Germany is one of the most popular university destination countries in Europe. The country’s unbeatable combination of world-class universities and a tuition-free public university system make it the first choice for many international students. As a result, Germany has surpassed its goal of hosting 350,000 international students by 2020 – three years earlier than expected.
The QS Best Student Cities Rankings 2019 provides more evidence of the country’s growing popularity among international students: for the first time, Munich and Berlin ranked in the top five best cities for studying abroad.
German higher education institutions are divided between universities, applied science universities, and colleges of art music or film, resulting in an impressive choice of programmes.
Applying with Cambridge International AS & A Levels
The Central Office for Foreign Education [Die Zentralstelle für ausländisches Bildungswesen (ZAB)] of the Standing Conference of German Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs (KMK) has issued the following recommendations for students applying with International AS & A Levels:
- four academic subjects are required, three of which must be at A Level standard. The choice of subjects must include a language plus mathematics or a natural science. Please note: the language offered does not have to be English or German as the language requirement is not for proficiency reasons. It can be any language, for example, Arabic, French, Italian etc. Universities may well have specific language proficiency requirements (for example, in German or English) depending on the applicant's chosen field of study. Applicants should check with the university if they have any questions regarding language requirements
- subject-specific requirements also apply depending on the chosen field of study.
You can find full details on the anabin database (only available in German) of the Central Office for Foreign Education (Zentralstelle für ausländisches Bildungswesen, ZAB).
The documents below outline the general requirements as well as give details of subject-specific requirements depending on the chosen field of study such as humanities, natural sciences, technical and mathematical courses and medicine. They also cover the guidance issued by the ZAB on the recognition of Cambridge Pre-U Principal Subjects, Global Perspectives & Research, and the Cambridge Pre-U Diploma.
Cambridge International AS & A Level and Cambridge Pre-U recognition in Germany (English) (PDF, 135KB)
Cambridge International AS & A Level and Cambridge Pre-U recognition in Germany (German) (PDF, 121KB)
Choosing your Cambridge International A Level subjects
The A Level subject choices you make can have a significant impact on the course options available to you at German universities. You need to think carefully about the combination of subjects you choose, as the content of some A Levels is considered too similar to be accepted as two independent subjects. For example, A Level Economics and A Level Business Studies are viewed as ‘overlapping’ subjects and so are best not offered in combination.
The Central Office for Foreign Education (ZAB) has recommended that an A Level in Business Studies be considered for university admission; however, some institutions may regard it as a vocational subject. Accounting, Design & Technology and Thinking Skills have not been recommended for university admission so will, in all probability, not be accepted as one of the three required A Levels. In addition, an AS Level in (English) General Paper will not be accepted to meet the compulsory AS Level minimum in a language requirement.
You should check the suitability of your chosen A Level subjects directly with universities. The university decides which subjects are acceptable for admission on to any given course.
Applying with the Cambridge AICE Diploma
Students applying with the Cambridge AICE Diploma still need to meet their chosen university's general entry requirements. When submitting evidence of achievement, students must take care to submit their Cambridge International AS & A Level certificates and not just their Cambridge AICE Diploma certificate on its own. Cambridge International AS & A Level certificates are essential as they report the subjects taken and the grades achieved in that particular exam series.
The entry requirements are generally three A Levels and one AS Level; the subject choice should include a language plus maths or a natural science - as detailed in the section 'Applying with Cambridge International AS & A Levels' . Very occasionally, an A Level may be replaced by two AS Levels. This really depends on the university and the applicant's selected course. However, at least one A Level will always be required in order to fulfil the subject-specific requirements.
For example: For some undergraduate courses, such as in the humanities or the arts, it may be possible to gain access with one A Level and five AS Levels. For courses in mathematics or the sciences, two A Levels and three AS Levels may be accepted. Note: for medicine, three A Levels and one AS Level will always be required.
Cambridge AICE Diploma applicants are strongly advised to check all entry requirements with their chosen university before submitting an application, either directly to the university or through uni-assist, as acceptance of AS Levels in lieu of A Levels will vary from institution to institution.