International Bachelor and Master Students

Registration for consultation hours for prospective students with your contact person:

Steffi Dannenberg

Foto Steffi Albrecht

Contact:

Telephone: 05121 883 92010
Fax: 05121 883 92011
email contact form
Room: HC.N.2.47
Consultation time: Anmeldung für die Sprechstunde (digital oder in präsenz) ist in der Learnwebgruppe "Incomings" möglich.

Counseling for prospective international students

Open office hours are always on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. in room N 247 (Forum/Main Campus). Or you can make an individual advising appointment (online or in person) with Ms. Dannenberg.

Admission Requirements

University Entrance Qualification

Anyone wishing to study at the University of Hildesheim needs a so-called higher education entrance qualification (Hochschulzugangsberechtigung / HZB). This is a school-leaving certificate or a university degree that qualifies you to study at a university.

You can check your school-leaving certificate or university degree in the Anabin or the uni assist database.

Further information on this topic can be found on the DAAD website.

Your school-leaving certificate or university degree is not being accepted? Find out more about the Studienkolleg in the next section. Also find out more about alternative university admission at the University of Hildesheim.

Not all foreign university entrance qualifications are recognized as equivalent to the German one. You can find out whether your university entrance qualification is equivalent to the German one on the DAAD website and at Anabin.

If your university entrance qualification is recognized as equivalent to the German one, you can - if there are enough study places available - be admitted directly to the specialized studies.

If your university entrance qualification is not equivalent to the German one, you will have to take an assessment test to check your suitability for the intended specialized studies.

If you have already started studying abroad, uni-assist can only determine whether you meet the requirements for studying in Germany by means of a case-by-case examination (however, with a university degree completed abroad, you definitely have a university entrance qualification).

Important: If you were already enrolled at a German university, you must also submit a clearance certificate (so called Unbedenklichkeitsbescheinigung). This serves to determine whether you are still entitled to take examinations in the desired course of study. The clearance certificate is issued by the German university at which you were previously enrolled.

University Entrance exam and "Studienkolleg"

Applicants with indirect university entrance qualification (HZB), who first have to attend the Studienkolleg, can be registered for the entrance test by us!

You do not have a direct university entrance qualification (HZB)?

After completing one preparatory year at the Niedersächsisches Studienkolleg in Hanover, you can take the University Entrance Exam (Feststellungsprüfung). The Studienkolleg offers subject-specific preparatory classes and German courses and prepares you for the University Entrance Exam.

How do I apply for the Studienkolleg?
Apply for a program of your choice at the University of Hildesheim via uni assist. The only difference is the proof of German language skills: You need at least a B1 CEFR German certficate, e.g. telc B1 or Goethe B1 certificate. Then, uni assist checks your HZB. If you do not have a direct HZB, the University of Hildesheim will register you for the entry exam at the Studienkolleg. You will receive an invitation for the entry exam by e-mail or post.

Should I prepare for the entry exam?
In order to have a good chance of getting a place at the Studienkolleg, you should prepare for the entry exam. Information on the procedure and a sample test can be found here.

What happens next?
Once you have passed the entry exam, you will attend an appropriate course depending on your course of study: M-course, T-course, W-course, G-course, S-course. You will also learn German.
At the end of the preparatory year you will write the University Entrance Exam. If you pass this examination successfully, you can apply for a course of study at the University of Hildesheim. Please apply directly via the application portal of the University of Hildesheim. You do not have to apply again via uni assist.

If I pass the  University Entrance Exam (Feststellungsprüfung), can I study all degree programmes?
No, you have a subject-specific HZB. This means that you can only study certain subjects at the University of Hildesheim according to the course selection at the Studienkolleg. Therefore, please consider carefully for which program at the University of Hildesheim you would like to apply. Depending on the degree program, the University of Hildesheim will register you for the appropriate course at the Studienkolleg.

If needed, inquire at the Studienkolleg if you can take a additional exam at the Studienkolleg if your desired course has changed.

Requirements for Bachelor programs

Do I need to submit additional documents?

You need to take a qualifying exam to begin your studies in some bachelor programs:

Art study programs:

  • Bachelor in Creative Writing And Journalism,
  • Bachelor in Cultural Sciences And Aesthetics
  • Bachelor in Scenic Arts

Two-course-bachelor with the subjects:

  • Art
  • Music
  • Sports

The application deadline for the qualifying exam ends mid of April. However, each qualifying exam may have a different deadline. Thus, visit the webpage of your study program to gather information about the current deadlines. Furthermore, information sessions, online seminars and multifaceted presentations can help you prepare for the qualifying exam.

