Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin

Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin | Studies | Student Services | Information on applications in Master’s programs

Information on applications in Master's programs

International Students who wish to apply in a master’s degree program need to meet general and specific admission requirements. Depending on the legal origin of your admission qualification the application process differs. Therefore it is essential that you inform yourself in advance about the formalities and application procedure. Version: 26.04.2022.


At Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, various types of Master's programs are offered:

  •  Consecutive Master's programs are programs that build on a Bachelor's program in terms of content. They usually last two to four semesters. The Master's program can continue, deepen or extend the undergraduate program on a cross-disciplinary basis.
  •  The so called Further Education Master's programs require qualified practical work experience of not less than one year. Therefore the further education programs contents‘ should take professional experience into account and build on it. Additional fees may be charged for these courses of study.

Admission requirements

You must meet general and specific admission requirements in order to apply for a Master's program at Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin. 

The basic requirement for the admission is a first academic degree obtained in a course of study with a minimum length of three years in a relevant subject area, usually a bachelor’s degree, with which study achievements and examinations amounting to at least 180 ECTS credits or credit points (LP) or equivalent have been acquired.

More detailed information on the admission requirements for individual courses of study as well as the form and scope of the required proof can be found in the subject-specific admission regulations of the ZSP-HU (appendices in German only) as well as in the Master's program course catalogue. Please note that admission requirements (e.g. language skills) must be met at the time of application.

All documents relating to an application must be received by the HU by the end of the relevant application deadline at the latest (cut-off deadlines).
 

Application with pending first academic degree

If you are in the final phase of your bachelor's degree program and your degree certificate will not be available before the end of the application period, you may, under certain conditions still apply for a master's program, while your degree is pending.

In order to do so you have to prove in your application that there are no more than 30 credit points missing to finish your first academic degree (e.g. at least 150 credit points for a degree amounting to a total of 180 credit points).

A first academic degree is a German or equivalent foreign university study program in which study achievements and examinations amounting to at least 180 credit points up to 240 credits points or equivalent have been acquired in the course of at least three years.

 
Certification of the acquired credit points

If the degree certificate with the required grade is not yet available at the application deadline, please submit a current Transcript of Records confirmed by your previous university with the current average grade. Please submit your diploma immediately after its completion.

If your transcript of records does not show the credit points or credits achieved so far, the total number of credit points or credits leading to the degree, as well as the preliminary average grade, a corresponding certificate from your examination board is required, stating that you are not missing more than 30 LP/ECTS.*

Examinations that are only taken after the application deadline until the beginning of the new semester and any repeat examinations that may be necessary do not have any negative effects on the admission procedure.

* Please hand in the required attestation no. 1.1.2 with your application. Compare Zusatzbescheinigung, in: Fächerübergreifende Satzung zur Regelung von Zulassung, Studium und Prüfung der Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin (ZSP-HU) (AMB Nr. 15 / 2013 vom 30. April 2013, S. 59.
 
Deadline for proofing the completion of first academic degree

In case of enrollment, the successful completion of the first academic degree (i.e. undergraduate study program) must be proven at the latest by the end of the semester following the application semester. Should the degree not be proven in due time or form, the provisional admission to the corresponding Master's program will expire.

Therefore, please inform yourself in good time about the deadlines for providing proof, discuss correction times for outstanding study performances and examinations in advance, and also consider the consequences of a downgrade for your study financing, etc. In case of any uncertainties, please contact your examination office at least eight to ten weeks before the end of the deadline to get advice.
 
Date of admission and temporary
enrollment with pending degree
according to § 37 ZSP-HU
Deadline of proof for completing
first university degree
SoSe 2020 31.03.2021
WiSe 2020/21 30.09.2021
SoSe 2021 31.03.2022
WiSe 2021/22 30.09.2022
SoSe 2022 31.03.2023
WiSe 2022/23 31.03.2023

Admissions and selection procedure

Depending on obtaining your school leaving certificate or a study degree abroad or in Germany, you apply during the application periods (for deadlines see academic dates and deadlines) depending either exclusively via uni assist or the online application portal directly at Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin. It is essential that you find out about the formalities and application procedure in advance of your application and contact the counseling office for degree seeking International Students.

You will find information and explanations on how to apply

Contact

The Compass Hotline:
Phone: +4930 2093-70333
Mail: Contact form

With sending an email you agree that your data is processed by an electronic ticketing system (OTRS). Please note the information: https://otrs.hu-berlin.de/hinweis.html

 

Information according to EU-DSGVO

 

When contacting facilities of the study department, personal data are partly collected and processed. The processing of personal data, such as the name, address, e-mail address, or telephone number shall always be in line with the General Data Protection Regulation (EU-DSGVO) and in accordance with the Berlin Data Protection Act (BlnDSG). Further information on this, your rights and options can be found at https://www.hu-berlin.de/de/hu/impressum/datenschutzerklaerung