Bachelor’s/Diplom/State Examination

If you want to study in Germany, you will need a direct higher education entrance qualification (HZB) for studying at German universities.  You can check whether your secondary school certificate entitles you to study in a bachelor’s, state examination or Diplom programme in Germany using the Anabin database or the DAAD admission database. If you are applying with a certificate from a Feststellungsprüfung (FSP), please make sure that it qualifies you to study at all universities (Universitäten, not just universities of applied sciences (Fachhochschulen)) in Germany.

The degree programmes at our university are mostly taught in German, but there are a few degree programmes with English as a language of instruction. Depending on the degree programme, there are certain requirements you have to fulfil when it comes to your language proficiency.

Studying in German

For degree programmes taught in German, you will need to have a level of German proficiency that corresponds to the Deutsche Sprachprüfung für den Hochschulzugang level 2 (DSH-2) or an equivalent certificate. We only accept the following certificates:

• Deutsche Sprachprüfung für den Hochschulzugang, level 2 (DSH-2)
• Test Deutsch als Fremdsprache, level 4 (TDN4 in all categories)
• Deutsches Sprachdiplom (level II) from the Standing Conference of Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs for the Länder (KMK) (DSD II)
• Goethe Certificate C2: Großes Deutsches Sprachdiplom
• Zeugnis über die Feststellungsprüfung (FSP)
• interDaF-Prüfung C1, level 2
• Österreichisches Sprachdiplom Deutsch C2 (ÖSD C2)
• telc Deutsch C1 Hochschule
• German secondary school leaving certificate (Abitur)

When you submit your application, for almost all degree programmes it is sufficient to submit a certificate of German at a B2 level (CEFR). At the latest when you enrol, you need to submit a copy of a recognised German certificate (see above). However, for the degree programmes in Medicine, Dentistry, Pharmacology and Veterinary Medicine, you need to submit proof of the required German language skills at the latest by the application deadline.

If you cannot yet show proof of the necessary German skills, you can apply for the preparatory German language course B2-C1 “FIT für das Studium – Deutsch”.

Studying in English

For a degree programme with English as the language of instruction, you need English proficiency at the B2 level of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages. You can find the specific requirements in our courses of study overview. If you have questions, please contact the subject adviser listed there.

Even if your programme is taught in English, we recommend that you learn German to make your studies and daily life in Leipzig easier. 

Additional foreign language skills

Depending on the degree programme, additional foreign language skills might be necessary. You can find the specific requirements in our courses of study overview. If you have questions, please contact the subject adviser listed there.

It might be necessary to take an aptitude test for your degree programme. You can find information on whether this is necessary for your degree programme in the overview of aptitude tests or by asking the responsible institute directly. The dates for the aptitude test can be different from the application deadlines for the degree programmes. The tests usually take place some time before the application deadlines listed below. Make sure you get information well in advance from the responsible institute.

Application periods for degree programmes with admission restrictions 

• To start in the winter semester
  • using uni-assist: Beginning of April–15 July
  • using AlmaWeb: Beginning of May–15 July
• To start in the summer semester: Beginning of November–15 January

Application periods for degree programmes without admission restrictions 

• To start in the winter semester
  • using uni-assist: Beginning of April–1 September
  • using AlmaWeb: Beginning of May–1 September
• To start in the summer semester: Beginning of November–1 March

We recommend applying as early as possible so that you can submit any missing documents before the deadline. Please also note that the deadlines for the aptitude tests can be before the application deadlines.

International secondary school certificate and certificate from a German Studienkolleg

If you have an international education degree or a certificate from a German Studienkolleg, apply using the uni-assist portal. The application can only be submitted online in the “My assist” portal (Instructions for the uni-assist application). Upload all required documents by the application deadline. Submit each of your documents in the original language and include a certified translation into German or English (documents in English do not need to be translated).

The following documents are usually needed for a complete application and must be submitted by the application deadline:

• Certificate including marks for the individual subjects for your secondary school education (e.g. Baccalauréat, school leaving certificate)
• Proof of required language proficiency
• Certificate from the university entrance examination (if applicable)
• Certificate that you passed the Feststellungsprüfung from the Studienkolleg (if applicable)
• Proof of courses and degrees already completed (if applicable)
• Proof of passed aptitude test for your desired degree programme (if applicable)
• Applications from China, India or Vietnam: Certificate from the Akademische Prüfstelle (APS) – you can find the current regulations on the APS websites: China, India, Vietnam
• Applying for a higher semester of study: Placement form from the responsible examination board or, for Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmacology, a transfer of credit certificate from the responsible State Examination Office.

It is possible that you will need to submit additional documents. To find out, check the uni-assist country information.

Note: If you completed the TestAS, then please enter the results in uni-assist under ‘My Applications’ > ‘TestAS’.

German secondary school leaving certificate (Abitur)

If you acquired your general higher education entrance qualification (Abitur) in Germany or at a German school abroad, then apply on our AlmaWeb portal, where you will find information about the necessary steps. 

Please note that the International Baccalaureate Diploma (IB Diploma) counts as an international diploma.

If you are a citizen of a country in the European Union or the European Economic Area, then there are special regulations that apply for medical degree programmes, law programmes and Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science programmes with admission restrictions. 

Medicine, Dentistry, Pharmacology, Veterinary Medicine

Apply through the Stiftung für Hochschulzulassung. Please note the selection criteria in the central allocation procedure.