You can register for the qualifying exam in the application portal. Please don’t forget that must submit your application for a place to study at the University of Hildesheim through uni assist.

 

Requirements for Master programs

What documents do I need to apply for a Master's program?

If you are applying for a Master's program, you must already have a degree in an undergraduate program. The undergraduate program must fit the chosen Master's program.

Some Masters also require:

  • higher knowledge of German, e.g. TestDaF 5x5
  • other foreign language skills, e.g. English, Spanish or French
  • a motivational letter
  • a curriculum vitae (CV) in tabular form
  • a description of your research project
  • ...

You will find more detailed information on the other requirements in the descriptions of the individual study programs. More information here. Please feel free to contact us if you have any further questions.

Recognition and Adaptation Period

You haven’t completed an occupational qualification in Germany but you wish to exercise your profession here?

You can get your foreign qualification recognised in Germany. During the recognition process, the responsible office in Germany examines if your occupational qualification obtained abroad responds to the German reference profession and if there are any significant differences. This exam is called equivalency test.

You can receive multilingual information for the recognition process here.

Have you completed your teacher’s education in another country? Do you want to work as a teacher in Lower Saxony?

You must fill out a form for the equivalency test of the degree completed abroad at the Ministry for Science and Culture of Lower Saxony.

When the Ministry for Science and Culture of Lower Saxony has reviewed your application, you will receive the decision through a letter of recognition. In some case, only a part of the occupational qualification is recognised. Then, you can either take the equivalency test or you can complete an adaptation period to compensate the significant differences of your occupational qualification. The University of Hildesheim offers adaptation courses in these cases.

How can I apply for an adaptation course for the teacher’s profession at the University of Hildesheim?

To participate to an adaptation course at the University of Hildesheim you can apply twice a year, either until 15.01 or until 15.07. Hence, you must submit the following documents to the Registration Office:

  • informal application form
  • tabular resume
  • passport photo (4 cm height x 3cm width) with your full name written on the back side
  • certified copy of the recognition letter provided by the Ministry for Science and Culture of Lower Saxony
  • simple copy of your foreign graduation certificate in the original language and the German translation
  • certified copy of German language certificate

Which level of proficiency of the German language do I require?

According to GER, you need a C1 level for all courses except the course of German language. For that course, you need a C2 level of proficiency according to GER. The following certificates are accepted:

  • TestDaf (4x4 or 5x5)
  • Deutsche Sprachprüfung für den Hochschulzugang (DSH 2 or 3)
  • Telc C1 Hochschule
  • Deutsches Sprachdiplom (DSD II)

Where can I get more information and advice?

The University of Hildesheim offers consultation hours for people interested in the adaptation course for the teacher’s profession. Please contact us.

We also recommend you to contact the nationwide IQ Network for the recognition process of your occupational profession. The closest office in Hildesheim is the recognition office of IHK Hannover.

important: The recognition process can last a few months. Thus, we advise you to begin this process and start learning German as soon as possible.

Have you already obtained some academic achievements at another university and you want to recognize them in the University of Hildesheim?

There is a form for the recognition of the obtained academic achievements, which you need if

  • You have already completed some achievements at another university and you wish to recognize and incorporate them in your study program in Hildesheim.
  • You want to apply for a senior semester
  • You wish to change your study program and recognize your academic achievements from your previous studies.

In any case, your application will be examined individually from the examination committee.

You can find the application form as well as more information for applying for the recognition of already obtained academic achievements here.

German Language Skills

For bachelor programs:
If your university entrance qualification entitles you to study at the University of Hildesheim directly, you have to submit one of the following German certificates along with your application:

  • TestDaF (level 4 in all 4 sections)
  • telc C1 Hochschule
  • Deutsche Sprachprüfung für den Hochschulzugang (DSH level 2)
  • Deutsches Sprachdiplom (DSD evel II)
  • University Entrance exam incl. German
  • Goethe Zertifikat C2
  • or higher

For master programs:
In some cases, other language requirements apply to the admission to a Master's program. You can find more information on this on the corresponding course page. Please feel free to contact us if you have any further questions.

For Studienkolleg:
You need level B1 CEFR in German for Studienkolleg, e.g. B1 telc, B1 Goethe or other officially accepted exams.

Learning German:

In general, we recommend that you to acquire the required knowledge of German in your home country.

However, we also offer Telc C1 Hochschule and TestDaF preparation courses in Hildesheim. If you are interested, please contact the Volkshochschule Hildesheim or the Language Centre (Sprachenzentrum) of the HAWK. The university itself does not offer any preparatory German courses.

