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Applying for a Master's Degree: Information for International Applicants

General information for international applicants

Thank you very much for your interest in studying at the South Westphalia University of Applied Sciences. There are currently students from about 100 nations studying at the university - and we would be glad to welcome you as well in the near future.

If you are still uncertain about selecting a study course due to your language skills, you can find an overview of our study courses according to language requirements here.

Please note that not all Master's courses start in the winter semester as well as in the summer semester. You can find the exact application deadlines here. You can apply for higher semesters in both the winter and summer semester. Classification in a higher semester is decided by the examination board once admission has been granted. Applications for credit transfer can be obtained from the Student Service Office (contact details at the bottom of this page).

What language skills do I need? Language skills

German language skills and DSH exam

If you are a foreigner without a German university entrance qualification and would like to enrol in a Bachelor's or Master's study course at the South Westphalia University of Applied Sciences, you need to take the DSH exam or the TestDaF test. This does not apply to all study courses, please consult the course-specific admission requirements.

Where can I take these German exams?

  • In the test centres for the
    TestDaF
  • In the testing locations of the
    Goethe Institute
    The Goethe Institute and its testing locations are available worldwide in many countires as well as in several German cities.
  • At the
    telc GmbH
  • At German universities (DSH exam)
    Please note that DSH exams are not offered at all German universities (unfortunately, South Westphalia University of Applied Sciences does not offer a DSH exam) and that universities often only admit applicants to the DSH exam subject to very specific conditions.

Learning German

There are numerous ways to learn German, both worldwide and in Germany, e.g. at the Goethe Institutes:

Head Office Munich
Goethe Institute
Oskar-von-Miller-Ring 18
80333 München
muenchen@goethe.de

Additionally, the International Office of the South Westphalia University of Applied Sciences occasionally offers free German courses that international full-time students can attend to refresh or improve their language skills, if required. However, these courses do not serve the purpose of taking the German language exam, which is a prerequisite for enrolment, but rather individual support after taking up studies. Further information and registration can be found at the International Office.

English-language study courses

The South Westphalia University of Applied Sciences also offers some study courses that are entirely taught in English.

Which application procedure is suitable for me? Application procedure

Depending on your background and your chosen study course, different application procedures apply. Please make sure to pick the right one!

A) Are you German or equal to German citizens? Then use the online procedure of the South Westphalia University of Applied Sciences

Applicants from EU countries and applicants with equal status to German citizens can apply for admission at the South Westphalia University of Applied Sciences via the online application procedure.

Overview: What does "equal to German citizens" mean?

You are considered equal to German citizens if you meet one of the following requirements.

  • European HZB = European higher education entrance qualification, European Bachelor's degree (not: Master's degree!)
  • Applicants from EU countries, Iceland, Liechtenstein or Norway
  • The applicant lives in Germany and has family members with EU citizenship. This family member must work or have worked in Germany.

Family members in this sense are:

  • Parents
  • Spouse
  • Registered partners
  • Parents of the spouse/registered partner, if they provide financial support for the applicant
  • Children, if they are financially supporting the applicant
  • Children of the spouse/registered partner, if they are financially supporting the applicant

In more detail: The following foreign nationals and stateless persons are treated equally to German applicants in the admission procedure

  • Foreign nationals or stateless persons who have acquired a German higher education entrance qualification (Abitur or Fachhochschulreife), even if it is a German school abroad, provided the higher education entrance qualification was acquired in accordance with German law.
  • Citizens of an EU country, Iceland, Liechtenstein or Norway.
  • Applicants resident in the Federal Republic of Germany whose parents are citizens of an EU country, Iceland, Liechtenstein or Norway and who work or have worked in Germany.
  • Persons resident in the Federal Republic of Germany whose spouse or registered partner is a national of an EU country, Iceland, Liechtenstein or Norway and works or has worked in Germany.
  • Persons resident in the Federal Republic of Germany, provided that the parents of the spouse or registered partner are nationals of an EU country, Iceland, Liechtenstein or Norway and work or have worked in Germany and are financially supported by them.
  • Persons resident in the Federal Republic of Germany whose children are nationals of an EU country, Iceland, Liechtenstein or Norway and work or have worked in Germany and who are dependent on them.
  • Persons resident in the Federal Republic of Germany, provided that the children of the spouse or registered partner are nationals of an EU country, Iceland, Liechtenstein or Norway and are working or have worked in Germany and are supported by them.

