Deadlines and processing time
Here you will find important information on the universities' application deadlines and our current processing times. It is very important for your application that you keep to these deadlines.
Deadlines
General notes on deadlines
uni-assist’s deadline is the deadline set by the university. Your online application form and your complete documents need to be submitted in your My assist account before the application deadline.
Our recommendation:
Apply as early as possible, at least 8 weeks before the deadline expires.
This ensures that we can inform you in time if documents are missing.
You can apply as soon as the university has activated their applications in My assist.
Deadlines for your chosen university
The following deadlines apply for many, but not all, university courses in Germany:
- The application deadline is often July 15th if the course starts in the winter semester.
- The application deadline is often January 15th if the course starts in the summer semester.
Many universities set earlier deadlines for specific courses, such as for master’s courses or the Studienkolleg (preparatory course).
Please find out about the specific deadlines for your chosen course from your chosen university.
- Are there different deadlines for each type of course (for example, different deadlines for bachelor courses, Master's courses, courses with or without Numerus Clausus (NC)?)
- Is there an earlier deadline for the application to the Studienkolleg, Preparatory German language courses or introductory courses?
- Does the country in which you have acquired your certificates make a difference – Germany / EU member states / non-member states?
- Does your citizenship make a difference?
- Does the university require a VPD (preliminary review documentation) from uni-assist?
VPD Exceptions
If a university requires a preliminary review documentation (“Vorprüfungsdokumentation”, VPD) issued by uni-assist, you need to submit it to them directly yourself before the deadline. Please plan enough time for your application and apply for your VPD as early as possible. We will provide you with the VPD in your My assist account after your documents have been evaluated successfully.
Find out more about the VPD procedure.
Current processing times
You will usually receive your evaluation result in 4 to 6 weeks – counting from the day on which we received your online application form. We evaluate all applications received in order of their arrival.
Have you already submitted your application? These are our current processing times:
- Central and Eastern Europe, Turkey: approximately 1 week
- Asia, North America and Oceania: approximately 1 week
- Western Europe and Latin America: approximately 2 weeks
- Africa, Middle East and Iran: approximately 1 week
In individual cases, processing may take longer.
(region = origin of your educational certificates)
(Last updated: 16 March 2026)
