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Studying without German Abitur

Access to university without a German university entrance qualification (Abitur) is regulated (since October 07, 2016) according to § 49 section 4 of the Higher Education Act and in relation to the Access Regulation to Higher Education with Vocational Qualification (Berufsbildungshochschulzugangsverordnung).

The application for all undergraduate programmes offered at Heinrich Heine University is possible. However, postgraduate courses / master's programmes are excluded.

This method of application is aimed at vocationally qualified applicants without higher education entrance qualification (§ 1 Berufsbildungshochschulzugangsverordnung). Therefore, you are not allowed to have already acquired a "general" or a subject-related university entrance qualification which would otherwise grant you higher education access or access to the study programme of your choice (subject-related admission qualification).

A school-leaving qualification that permits entry to a technical college/university of applied sciences (Fachhochschulreife) does not grant you access to  Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf.

Deadlines:

Vocationally qualified applicants have to meet the following deadlines:

  • April 1st to start your studies in the winter semester
  • October 1st to start your studies in the summer semester

Please keep in mind that most of the study programmes will only be offered during the winter semester.

 


!!!Important!!!
The selection criteria TMS (exam for medical study programmes) for the study programmes Medicine and Dentistry

In most admission quotas, the TMS constitutes one of the admission criteria. Further information can be found here.

 


 

Requirements and information for professionally qualified applicants

Here you can find detailed information about the various possibilities and admission requirements.

Direct higher education entry qualification

One of the following certificates need to be submitted:

  • master craftsman diploma according to §§ 45, 51 a HwO
  • equivalent advanced training qualification according to §§ 53, 54 BBiG or according to §§ 42, 42 a HwO
  • technical college graduates according to the corresponding framework agreement in regards to technical colleges issued by the Kultusministerkonferenz – see: www.kmk.org
  • degree of a state regulated continued education of the same value for professions in the health care sector as well as in the sector of  social care and social education
  • degree of a different advancement vocational training of same value regulated by federal or state law

 

Upon submitting the above mentioned certificates you will be issued a certification of your direct university entrance qualification.

a) application for study programmes with open admission:

With a certificate of your direct university entrance qualification you can apply online for a study programme with open admission.

b) application for study programmes with restricted admission (NC):

With the certificate of your direct university entrance qualification you can subseqently apply for the study programmes Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmacy via hochschulstart. You will apply with the mark 4,0 and the date of issue of your university entrance qualification.

c) application for DoSV study programmes and study programmes  with local restricted admission (ONC):

Study programmes with local admission restriction have 2,48% of the places to study available for vocationally qualified applicants. There may however be more applicants than places to study available. If this is the case, the selection process is based on the service criteria and afterwards a random selection procedure is conducted.

The following certificates need to be submitted:

 

  • graduation degree of vocational training regulated by federal- or state law with a duration of at least two years

          and

  • certificate of three-year (for holders of the upgrading scholarship offered by the government two years are sufficient) full-time employment (a part-time employment of at least 50% is considered professional activity) in the training occupation or an occupation related to the training occupation or a certificate of having finished an additional vocational training related to the first training

Upon submitting the above mentioned documents, access to a subject-related study program can be granted. The university will decide whether a correspondance between vocational training, employment and the study program is apparent.

a) applicaiton for study programmes with open admission:

With a direct university entrance qualification certificate you can subsequently proceed with the online application for a study programme with open admission. The enrolment can only be proceeded successfully if all conditions (including the three-year full-time employment) were fulfilled. The professional employment needs to be proven no later than September 30 (application for the winter term) or March 31  (application for the summer term).

b) application for study programmes with admission restriction (NC):

With the direct university entrance qualification you can subsequently apply for the study programmes Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmacy via hochschulstart (www.hochschulstart.de). You will apply with the mark 4,0 and the date of issue of your university entrance qualification.

The proof of professional employment has to be submitted no later than September 30 (for the application for the winter semester) or March 31 (for the application for the winter semester). Should you not submit the proof according to the deadline, your enrolment will expire.

c) application for DoSV study programmes and study programmes with local admission restriction  (ONC):

Study programmes with local admission restriction have 2,48% of the places to study available for vocationally qualified applicants. There may however be more applicants than places to study available. If this is the case, the selection process is based on the service criteria and afterwards a random selection procedure is conducted.