You will find a general overview of language and subject courses and other opportunities to learn German on the DAAD website.

Further Requirements

Do I need an APS certificate?
Applicants from China, Monoglia or Vietnam must have their educational certificates reviewed by an Academic Evaluation Centre (APS). Further information can be found on the APS websites:

I want to study psychology. What do I have to consider?
Please note that the University of Hildesheim participates in the dialogue-oriented service procedure (Dialogorientiertes Serviceverfahren, DoSV) for the Bachelor of Science in Psychology. Please register via hochschulstart.de to receive a BID and BAN. Please enter BID and BAN when you apply in the uni assist portal.

What do I have to consider if I have already studied at a German university?
Important: If you have already been enrolled at a German university, you must submit a clearance certificate (Unbedenklichkeitsbescheinigung) with your application. This serves to determine whether there is still an entitlement to examinations in the desired study program. The clearance certificate is issued by the German University at which you were previously enrolled.

Can I apply for a higher semester?
If you would like to apply for a higher semester, please apply via uni assist and enter the relevant semester there.

In addition, you must submit an application for the recognition of the academic and examination achievements that you have already completed. It will be decided on a case-by-case basis whether you can be placed in a higher semester.

Alternatively, you can also have your achievements recognised after admission and enrolment at the University of Hildesheim. You must submit the same application.

University and City of Hildesheim

The University

The Profile of the University of Hildesheim consists of four main faculties:

  • Faculty 1 Educational and Social Studies
  • Faculty 2 Cultural Studies and Aesthetic Communication
  • Faculty 3 Information and Communication Studies
  • Faculty 4 Mathematics, Natural Sciences, Economics and Informatics

These four faculties make up the unmistakable profile of the University of Hildesheim among the German universities. Hildesheim with its about 8,000 students is one of the smallest of the total of eleven universities in Lower Saxony. In contrast to the large ones, the University of Hildesheim allows students to complete a qualified degree program in an environment on a human scale. It is flexible with regard to the demands made on up-to-date university training and has made a name for itself by introducing new degree programmes such as Scenic Arts, International Communication and Translating as well as Information Management and Information Technology.

The University of Hildesheim is young, dynamic and innovative. It allows students to acquire key qualifications and attend courses from neighbouring disciplines.

An overview of the undergraduate courses at Hildesheim University can be found here.

 

The Academic Year

Each academic year consists of two semesters, a winter semester and a summer semester.

The lecture period, i.e. the time in which seminars and lectures etc. are held, is rather shorter: in the winter semester, the lecture period usually begins and mid-October and ends in mid-February.
There is a Christmas break of about two weeks at the end of December and the beginning of January.

The lecture period in the summer semester usually begins in mid-April and ends in mid-July. In the week after Whitsun, thereis an excursion week in which there are no lectures.

The nonlecture periods between the semesters are usually used for exams and to write papers.

Please find the concrete semester dates here.

The City of Hildesheim

Hildesheim with its about 100,000 inhabitants is a charming “small city“ which you can easily find your way around in a short time. You will find it reassuring to know that cafes, the theatre, cinemas, supermarkets and of course the university are usually not far away by bike or even on foot. For those who want to go out in the evening, the town offers a rich cultural life. There is something for everyone here – the “Stadttheater“ with plays, musicals, ballets, operettas and operas, the “Kulturfabrik“ with theatrical events and cabaret, ”Vier Linden“ and the “Bischhofsmühle“ with many concerts. And then there are museums, exhibitions and much more besides…

Those who enjoy the older and more traditional art forms will not get bored in Hildesheim either, for two churches protected by UNESCO are located here: the ancient St. Michael’s Church and the cathedral, in the cloister of which you will find the 1000-year-old rosebush, the symbol of Hildesheim. A tour of these two buildings is definitely worthwhile. Other historical treasures, particularly from Egyptian culture, can be admired in the world-famous Roemer and Pelizaeus Museum.

Another of the advantages of Hildesheim is its convenient location: Hannover, the capital of Lower Saxony, is just half an hour away. Other big cities such as Braunschweig or Hamburg and even the German capital Berlin are easy to get to by train in less than two hours.

 

Website der Stadt Hildesheim

Video about Hildesheim (in German): "ffn - Der Norden von oben: Hildesheim"

Urlaubsmagazin der Stadt Hildesheim

 

Reports from International Students

Application

The Application Process

Before applying, please find out whether the degree program you are interested in is offered in Hildesheim.

You can get an up-to-date overview of the degree programs offered in Hildesheim here.
Please also note which degree you will achieve with which study program and whether this applies to your wishes.

