Applicants who have obtained their university entrance qualification outside the Federal Republic of Germany usually apply via uni-assist, the Application and Service Center for International Student Applications. uni-assist assesses the study qualification for the chosen degree program at Technische Hochschule Lübeck.

Applicants with the following certificates do NOT apply via uni-assist:

• Assessment test at a preparatory college
• Certificate of equivalence with grade calculation concerning their education abroad from the Ministry of Education
• European Baccalaureate certificate (Certificate of the European Maturity Examination).

For the Bachelor's degree programs in Civil Engineering, Urban Planning and Business Administration, you must first register at hochschulstart.de before applying via the uni-assist portal. After registration, you will receive a two-part identification number consisting of BID (Applicant ID) and BAN (Applicant Authentication Number). BID and BAN must then be entered in the uni-assist portal during the application process. Please do not apply through our application portal, but only through uni-assist!

Exception: In the Bachelor's degree program in Architecture you must first pass the aptitude test. Only after you have passed this test can you apply online through uni-assist.

How does the application through uni-assist work?

• Register on the uni-assist application portal at my.uni-assist.de
• Create an online application for your desired course of study
• Upload the application and all necessary documents
• Pay the processing fees (only then will uni-assist process your application)

What happens next?

Uni-assist reviews your application documents (processing time approx. 4 - 6 weeks). You will receive the assessment result through your uni-assist account in "My Mailbox". If the result is positive, uni-assist will electronicall forward your application electronically to TH Lübeck and you will receive access data to our application portal by e-mail.
TH Lübeck makes the final decision regarding admissions and will inform you through the application portal. The process is the same as described above.

Please note: We cannot provide any information in advance as to whether your educational qualification meets the admission requirements. You can check on anabin, the information portal for the recognition of foreign educational qualifications, to see if your certificate is generally sufficient for studying in Germany. Conditional admissions are not granted.

Those who have not obtained their school-leaving certificate in a German-speaking country must also provide proof of sufficient knowledge of the German language.

Recognized proofs of language proficiency are:

• DSH: Deutsche Sprachprüfung für den Hochschulzugang (DSH) with a minimum level of 2 in the overall result, obtained from a state-recognized school.
• TestDaF: Test of German as a Foreign Language (TestDaF) with at least level TDN 4 in all subtests
• German Language Diploma of the Conference of Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs - Second Level (DSD II)
• Goethe Certificate C2
• telc German C1 Hochschule
• Assessment examination of the Studienkolleg: The German part of the examination must be passed with at least the grade "sufficient"(ausreichend)
• European Baccalaureate certificate with successfully completed examination in German as a first language (L1) or second language (L2).

Other recognized certificates can be found in the guidelines of the Conference of Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs..

At the time of application you can only provide proof of German language proficiency at Level C1, e.g. TestDaF (3,4,4,3 or 3,3,4,5), Goethe-Zertifikat C1 or telc C1 (DSH 1 is not sufficient)?
Admission to the selection processis only possible if you provide proof that you have registered for another German language examination. The examination must be taken before the application deadline! Include your language certificate and the registration with your application documents. A recognized language certificate with the required result must be submitted no later than enrollment/matriculation!

In Schleswig-Holstein, there are the following special university access options for people who do not have the school-based university entrance qualification, but rather a special professional qualification:

• Master craftsman's examination or similar advanced training
• Trial study
• University entrance examination

We have compiled details on these options for you in the following sections.

Master Craftsman's Examination

A Master Craftsman's Examination or similar advanced vocational training qualification (e.g. State-certified Technician, Business Administrator, Certified Specialist) qualifies you for all Bachelor's degree programs in accordance with §39 of the Higher Education Act, provided that the courses have at least 400 teaching hours.

Please note: If the university entrance qualification does not specify a decimal point for the grade average, a special certificate indicating the grade average of the institution where the qualification was obtained must be submitted. Applicants who do not provide a grade average will be ranked after the last application with a discernible average grade. Applications are submitted online through our application portal.

Trial Studies

Those without a school-based university entrance qualification but with a qualified completed vocational training and work experience can apply for a degree program. In the restricted admission degree programs, 1-2 trial students can be admitted per semester (depending on the capacity of the program). There is no limit to the number of students in non-restricted admission degree programs. In both cases, certain requirements must be met.

