How to apply > full-time international students

All facts at a glance

The application procedure depends primarily on the country where you acquired your university entrance qualification (secondary school leaving qualification, university aptitude test, university entrance exam, proof of successfully completed studies) or your first university degree (Bachelor).

Click here for the application deadlines for our courses. Also check additional information on the respective website of the study programme you apply for.

International applicants for our Bachelor study programmes can apply in advance of the standard application dates.
Since language courses or a preparatory college often have to be attended first, we recommend you apply as early as possible.

Applications currently need to be submitted only online. Nevertheless, we reserve the right to ask for physical/ additional documents also during the ongoing application procedure.
In certain cirumustances we might request you to hand in your original application documents when you enrol.

Applicants with University entrance qualification/degree from Germany

or a successfully completed university aptitude test at a German preparatory college ("Studienkolleg") apply directly through the application portal HISinOne  of Nordhausen University of Applied Sciences. Relevant proof must be provided in support of your application.

Applicants with University entrance qualification/degree from another country

must apply through uni-assist,an external service organisation where your application will be reviewed by experts who are trained to evaluate international academic degrees.

A decision on the equivalence of your educational qualification is taken on the basis of the assessment proposals of the Standing Conference of the Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs (KMK).

For further information on the classification or equivalence of foreign qualifications into the German education system, applicants can use the anabin database for orientation (only available in German).

  • Minimum documents required for Bachelor's programme application:
  1. Duly completed online application on uni-assist portal
  2. university entrance qualification (school leaving certificate, university entrance exam in the home country)
  3. If applicable, university aptitude test certificate or proof of attendance at a preparatory college ("Studienkolleg")
  4. If applicable, Translations of the above mentioned documents (in case they are not in German, English or French)
  5. APS certificate (only for graduates of schools/universities in China, Vietnam or India)
    APS India: Due to long processing times, we allow a later submission of the APS certificate (latest during enrolment! Please note you won't receive a student visa without APS certificate, it is still your duty to apply for it as early as possible!)
  6. Official certificates of proficiency in the language of instruction
    • German-taught programmes: DSH 2, Test DaF 4x4 points, telc C1 Hochschule, Major or Minor German Language Certificate (GDS or KDS) or Central Advanced Language Test (ZOP) of the Goethe Institute
    • English-taught programmes: TOEFL iBT 79, IELTS 6.0 or Bachelor's Medium of Instruction = English
    ⇒ certificates from private institutes or other than the above mentioned cannot be accepted!
  7. If your desired semester start date has not been activated yet on uni-assist, simply select an earlier semester start date. This can still be changed after admission.
  • Minimum documents required for Master's programme application:
  1. Duly completed online application on uni-assist portal
  2. university entrance qualification (school leaving certificate, university entrance exam in the home country or, if applicable, in Germany)
  3. Complete Bachelor's degree certificate and Transcript of Records (Proof of completed Bachelor's studies)
  4. If applicable, Translations of the above mentioned documents (in case they are not in German, English or French)
  5. APS certificate (only for graduates from universities in China, Vietnam or India)
    APS India: Due to long processing times, we allow a later submission of the APS certificate (latest during enrolment! Please note you won't receive a student visa without APS certificate, it is still your duty to apply for it as early as possible!)
  6. Official certificates of proficiency in the language of instruction
    • German-taught programmes: DSH 2, Test DaF 4x4 points, telc C1 Hochschule, Major or Minor German Language Certificate (GDS or KDS) or Central Advanced Language Test (ZOP) of the Goethe Institute
    • English-taught programmes: TOEFL iBT 79, IELTS 6.0 or Bachelor's Medium of Instruction = English
    ⇒ certificates from private institutes or other than the above mentioned cannot be accepted!

We accept fully online application where you only need to upload simple copies.
All application documents can only be submitted during the application period online via the Uni-Assist portal. Application documents which were directly sent to us through E-Mail or submitted after the deadline cannot/will not be considered/accepted in any case!

We advise all applicants to apply as early as possible, so in case a document is faulty or missing, you have the chance to replace or upload additional documents, if required/necessary.

