uni-assist supports international applicants and German universities by processing applications to study in Germany. uni-assist’s core responsibility is the evaluation of applications for uni-assist universities.
- We evaluate your education certificates and check whether they fulfil the general criteria for university studies in Germany.
- We convert your grades to the German grading system.
- We check additional admission criteria set by your chosen universities, depending on the procedure.
- We register all data and documents necessary for the universities’ admission procedures.
- We inform you about your evaluation result.
uni-assist universities may access and edit this data.
It is the university, not uni-assist, that decides on your admission.
You can find out from our list of uni-assist universities which universities we evaluate applications for.
Check our Links section for websites that offer a lot of helpful information on, for example:
- courses of study offered by German universities
- requirements for studying in Germany
- financing and
- visas
Tip:
Each university in Germany offers a student advisory service – often provided by an International Office. Take advantage of this service to seek advice about studying in Germany. You will find the contact details of the International Offices via our Links section.
Your chosen university can inform you whether you should apply via uni-assist. uni-assist is not automatically responsible for all applications to uni-assist universities. Each university decides which applicant groups and courses are to be handled by uni-assist.
No, uni-assist is only located in Berlin, Germany. For your application, please only use My assist and the official uni-assist website.
No, because we treat all applicants equally. uni-assist does not cooperate with commercial agencies. Applications submitted via an agency are treated the same as all other applications.
If you want to study in Germany, you will need a University entrance qualification (“Hochschulzugangsberechtigung”). This means that your previous education must qualify you to study at a German university. Generally, this refers to a school leaving certificate that is equivalent to a German “Abitur” (e.g. Matura, Baccalauréat). In some cases, you will need to have completed certain university courses or passed a University entrance exam in your home country.
Most courses of study require proof of a certain level of German language proficiency. Some subjects may require proficiency in other languages as well (e.g. language studies, international courses of study).
Depending on your chosen university and course, the university may set further requirements, such as internship experience, for example.
You can find out whether your previous education qualifies you for studying in Germany using
- our tool Check: university admission
- the anabin database
Please enquire about language and further requirements directly at the university of your choice.
Detailed information and further tips:
This depends on your chosen course.
Universities have very different requirements for language skills. Be sure to check with the universities about the required language level and necessary language certificates. The requirements vary from university to university and from course to course.
You will find a general overview on the website study-in.de and on our website under Language certificates.
Tips on language skills and language certificates:
- German is the language of instruction for most courses of study in Germany. This is why you generally have to prove sufficient German proficiency, for example with a DSH or TestDaF certificate or a certificate from the Goethe Institut.
- Some courses of study may require certificates for other foreign languages (for example, for language studies or international courses of study). TOEFL or IELTS certificates may be required for English, for example.
- If you want to apply for a Studienkolleg (preparatory course) or preparatory German language course, you generally need to prove a certain level of German proficiency. This applies for the Studienkolleg, even if you later want to take a bachelor's course with English as the language of instruction. This is because the language of instruction in the Studienkolleg is German.
- Some courses of study are offered in English, in which case you may need little or no German proficiency. international courses of study are listed in the DAAD “International Programmes” database.
Please note:
Your language certificates must be received by uni-assist within the application deadline. Before you apply, please check with each university to find out which language certificate you need for your application.
Further criteria for your application could include an internship or a letter of motivation. The university sets the criteria for your application.
This depends on your chosen course and may also depend on your country of origin.
Each university sets fixed application periods and deadlines. The university's deadlines apply to your application via uni-assist. Make sure that you find out from your chosen university when their deadline for your chosen course is.
As soon as the university has activated the applications in My assist.
Each university sets fixed application periods and deadlines. For more information, please see the universities’ websites.
We recommend: Apply as early as you can, ideally 8 weeks before the application deadline, if possible. This will enable you to submit any missing documents in time.
Are you applying for the preliminary review documentation (VPD)? Then you should allow even more time for your application, because you generally still have to apply to the university directly using the VPD.
We recommend these websites, which offer helpful information:
- Guidelines of DAAD for refugees who wish to study in Germany
- Education counselling by the University Guarantee Fund
- If you have questions about the recognition of non-German vocational credentials, take a look at the pages of the Network IQ ("Integration through Qualification")
- Make it in Germany – information on studies, work, vocational training, residency, German language classes and more
- Helpful information for refugees in Germany, offered by the PRO ASYL organisation
- Would you like to start university studies, but haven’t yet found a place at a university? Using KIRON, you can begin studies
Our tip: Each university in Germany provides a student advisory service that offers advice on studying in Germany. The universities can also inform you whether they offer Special study programmes for refugees. You will find the contact details on the universities’ websites.
If you are not able to submit education certificates due to your asylum situation and the circumstances of your arrival in Europe, then we can verify whether you can study at a German university based on your own statements. If we notice that documents are missing, we may provide you with a form in which you provide further information.
The university will then decide whether you may have to take an additional test because of the missing certificates. Such tests can include the Feststellungsprüfung or an aptitude test or other assessment process provided by the university.