For studying at hochschule 21 you need a valid student visa, an equivalent qualification for admission to higher education in Germany and a certificate about adequate knowledge of German language.

Student Visa

Applicants find information about current entry and residence requirements at the German embassy or consulate in their home country. It normally takes several weeks for a visa to be issued. Most of the foreign nationals intending to study in Germany require a student visa (exceptions are: citizens from EU-countries, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Island, Norway and the USA). Applicants with tourist visa cannot be enrolled at hochschule 21.

Applicant Visa

After receipt of a full set of application documents, "uni-assist" in Berlin will send to you a confirmation of application. With this confirmation it is possible to obtain a so-called "applicant visa" from German diplomatic or consular offices. This applicant visa together with the letter of admission, issued by hochschule 21, can be used to obtain a student residence permit in Germany later on.

Qualification for Admission

If you want to be admitted to study at an institution of Higher Education in Germany you have to present your secondary school leaving certificate. For all universities in Germany "uni-assist" in Berlin checks, whether the foreign certificate is considered as equivalent to the German secondary school leaving certificate (Abitur). If so, immediate application for admission to Higher Education is possible.  

Special Examination in Germany

The secondary school leaving certificate of some countries is not considered to be totally equivalent to the German one. Applicants from these countries can only apply for admission after having passed an additional examination in Germany (“Feststellungsprüfung”). Preceding this examination is a 12 month preparatory course at a German "Studienkolleg". 

Courses to be chosen at "Studienkolleg":

• T-Course for Architecture, Building Services Engineering and Automation, Civil Engineering and Mechatronics
• M-Course for Physiotherapy, Midwifery, Nursing
• W-Course for Industrial Engineering and Management Construction and Real Estate (Construction and Real Estate Management)

There is no "Studienkolleg" established at hochschule 21. Information about Studienkollegs in Germany can be found at http://www.studienkollegs.de.

Applicants, who are not sure whether their secondary school leaving certificate qualifies them for direct access to German universities may contact the International Office for help. For detailed advice, the exact name of the certificates, the final examination date, their nationality as well as possible years of study will have to be mentioned.

Language Skills

Foreign applicants have to certify a good command of German language at the moment of application as it is not possible to attend German language courses or perform a German language examination at hochschule 21.

Language Certificates

The following and comparable certificates will be accepted by hochschule 21:

• German "Abitur"
• Diploma (final school leaving certificate) from a German Secondary School abroad in which German is language of instruction
• Certificate of a program of study completed at a German university
• KMK Second grade diploma of German language (Deutsches Sprachdiplom Stufe II)
• Certificate of "Deutsche Sprachprüfung für den Hochschulzugang (DSH), minimum DSH-2
• Test for German as Foreign Language (TestDaF) with minimum TestDaF level 4 in all four parts of the test
• Certificate of “Feststellungsprüfung” successfully passed at a German “Studienkolleg”
• "Kleines Sprachdiplom“, "Großes Sprachdiplom" or “ZOP-Certificate“ passed at a Goethe-Institute, in case the examination date is not earlier than 5 years before 31.12.2016
• Goethe-Institute Certificates C2 or GDS (“Großes Deutsches Sprachdiplom”)
• German Language Examination II of the SDI Munich
• Telc Certificate C1 for Universites

Englisch

As some modules are offered in English, applicants should be aware that a good knowledge of English language is expected as well.