To apply, the following must be provided:

• Completed vocational training with at least satisfactory results
• Work experience (e.g. an employment reference without evaluation and specifying the exact scope of activities and period of employment) of at least three years in the trained profession (apprenticeship periods are not counted) or other substitute periods*
• A professional relationship between the education, the performed work and the chosen degree program.

The application is done online through our application portal.  In the selection for "Type of university entrance qualification," please choose "71 - berufl. Qualifiziert (FHR)." Enter the end of the three-year work experience as the "Date of university entrance qualification."

In the case of a temporary enrollment, please pay attention to and upload the signed instructions for trial studies during the online enrollment process.

Temporary admission is not possible if the applicant was previously enrolled on a temporary basis in the same degree program at another university in the state of Schleswig-Holstein.

If you are applying for trial studies in a non-restricted admission degree program, we recommend having us perform a preliminary check of your application documents before online enrollment. Inform us after the online application at studieninfo(at)th-luebeck.de (but please do not proceed with online enrollment yet).
In restricted admission degree programs, the examination takes place as part of the activation for the selection process. A preliminary check is not required in this case.

*Up to three years can be considered as substitute periods for work experience

• Compulsory service in the armed forces, Federal Border Guard, civil defense association, or alternative service
• Service in development aid according to the Development Aid Worker Act
• Voluntary social year according to the Act on the Promotion of Voluntary Social Service or voluntary ecological year according to the Act on the Promotion of Voluntary Ecological Service
• Independent management of a family household with at least three persons or with at least one person in need of care or education.

University Aptitude Test

Those without a traditional school-based university entrance qualification but with exceptional qualifications in vocational training, professional experience, or further education can provide proof of their university qualification through the Hochschuleignungsprüfung (university aptitude test). The regulations governing the university aptitude test for obtaining a subject-specific university entrance qualification for professionally qualified applicants (University Qualification Examination Ordinance) apply.

The admission requirements for the Hochschuleignungsprüfung are:

• Completion of at least two years of vocational training in a field related to the desired degree program, recognized under federal or state law
• Proof of at least three years of professional experience (after completing the vocational training) in a field related to both the desired degree program and the vocational training, demonstrated through a certificate of employment.
• Proof of qualified academic counseling by the program advisor (to be applied for at the relevant departmental secretariat).

The university aptitude test consists of an individual oral examination. It is comprised of a general and a subject-specific section and lasts for one hour. The general section covers societal, economic, or cultural topics, including skills and knowledge in mathematics, a natural science, and a foreign language. The subject-specific section focuses on essential prerequisites of the desired degree program.

The admission process and the examination are conducted by the university at which the studies will be pursued. The application deadlines for admission to the aptitude test at Technische Hochschule Lübeck are April 15th for the following Winter Semester and October 15th for the following Summer Semester.

There is an examination fee of 141 Euro.

Successful completion of the examination also qualifies for applying for admission to restricted admission degree programs.

The application is not done online through our website but rather through a written application for admission to the Hochschuleignungsprüfung. After passing the Hochschuleignungsprüfung, you will receive a certificate and can proceed with the application through our application portal.

If you have any questions, please feel free to email us at studieninfo(at)th-luebeck.de

Under certain circumstances, you have the opportunity to improve your admission chances by submitting a special request. The following special requests are possible and will be briefly explained below:

• Hardship application
• Application for compensation: Improvement of the grade point average
• Application for compensation: Improvement of waiting time

These procedures aim to take into account individual circumstances in specific cases according to strict criteria (§ 30 HZVO). For all special requests, the following applies:

Special requests are rigorously examined and only granted in rare cases.

Many applicants have high hopes for special requests. However, not every reason you consider relevant can be recognized as a "special case" in the allocation of study places. Read the description of the criteria carefully and critically assess whether your case meets these criteria.

Special requests must be carefully justified and supported by appropriate evidence.

If you wish to submit a special request, you must provide suitable evidence. The required documents for each request can be found in the instructions for the respective application. Incomplete applications will not be considered.

In general, your "special case" must be clearly presented through the accompanying evidence so that an external person can understand the situation based on the documents.

