STUDY IN GERMANY

Basic facts

• Admission at a glance
• You must meet the following requirements
• Entry and residence requirements
• Living costs
• Check-list : Organise your studies properly

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Admission at a glance

Higher education entrance qualification

To qualify for admission to studies at a German higher education institution you must be able to prove that you hold a higher education entrance qualification with which you can be admitted to higher education in your home country. Firstly, this would be a secondary school leaving certificate (for example, High School Diploma, Gaokao, Matura, A-Levels, Bachillerato). Secondly – if required in your home country – proof that you have successfully taken a university entrance exam. To be able to study in Germany, your school leaving certificate must be recognised as equivalent to the German higher education entrance qualification called Abitur. You can check whether your higher education entrance qualification is equivalent to the German qualification at www.anabin.de.

• Applicants from EU countries and from the European Economic Area:
  In general, if your school leaving certificate (possibly in conjunction with a university entrance exam) entitles you to study in your home country, this is also accepted when you apply for a study place in Germany.*
• Applicants from non-EU countries (third countries) and stateless persons:
  In general, the International Office or the student registration office (Studierendensekretariat) at your chosen university or uni-assist will check whether your higher education entrance qualification qualifies you for admission to studies in Germany.* If your certificate is not recognised as equivalent, you must take an assessment test called Feststellungsprüfung.
• * Please notice:
  Foreign applicants who wish to enrol at a university of applied sciences in the federal state of Baden-Württemberg must apply at the Institute for International Students (ASK) at the University of Applied Sciences Konstanz (www.ask.htwg-konstanz.de) or assessment of their school-leaving qualification and their language certificate.

Assessment test (Feststellungsprüfung)

If your school leaving certificate does not qualify you for admission to studies in Germany, you must take the Feststellungsprüfung. Preparatory (or foundation) courses called Studienkollegs enable you to prepare for this test.

Preparatory courses (Studienkolleg)

Studienkollegs offer various core subject areas, for example, in technology or design. These preparatory courses last two semesters, after which the participants take the Feststellungsprüfung. A pass only entitles the student to study a subject that corresponds to the core subject area taken at the Studienkolleg.

Studies in the home country as an admissions qualification

As an alternative to Studienkolleg and Feststellungsprüfung in Germany – and depending on your country of origin – one or two years of successful studies at a university in your home country may also be recognised as qualifying your for admission to higher education in Germany.

German language proficiency

Before you can take up a course of studies at a German university, you normally have to prove that your German language skills are good enough for studying. You can do this by passing one of the following two German language tests: "Deutsche Sprachprüfung für den Hochschulzugang ausländischer Studienbewerber" (DSH) or "Test Deutsch als Fremdsprache" (TestDaF). You can only sit the DSH at your German university. TestDaF can be taken at many test centres located in Germany and abroad.

The following language certificates are also accepted: "Sprachdiplom der Kultusministerkonferenz Stufe II", or the Goethe Institute's "Zentrale Oberstufenprüfung", "Großes Sprachdiplom" or "Kleines Sprachdiplom". The German language requirement does not apply to applicants who hold an Abitur school leaving certificate awarded by a recognised German school abroad.

Exemptions to the German language requirement for admission to studies: You are exempted from the German language requirement if you want to study an International Degree Programme (Bachelor's, Master's, PhD). The language of instruction in these programmes is mostly English (and sometimes French). You acquire your German language skills by attending courses parallel to your normal studies.

Admissions restrictions

Some subjects have admissions restrictions (Numerus clausus = NC) based on the grade point average of your school leaving certificate. Nationwide NC: There are subjects for which there are many more applicants than study places in Germany. In such cases, a nationwide admissions restriction applies for all the universities that offer this subject. Subjects currently subject to nationwide admissions restrictions are: biology, medicine, pharmacy, psychology and dentistry. Some of these study places are awarded by the Central University Admissions Service (Zentralstelle für die Vergabe von Studienplätzen – ZVS), while others are awarded directly by the universities.

Where do I apply?:

• EU and EEA nationals, plus Bildungsinlaender, apply direct to the ZVS for subjects with central, i.e. nationwide, admissions restrictions (www.zvs.de).
• Non-EU nationals apply direct to the universities or to uni-assist.

