06 - Germany - Admission requirements

Admission requirements to universities

Higher education entrance qualification

Admission to any course of study at universities and equivalent higher education institutions requires the Allgemeine Hochschulreife or the Fachgebundene Hochschulreife. The former entitles school-leavers to study at any institution of higher education in any subject or field, while the latter permits entry only into specified courses of studies.

The Allgemeine Hochschulreifeor Fachgebundene Hochschulreifeis obtained after 12 or 13 ascending school years on completion of the gymnasiale Oberstufe or certain courses of vocational education at upper secondary level.

The Allgemeine Hochschulreifecan also be acquired at Abendgymnasien, i.e. evening schools for working people, and Kollegs, i.e. full-time schools for those who have completed vocational training. Other options are the Abitur examination for non-pupils and the university entrance examination for employed persons of particular intellectual ability.

In all Länder there are other ways for vocationally qualified applicants without a higher education qualification to obtain right of entry to higher education. They must prove they have the requisite knowledge and abilities for higher education by undergoing an entrance procedure (e.g. by provisionally enrolling for a probationary period of study) or an examination procedure (e.g. placement or aptitude test, interview, aptitude assessment procedure). Based on their previous vocational qualifications, they are usually granted a limited right to study only in a specified course of studies.

In addition to the Hochschulreife, in certain subjects the applicant’s aptitude is determined through a subject-specific test procedure. This applies particularly to sport and the arts.

Applicants who do not have German higher education entrance qualifications have to submit a secondary school certificate that qualifies them to attend higher education in their country of origin. If necessary, they also have to provide proof that they have passed an entrance examination at a university in their native country or proof of enrolment at the university. In addition, applicants from certain countries must provide proof of partial studies at a higher education institution in their country of origin or take an assessment test at a Studienkolleg. Also, foreign applicants for study places must prove that they have a sufficient command of the German language. This can be done by taking the German Language Proficiency Examination for Admission to Higher Education for Foreign Applicants ( Deutsche Sprachprüfung für den Hochschulzugang ausländischer Studienbewerber– DSH), which is taken at the institution of higher education in Germany itself, by taking an equivalent examination (e.g. Test of German as a Foreign Language for foreign applicants – Test Deutsch als Fremdsprache für ausländische Studienbewerber– TestDaF) or by taking the German language examination as part of the Feststellungsprüfung(assessment test) at a Studienkolleg.

Foreign applicants for study places from countries where there is an Akademische Prüfstelle(APS) will only be admitted to a German institution of higher education if they can submit a certificate of the Akademische Prüfstelle. The certificate of the Akademische Prüfstellecertifies

• the authenticity and plausibility of the documents submitted
• fulfilment of the criteria for the commencement of a first study course as set forth in the assessment proposals of the Standing Conference,
• the required German language proficiency, where appropriate.

Admission to higher education institutions

For many courses of study there are no restrictions on the number of applicants who can be admitted. All applicants who meet the above-mentioned entrance requirements are registered at the higher education institution for the course of studies of their choice without having to go through any special admission procedures.

In some courses, in which the total number of applicants exceeds the number of places available (in the 2006/2007 winter semester these are medicine, veterinary medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, biology and psychology), there are nationwide quotas. Places on these courses are awarded by the Central Office for the Allocation of Study Places ( Zentralstelle für die Vergabe von Studienplätzen– ZVS) and higher education institutions on the basis of a general selection procedure. The legal basis for this procedure is the State Treaty of the Länder on the Allocation of Study Places ( Staatsvertrag der Länder über die Vergabe von Studienplätzen) of June 2006.

Which courses are subject to the general selection procedure may vary from semester to semester. Moreover, it is quite possible that all the applicants for a restricted course will be accepted because there are fewer applicants than places available.

Some of the available places are awarded beforehand (e.g. to foreigners from countries outside the European Union, applicants for an additional course of study, hardship cases).

In 2004, an amendment to the Framework Act for Higher Education ( Hochschulrahmengesetz)changed the regulations for the awarding of places on study courses with nationwide restrictions on admission. The reform is aimed at the reinforcement of the right of higher education institutions to decide on the admission of applicants and to eventually reduce the number of university drop-outs. From the 2005/2006 winter semester, the criteria for the selection of applicants are the applicant's average mark in the Abitur(school-leaving examination constituting higher education entrance qualification, 20 per cent), the waiting period between sitting the Abiturand applying (20 per cent) and the result of a selection procedure of the institution of higher education itself (60 per cent). In future, in institutional selection procedures, places will be awarded either on the basis of the applicant’s average mark in the Abitur, weighted individual marks in the Abitur, the result of a test to determine the applicant’s capability to study in a specific subject, the type of vocational training or occupation, the result of an selection interview, or a combination of these five criteria. The Land legislation can specify further criteria and impose stricter requirements for the selection procedure on the institutions of higher education.

