20% off with code ERSTIS26

PROGRAMMING I · EXAM PREP · 1:1

Pass Programming I without moving into the library.

Four to five sessions before the exam. We work through past papers, close the gaps on OOP, inheritance and methods, and teach you how to attack tasks you have never seen before.

Dennis, Senior Java Engineer · Programming I tutor Dennis LIVE Senior Java Engineer · Programming I tutor responds ≤ 4 h Free first conversation →

Already decided? Straight to a session →

  • Your past paper, not a textbook example
  • Java 17 or 21, IntelliJ
  • Cancel up to 12 h ahead

Past-paper trace, live

● Trace.java ⎙ shared 
// trace exercise: what does this print?
int n = 5;
for (int i = 1; i <= n; i++) {
  if (i % 2 == 0) continue;
  System.out.print(i + " ");
}
Trace it step by step. Loop, condition, output. Then check. — Dennis, 8 min ago
ANATOMY OF AN EXAM

This is what you have to solve in 90 minutes.

Six task archetypes that show up in almost every Programming I exam. We train each one separately, until you stop thinking and just type.

Aufgabe1.java · Code tracing Task 1 · 12 pts
1 public class Loop {
2 public static void main (String[] args) {
3 int[] a = {2, 4, 6, 8};
4 int s = 0;
5 for (int i = 0; i < a.length; i++) {
6 if (a[i] % 4 == 0) s += a[i];
Question

What is in s after the loop runs?

Console
$ java Loop
16 ▌
→ We train this until you solve it in under 3 min.
Time pressure
real exam
90 min / 6 tasks
15 minutes per task. per task. Re-reading and re-tracing is not on. We practise under time, with real past papers.
Task 3 · UML to code
18 pts
Tier
− name: String
− alter: int
+ getName()
+ laut(): String
→
public class Tier {
  private String name;
  private int alter;
  // ...
  public String laut() {
    // ?
  }
}
→ We build hierarchies together before you have to type them.
Task 4 · Fill in the blanks
14 pts 
// Complete equals() correctly:
public boolean equals(Object o) {
  if (this == o) return true;
  if (o == null || _______ != o.getClass()) return false;
  Person p = _______;
  return alter == p.alter && _______;
}
getClass()
(Person) o
name.equals(p.name)
Where students leave points on the table
observation across 150+ sessions
  • × == instead of .equals() on Strings
  • × super() forgotten in subclass constructor
  • × Off-by-one in i <= n
  • × static vs. instance variables mixed up
  • × int division returns 0
  • × return inside a void method
Classic · Stack trace 
Exception in thread "main"
java.lang.NullPointerException
  at Person.equals(Person.java:17)
  at App.main(App.java:9)

→ What is in name?
→ Who is calling .equals()?
→ Reading stack traces is a skill, not a talent. We train it.
Recognise yourself in any of these task types? In the first chat we identify which tasks you have locked down
Diagnose in the first chat · 0 € →
EXAM STRUCTURE · POINT DISTRIBUTION

90 minutes, six tasks, two halves.

Most German universities split Programming I exams into a fundamentals block (Java syntax, control flow, tracing) and an OOP block (classes, inheritance, polymorphism). The split below mirrors a typical Klausur, including the past papers we coach against.

Part 1

Fundamentals: control flow, methods, tracing

~50%
Weight
Duration · ~45 min Format · Written. Code reading, fill in the blank, short coding tasks.

The half that decides if you pass. Tracing, off-by-ones, scope and array logic. Doable with steady practice.

Focus areas
  • Tracing
  • Loops
  • Arrays
  • Methods
  • Recursion
  • Strings
Part 2

OOP: classes, inheritance, polymorphism

~50%
Weight
Duration · ~45 min Format · Written. UML to code, equals/hashCode, building a 2 to 3 class hierarchy.

The half that decides your grade. Inheritance, polymorphism, abstract classes and interfaces. The classic stumbling block.

Focus areas
  • Classes
  • Inheritance
  • Polymorphism
  • Interfaces
  • equals/hashCode
  • UML to code
Past papers from TUM, RWTH, KIT, Uni Hamburg, FH Aachen and others all map onto this split. Send us yours and we calibrate the prep accordingly.
YOUR PATH TO THE EXAM

Realistic 4-week plan. No miracles promised.

If you start now and invest 4 to 5 sessions, you have a real chance. Less time? We compress. More? We go deeper, e.g. into generics or your own data structures.

  1. S1
    Step 1
    Diagnosis and gap analysis

    You share your screen, we walk through your last exercise and your exam material. We see where you really stand, not where you think you stand.

  2. S2
    Step 2
    Methods, arrays, tracing

    We train what shows up in part 1 of every exam: reading methods, code tracing, loop logic. You type, we ask.

  3. S3
    Step 3
    OOP and inheritance for real

    The hardest block. Classes, inheritance, polymorphism, equals/hashCode, on the actual material from your course. We build a mini model together.

  4. S4
    Step 4
    Past paper under time

    You solve your university's past paper under time pressure. We discuss each task: what you nailed, where you spun out, and which types are likely to come back.

