Second degree
If you have already completed a degree program and would like to take up another admission-restricted program, you must apply for a second degree. If you are aiming for a first master's degree after a first bachelor's degree, this is not yet a second degree, but a consecutive master's degree. At the time of application, you must have successfully completed your first degree at a German university.
A course of study is completed when the prescribed state final examination (Staatsexamen) or academic final examination (e.g. Diplom or Magister examination, Bachelor's degree) has been successfully passed. For information on when a final examination is considered to have been taken, please contact the office that administers the examination. Only 3% of the study places are open to second degree applicants.
The study places are allocated according to a point value, which is formed from the examination result of the first degree and the reasons for the second degree. Furthermore, the same formal admission requirements apply to second degree applicants as to first degree applicants.
The following point values are available for the examination result of the completed first degree:
- Grades "excellent" and "very good" 4 points
- Grade "good" and fully "satisfactory" 3 points
- Grade "satisfactory" 2 points
- Grade "sufficient" 1 point
- Grade "not proven" 1 point
The grade with which you completed your undergraduate studies ((usually the bachelor's degree) must be evidenced in your degree certificate or in a special certificate issued by the office responsible for issuing the degree certificate. Otherwise, the worst performance grade must be used. You must then enclose certificates from the examination offices (results notifications from the examination office) with your application for admission.
- Mandatory professional reasons 9 points
- Scientific reasons 7 to 11 points
- Special professional reasons 7 points
- Other professional reasons 4 points
- Other reasons 1 point
For details on the reasons for a second degree, please refer to the guidelines of the Foundation for University Admission. Students who are seeking to reintegrate or re-enter the workforce after a family phase may receive an increase of up to 2 points when applying for a second degree program. The increase is eligible if, for family reasons (e.g. marriage, raising children), the former professional activity had to be abandoned or, out of consideration for family concerns, the student had to forego taking up an adequate professional activity after completing the first degree. The amount of the point surcharge depends on the degree to which the student is affected. The extent of the burden (e.g. number of children, duration of the family phase) shall be taken into account in an appropriate manner. There is no cumulation of several reasons; the most favorable case group is taken as a basis in each case. The points supplement for applicants who have previously postponed their second degree for family reasons is independent of this; it is granted in addition.
At the end of the online enrollment, you can upload the required documents for enrollment. It is no longer necessary to submit documents by mail to the Student Registration Office. Please continue to observe the deadline given to you on the admission notice.
The same application deadlines apply as for first-year applicants.