B) Are you not equal to German citizens? Then please apply via uni-assist

International applicants from non-EU countries apply via uni-assist.

Register

First of all, please register at uni-assist. You can then access the uni-assist online forms via the online application.

Here you can fill in the standard application form for your application and save it permanently for later use. Generate a PDF of the completed application form and print it for your records. For processing, you must submit the application electronically to uni-assist.

Corrections

Once applications have been processed by uni-assist, they cannot be changed electronically. However, you can inform uni-assist of possible changes by email until the end of the application period. You can find the contact details here.

Fees

All documents and any applicable fees must be received by uni-assist before the end of the application period. If possible, you should pay your application fee on the day you submit your application. Incomplete applications cannot be processed by uni-assist. If you still have questions when completing your application for South Westphalia University of Applied Sciences, you will get more information here.

Payment options

Please note: The complete application fee must be received by uni-assist. Therefore, you will have to pay transfer fees charged by your bank in addition.

Further procedure

If you meet the formal requirements for an application, uni-assist will forward your application to the South Westphalia University of Applied Sciences. You will then receive a letter of acceptance or rejection with further information.

Please note: If you are applying for a Master's study course, it will take a few weeks for the notification to be issued, as the faculty first has to check the content-related requirements.

If you do not meet the formal requirements, uni-assist will inform you accordingly. Uni-assist will store your application documents until the end of the year following the receipt of your documents. After that, your documents will be deleted. If you re-apply within this time, you only need to re-upload the application form and submit any missing documents. Data in electronic form will be stored for four years. During this time, it will only be made available to uni-assist itself and to the universities you have chosen. After that, the data will be deleted.

Please note: We reserve the right to randomly check your documents after a successful enrolment. Please make sure to bring the originals or certified copies with you to Germany. If you are not able to present the documents you have uploaded or if we discover that forgeries have been uploaded, we reserve the right to exmatriculate you immediately.

Enrolment procedure for admissions granted in the previous semester

For some degree courses (see below), admissions are directly granted for two enrolment semesters. If you have not received a visa for the semester you initially applied for in time, you can enrol in the upcoming enrolment period via the online application portal of the South Westphalia University. Please apply during the application periods and upload the following documents as part of the online enrolment:

  • Admission letter
  • Photo ID
  • Exmatriculation certificate, if you have already studied at a German higher education institution
  • Certificate of Non-Objection, if you have already studied a similar degree course at a German higher education institution

Furthermore, please request a special insurance certificate for enrolment from your health insurance agency, which will be sent to us electronically. You can find information on the electronic health insurance procedure here (conten in german).

The above-mentioned procedure applies exclusively to the following degree courses:

Which application documents are required?Which application documents are required?

Please upload your application documents. It is important that you upload copies from your original certificates or certified copies from your certificates. It is not sufficent to upload a picture of simple copies. We reserve the right to request copies from your original certificates or certified copies from your certificates by post.

List of required documents

  • Secondary school leaving certificate / higher education entrance qualification (Abitur, Baccalaureat, GCE….). As a rule you need to document your educational background from your secondary school leaving certificate up until your present educational level.
    Please submit all certificates in full: you must always submit both your certificate and the corresponding subject and grade summary in full, any appendices to your certificate (e.g. a Diplom attachement) or individual pages have to be included. If your subject and grade summary does not include the applied grading system, please include information on the grading system used by your school or university as well.
  • For application to admissions restricted degree courses your higher education entrance qualification has to be amended by your declared overall average grade.
  • When indicated, transcript of records of previous university studies with declared overall average grade.
  • When indicated, proof of (Studienkolleg-Abschluss) / (Feststellungsprüfung).
  • Proof of language proficiency, alternatively proof that the language certificate can be submitted likely until beginning of lecture. For the English-taught degree courses, proof of German language proficiency is not required.
  • When indicated: additional certificates ( see list at uni-assist).

Please note:
The following documents must only be submitted after admission to enrolment:


Application periods

Contact

Campus Iserlohn and Soest

Heike Sobasik

Contact preferably by e-mail
Campus Hagen, Meschede and Lüdenscheid

Tobias Becker (SG 2.4)

Homepage:
Contact preferably by e-mail