FAQs Apply online
General information
Applying via the uni-assist online portal is mandatory if you are applying via uni-assist.
How to apply online:
- Register in the uni-assist online portal.
- Answer the basic questions about your personal details and previous education.
- Select your desired course of study in the section “search study offers” and fill in the application form.
- Send your application form – online via the portal and usually, in addition, its printed version as a signed copy by post – together with the required application documents.
More information:
No. Some documents will have to be submitted by post. In addition, the handling fees must be paid before the end of the application deadline.
The following applies for the documents: An upload is only sufficient for documents that require neither official certification nor your original signature.
In general, the following applies:
- Submit your application form electronically via the uni-assist online portal and, in addition, its printed version by post with your original signature.
- Send your educational certificates (including the overview of subjects and grades) and language certificates as officially certified copies in the original language and, if necessary, also in certified translation (into either English or German) by post.
- Generally, other documents (for example, internship certificates, a CV, letters of motivation, letters of recommendation, passport copies, etc.) can be uploaded to your uni-assist online account.
A few universities allow online-only applications using simple copies (scans) of all documents. For more information, please contact the university of your choice.
Please note:
All required application documents, whether submitted online or by post, must be received by uni-assist before the end of the application deadline.
In that case, we will need to manually check your data and merge all your online accounts. This may take several days. During this time, you cannot use your online account or submit applications.
Application
You can easily create the application form yourself in the uni-assist online portal. Here is how it works:
- Answer the “basic questions” in the left-hand menu if you have not already done so. Then you will be able to create your applications. Do not forget to save your entries!
- Once you have answered all the basic questions, the menu “search study offers” will appear. You can then select your desired semester, degree, university and desired subject.
Tip: It is best to specify only the desired semester and university to be able to receive the university’s entire course offer. You can choose your desired course of study from the result list.
If you apply for a preliminary review documentation (VPD), the application may display the academic field "alle Fächer" (= all subjects) in the result list for some universities.
- Click on your desired course of study, then click “create application” to create your application form. Please fill in the application form completely and truthfully.
Note: The universities compile the applications. Therefore, the forms may vary from university to university.
- At the end of the process, you must submit the application electronically. You will receive a confirmation of receipt by email, generally within 48 hours. If the university requires the application form in paper form with your original signature in addition to the online application, please also print out the application form, sign it and send it to uni-assist together with your application documents.
In order to apply for a preparatory German language course or the DSH exam, you generally simply have to apply for a course of study in the uni-assist online portal. Select the course you would like to study after the German language course or the DSH exam:
- Select the “search study offers” option from the menu. There you can choose your desired semester, degree, university and desired subject. It is best to specify only the desired semester and university to be able to receive the university’s entire course offer.
- Click on your desired course of study, then click “create application” to create your application form. Please fill in the application form completely and truthfully.
- Answer “Yes” to the question “Are you applying for admission to a preparatory German language course/admission to the DSH exam?”
We will then also process this application as an application for the German language course or the DSH exam.
Two additional notes:
- A small number of universities use a separate application form for the German language course or the DSH exam in the uni-assist online portal. It is best to find out how to apply from the university of your choice.
- Please also find out the requirements for attending a German language course or the DSH exam from the university.
More information:
In order to apply for the Studienkolleg (preparatory course), you usually have to apply for a course of study in the uni-assist online portal. Please select the course you would like to study after the Studienkolleg:
- Select the “search study offers” option from the menu. There you can choose your desired semester, degree, university and desired subject. It is best to specify only the desired semester and university to be able to receive the university’s entire course offer.
- Click on your desired course of study, then click “create application” to create your application form. Please fill in the application form completely and truthfully.
- Answer “Yes” to the question “Are you applying for admission to a Studienkolleg?”
If you need to attend a Studienkolleg before your studies, we will process this application as an application for the Studienkolleg.
Two additional notes:
- Please find out the requirements for attending a Studienkolleg from the university of your choice.
- It is best to also find out how to apply for the Studienkolleg from the university.
More information:
Try the following solutions if you cannot find your desired course of study:
- Answer the basic questions: Have you answered all of the “basic questions” in the uni-assist online portal? Only after you have done so can you select the “search study offers” option from the menu. Do not forget to save your answers on the last page.
- Open semester search: Enter fewer search terms. For example, if you only specify the desired semester and the university, you will receive all of the courses offered by this university. You can also choose the degree field, but leave the subject field empty.
Please note:
The application via the online portal is only possible once your chosen university has activated the applications. Only then you can find the course or create an application. Please check with the university when they will activate applications in the uni-assist online portal.
This can happen for the following reasons:
- In the section “basic questions”, check which country you selected as the country in which you completed your secondary education. Always select the country which set the curriculum under which you obtained your qualification. For example, if you have the International Baccalaureate, you need to select “Switzerland”.
- Would you like to apply for a master’s course? Then, please confirm that you have previously studied at a university in the section “basic questions”. Please enter the required data regarding your studies.
- Maybe you need to apply to the university directly? For some universities, we only process applications for certain applicant groups. For example, applicants with a German Abitur often apply directly to the university. Please enquire at each of the universities you are applying to if you should apply through us.
- The application period for your chosen study course may not have begun yet. Please check with the university when the online application will be activated in the uni-assist online portal.
- The university may have limited the number of applications per semester. In this case, please withdraw old applications that you no longer need. You can then create new applications.
Please check if you have answered all the mandatory questions. Only after doing so can you submit your online application to uni-assist.
Upload
If you want to upload documents, please note the following:
- You can only upload certain file formats: avi, flv, jpg, mov, mp3, mp4, ogg, pdf, png, wma, wmv.
- Each file can be a maximum of 10 MB in size. In total, you have 100 MB of storage space for all your documents.
- A firewall may be preventing the uploading of your documents. If so, you will receive the error message “Bad Request”. Disable your firewall or try to upload the files from a different computer.
- If you sent your application to uni-assist only by post, you can only attach documents to the application using the menu item “Upload and manage files”. You will not be able to use “Edit Application”.
Password & username
Please visit the “Forgotten password” page.
Enter your uni-assist applicant number or the username you used to register for the uni-assist online portal.
You will then receive an email to reset your password.
You can also log in to your uni-assist online account with your uni-assist applicant number and your password. After logging in, you will see your username in the menu on the left-hand side.
If you have forgotten your username, applicant number and password, you will have to register again.
Please note:
If you register more than once in the uni-assist online portal, we will have to check your data manually and merge your online accounts. This may take several days. During this time, you cannot use your online account or submit applications.
No. You can only change your password, not your username.