There are local restrictions on admission to a number of higher education institutions for courses that are not included in the nationwide admission procedure. In these cases, responsibility for the admission of applicants lies solely with the higher education institution. The selection criteria comprise e.g. the average mark in the Abitur, the waiting period, the result of a suitability test or a selection interview and the vocational training or occupation of the applicant. In the course of the introduction of Bachelor’s or Master’s study courses, the number of study courses with locally restricted admission has strongly increased.

Institutions:
Zentralstelle für die Vergabe von Studienplätzen (ZVS)
Sonnenstr. 171 44137 Dortmund
Tel.:0180/3987111-000
Fax:0180/3987111-227
Website: http://www.zvs.de

Admission requirements to colleges of art and music

Colleges of art and music require proof of the Allgemeine Hochschulreife or the Fachgebundene Hochschulreife (higher education entrance qualification) and artistic aptitude. In most Länder, purely artistic courses, i.e. not for prospective teachers, also admit applicants without proof of higher education entrance qualification if they show unusual artistic talent.

For details on admitting applicants from EU states who have no German higher education entrance qualification and providing proof of linguistic proficiency.

Admission requirements to Fachhochschulen

Higher education entrance qualification

The prerequisite for admission to a Fachhochschule is either the Allgemeine Hochschulreife (general higher education entrance qualification) or Fachgebundene Hochschulreife (higher education entrance qualification restricted to a specified field of study) on the one hand or the Fachhochschulreifeon the other, which as a rule is acquired after twelve ascending grades at a Fachoberschule. However, the Fachhochschulreifecan also be obtained by taking additional classes at vocational schools, e.g. Berufsfachschulen and Fachschulen. In addition, previous related practical experience is required for admission to certain courses of study. In 2004, more than half of those entering Fachhochschulenhave a higher education entrance qualification which also entitles them to study at university.

In all Länder there are additional ways to obtain admission for vocationally qualified applicants who lack a higher education entrance qualification. In addition to their vocational qualifications, these applicants must prove they have the requisite knowledge and skills for higher education by undergoing, as a rule, an admission procedure (e.g. by provisionally enrolling for a probationary period of study) or an examination procedure at the Fachhochschule(e.g. assessment or aptitude test, interview). Based on their previous vocational qualifications, they are usually granted a limited right to embark on higher education only in a specified course of studies.

In certain subjects (e.g. design) proof of artistic ability is required in addition to a higher education entrance qualification.

Admission to higher education institutions

Almost all Fachhochschulenrestrict the number of students admitted to various subjects due to capacity constraints. As a rule, the Fachhochschulendecide on the allocation of study places on the basis of the average mark and waiting time, the result of an aptitude test or interview, the vocational training or occupation of the applicant. In Nordrhein-Westfalen, admission to some courses is controlled by the Zentralstelle für die Vergabe von Studienplätzen(Central Office for the Allocation of Study Places).

For details on admitting applicants who have no German higher education entrance qualification and providing proof of linguistic proficiency.

Institutions:
Zentralstelle für die Vergabe von Studienplätzen (ZVS)
Sonnenstr. 171 44137 Dortmund
Tel.:0180/3987111-000
Fax:0180/3987111-227
Website: http://www.zvs.de

Admission requirements to establishments outside the higher education system – Berufsakademien, Fachschulen

Applicants for courses at the Berufsakademien require a Hochschulreife or a Fachhochschulreife(general or subject restricted higher education entrance qualification), depending on the regulations in force in the particular Land, and a training contract with a suitable training establishment. Depending on the Land legislation, applicants with professional qualifications but without the higher education entrance qualification can take an entrance examination. Once the training contract has been concluded, applicants are registered at the study institution by the company responsible for training them.

Admission requirements for the Fachschule vary, depending on the department. Admission to a Fachschulefor agricultural economy, design, technology and business generally requires

• either a qualification in a recognised occupation requiring formal training that is relevant to the objective of the respective discipline and at least one year’s experience in a relevant occupation, as well as, if necessary, a qualification from the Berufsschule
• or a qualification from the Berufsschuleand at least five years’ experience in a relevant occupation.

Admission requirements for a Fachschulefor social professions are generally the Mittlerer Schulabschluss and successful completion of relevant vocational training.

Admission requirements for schools in the health sector are a school-leaving certificate and a certain minimum age (generally 17 or 18 years), as well as relevant vocational experience or successful completion of at least two years’ vocational training.

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