How to apply to a German university with a foreign school certificate

2 min read · 7 steps · Updated 2 October 2026

German state universities charge little or no tuition, which makes them popular with students from all over the world. The hurdle is the paperwork: your school certificate has to be recognised, your German proven, and everything submitted on time.

Rules, amounts and deadlines change. Check the official source named at the end before you act, and ask the office in your city, because procedures differ from town to town.

Step by step

1. Check your entrance qualification

   Look up your country and certificate in the anabin database or in the admission database of the DAAD. The result is one of three: direct admission to all subjects, admission to certain subjects only, or admission after a preparatory course.

   Done

2. If needed: the Studienkolleg

   A Studienkolleg is a preparatory college. It takes one year, has an entrance test, and ends with an assessment exam (Feststellungsprüfung) that gives you the right to study the subjects of your course track.

   Done

3. Prove your German

   For courses taught in German you need level C1. Accepted certificates include TestDaF, the DSH exam of the universities, telc Deutsch C1 Hochschule and the Goethe-Zertifikat C2. Courses taught in English ask for an English certificate, and often no German.

   Done

4. Find out how the course is restricted

   Courses without restriction take everyone who qualifies. Locally restricted courses (with a numerus clausus) select by grades and other criteria. Medicine, dentistry, pharmacy and veterinary medicine are restricted nationwide, and applications go to the Stiftung für Hochschulzulassung at hochschulstart.de.

   Done

5. Apply by the right route

   Many universities take applications from abroad through uni-assist, a service that checks certificates for a fee. Others want the application directly. The university's website for international applicants says which.

   Done

6. Keep the deadlines

   The usual closing dates are 15 July for the winter semester and 15 January for the summer semester. Some universities and uni-assist set earlier dates, and Handbook Germany names 31 May for some winter applications. Check the date for your course and aim to send everything weeks before.

   Done

7. Prepare the documents

   Certified copies of your school certificate and any university records with sworn translations, the language certificate, a copy of your passport and, at enrolment, proof of health insurance.

   Done

Good to know

An admission letter is what you need for the student visa, together with proof of funds: blocked account for Germany 2026.

There are no tuition fees at most state universities, but every student pays a semester contribution of a few hundred euros, which often includes a transport ticket.

Working beside your studies: how much can international students work in Germany?

If you already hold a degree: is your degree valid in Germany. Language levels explained: which German level do you need.

In short: anabin or DAAD check, Studienkolleg if needed, German C1, find out the restriction, apply directly or through uni-assist, 15 July and 15 January, certified and translated documents.