Local NC: Besides nationwide admissions restrictions, there are also subjects with local admissions restrictions, i.e. where the admissions restriction only applies to individual higher education institutions and not to all institutions. These study places are awarded directly by the respective university. Please contact the International Office at your chosen institution to find out whether you need to send your application direct to the International Office, to the Student Registration Office (Studierendensekretariat) or to uni-assist.

Selection procedures

Some universities have a selection process which not only considers the purely formal requirements (higher education entrance qualification, language skills), but also special academic subject-specific qualifications or letters of motivation. A growing number of universities are also using academic or general selection tests. In some cases, these will be taken in your home country.

The “Test for Academic Studies” (TestAS) was devised some years ago in a joint effort of German universities and with the support of the DAAD. On three occasions in 2010, participation is possible worldwide, which may help assessing your qualification for certain fields of academic study. At some universities, the presentation of the TestAS certificate may also improve your likelihood of being granted the permission of enrolling.

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You must meet the following requirements

This is where we tell you what requirements and standards you definitely have to meet to qualify for admission to higher education in Germany. Depending on the degree programme and university in question, additional requirements may also be demanded. So please inform yourself as early as possible – in fact, it's best to do so one year before you plan to start studying – by contacting the university of your choice. The Student Registration Offices and the International Offices will be pleased to help and assist you.

For first-year students/undergraduates:

• Recognised secondary school leaving certificate (if not recognised as a sufficient qualification, then a pass in the assessment test = Feststellungsprüfung).
• Possibly, proof of having passed a university entrance exam in your home country.
• Possibly, proof of any academic years of study successfully completed in your home country.
• German language proficiency (exceptions: International Degree Programmes sometimes require proof of English language proficiency; in some cases, French may also be required).
• Possibly, proof of particular aptitude (aptitude tests are generally required in subjects like art, design, music and sport). Some universities meanwhile require applicants to sit general academic or scholastic aptitude tests (Eignungsfeststellungsprüfungen) for other subjects in strong demand or plan to introduce such tests.

For graduates and postgraduates:
If you have already graduated from a study programme in your home country, you will generally also be able to study in Germany. But please remember that not every foreign academic degree automatically qualifies the holder to take up a course of postgraduate studies. For example, Bachelor's degrees gained abroad are sometimes only recognised as an intermediate qualification in Germany known as Zwischenprüfung or Vorprüfung. Before you apply for admission to a postgraduate programme (for example a Master's or Diplom), please find out how you will be placed in the corresponding programme. Recognition of your previous academic and examination achievements and credits is an important factor in this respect. In most cases, the secretariat of your future faculty at your chosen university will be responsible for this. You have to send the full set of your study documents (credits, transcripts, certificates, etc.) there for these to be checked. Please make sure that you contact the International Office in advance to find out who is responsible for you.

For doctoral students and candidates:
Finding an academic supervisor for your dissertation: Before you apply for admission to a doctoral or PhD programme, you must find an academic supervisor for your dissertation. Only professors (university teachers) are allowed to supervise dissertations. When looking for a supervisor, you will find that scientific publications, lectures, or the contacts that your former university teachers may have can be very helpful. Another good option is to find out which German universities offer doctoral programmes in your subject area. For example, more and more universities are offering interesting doctoral programmes and Graduate Schools for doctoral candidates.

Recognition of previous academic and examination achievements/credits: Once you have found a suitable university, it's best to contact the dean of the faculty that is (or will be) responsible for you. Add a synopsis of your doctoral project to your covering letter, plus a description of your previous experience in the research field and your curriculum vitae. Recognition of your previous academic and examination achievements and credits is decisive for your admission to the doctoral programme. Whether you are admitted to such a programme is decided by the relevant Doctoral Commission at your chosen university. You may possibly be admitted subject to the condition that must subsequently submit certain additional certificates or qualifications (for example, a German language proficiency certificate, certificates for subject-specific courses) parallel to doing your doctorate.

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Entry and residence requirements

Most international students need a visa for entry to Germany, a residence permit for educational purposes for their stay in Germany, and a work permit for taking up employment (officially called "economic activity).

However, whether you do actually need a visa, residence permit or work permit depends on your nationality and the purpose of your stay. For example, nationals of EU countries or EEA countries (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway) are completely exempted from these requirements. Special regulations apply to the citizens of a number of other countries (such as Australia, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Honduras).

