A) I have just finished the 11th grade of school (also without a school-leaving certificate).
Since 2019, in Ukraine, after 11th grade and passing the exam, you get the school-leaving certificate "Svidoctvo pro zdobuttja povnoji zahal'noji serednoji osvity. ", the Abitur. Since the general higher education entrance qualification in Germany is only achieved after completing the 12th or 13th school year, you must make up for a "gap year", i.e. study at least one year at a Ukrainian higher education institution or attend a preparatory course in Germany, in order to apply to a German higher education institution.
Please note: If you completed grade 11 this year but were unable to graduate (= you completed the 11th school year without a final exam), you can still apply to a German educational institution according to the decision of the Conference of Ministers of Education (KMK). With a degree after the 11th grade you can apply directly to a Studienkolleg (preparatory course) at a German university.
B) I will take my Abitur in Germany
If you have a German school leaving certificate, the admission procedure for you is the same as for German applicants.
C) I have finished the 9th grade of school and continued my education at college.
In this case, there are four possible degrees:
1. Диплом молодшого бакалавра (diploma of a junior bachelors).
With this diploma you can apply to all higher education institutions for the previous field of study and related subjects.
2. Диплом молодшого спеціаліста (diploma of a junior specialist, specialised secondary school).
3. Диплом фахового молодшого бакалавра (diploma of a junior specialist bachelor).
4. Диплом кваліфікованого робітника (diploma of a skilled worker, Intermediate Vocational-Technical Teaching College).
Degrees 2, 3 and 4 are neither bachelor's nor school degrees, but are more comparable to completed dual training in an apprenticeship.
With the degrees Диплом молодшого спеціаліста, Диплом фахового бакалавра, Диплом кваліфікованого робітника you cannot apply directly to a university. You have to study for 1 year at a recognised Ukrainian higher education institution in order to apply to the Studienkolleg, or study for 2 years at a recognised Ukrainian higher education institution in order to gain direct access to a German higher education institution. It is best to contact the university where you would like to study in order to clarify all application requirements.
You can find out whether your Ukrainian university is recognised at anabin.
You can find out here how the search at Anabin works.
If you have passed ZNO and have a school-leaving certificate (Свідоцтво про здобуття повної загальної середньої освіти or Атестат про повну загальну середню освіту), you can apply as if you had completed 11 grades.
Alternatively, you can also find out whether you are already sufficiently qualified with these degrees for a profession in Germany in which you can work here.
D) I have completed a Bachelor's degree and would like to enrol for a Master's degree.
Not every Ukrainian degree automatically entitles the holder to take up further studies in Germany. Please contact the university you would like to study at with your question about admission in order to receive an accurate assessment of your degree.
Further information on the recognition of university degrees and on planning your studies in Germany can be found here.
E) I am studying at a Ukrainian university and would like to transfer to a German educational institution
In the section "Direct University Admission" you will find information on university admission to a German university if you are already studying in Ukraine. Please note: Due to differences in academic teaching, it is possible that you will "lose" one or two years of study in Ukraine and have to enroll in a lower semester in Germany. However, if normal period of a Bachelor program in Ukraine is 4 years, in Germany it’s only 3.
F) I am a researcher and am interested in opportunities to do academic work in Germany.
Numerous universities, research institutions and research-based companies in the country offer opportunities for refugee doctoral candidates to take up or continue doctoral projects and research projects in Germany. If candidates are usually enrolled at a university, researchers and scientists are hired by the educational institution.
The DAAD website contains the most important information and many offers for refugee researchers.
What is a Studienkolleg?
The Studienkolleg is a preparatory course for foreigners who wish to enter German educational institutions and whose secondary school leaving certificate does not meet German standards. The Studienkolleg usually lasts two semesters. Studienkollegs are usually affiliated with universities.
What is taught at the Studienkolleg?
The Studienkolleg prepares international applicants without a university entrance qualification for studying at a German university. All subjects except the specialist subjects are taught in German. The final examination at the Studienkolleg is the so-called Feststellungsprüfung.
Why does Studienkolleg require a lower level of German?
At the end of their studies at the preparatory college, all students write the FSP (Feststellungsprüfung) - assessment test, which serves as a "pass" at German universities (roughly speaking, like the external examination (ZNO) in Ukraine). These exams are free for Studienkolleg students. Exactly which FSPs you write depends on your course of study, but one exam is mandatory for everyone, and that is the written exam in German (unless you already have a C1 certificate). If you have passed the FSP in German, this corresponds to level C1.
A Studienkolleg offers 4 courses of study:
G/S - humanities, arts, social sciences
W - economic
T - technical
M - medical
In all study programs the German language is a compulsory subject and can be learned in advance in a propaedeutic course.
What are the particularities of the application process?
Find out about the application process on the website of the Studienkolleg you wish to enroll in. Applicants* usually have to apply for the study program at the university where the Studienkolleg is working. For example, if you want to enroll in a technical program at the Technical University of Berlin, you must apply for the Bachelor of Mathematics and the system will automatically direct you to the Studienkolleg.
