory exams. There is usually a winter course and a summer course. You can attend a compact course during the 3rd year of your studies at the Professional College or attend one part-time, as compact courses are held either on Friday afternoons/Saturdays (winter course) or during the school holidays (2nd week of the Bavarian Whitsun holidays) plus three weekend blocks (summer course). Please use the compact course registration form to register.
• BA Translation preparatory year: This option covers the 4th year of your studies at the Professional College, possibly while you also prepare for the State Exam for Interpreters or in a second major subject. You receive weekly interactive lessons that prepare you for the examination parts through various means (lectures, colloquia, seminars and workshops). Please use the teaching contract for the Professional College to register.

The Bavarian professional colleges cooperate to plan and carry out the examination preparation. If necessary, please contact your local professional college for more information.

No, but we recommend that you choose either preparatory course option if you want to take the External Examination. Preparing completely on your own is also possible, depending on what type of learner you are.

The Student Affairs Office of at the International University will accept your registration for the BA preparation courses, will be happy to advise you and will check whether you meet the admission requirements for the External Examination.

Admission requirements for the External Examination at the International University SDI München are

1. successfully graduating from a Bavarian professional college for translation & interpreting
2. having a university (of applied sciences) entrance qualification or consultation interview for candidates with a secondary school diploma

Yes, they can. The admission requirements apply regardless of when and from which professional college you graduated. Different fees apply for "alumni" (those who took the State Exam more than one year ago).

Yes. The External Examination is set up in the interest of all graduates of the Bavarian professional colleges for translation and interpreting and offers the possibility of a Double Degree. The External Examination ensures that the Bavarian professional colleges can continue to offer professional training and education. It also compensates for the decades of disadvantage of professional training in academic terms.

If you do not have a university (of applied sciences) entrance qualification (i.e. you have a secondary school diploma and entered the professional college via the vocational college, for example) but have passed the State Exam, you must arrange a consultation interview at the International University SDI München for admission to the BA in Translation (External Examination).

• during the BA Translation compact course: no
  You will be taking the examination at the University as an external candidate.
• during the BA Translation preparatory year: yes
  You will be enrolled at the Professional College of the SDI.

The Bachelor’s examination consists of three exams:

• the written exam, consisting of sub-module exams of 90 minutes each.

Linguistics, cultural studies and translation studies theory is taught in the preparatory courses on the basis of the curriculum and then examined. Foreign language competence is not the subject of this exam.

The implementation of the content of annex 2 of the Examination Regulations for the External Examination leads to the following weighting with regard to the thematic structuring of the two written sub-module exams:

theory exam 1: interpreting studies, text linguistics, cultural studies, terminology/technical language (weighted in equal parts)

theory exam 2: translation studies (weighted 2/3), linguistics (weighted 1/3).

The candidate must pass both exam 1 and exam 2.

• the Bachelor’s thesis.

Candidates are free to choose a topic that is conducive to their interests or professional goals. Candidates often come up with topics during the phase of preparation for the theory exam and by having discussions with the lecturers.

• the oral exam.

The candidate tries to find two supervisors by the specified date and, in consultation with them, works out a problem (max. 1,500 characters and at least two references to scientific literature) on a “routing slip” (proposal).

The Examination Board officially issues the topic and fixes the exact deadline (notification by the Examination Office).

The “routing slip” is deposited as a form in your elSDI course room.

Please note: The supervisors must agree to the topic and their supervision with their signature on the routing slip.

Candidates try to find the supervisors for their Bachelor’s thesis on their own. If necessary, the University supports the candidates in finding the supervisors. The Examination Board appoints the proposed supervisors, who are also examiners, on the basis of the “routing slip” (proposal), in which the topic is described in a conclusive way.

The “routing slip” contains information on the formal requirements for the examiners.

Both supervisors read and generally also assess the Bachelor’s thesis. They are examiners in the oral exam.

In addition to the supervision, candidates have group discussions about their Bachelor’s theses at the University.

In the 60-minute oral exam, which is open to the public at the University, the candidate presents the Bachelor’s thesis and the examiners ask questions about the thesis and expect a transfer to issues in translation studies. The candidates demonstrate that they have penetrated the topic of the Bachelor's thesis and have the relevant knowledge of the academic sub-disciplines in the field of translation.

The examination language is German. The Bachelor’s thesis can also be written in the foreign language.

The oral exam usually takes place at the University.

Yes, it is highly recommended that you review the assessments. The criticism in the assessments is the basis for discussion in the oral exam.

To calculate the overall examination grade, the averaged final grade of the theory sub-module exams is double weighted and that of the oral exam is single weighted. The grade of the Bachelor’s thesis is triple weighted. The overall examination grade is then used for the Bachelor’s certificate.