The processing fee of Uni-Assist (75 Euros for the first, 30 Euros for every additional application) which can be paid by Credit Card or bank transfer (check uni-assist website for further details)

If your application is complete and was succesfully checked by Uni-Assist, they will be forwarded to Nordhausen University of Applied Sciences, where a final decision will be taken on admission:

  • Your qualification is deemed equivalent to the German qualification and proof of satisfactory knowledge of the language of instruction has been provided and the programme you applied for is not admission restricted,
    → you will get admission for the study programme
  • The study programme you applied for is admission restricted
    → your application will have to participate in an admission selection/ ranking process
  • You applied for a German-taught Bachelor Programmes and have at least B1 language proficiency in German
    → acceptance for the course under the condition that you are able to provide C1 language proficiency before commencing your studies ("conditional admission")
    For a fee, applicants can take a language course at the Lernstudio Nordhausen or other institutes. Prospective students may also take the DSH exam as externals at the State Preparatory College in Nordhausen.
  • You applied for a Bachelor's programme and your university entrance qualification is not fully equivalent to the German qualification
    → acceptance under the condition that you take a standardised foreign applicants’ aptitude test for academic study in the Federal Republic of Germany ("Feststellungsprüfung" or "FSP") before commencing your studies.
    Preparation for the aptitude test is normally carried out in a one-year course at the State Preparatory College ("Studienkolleg") in Nordhausen (limited number of seats!).
    You also have the possiblity to participate in our university entrance exam.

    Application FAQs

    • Q: Which study programmes does University of Applied Sciences Nordhausen offer and where do I get further information (language of instruction, course contents etc.) about them?

    A: The university's study offers and the links to each programme with further information can be found here. On the website of each programme, carefully read the description and the section "All facts at a glance".

    • Q: What are the admission requirements, application periods and possible semester intakes?

    A: Please check the information and details on the website of the respective study programme under the section "All facts at a glance". If your desired intake semester is not mentioned, it is not available for application. Note, that the minimum requirements for admission are mentioned.

    • Q: What is the equivalence of my degree (180 or 210 ECTS)? / Do I need to attend the qualification semester?

    A: In general, credits obtained in non-European universities are not directly equivalent to ECTS credits obtained in European universities. Your application will first be assessed by Uni-Assist according to the guidelines of the HRK and assigned to the appropriate term by us. You might check the anabin-database (currently only in German language) to obtain further information and an orientation about the equivalence/ recognition of your foreign degree in the German system.

    • Q: Is my degree in xx eligible for admission?

    A: Please check the entry/ admission requirements on the website of the respective programme if it matches with qualification. Due to the vast numbers and differences of the programmes and qualifications, not all eligible programmes are/ can be mentioned. If your qualification or programme is not mentioned, please check yourself whether the programme's contents match with your qualification and decide whether you want to risk an application or not. Unfortunately we also can't provide any pre-checks of your application documents and state whether your qualification or programme is eligible for admission or not. Only after you applied through Uni-Assist and your application was forwarded to our university for final assessment, the admission commitee will check your qualification thoroughly for eligibility and decide on a case-by-case decision.

    • Q: How can I convert my grade into German grading system?

    A: You can use the “modified Bavarian formula”, which provides a rough estimation of your grade in German grading system.

    • Q: I do not fulfil the admission requirements. Is there still a chance to be admitted?

    A: If your application does not meet the admission requirements (e.g. grade, non-suitable degree, lack of English proficiency etc.) then our admission comitee unfortunately has to reject your application and deny admission. Kindly note that only the criteria mentioned in the admission requirements can be considered. Please also check the admission regulations for the respective programme for any possibility and the criteria/requirements under which a grade improvement can be granted and upload the relevant documents to the Uni-Assist portal. The admission comittee will assess wether a grade improvement can be granted or not. Kindly understand that pre-checks and statement of acceptance of these documents also cannot be provided and refrain from sending this kind of individual queries.

    • Q: My desired study programme is admission restricted. What does that mean?

    A: In general an admission restriction applies, if a specific study programme possesse a certain number (capacity) of available study seats. Should the number of proper applications exceed the study seat capacity, then all proper applications will be ranked and 

    • Q: What are my chances of admission?

    A: Any reliable statement about the success of your application is not possible due to many unforeseeable factors (number of availalabe study seats, applicant numbers and their qualification). Please first check if you fulfill the minimum entry requirements and decide if you would like to apply or not. If the number of proper and eligible applications is higher than the capacity (number of availalbe study seats), all applications will be ranked according to the Culmulative Grade Point Average (CGPA). Applicants with highest ranking will receive admission first until the capacity is exhausted. All others will first get a rejection letter and placed on a "waiting list". Should seats not be accepted or withdrawn by other applicants who got admission, the next applicant on the waiting list will be informed by the University about the change of admission status immidiately.