At the University of Hildesheim, first-year students can usually only begin their studies in the winter semester (in October). However, for some degree programs it is possible to apply for the summer semester (April).

Have you acquired your university entrance qualification (HZB) abroad? Then please apply via uni assist.

Uni-assist checks the application documents for completeness, evaluates your educational qualifications and converts your grades into the German system. Please upload your application and all necessary documents directly online at uni-assist. Applications that meet the requirements will be forwarded by uni-assist to the University of Hildesheim.

Checklists, webinars as well as Infos country by country will help you with your application.

Tip: Apply early at uni-assist. The examination of your documents takes 4-6 weeks. Once the application deadline has passed, you can no longer submit any more documents.

After uni-assist has forwarded your application to the University of Hildesheim, you will receive your login data for the application portal of the University of Hildesheim by e-mail. In the application portal you will receive important information about the status of your application as well as your admission or rejection.

Attention: You do not have to apply again via the application portal of the University of Hildesheim. You can find out how to proceed in the section "Enrolment". 

Are you interested in the IT Master's programmes?

  • M.Sc. Information Management & Information Technology (IMIT),
  • M.Sc. Applied Computer Science (study variant of M.Sc. IMIT),
  • M.Sc. Data Analytics (in English, study variant of M.Sc. IMIT),
  • M.Sc. Business Informatics,

Then please apply via the IT-Master application portal.
Here you will find more detailed information on these courses of study.

Have you obtained your university entrance qualification from a German school in Germany or abroad? Have you passed the University entrance exam at the Studienkolleg?

Then please apply directly via the application portal of the University of Hildesheim.

Application Documents

The following documents must be submitted along with your application at uni-assist:

  1. original school-leaving certificate with overview of grades and subjects
  2. proof of the university entrance examination, if applicable
  3. proof of previous studies with overview of grades and subjects (Transcript of Records)
  4. proof of language skills (original language certificate)
  5. for Bachelor: aptitude test for the subjects sports, art, music as well as artistic subjects
  6. for Master's degree: Bachelor's degree certificate, transcript of grades and subjects and Diploma Supplement
  7. depending on the Master's program: curriculum vitae, letter of motivation, proof of language proficiency, description of the research project
  8. if possible: information on the grading system if not indicated on the transcripts

More information on certificates and proof:

www.uni-assist.de/en/how-to-apply/assemble-your-documents/educational-certificates/

Do I need to have my certificates translated?

Are your certificates officially issued in German or English in your country of origin? Then we do not need a translation.

Otherwise, we require an official sworn translation of your certificates. Learn more about sworn translation.

When do I have to submit my documents?

You must upload your documents to uni-assist by the application deadline. You can submit documents later within the application deadline.

When do I have to pay processing fees?

Before you can submit your application to uni-assist you have to pay the processing fees. Please pay the fees before the application deadline.

  • Cost for the first study request: 75,00 EUR
  • For each additional study request: 30,00 EUR

Important:

If you were already enrolled at a German university, you must also submit a clearance certificate. This serves to determine whether you are still entitled to take examinations in the desired course of study. The clearance certificate is issued by the German university at which you were previously enrolled.

Important Information for Chinese Applicants

Akademische Prüfstelle (APS)

 An institution of the German Embassy.

Do I need an APS check?

Applicants from China, Vietnam or India need their certificates checked by the APS.

More information here: China, Vietnam, India

 

Deadlines for Application

Bachelor programs:

  • Winter semester (October-February): The application starts on 1st June and the deadline is 15th July.

  • Summer semester (April-July): For some Bachelor programs you can apply as well for the summer semester. The application starts on 1st December and the deadline is 15 January.

Master programs:

  • Winter Semester (October-February): For some Master programs, you need to apply in April already. Please check the application deadline for your study program (listed below).
    For the regular Master programs the application starts on 1st June and the deadline is 15th July.

  • Summer semester (April-July): For some Master programs you can apply as well for the summer semester. The application starts on 1st December and the deadline is 15 January.

Further information:

  • Please make sure, your application, including all your documents, is received by uni assist within the deadline.

  • Sometimes the application deadline is extended. Please check below.
  • For some study programs you will be enrolled directly. Please check the enrolment deadline for "Zulassungsfreie Studiengänge" below.

  • For the adaptation period (Anpassungslehrgang) for teachers please apply from 1st June to 15th July or 1st December to 15th January.

Your start of study

Have you received a letter of admission?

Congratulations!

Would you like to begin your studies at our university?

Then we look forward to welcoming you here in Hildesheim soon.