Informing yourself about the application process

First-year students at the University of Göttingen have the choice to begin either a one-subject or two-subject bachelor’s programme. Both one-subject and two-subject bachelor’s programmes have a standard period of study of six semesters.

If you choose to study law, medicine or theology, you will complete your studies with a state examination. State examination degree programmes have a longer standard period of study of nine semesters, or for most study programmes, 12 semesters.

For some study programmes, we admit all applicants who are qualified to study at university (open admission programmes). In other study programmes, the number of applications regularly exceeds the number of available places. An admissions selection procedure takes place for these study programmes (admissions-restricted programmes).

• Degree Programmes for Graduates of German Preparatory Colleges (Studienkollegs)
• Our study programmes from A-Z
• Structure of the bachelor's study programmes

Compared to other universities, the application process for non-EU students at the University of Göttingen ends early. We want to ensure that you still have enough time to obtain a visa and prepare for your journey so that you can begin your studies as planned. Please inform yourself in plenty of time regarding the application deadlines that apply to you:

• Application deadlines

You will be considered for a study place only if your school-leaving certificate along with other possible qualifications (depending on the country issuing the certificates, national university entrance examinations, periods of study, etc) prove that you qualify for direct university entrance (Hochschulzugangsberechtigung or HZB) and that you have fulfilled all other formal admission requirements. The International Student Office at the University of Göttingen will check your university entrance qualification when processing your application. This is based upon the evaluation guidelines of the Central Office for Foreign Education. You can view the requirements yourself in the anabin system. This will help you to figure out whether you will be admitted to study in Germany even before you submit your application.

Should your previous qualifications be insufficient for direct admission to higher education, you may be able to attend a preparatory course at a Studienkolleg. If this is the case, you will receive an invitation to take an entrance examination at a Studienkolleg, rather than being outright admitted or rejected. If you wish to apply directly to the Studienkolleg, you will find further information on this page.

• Degree Programmes for Graduates of German Preparatory Colleges (Studienkollegs)

German language skills are generally a prerequisite for your application to the University of Göttingen. Please take note of the specific language requirements (languages and level) for the programme you wish to apply for.

Currently, only one undergraduate programme is taught entirely in English, but the University of Göttingen’s portfolio of study programmes constantly evolves. Please check the A-Z-List for up-to-date information and for specific English language requirements.

The University of Göttingen charges once per each semester of application a fee of 65 euros for the evaluation of foreign higher education entrance qualifications. Your application will be processed only after the evaluation fee has been paid. Please make sure the fee has been received by us by the application deadline, unless you are exempt from paying the fee.

Information regarding evaluation fee and the exemptions can be found here.

The entire application process is shown here in illustrative application videos or described below:

The application procedure for undergraduate programmes (bachelor or state examination) is conducted solely by the University of Göttingen and takes place completely online. Be sure to use only the standard application and upload portal during the application process. Please do not send any documents by post or email. These will not be taken into consideration when processing your application.

A certified translation must be provided additionally to your original degree certificate for all diplomas and certificates that are not in German, English or French. Only translations by an accredited translation agency will be accepted.

In order to apply online, you must first register using an email address. Then you will enter your personal data, your higher education entrance qualification and your desired degree programme. Next, you will upload the required certificates and documents to the upload portal. When uploading, you must specify the type of document you are uploading. Please be particularly careful when uploading your documents and do not combine your application documents into a single pdf document. Any mistakes made in uploading the documents or in the naming the documents may result in your application not being processed.

You can apply to up to three admissions-restricted study programmes per semester.

While we are processing your application, we will keep you informed about the status of your application. Please check your email inbox regularly, including your spam folder.

If you already have credits from a study programme (that is, from another study programme at the University of Göttingen, another university in Germany or abroad), you can apply for a higher semester. To determine which semester you qualify for, you will need to have your previous academic achievements (credits) assessed. You can find out more detailed information on the credit transfer procedure here.

If you have met the deadline for application at the University of Göttingen, and if your previous educational background is sufficient for admission to the Studienkolleg preparatory course, as well as all other formal requirements being met, we will automatically register you for the entrance examination for the Studienkolleg Hannover. If you are selected by the Studienkolleg, you will then receive a written invitation to take the entrance examination. Please note that this invitation does not automatically entitle you to later admission to study in Göttingen.

To be admitted to the Studienkolleg Hannover, you must first pass the entrance examination which is in German, and is according to your selected course of study, either mathematics or humanities. The Studienkolleg will subsequently decide whether you can attend the preparatory course.

The Studienkolleg preparatory course is a one-year course and prepares you for the assessment examination. Once you have passed the assessment exam, you can once again apply for admission to the University of Göttingen. If this application is successful, you will receive direct admission to your chosen degree programme.

• Degree Programmes for Graduates of German Preparatory Colleges (Studienkollegs)
• Application for the Studienkolleg Hannover

FAQ - Undergraduate study programmes

The application process for a master’s programme is conducted by the faculty offering the programme. Therefore, the application and selection procedure, including the deadlines, are not uniform across all faculties. Please inform yourself carefully about any and all application deadlines, admission requirements and the selection procedures. Please use the descriptions of the study programmes on the A-Z list.