In case your application is considered not subject-related to the study programme of your choice, please note the following information.

The following certificates need to be submitted:

  • graduation degree of vocational training regulated by federal- or state law with a duration of at least two years

          and

  • certificate of three-year (for holders of the upgrading scholarship offered by the government two years are sufficient) full-time employment (a part-time employment of at least 50% is considered professional activity) in a training occupation or a vocational training not related to the study programme of your choice.

Having the primariy responsibility and independently running a family household as well as being responsible for raising a child under the age of 18 or the nursing of a relative is regarded as an equivalent to an employment.

The following occupations can be regarded as employment activity:

  •   voluntary military service
  •   Federal Voluntary Service (BFD)
  •  A Voluntary Year of Social Service
  • A Voluntary Ecological Year
  •   occupation as a development worker
  •   an additional vocational graduation degree

You can start your studies after having successfully completed the trial period of your studies (for applications with open admission) or after having passed the entrance examination (for applications with limited admission).

 

It is only possible to apply for a trial period if all conditions are fulfilled (including the three-years full-time employment). The vocational occupation needs to be proven no later than by September 30 (application for the winter term) or by March 31 (application for the summer term).

A trial period of studies will last for two years and is possible for all study programmes with open admission. The trial period is considered successfull if at least 20 credits (Bachelor) on average or  ⅔  of the mandatory study- and examination performances (Staatsexamen) per semester were achieved. After having completed the trial period successfully you are allowed to continue your respective study programme normally.

The duration of the trial period can be extended for 4 more semesters:

  • part-time students
  • students with disabilities or chronic diseases
  • elected representatives of university bodies, student bodies, student councils or student unions (Studierendenwerke)
  • equal opportunity commissioners
  • care and education of underage children
  • caring for relatives
  • similar comparable circumstances

Entrance examination

The entrance examination aims to determine whether the applicant fulfills the required methodical and professional qualifications for the respective chosen study programme. During the exam you will not be asked about subject matters which are taught later on in the course of the study programme. For most subjects the exam will include a written and an oral part. You may repeat parts of the exam which you did not pass. There is no limit nor restriction to the number of times you can repeat the entrance examination.

Preparatory material for the entrance examination for the study programmes Medicine and Dentistry is  available for download here.

Having passed the entrance examination successfully does not necessarily indicate that you have been admitted to the respective study programme. First, you will have to apply with the grade of your entrance examination and take part in the respective procurement procedure (for the NC subjects Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmacy you will have to apply with the results of your entrance examination via hochschulstart and for DoSV /ONC subjects applicants apply online directly at HHU Düsseldorf).

After you have passed the entrance examination, you are entitled to apply for the 1st semester of the respective study programme. You may request the recognition of your successfully passed entrance examination if the exam was passed at a German higher education institution or at a higher education institution administered by the state as long as the proven competences are equally valued in comparison to the competences that are to be replaced.

Proof of the vocational activity has to be submitted by September 30 (application for the winter term) or by March 31 (applications for the summer term). If no proof was submitted by then, the enrolment will not be concluded.

Was the vocational training/degree accomplished abroad, a certificate proofing its equivalence needs to be submitted upon application. If you have completed your vocational training, you will be able to acquire such a certificate at the respective guild. If you possess a master's certificate or a similar qualification you should contact the respective Chamber of Handicrafts.

Application

Please contact the respective department of your study programme if you need further consultation.

All certificates need to be sent as certified copies together with the application form via mail to the student and examination administration:

Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf

Studierenden- und Prüfungsverwaltung

40204 Düsseldorf

Further information can be found here:

Information regarding the change of university

A change of university with the aim of continuing your studies in the same or a related subject is possible at any time for:

 

  • those with master craftsman training and with advanced training
  • subject-related applicants
  • persons who are doing their trial studies if they decide to continue their trial studies and the study programme at the university where they want to be admitted is also offered without limited admission (otherwise an entrance examination has to be passed)
  • persons whose entrance examination is recognized by the university where they want to be admitted

In order to process your change of university, a proof of having successfully completed two semesters needs to be submitted (the university you are leaving will issue a transcript of your credits) if:

  • the passed entrance examination is not accepted by the university where you want to be admitted
  • you started your studies in federal state, but in NRW you don't fulfill the conditions to start your studies, because e.g. you have not completed a vocational training regulated according to the federal law

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