Admission requirements for undergraduate degree courses in Germany vary between institutions; however universities could require any or all of the following:
- a recognised school-leaving qualification such as Cambridge International AS & A Levels or Cambridge Pre-U
- minimum grades in specific subjects
- a specific level of language proficiency, e.g. CEFR C1 in German for a German-medium course
- internship experiences – for example, for medicine
- other formal requirements, such as results certification.
Depending on the university, your chosen course may have further admission criteria. For example, you may be required to take part in a selection process or sit an aptitude test. Very occasionally, as part of the application process, a university or state authority may require proof of 12 years of schooling as this is the minimum standard for German students. If you have any questions regarding the criteria for your course, contact the International Office of the university directly. The university makes the final decision on your application.
Providing evidence of academic achievement
German universities have strict application deadlines. The application deadline for courses starting in the winter semester (typically begins on 1 October) is 15 July. This includes courses in medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine and pharmacy. The deadline for courses starting in the summer semester (typically begins on 1 April) is 15 January. However, some courses have different deadlines depending on the university and the course. Check the deadline for your selected course with your university.
Predicted grades (also called ‘forecast grades’) issued by your school will not be accepted as evidence of academic achievement. One of the following must be submitted as part of your application documentation:
- your Electronic Statement of Results from Cambridge International - we send this PDF document to your school on the day results are released
- your statement of results, or
- your final certificate from Cambridge International.
If you have received your final Cambridge certificate, you should submit it. Universities will expect to receive this certificate if it has been issued. Further guidelines on this can be found on the uni-assist website
Please note: students who take Cambridge International AS & A Levels in our June series of exams receive their results documentation in mid-August. This means if your chosen institution has an application deadline of 15 July, you will not be able to meet that deadline. It is vital to check application deadlines and certification requirements with your chosen institution before applying.
Admissions procedures
The admissions procedure varies depending on the university and the course. Your chosen degree course will determine which procedure you need to follow.
First, find out whether your selected course has any admission restrictions. Courses with admission restrictions are referred to as numerus clausus or NC courses. NC is an abbreviation for the Latin ‘numerus clausus’, which means ‘limited number’. Admission is restricted because there are generally more applications than available places.
- If your selected course is subject to local admission restrictions, that is, restricted to a specific university, there will be a set deadline by which you must apply.
- If your course has a national admission restriction, you will need to apply to the Stiftung für Hochschulzulassung (Foundation for University Admissions). The Stiftung für Hochschulzulassung handles the applications and allocation of places for these courses. Note: Courses in medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine and pharmacy begin in the winter semester only (typically begins on 1 October). Admission to these courses is restricted on a nationwide basis at all higher education institutions. These courses are very popular so competition for places is fierce with strong grades being one of the key criteria to meet. A very good knowledge of German (at least CEFR C1 Level) is a must to study medicine in Germany.
It is best to contact the International Office at your chosen university before submitting an application. They will let you know:
- if your degree course has a local or national admission restriction
- which application route to follow - go to the ‘How to apply’ section below for more information
- which documents must be submitted to meet deadlines.
You can find contact details of International Offices on the following websites:
How to apply
You can make your application:
- through uni-assist, the organisation responsible for processing and evaluating international student applications for over 180 universities in Germany. Uni-assist offers a central point of contact for applying to all universities using their services
- directly to your chosen university
- through Stiftung für Hochschulzulassung (Foundation for University Admissions) - the application and information portal for numerus clausus (NC) courses.
For courses with no restrictions, you generally apply directly to the institution - although here too, there will be set deadlines to meet.
Courses in the arts, music, design or sport generally require you to undergo a separate admission procedure. The International Office at your chosen university will advise you how to proceed.