Universities in Germany accept applications for both Summer (March/April) and Winter (October) semesters. However most courses and programs are offered in the Winter Semester and only a few courses and some language programs accept summer intake. So if you are interested to go for your full time Masters or Ph.D, it is usually the Winter Semester you will have to apply to.
The application period for Winter Semester is usually between Feb and July months of the same year.
But there are some exceptions to this application period, i.e. a very few universities or in particular Graduate Schools have an earlier deadline for international students.
Applying to the University:
If you are not sure whether the degree you hold is equivalent to the German degree, you can visit the Anabin Database to know whether your degree is recognized in Germany.
In order to know which universities offer your choice of subject and also in which semester, visit the DAAD website.
Before you start applying to the universities, make sure you have the following documents with you:
1. Application form: downloaded from the university's website (Also read UNI ASSIST given below)
2. Secondary School Leaving Certificate
3. Transcripts
4. Degree Certificate
5. TOEFL scores
6. SoPs
7. LoRs
8. A copy of your passport
9. Passport size photos: min. 3
SSLC: The Universities in Germany require that you submit your secondary school leaving certificate, i.e. the one which qualifies you to enter a University degree study. In case of Indian students, this certificate is usually the Pre University or Class 12 leaving certificate.
The leaving certificate and its equivalence in Germany is country specific. Click here to know about the equivalence of your qualification.
The leaving certificate and its equivalence in Germany is country specific. Click here to know about the equivalence of your qualification.
Transcripts: A record of the all the university level study done till date, also indicating the grading system used by the university and the class of your degree.
A sample transcript is shown below:
Degree Certificate: Certificate issued by the university after the completion of your degree.
TOEFL scores: the TOEFL score card sent to the University by ETS.
SoPs: A statement of purpose, stating why you want to study a specific course at the university of your choice. The SoP is the only platform for an applicant to express his/herself completely and to share one's ideas. So see that your statement of purpose is not very subject specific. In addition to the course and university choice, include details about yourself, your interests, your goals, why you are interested in a particular subject, your research interests and so on. On a whole, the reader of your SoP should get a basic idea about you.
LoRs: Letters of Recommendation are usually mandatory for international Ph.D applicants but can be recommended for Bachelor's and Masters applicants. Since the decision for admitting a student is based on considering the entire application material and not just your university scores, LoRs and SoPs can be considered as added benefits.
Also check with the Faculty of choice to see if they require any additional documents.
You don't have to submit original documents for the purpose of application. Be ready with certified copies of your transcripts and certificates. In case the document issued by your school or university is not in English, get it translated by a certified translator.
Certification of documents: can be done by the public notary in your country (at least in India) or you can get the documents certified by the German Embassy nearest to you.
All you have to do is go to your country's German Embassy website and make an appointment by paying some fee. On the day of your appointment carry your original documents along with their photocopies and you can get them verified. Please make a note that you cannot enter the Embassy unless you have a prior appointment with the Embassy.
Click here for a quick access to the German Missions in India.
Application procedure:
Once all your documents have been certified and your application material is ready, you can start applying to the universities as soon as the application period begins.
Note here that application to the University is done by two means:
1. Applying directly to the University
2. Applying via UNI ASSIST.
1. Applying directly to the University.
One can submit the application to the International office at the preferred university of choice. This kind of application is usually free of cost (NO APPLICATION FEE). Also check with the Faculty of your interest if they require you to submit an application package, in addition to the one submitted at the International Office.
2. Applying via UNI ASSIST:
Many of you may not be knowing about the UNI ASSIST. It is a university application service for International students interested to study in Germany. Many universities are members of this UNI ASSIST.
If your university of choice is a member of UNI ASSIST, then you should apply to UNI ASSIST and not directly to the university.
However, applying via uni-assist can charge you some fees: 68 euros for the first university of choice and 15 euros each for the subsequent universities.
To check whether the university of your choice is a member or not and also for more details on application forms and payments, click on uni-assist . Also note that you have to register online to uni-assist before beginning the application process. Because of this there may be a separate deadline to apply via uni-assist.
Don't forget to check with the website.
Once you have finished applying, the university takes 2-3 months to let you know the status of your admission. Few universities might have their own entrance exams and interviews for the shortlisted candidates.
Make sure you apply well in advance so that in case if any other documents need to be submitted, you will have sufficient time to do so.
I hope this information will suffice your preparation of application material. More updates are on their way.
Stay tuned!!
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