🇩🇪 How to apply to university in Germany

Applications go through uni-assist, Hochschulstart or the university. Programmes usually start: October (winter semester); some programmes start in April (summer semester).

Checked on 20 October 2026 against the official sources listed below.

The essentials

Application system: uni-assist, Hochschulstart or the universityNo single system: international applicants apply to the university directly or through uni-assist; Hochschulstart runs the central procedure for medicine, dentistry and pharmacy for Germans, EU/EEA citizens and holders of a German school certificate.
When programmes start: October (winter semester); some programmes start in April (summer semester).
International applicants: International students apply to the university directly or through uni-assist, which checks certificates for many universities. Non-EU applicants to medicine and similar subjects usually apply to the university, not Hochschulstart.
Language: German (TestDaF or DSH) for German-taught programmes; IELTS/TOEFL for English-taught ones.

Key dates

Add all these dates to my calendar (.ics)

Most universities take applications for the winter semester (October) from early May to 15 July, and for the summer semester (April) from early December to 15 January — but each university sets its own dates, and private universities differ.

Date	What	Who	Intake	Source	Calendar
26 October 2026 –15 January 2027	Hochschulstart application phase (deadline is final)	Medicine, dentistry and pharmacy applicants through Hochschulstart (Germans, EU/EEA citizens and others with a German school certificate)	Summer semester 2027	Hochschulstart — Termine & Fristen

A window shows its opening date above its closing date. Individual universities and programmes can set earlier dates of their own — always confirm on the official page before you rely on a date. The calendar file adds each date as an all-day event with a reminder a week before.

Your checklist

The usual steps for an international student applying to a bachelor's in Germany, in order. Tick them off as you go — your ticks stay in this browser, with no account.

1.Check that your school-leaving certificate gives direct access to German higher education (DAAD admission database); if not, you may need a Studienkolleg and its assessment exam first.
2.Choose a programme and check whether it has restricted admission (numerus clausus).
3.Prove your German (TestDaF or DSH) for German-taught programmes, or English for English-taught ones.
4.Apply to the university directly or through uni-assist (€75 for the first choice, €30 for each further one in the same semester).
5.Meet the university's deadline — usually 15 July for October and 15 January for April.
6.Receive your admission letter (usually August/September for October starts).
7.Apply for a student visa at the German mission, usually with proof of funds such as a blocked account.
8.Find housing and enrol at the university when you arrive.

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Next steps

Sources

Written by CollegeMatcher in our own words from these official pages, checked on 20 October 2026. Dates change every year.