Postgraduate Study in Germany

How the German master's system works

Master's programmes in Germany are offered at two different types of institution. University research is focused and leads to the doctor; Fachhochschule (HAW / University of Applied Sciences) application is oriented, the bond with the sector is stronger. Two are state universities and diplomas in the same legal status; the difference is in academic approach.

Programmes also fall into two groups by application route:

• Consecutive programs are the direct continuation of a specific bachelor’s degree area. It is expected to cover your undergraduate curriculum with the program.
• Nicht programs are open to candidates with a different area or business experience. Part of this group is paid.

Admission requirements

Academic background

The basic requirement is a bachelor’s degree recognised in Germany. Degrees from universities recognised by Türkiye’s Council of Higher Education are generally eligible for assessment; the university or uni-assist makes the final equivalence decision.

Module matching (ECTS)

The university in Consekutiv programs seeks a minimum ECTS credit from certain areas in your undergraduate transcript. For example, a data science may require a certain credit threshold from Postgraduate, math and programming courses. This is the reason for the more frequent rejection than the average of the note.

Note average

There is no single national threshold. The programs determine their minimum average; the threshold of the contenja in programs can rise according to the reference pool of that year. Your average is more realistic to turn to programs that are strong to limitdays, lesson matches.

Documents

• Undergraduate diplomacy and transcript (copy and translation)
• Language qualification certificate
• CV
• Statement of purpose (depending on program)
• Reference letters (by program)
• Copy of passport

Language requirements

For example, the document is asked in that language.

English programs

IELTS Academic or TOEFL iBT are the most widely accepted tests. Some programs also accept graduation from a bachelor’s degree that gives Cambridge exams or English education. Minimum scores are set programme by programme; there is therefore no single "score required for Germany".

German programs

TestDaF, DSH or the Goethe-Zertifikat is usually required. German-taught programmes generally expect around C1, but the exact requirement is stated on the programme's own page.

Application channel: uni-assist or the university?

uni-assist is the shared preliminary-assessment service used by many German universities for international applications. It assesses your qualification under the German system and sends the result to the university. However, not every university uses uni-assist and some use it only for specific programmes.

Calendar and deadlines

The academic year in Germany has two terms: the winter term starts in October and the summer term in April. A large share of master's programmes admit students only for the winter term.

1. 12–14 months beforeProgram research and lesson match controlCompare programme ECTS requirements with your bachelor’s transcript. At this stage, a realistic shortlist of 8–12 programmes is drawn up.
2. 10–12 months beforeLanguage test planningPlan the test date and result-release period backwards from the application deadline.
3. 6–8 months beforePreparation of documentsDiploma, transcript, translations and certifications; statement of purpose and references.
4. 15 JanuaryCommon deadline for summer periodThe number of programs in the summer period is less than winter.
5. 15 JulyPopular deadline for winterMany master's programmes set their own, earlier deadline; the programme page is what counts.
6. After acceptanceBlocked account and visa appointmentDue to the density of an appointment, this step should be started to come in the acceptance letter.

Tuitions and costs

Tuition

At most German state universities there is no tuition fee for bachelor's and consecutive master's programmes. There are two exceptions:

• The state of Baden-Württemberg: per term from students who are not EU/EEA nationals 1.500 € tuition fee is received. The state ministry identified exemptions such as EU/AEA citizens, PhD students, exchange program students and those with German higher education diploma.
• Paid programs: There are tariffs and are independent from the state.

Semester administrative contribution (Semesterbeitrag)

The administrative contribution of each period is paid even in non-learning universities. This amount covers student services and public transport ticket in most universities. Price varies from university to university and updated every time; the exact figure is published on the own page of the university.

Proof of funds and blocked account (Sperrkonto)

For student visa, you need to document that you can afford the costs of the first year you will spend in Germany. The most common method is blocked account: you deposit the money into the account opened in a German bank and you can withdraw a certain amount monthly.

Visa process

For study in Germany lasting more than 90 days, applicants from Türkiye need a national student visa. The process starts after admission and may take longer when appointment demand is high.

1. Get the admission letter from the university.
2. Open the blocked account and deposit the required amount.
3. Organize health insurance.
4. Get a visa appointment from the German representative office.
5. Delivery the file in the appointment and give your biometric registration.
6. Apply for a residence permit (Aufenthaltstitel) after you arrive in Germany.

Work permission

You can work in Germany with student residence permit. border according to the official portal of the Federal Government of Germany 140 full days per year or 280 half days, or up to 20 hours per week. Student assistant (studentische Hilfskraft) works within the university can be evaluated separately.

Scholarships

The most comprehensive source of scholarships open to international students in Germany is the DAAD (German Academic Exchange Service). The DAAD scholarship database can be filtered by programme and nationality. Beyond that there are the universities' own scholarship schemes, the Deutschlandstipendium and the political foundation scholarships.

Common mistakes

• Do not assume the last date at the country level. 15 July is a common date, but many master's programmes have their own, far earlier deadline.
• Refer to the wrong channel. Submitting directly to a programme that requires uni-assist can result in the application not being assessed.
• Not checking the ECTS match. If the note average is not enough, the application is rejected if the lesson does not hold a match.
• Leaving documents to the final week. Translation, certification and uni-assist assessment can take up to eight weeks in total.
• Apply to a single program. The application list should be varied as the contengence thresholds vary from year to year.

Frequently asked questions