Also use this procedure if you are already enrolled at Leipzig University and want to change degree programmes.

Law and B.A./B.Sc. degree programmes with admission restrictions

For these degree programmes, our university takes part in the Dialogorientiertes Serviceverfahren (dialogue-oriented service procedure, DoSV) carried out by the Stiftung für Hochschulzulassung.

Register online. When you register, you will receive identification numbers (BID, BAN) that you will need when applying. Please then apply using:

• uni-assist e.V. if you have an international education degree and are not yet enrolled at our university.
• AlmaWeb if you have a German secondary school leaving certificate (Abitur) or are already studying at our university.

If you are applying for a higher semester of study, you will still need to submit your application through uni-assist or AlmaWeb, depending on your secondary school degree, your citizenship and the degree programme. 

Make sure to first have your completed coursework recognised by the responsible office. The office responsible for you depends on whether you completed your coursework in another country or in Germany and also depends on the subject for which you are applying.

Changing to Leipzig University from abroad

If you started your degree abroad and now want to switch to Leipzig University to complete it, then for the degree programmes in Medicine, Pharmacy and Dentistry, you need a transfer of credit certificate (Anerkennungsbescheid) from the State Examination Office responsible for the respective subject. Please send your request for recognition as well as translated and certified copies of your transcript of records to:

• Medicine and Dentistry
  Bezirksregierung Düsseldorf
  State Examination Office for Medicine, Psychotherapy and Pharmacy
• Pharmacology
  Hessian State Examination Office for Healthcare Professions

For all other degree programmes, you need a credits form (Einstufungsbescheid) from the responsible examination board at our university. You can find the contact person and address for your degree programme in the overview of our courses of study.

Changing to Leipzig University from another German university

If you are currently studying or previously studied at another German university and want to switch to Leipzig University, then you need a credits form (Einstufungsbescheid) from the responsible examination board at our university. Please state your previous degree programme and semester in the programme and also submit an enrolment certificate from the German university you last attended as well as your Studienverlaufsbescheinigung (a document summarising your periods of study).

For the degree programmes in Medicine, Pharmacy, Veterinary Medicine or Dentistry, please also include the following documents with your application:

• Certificate of enrolment (Immatrikulationsbescheinigung) or student status certificate (Studienbescheinigung) from the higher education institution you last attended that includes the degree programme and semester of study as well as a Studienverlaufsbescheinigung.
• Completed pre-clinical certificates as individual certificates (according to the medical licence registration regulations (Approbationsordnung)) or a copy of an overview of your completed coursework confirmed by the examination office.
• If you are applying for a clinical semester, you will also need a copy (a certified copy is not necessary) of the first section of the state medical examination (for Medicine), the first section of the state pharmacological examination (for Pharmacy), the certificate of the natural science or dentistry preliminary examination (for Dentistry) or the certificate of the preliminary examination (Vorphysikum) or basic examination (Physikum) (for Veterinary Medicine). You then do not need to submit the individual certificates of completed pre-clinical work.

If you only have some of your transcripts and certificates or if you don’t have any at all because of war or because you were forced to flee, then we follow the resolution of the Standing Conference of the Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs of the Länder dated 03 December 2015 and dated 14 March 2024 (documents only available in German). These decisions reduce the requirements for documentation and proof. For example, official transcripts do not need to be submitted if it can be indirectly proven that you acquired a university entrance qualification.

What to do if your documents are not complete:

1. You will be contacted by uni-assist e.V. during the application process.
2. You will receive a self-disclosure form on which you can enter information about your missing documents. This will be reviewed as to its plausibility.
3. Based on your self-disclosure and the documents you have submitted, a decision will be made about your formal and subject aptitude on a case-by-case basis.

Submit all available documentation such as student ID cards or photos from your exams.

We recommend that you come to the International Centre for a personal advising session during our office hours before you apply.

For degree programmes without admission restrictions, you will be admitted if you fulfil the formal admission requirements and have submitted your complete application on time.

Applicants with citizenship from an EU or EEA country

Make sure to read up on selection criteria for degree programmes with local admission restrictions and those with national admission restrictions as well as those that take part in the dialogue-oriented service procedure (DoSV). You can find the cut-off mark from previous years in our chart. 

Applicants with citizenship from other countries

For applicants who do not have citizenship from an EU or EEA country, places in the degree programmes are allocated as quotas that depend on the degree programme:

• for Medicine, Dentistry, Pharmacology and Veterinary Medicine: 5 percent of the available places in the degree programme
• for all other degree programmes with admission restrictions: 10 percent of the available places in the degree programme

The decision on admission is based on various criteria:

• Mark for your higher education entrance qualification (HZB)
  The mark from your higher education entrance qualification (HZB) is the most important criterion. After uni-assist has reviewed your application, you will receive a report with your HZB mark. The better the mark for your HZB in comparison to other applicants, the better your chances are of being allocated a place in a degree programme.
• Citizenship
  Typically one place per country of origin is allocated for a degree programme. For countries of origin with a population of at least 83 million (relative number for Germany), up to two places can be allocated.
• Lottery procedure
  In the admission process, you will be assigned an automatically generated lottery number. If your ranking is equal to other applicants, the lottery number decides on the allocation of a place in the programme.