Marcel Schmidtpeter, Gründer und Senior Developer, Study IT
FROM THE FOUNDER

Why Study IT exists.

I built Study IT because I have seen first-hand how computer-science teaching at university falls apart.

Our tutors are working developers, not student side-jobbers.

Marcel Schmidtpeter Gründer und Senior Developer

Reach me directly: marcel.schmidtpeter@study-it.education

DEIN TUTOR FÜR PROGRAMMIEREN I

Dennis erklärt Programmieren I aus 11 Jahren Industrieerfahrung.

Ausbildung zum Fachinformatiker, dann Softwareentwicklung in der Industrie. Er weiß, was Prüfer:innen erwarten und wo Erstis bei OOP, Datenstrukturen und Algorithmen stolpern.

Dennis
Online · replies quickly
Industrie­erfahrung
11 J
Java Engineer
Senior
seit 2015
FIAE
Dennis
Senior Java Software Engineer
„Programmieren versteht man, wenn man weiß, warum eine Lösung funktioniert. Mein Ziel: dass du Code nicht abschreibst, sondern selbst hinkriegst."
Background
  1. Heute Senior Java Software Engineer · Industrie
  2. 2015 bis heute Softwareentwicklung in der Industrie · 2 berufliche Stationen, 11 Jahre kumuliert
  3. 2015 bis 2018 Ausbildung Fachinformatiker Anwendungsentwicklung · Praxisbetrieb · IHK-Abschluss
  • Java
  • Spring
  • C#
  • Python
  • OOP
  • Algorithmen
  • Datenstrukturen
  • Unit Testing
AT A GLANCE
Response time
≤ 4 h
Teaches
Studierende · Azubis · Quereinsteiger
Language
Deutsch (Muttersprache)
Book Dennis, 60 €/h → See full profile → All tutors ↓
PRICING

Clear pricing. No subscription trap.

Pay per session or grab the exam package. First chat is free, if it does not fit you have lost nothing.

With code ERSTIS26 · −20%
Single session · 60 min
47,99 €
59,99 €
With code ERSTIS26 on your first session · until 30.06.2026
60 minutes 1:1
  • Live in our classroom
  • Your code, your pace
  • No minimum count
  • Cancel up to 12 h ahead
Book session →
Stripe · PayPal · instant confirmation
Cancel up to 12 h before, free of charge
First session 47,99 € with code ERSTIS26
In comparison What it costs otherwise
Repeat the module (1 sem.)
6 months
extends your studies by a semester
Group revision course
~600 €
generic, ignores your syllabus
Student tutor (HiWi)
20 to 30 €/h
if available, student level
Study IT · 1:1
59,99 €/h
Senior dev, on your exam, today
ADJACENT TOPICS

Different goal, different page.

If your exam is not the bottleneck, one of these probably fits better.

FAQ

Questions about exam prep.

How many sessions do I need for Programming I?
Realistically 3 to 5 sessions across 3 to 4 weeks, if the basics are roughly in place. With bigger gaps: 6 to 8 across 6 to 8 weeks. In the first chat we give you an honest estimate, including when 2 sessions are enough.
Do you need to know my university or my script?
No. We work from your material. Send us the script, exercise sheets and the past paper, that is enough. We know the Programming I curriculum standard and have coached students from TUM, RWTH, KIT, Uni Hamburg, FH Aachen and many others.
What do I need to bring to the first session?
A working IDE (IntelliJ Community or Eclipse), your current exercise sheet or past paper, and 60 minutes of focus. That is it. You share screen, we type together.
What if I know nothing at all, totally from zero?
Then the first chat matters. We check where you really are. Programming I "completely from zero" in 3 sessions is not realistic, but "solid pass" with 6 to 8 sessions across 8 weeks is.
Which Java version do you use?
The one your university uses, usually Java 17 or 21. Most tasks work from Java 8 upwards without changes. If needed we install together.
Can we work in other languages, Python, C, JavaScript?
Java is Dennis' specialty (6 years industry). Python, JS, SQL is Anton's lane. C/C++ we do not currently offer. Tell us if your course is in C, we will either match you elsewhere or be honest and refer.
How is this different from regular Java tutoring?
Exam coaching is more focused. We drill task types, practise under time, work through past papers. Regular tutoring is broader: concepts, projects, application coding. In the first chat we figure out what helps you more.
What if I still do not pass the exam?
First: honest assessment in the first chat. We tell you if your time is enough. Second: in our experience most students who stick to the plan pass. Third: if it does not work out, we help with the retake, pragmatically and without a guilt show.
Can I still do something 3 days before the exam?
Yes, but with limits. 3 days is enough for 1 to 2 sessions of task-type training and tracing routine. Closing real gaps in 3 days is not possible. We will be honest about that.
Do you cover Programming II, algorithms, SE?
Java related: yes. Data structures, algorithms, software engineering with Java/JUnit/Spring is Dennis' world. Pure theory exams without code (e.g. complexity theory only) we do not cover.
FREE FIRST CHAT · NO COMMITMENT

Exam in 4 weeks? Then today is the day.

15 min talk, then decide. If we cannot help you, we tell you straight.

Book free first chat →