However, please make sure that you also inform yourself at the German mission abroad that is responsible for you. The staff there will be able to tell you whether and what visa obligations apply to you and what papers are required for a visa application and, possibly, for a residence permit.

Please note: It can often take several months before a visa is issued. This means that you should apply for the visa as early as possible. Because if you arrive in Germany late, you may possibly miss your matriculation (registration). And without this registration, you will not be able to obtain a "Residence Permit for Educational Purposes". Furthermore, when applying for the visa you must make sure that you apply for the right kind of visa. A "Tourist Visa" or a "Language Course Visa" cannot later be converted into a "Student Visa". If you hold the wrong kind of visa, you will unfortunately have to leave the country again.

If you require a Residence Permit for Educational Purposes, you must first report to the registration authority and then immediately apply to the foreigners authority in your university town for this permit. And it is important that you do not fail to have your temporary residence permit regularly extended by the foreigners authority. Because, if you fail to do so, you can be expelled from Germany. This is also the case, if you do not have a valid passport.

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Living costs

You still don't need to pay tuition fees at many German universities. While some meanwhile charge around 500 euros per semester. Whether you have to pay fees or not depends entirely on which federal state and at which university you are studying. Contact your chosen university directly to find out whether they charge tuition fees.

Costs that you will certainly have to pay each semester are the semester contribution and the health insurance premiums (around 280 euros). The semester contributions are due when you register (matriculate) at the university and then each semester when your re-register at the Student Office. Depending on university and federal state, these can amount to between 50 and 250 euros. At some universities, this sum includes a Semesterticket. This allows you to use local public transport in and around your university town without any extra costs.

Besides these study-related costs, you also have to reckon with monthly living expenses of 630 euros on average. One third of this is generally spent on rent. How much money you actually need also depends strongly on where you live.

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Check-list : Organise your studies properly

To ensure that you quickly take control of your studies, you should get all the information you can before and when you start to study. Make sure you understand your university, what the most important university facilities do and your degree programme. The following check-list will help you verify how well prepared you already are.

• Have you already been to the Student Advice Service (Studienberatung), for example the Central Student Advice Service (Zentrale Studienberatung) or the Departmental Student Advice Service (Fachstudienberatung)? They have important information on the organisation and structure of your degree programme. They will also advise you when you build your timetable.
• Do you already know the dates of the Introductory Meetings for First-Year Students? You'll get a kind of crash course to acquaint you with the most important university facilities, like the central library and departmental libraries, the computer centre or the language centre. You will also get important information on your studies (who to contact, tutorials, how to organise your studies).
• Have you already obtained the Study Regulations (Studienordnungen) and Examination Regulations (Prüfungsordnungen) for your academic subjects? They form an important foundation for planning your studies. The sooner you read them, the surer you will be as you progress through your studies.
• Do you already have a Course Catalogue (Vorlesungsverzeichnis), sometimes also called Studien- und Personalverzeichnis), that lists all the courses offered at the university? Even more helpful to you would be an Annotated Course Catalogue (kommentiertes Vorlesungsverzeichnis) for the subject you are studying. This catalogue provides a more detailed description of the course contents, making it much easier for you to choose and plan your degree programme.
• Do you already know the Noticeboard (called Schwarzes Brett in German - although only rarely black) at your faculty? Have you already read the announcements and notices for new students?
• Have you already collected information on Start-Up Seminars (Anfängerseminare) and Bridging Courses (Brückenkurse), and have you already registered for these?
• Do you already have a User ID Card for the University Library (Benutzerausweis für die Hochschulbibliothek)?
• Have you already registered at your Department (Seminar, Institut, Fachbereich) in order to be able to use the departmental library?
• Have you visited the Computer Centre (Rechenzentrum) yet to apply for free-of-charge Internet access and a free email account?
• Is there already a Study Group (Arbeitsgruppe) which you would like to take part in and contribute to? Learning groups are a good way of working together to learn the subject matter, to train examination situations, and to provide mutual support in times of crisis.
• Have you already noted down the date for the next semestral Re-registration (Rückmeldung)?

BACK TO CONTENT Source: DAAD Information Center Prague

More information about study in Germany: www.daad.cz or www.daad.de.