A valid visa, a suitable higher education entrance qualification and sufficient language skills are required for admission to a degree programme at hochschule 21.

Student Visa

Applicants can find out the current entry and residence requirements from embassies and consulates general (missions abroad). Third-country nationals generally require a visa to enter the Federal Republic of Germany. This does not apply to nationals of EU member states and other countries for which the European Community has waived the visa requirement for short stays of up to 90 days in a 180-day period under the Visa Regulation. It usually takes a few weeks before a visa can be issued. You can check whether you need a visa here. Students with a tourist visa cannot be enrolled.

Applicant Visa

After receiving the complete application documents, ‘uni-assist’ in Berlin will send you a confirmation of application, which you can use to apply for a ‘visa to apply’ at the German embassy/consulate. The visa to apply can be used together with the confirmation of study place from hochschule 21 to obtain a residence permit for students in Germany.

University Entrance Qualification

Foreign applicants applying for admission to a university in the Federal Republic of Germany require a secondary school leaving certificate. "uni-assist" in Berlin checks for universities in Germany whether the foreign school leaving certificate is equivalent to the German secondary school leaving certificate (Abitur) and whether it is possible to apply directly for a degree programme (university entrance qualification).

Assessment Test and ‘Studienkolleg’

In some countries, the secondary school leaving certificate is only partially comparable with the German Abitur. Applicants with a secondary school leaving certificate from these countries can only apply for a university place if they have also successfully passed the assessment test. This examination is preceded by a one-year ‘Studienkolleg’ course at a ‘Studienkolleg’ in Germany. 

Courses at the ‘Studienkolleg’

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

There is no ‘Studienkolleg’ affiliated with hochschule 21. Information about ‘Studienkollegs’ in Germany can be found here.

Applicants who are not sure whether their secondary school leaving certificate directly entitles them to study can contact the International Office. For detailed counselling, the exact name of the certificates, the year of graduation, nationality and any periods of study must be provided.

Language Skills

International applicants must provide proof of sufficient German language skills at the time of application, as they cannot attend German courses or take German examinations at hochschule 21.

Language Certificates

The following (and comparable) certificates are considered sufficient 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 “Deutsch als Fremdsprache” (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
• Certificate of passing the “Goethe-Zertifikat” C2 or GDS ('Großes Deutsches Sprachdiplom')
• German Language Examination II of the SDI Munich
• Telc Certificate C1 for Universites

English

Prospective students should also note that they must also have a good command of English due to the English-language courses in the compulsory elective area.