    • Q: Do you offer pre-checks of my documents before I apply to Uni-Assist?

    A: We do not provide any pre-checks of your application documents. Only after you applied through Uni-Assist, our admission comittee will check and assess your application documents. Please carefully read and check the website of your desired programme and decide by yourself if you would like to try to apply or not.

    • Q: Is it possible to apply with transcripts only and submit the degree certificate afterwards?

    A: According to the admission regulations, a completed Bachelor degree with final grading is prerequisite for admission to all of our Master’s degree programmes. You must provide proof that you succesfully completed your Bachelor degree already during the application period! Otherwise an assessment of your eligibility by Uni-Assist is not possible and your application will not be forwarded to our university and hence will be rejected.

    • Q: Can you grant me an application fee waiver?

    A: Since the application fee is imposed by Uni-Assist and not by us, we cannot grant any waiving of the application fee.

    • Q: Can I submit remaining / missing or additional documents which should be considered for admission after the deadline?

    A: All required documents must be submitted during the application period and latest before the deadline. Please apply as early as possible so you have the chance to upload additional / remaining documents. Neither Uni-Assist nor our university will accept submission of required documents/ certificates after the deadline.

    • Q: Can I defer my admission due to visa delay / personal reasons etc.?

    A: It is not possible to defer admissions to a later semester. If the visa appointment waiting time is very long and it is obvioius that you won't be able to receive your student visa and arrive in Nordhausen on time, it is recommended that you do not enroll. You have the possibility to to have your current application be reconsidered in the next term. This does not gurantee another admission, since your application has to compete with the all other applications again. Reconsideration of your application is free of charge as another application through Uni-Assist will not be necessary.

    • Q: Can the university support / expedite my student visa application because the processing times are very long?

    A: All students are responsible and advised to check the visa regulations, required visa application documents, the processing and appointment waiting times at their responsible German visa office beforehand. Please take appropriate measures (e.g. early booking of appointment) and proper preperation of your documents in order to ensure that you are able to obtain your visa before the start of your studies. We are not able to issue any support / extension letters etc. or influence the visa process in any way!

    • Q: What kind of English certificates will be accepted?

    A: Our university accepts IELTS / TOEFL (including online versions of the test, e.g. IELTS Online TOEFL iBT Home Edition). If you apply for our English-taught Master's programmesi and Bachelor's degree was taught entirely in English and this is stated on your Bachelor's certificate/Transcript of Records off we also accept this as a proof of English proficiency. Kindly note that other certificates, such as Duolingo, PTE or any certificates from private language institutesm, unfortunately cannot be accepted. Attention! For some German visa offices “Medium of Instruction is English” certificates are not sufficient. We therefore recommend that you take an IELTS or TOEFL test, only then you can be sure that you will be able to study an English-taught programme properly!

    • Q: Uni-Assist has forwarded my application to the university for further consideration. What is the status of my application and when can I expect to receive the admission result?

    A: The university's admission comittee has to further assess and evaluate your application documents and qualification in an admission selection process. This process can only start after the application period and all proper applications have been forwarded by Uni-Assist to us. This process may take up to 1-2 more months or even more after the application deadline. Shortly after your application has been forwarded to our university, your personal account for the internal applicant portal "HISinOne" will be created automatically. The login credentials (2 E-Mails; one with your login ID, one with your inital password) will be sent to you automatically to the e-mail address which you have used for the Uni-Assist application. Make sure that you check your e-mails frequently and also your Junk-Mail/ SPAM folder, in order not to miss any E-Mails or notification. We are kindly asking for your patience and please refrain from individual status inquiries, as these can not be answered. Please follow the instructions in the E-Mails and the portal and check the application status in the portal by yourself.

    • Q: My application status in the HISinOne portal is "excluded". What does that mean/ What are the reasons of my exclusion?

    A: "Excluded" means that you have not fulfilled the admission requirements. You will receive the exact reason and further details in the rejection letter which you will receive after the admission selection process has been completed.

    • Q: Does the time of application decide about my admission chances/ rank?

    A: Regardless of when you apply, all applications will equally take part in the selection process. The raking will only consider the criteria mentioned in the admission requirements, mainly your grade according to the German grading system.

    • Q: Will a Uni-Assist VPD issued for another university accepted?

    A: No. You need to specifically apply for a study programme at our university through Uni-Assist. VPDs issued for other universities will not be accepted.