Admission requirements

Abitur, entrance qualification for a university of applied sciences or vocational diploma − what are the admission requirements at the HWR Berlin? The most important requirement is a recognized university entrance qualification.

The procedure for applying for a place on a Bachelor’s, Master’s or Diplom degree programme at the Hochschule für Wirtschaft und Recht Berlin (HWR Berlin) depends on whether you hold a German or non-German school-leaver’s qualification.

01

Applying for a place on a Bachelor’s degree programme or a Diplom degree programme with a German school-leaver’s qualification

Applicants for a place on a Bachelor’s degree programme or Diplom degree programme at the HWR Berlin need a university entrance qualification.

This includes:

  1. Allgemeine Hochschulreife, i.e. a German Abitur. An Abitur is awarded by German schools in Germany or abroad. This qualification permits its holder to apply to study at a German university or university of applied sciences. 
  2. A vocational diploma. A vocational diploma qualifies its holder to apply for a place on any degree programme run at a university of applied sciences; it also qualifies its holder to apply for certain university courses.
  3. Entrance qualification for a university of applied sciences. An entrance qualification for a university of applied sciences entitles its holder to apply for a place on any degree programme run at a university of applied sciences.
  4. Other university entrance qualifications recognized as equivalent to those above.

Important! Please check:

In certain cases, the Berlin Senate Department for Education, Science and Research must first recognise your school-leaver's qualification. 

For example if:

  • Your entrance qualification for a university of applied sciences only entitles you to study in certain German federal states.
  • You gained your entrance qualification for a university of applied sciences outside of Berlin and your certificate does not contain a note on recognition in the other federal states. An exception to this rule is if you gained your entrance qualification for a university of applied sciences at a so-called Fachoberschule.
  • You have a certificate for the academic part of the entrance qualification for a university of applied sciences or a corresponding leaving certificate from a Gymnasium.

Getting your certificate recognised

To have your certificate recognised, please send officially certified copies to the following address:

Senatsverwaltung für Bildung, Jugend und Wissenschaft
Zeugnisanerkennungsstelle
Bernhard-Weiß-Straße 6
10178 Berlin

Please note:

The letter of recognition from the Senate Administration is a necessary part of your university entrance qualification. The assessments of the Senate's recognition office apply exclusively to use in the State of Berlin.

Find more information on the web:

The German-language website of the recognition office will tell you in detail which documents you have to submit.

Just take a look at your school-leaver’s certificate and decide which type of qualification you hold.


02

Applying for a place on a Bachelor’s degree programme or a Diplom degree programme with an non-German school-leaver’s qualification

Holders of a non-German school-leaver’s qualification who wish to apply for a place on a Bachelor’s degree programme or Diplom degree programme at the HWR Berlin must ensure that their qualification is recognized in Germany.

These include:

  1. Non-German university entrance qualifications, i.e. a school-leaver’s qualification which was issued outside of Germany at a non-German school.
  2. An International Baccalaureate Diploma (IB-DP), even if it was issued by a school in Germany.

Important! Please check:

Whether you have a non-German university entrance qualification does not depend on the location of your school, but on whether it is a German or an international degree. You can find out whether you are directly entitled to study at the HWR Berlin or whether you need additional qualifications by visiting the German website of the Central Office for Foreign Education (ZAB). The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) provides an English-language admissions database.

German language skills

Applicants for a place on a degree programme taught at the HWR Berlin in German require excellent German language skills, at a minimum of C1 level. You will require one of the following proofs of proficiency:

  • DSH-2: Deutsche Sprachprüfung für den Hochschulzugang
  • Test DaF: Test Deutsch als Fremdsprache with the result TDN4
  • German assessment examination following completion of the Studienkolleg
  • Goethe Zertifikat C2: großes deutsches Sprachdiplom
  • Telc Deutsch C1 Hochschule

Applying via Uni Assist:

Holders of a non-German school-leaver’s qualification should apply for a place on a Bachelor’s degree programme via Uni Assist. All the qualifications submitted will be checked automatically within this process:

03

Applying for a place on a Master’s degree programme with a German university qualification

Applicants for a place on a Master’s degree programme at the HWR Berlin require a recognized first degree. In the majority of cases, this will be a Bachelor’s degree.

Applicants must submit specifications of their first degree (overview of the programme, grades and credits) by the application deadline.

Recognized first university degrees include:

  1. Bachelor’s degree
  2. Diplom
  3. Magister
  4. Staatsexamen

04

Applying for a place on a Master’s degree programme with a non-German university degree

Holders of a non-German university degree wishing to apply for a place on a Master’s degree programme at the HWR Berlin must ensure that it is recognized by the German educational authorities. This normally involves: an applicant holding a first degree qualification in a subject related to the Master’s degree for which they wish to apply and this first degree being comparable to a German Bachelor’s degree.

Important! Please check:

You can use the Anabin database of the Central Office for Foreign Education (ZAB) to find out whether your university is recognised in Germany. You can also find out whether your degree is comparable with a German Bachelor's degree. The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) offers an English-language admissions database.

German language skills

Applicants for a place on a degree programme taught at the HWR Berlin in German require excellent German language skills, at a minimum of C1 level. Applicants require one of the following proofs of proficiency:

  • DSH-2: Deutsche Sprachprüfung für den Hochschulzugang
  • Test DaF: Test Deutsch als Fremdsprache with the result TDN4
  • German-language assessment examination following completion of the Studienkolleg
  • Goethe Zertifikat C2: großes deutsches Sprachdiplom
  • Telc Deutsch C1 Hochschule

Applying via Uni Assist:

Applicants for a place on a Master’s degree programme should submit their applications via Uni Assist. Uni Assist will check all qualifications submitted as part of the application.

05

Applying with a vocational qualification

Under certain circumstances, holders of a recognized vocational qualification and a number of years of employment in this field can apply for a place on a degree programme at the HWR Berlin without the requirement to hold a university entrance qualification

The requirements for this route of admission are listed here in German only:

06

Degree programme-specific admission requirements

In addition to the general admission requirements for a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree programme or a Diplom degree programme run at the HWR Berlin, applicants are required to demonstrate further suitability. Further information is provided on the application pages of the degree programme websites.

The degree programme-specific admission requirements include:

  1. Entry restrictions such as the Numerus Clausus (NC). If admission to a degree programme operates entry restrictions in the form of an NC, then it is oversubscribed. The NC means that the better the grade of your university entrance qualification, the greater your chances of admission.
  2. Qualifying examinations or selection procedure: Some degree programmes require that applicants first pass a qualifying examination or submit themselves to a selection procedure before they can apply.
  3. Internship: Some degree programmes require that applicants first complete an internship before they are permitted to apply. Other degree programmes require a compulsory internship to be completed during the course of studies.
  4. Language skills: Degree programmes taught at the HWR Berlin in a language other than German require English and/or French language-skills. Non-German applicants to the majority of degrees must also usually demonstrate possession of very good German language skills, at a minimum of C1 level.
  5. Subject-specific admission requirements: Applicants for a place on a Master’s degree programme at the HWR Berlin must usually demonstrate that their first degree imparted sufficient subject-specific knowledge to prepare them for the demands of the relevant Master’s degree programme.
  6. Professional experience: The majority of distance-learning courses and courses of continuing professional education taught at the Berlin Professional School of the HWR Berlin require significant professional experience.