Higher Education

Higher Education Qualification

There are 3 main types of Institutes in Germany

1. Research and Technical Universities
2. University of Applied Science
3. University of Arts and Music

Q.What is the qualification required

A proper entitlement of qualifiation is required to enroll in any German higher education institution. “Hochschulzugangsberechtigung” or the University Entrance Qualification.

High school graduates receive an entitling certificate to enter higher education studies which is called “Abitur”. The German Abitur is a qualification obtained at the upper Gymnasium level “Gymnasiale Obersufe” after 12 or 13 years of school education in a German school, which is the qualification to study any subject at any higher education institution in Germany.

Q.What about those who did not have a German Abitur?

The Candidates who do not have a German Abitur, must have an entitlement that corresponds to the German Abitur level. In some cases, this entitlement can be a recognized foreign school-leaving certificate and sometimes a university entrance qualification examination.

Everyone who wants to enter higher education studies in Germany must have a Higher Education Entrance Qualification.  As for those who do not possess a German Abitur but their education is recognized in Germany, in order for their application for admission to be considered complete, providing evidence about their earlier education being equivalent to the German Abitur is a compulsion.

University Qualification Assesment Exam ( Feststellungsprüfung )

The Feststellungsprüfung which is the University Qualification Exam can be taken if the secondary school leaving certificate does not fulfill the requirements for the University admission in Germany. It is the alternative document for the German Abitur. This document can be taken after you successfully pass the university qualification exam. After the successful clearance of this exam  you are considered to be a elgible candidate to get admission in the university.

However the candidates who have completed their secondary schooling in Germany or any of the european countries need not take this as their school leaving certificate is accepted in most of the universitites.

Foundation Course ( StudienKolleg )

A foundation course at “Studienkollegs”  is the preparation course for the University Entrance Qualification Examination.Those whose earlier education is not recognized in Germany can take this course for the training for the University qualification assesment exam ( Feststellungsprüfung ). To enroll in the Studienkollegs course the candidate must take an examination known as AufnahmeTest. But not all the universities offer the Studienkollegs, only few. There are different specialized Studienkollegs offered namely

• M - For medical, biological and pharmaceutical degrees
•  T - For mathematical, scientific or technical degrees
• W - For business, economic and social science degrees
• G - For humanities degrees or German studies
• S - For language degrees

What is TestAS ?

TestAS is an aptitude test for international students from non-EU countries who want to do undergraduate studies at a German university. It does not require any special knowledge. It tests abilities important for a successful course of studies. This test can be taken in many countries. You can take TestAS twice a year. TestAS is offered in German and English. 

Bachelor's Degree

The Universities in Germany are divided into two types

1. Private Universities
2. Public Universities

The Private Universities charge higher fees than the Public Universities. There are wide variety of courses found in both private and public universitites and most of the students choose to go to the public universities

Admission Process

The basic qualification is Abitur or the University Qualification Assesment Exam document.Once the student has this document he/she is eligible for the admission in the university. When the admission process is done the next step is to get enrolled. Register the courses for attending the academic lectures and for the examination. The enrollment process involves submitting the following documents at the Office of Students Affairs “Studentensekretariat”:

• Passport,
• The Admission Letter of the university
• The University Entrance Qualification
• Photograph
• Proof of Health Insurance Coverage
• Proof of language proficiency (depending on the course language).

Once these documents are submitted

• You get a certificate of enrollment (as a temporary student ID),
• You receive an electronic payment slip in your email, to pay the semester,
• The Student ID will be provided to you by post, once it is confirmed you paid the semester slip,
• The university will open you an online account with your Student ID number– an account that will give you a wide access to the university internal services, networks and external e-resources such as the electronic course materials, the online registration for courses and exams, the e-library, and other.

  Please note: Each semester is to be to re-registered, since you have to pay the semester fee and get your ID activated for the following semester.  

Post Graduate Degree

With a strong economy supporting a historic higher education system and large numbers of courses in English, it’s no surprise that Germany is one of Europe’s top postgraduate study destinations.

In fact, Germany has more top-ranked universities than any other country outside the UK or USA. 

The study units in masters degree is divided into modules consisting of lectures,seminars and practical exercises.For each successfully completed modules students earn credits based on European Credit Transfer System ( ECTS )

The Course length is 2 years

The Masters Degree in Germany are 

1. Master of Science ( M.Sc )
2. Master of Arts ( M.A )
3. Master of Business Administration ( M.B.A )
4. Master of Laws ( L.L.M )

The Private Universities charge higher fees than the Public Universities. There are wide variety of courses found in both private and public universitites and most of the students choose to go to the public universities

Degree Types

German Masters degrees are classified as consecutive and non-consecutive

• Consecutive Masters degrees chosen from closely related or similar undergraduate degree.These courses do not usually charge fees.
• Non-consecutive Masters degrees focused on a different or more highly specialised subject area. These courses sometimes require practical or professional experience as well as an undergraduate degree. These courses are more likely to charge fees.

Most German Masters degrees are consecutive programes and will require an appropriate Bachelors degree.

Admission Process

The basic and important requirement is the valid Bachelor's degree.The bachelor degree has to be a recognized degree in German Universities.

The German International Office (Akademisches Auslandsamt) is responsible for verifying the bachelors degree certificates and if enough credits are earned in each subject related to the course the candidate has chosen. It also depends on the country where the degree has been completed.

For non-recognized Bachelor's degree certificate, the candidate has to take a Propeadeutic Course. This course equips the candidate with the required master's qualification. Not all the master's degree course mandates this examination.The Arts,music and film courses conduct few test to exhibit the talents and the admission is completed.

All the required documents will be known by the University before applying for the course.

So the required documents are

• Certificates of the bachelor degree
• Additional tests certificates ( GRE/IELTS/GMAT )if required
• Secondary Education details
• In some cases the candidates are interviewd to get admission

Numerus clausus (restricted applications)

Some German Masters programmes are subject to a 'numerus clausus'. This limits the number of students they can admit (numerus clausus translates as ‘restricted number’).

Programes in medical professions (such as Medicine, Veterinary Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmacy) are most likely to be affected.

Doctorate Of Philosophy PhD

There are many reasons why people choose to work towards a doctorate. Many academic positions, such as university lecturers or researchers, are reserved for people with a PhD. Many people obtain a PhD as part of a partnership with an employer, particularly in scientific fields such as engineering, where their research can prove useful for some companies.

In some cases, however, PhDs are simply an expression of an individual’s commitment to and love of a subject, and their desire to leave their own mark on the academic world.

The PhD once completed grants the successful candidate the title of "doctor of philosophy", also called PhD or DPhil.

PhD eligibility

Students who want to study for a PhD will usually be required to have obtained a master’s degree in a related field of study (some universities may accept a strong undergraduate degree), often with a strong research element. 

Requirements For Expats