If you apply for a place at Studienkolleg, you have to write entrance exams. Here you will find a website with examples of previous entrance exams so that you can prepare well. In addition, you will also find FSP examples.
Many Studienkollegs have sample exams on their websites. It is worth taking a look at these as well, since the exams at Studienkollegs sometimes have different levels of difficulty depending on the educational institution.
Studienkolleg vs. direct admission to the university
The Studienkolleg gives you time to adjust to Germany and the educational system and also time to think if you have not yet decided on your desired field of study. In addition, you can make friends there. The biggest advantage of a Studienkolleg, however, is the lower level of German required: for a university you need a C1-C2 level, for a Studienkolleg - B1-B2 (more rarely: C1).
Another advantage of the Studienkolleg is that universities often reserve study places for students of their Studienkolleg. For example, if you studied at a Studienkolleg at the Technical University of Berlin, a certain number of places are reserved for graduates of the T-course for admission to the technical fields of study at the same university.
Necessary documents for admission to the Studienkolleg
- Secondary school leaving certificate. The secondary school leaving certificate must be translated into German or into English.
- Passport. A copy of your passport is sufficient. If you have lost your foreign passport, you can get a new one at the Embassy of Ukraine (please note that the waiting time can be 3-6 months).
- Language certificate (German). Educational institutions in Germany accept only official certificates. Please see the section "What counts as a proof of my German language skills?".
- Other. E.g. letters of recommendation, letters of motivation, certificates of specialized studies (for example, an internship with the Red Cross) or similar. Often they are not required, but can increase your chances of admission. The requirements for these documents vary depending on the university and the platform through which the documents are submitted.
Costs
There is no charge for taking the entrance test, classes, or the assessment test.
You pay a semester fee per semester (including a semester ticket).
Wherw are Studienkollegs offered?
In Berlin there is a joint Studienkolleg of the Humboldt University with the Free University as well as a Studienkolleg at the Technical University.
Application deadlines
TU: The application for the winter semester 2023/24 is possible from March 15 to June 30, 2023 via uni-assist. The admission test for the winter semester 2023 at the Studienkolleg will take place on 25/26. August 2023 in Berlin.
FU/HU: The application for the winter semester 2023/24 is possible from June 1 to July 15, 2023 via uni-assist.
Applicants with refugee status also have the opportunity to apply for the FU Berlin's Welcome Program, so that if they are not admitted to the Studienkolleg, they have the chance to participate.
Further information on the Studienkolleg can be found here.
To be able to study at a university in Germany without a Studienkolleg, you must have a German language level of C1 (more rarely B2, C2) and have studied at a Ukrainian university for at least one year.
What documents are required for university admission without a Studienkolleg?
- Secondary school leaving certificate. The secondary school leaving certificate must be translated into German or English.
- A document certifying study at a Ukrainian university for a degree program and containing a list of completed subjects. An academic certificate with the complete academic achievements issued after the completion of the academic year is required. This document is necessary to prove that you have made up the academic difference between Ukrainian and German schools. For a successful application, contact the university where you will enrol. It usually works like this: Mathematics, physics, chemistry are required for a technical major - this means that in the first year you have to complete the subjects that are counted as necessary for the technical major.
- Passport. A copy of your passport is sufficient. If you have lost your passport, you can get a new one at the Embassy of Ukraine (please note that the waiting time can be 3-6 months).
- Language certificate. Educational institutions in Germany only accept official certificates.
- Other. E.g. letters of recommendation, letters of motivation, certificates of specialized studies (for example, an internship with the Red Cross) or similar. They are often not required, but can increase your chances of admission. The requirements for these documents vary depending on the university and the platform through which the documents are submitted.
Not every Ukrainian degree automatically entitles you to take up further studies in Germany. A bachelor's degree obtained abroad is sometimes only considered as an intermediate examination and not as a degree. Before you apply for a postgraduate course, you may have to take a placement test for the relevant course.
If you have any questions about admission, please contact the university where you would like to study in order to receive an accurate assessment of your degree. Applications are also checked via uni-assist.
What documents are required for enrollment in a Master's program?
- Completed application form for enrollment (Antragsformular auf Immatrikulation)
- Valid residence permit
- Residence in Berlin or Brandenburg
- Bachelor's degree (The Bachelor's degree must be translated into German or into English).
- Passport A copy of your foreign passport is sufficient. If you have lost your passport, you can get a new one at the Embassy of Ukraine (please note that the waiting time can be 3-6 months).
- Language certificates German and / or English. Educational institutions in Germany accept only official certificates.
- Other. E.g. letters of recommendation, letters of motivation, certificates of specialized studies (for example an internship with the Red Cross) or similar. They are often not required, but can increase your chances of admission. The requirements for these documents vary depending on the university and the platform through which the documents are submitted.