The applications must be submitted in a timely manner along with your online application.

Decision

For hardship applications, you initially participate in the regular allocation procedure. If you are allocated a study place through the regular procedure, your hardship application will not be further considered. Only if you were unable to secure a place through the regular allocation procedure, your hardship application will be reviewed. The decision will be communicated to you in writing via email. A detailed explanation will be provided upon written request.

For applications for compensation, the decision will be made before the allocation procedure begins. The result of this decision will be communicated to you in writing via email. A detailed explanation will be provided upon written request.

Below you will find a brief explanation of the special requests, outlining the key features, which is not exhaustive. This information will help you decide whether submitting an application is appropriate for you and, if so, which request is suitable for your case.

For more detailed information on the respective criteria and required evidence, please refer to the information sheet for each special request.

Hardship Application

The hardship application is a request for immediate admission. The person seeks preferential admission compared to all other applications.

There must be compelling reasons for granting immediate admission to an individual, surpassing all other applications.

Such circumstances apply to only a very few applications and have a low chance of success in rare cases.

A maximum of 2% of the available places in a degree program are reserved for hardship cases. This usually corresponds to 1-2 places.

Example of generally approved hardship cases:

• The person suffers from a severe illness/disability with a tendency to worsen, requiring immediate admission to the study program. The severity of the illness, especially the tendency to worsen, is documented in a comprehensible, well-written medical report.

Please note: Even if a hardship case is approved, it does not necessarily guarantee admission if there are more approved applications than available places.

For detailed examples and information on the required evidence please refer to the information sheet for the hardship application.

Disadvantage Compensation

Application for Compensation: Improvement of the Grade Point Average

This is an application to improve the grade of the qualification (e.g., high school diploma). By improving the grade point average, the person moves up the list of applications ranked by grade point average, thereby improving the chance of admission through this quota.

There must be compelling and verifiable reasons why an individual's performance in obtaining the qualification was impaired, and they were not personally responsible for it.

It must be provable how this impairment actually affected the grade point average.

Example of generally approved applications for improving the grade point average:

An extended period of illness/family bereavement led to a decline in academic performance. For example, the person can demonstrate an average grade of 2.5 before the event and a decline to an average grade of 3.5 afterward. A school report confirms that the impairment was not the student's fault but was largely due to circumstances. An assessment is provided indicating the grade the performance would have received without the adverse circumstances. This school assessment can be taken into account.

For detailed examples and information on the required evidence, please refer to the information sheet for the application for compensation - improvement of the grade point average.

 Application for Compensation: Improvement of Waiting Time

This is an application to improve waiting time. With more waiting semesters, the person moves up the list of applications ranked by waiting time, thereby improving the chance of admission through this quota.

It is necessary to prove that circumstances beyond the individual's control prevented them from obtaining the higher education entrance qualification at an earlier time.

Example of generally approved applications for improving waiting time:

Health-related or family circumstances (e.g., caring for dependent relatives) during school years resulted in a one-year delay in obtaining the school leaving certificate. In this case, two additional waiting semesters could be credited.

For detailed examples and information on the required evidence, please refer to the information sheet for the application for compensation - improvement of waiting time.

Second degree applicants are persons who have already completed a course of study at a German university (e.g. Bachelor's degree, Diplom, Staatsexamen, Magister examination or doctorate).

In consideration of those who do not yet have a degree, admission to a second degree program is restricted. A maximum of three percent of the study places are earmarked for second degree studies. The order is determined by a measurement number (see below).

A course of study is considered to have been completed when the prescribed state final examination (Staatsexamen) or academic final examination (e.g. Bachelor's degree, Diplom or Magister examination,) has been successfully passed. Applications for a master's degree program following a bachelor's degree program are NOT considered a second degree program unless the applicant already holds a master's, diploma, state examination, or master's degree (University Admission Ordinance § 33).

The following documents, which are indispensable for determining the measurement number, must be submitted with an application for a second degree in a degree program with restricted admission for the 1st semester. The following sections explain what these documents are and how they affect the calculation of the measurement number.

Proof of standard period of study and actual duration of study
Please provide evidence of the standard period of study of the first degree program and the actual duration of the first degree program. If there is no proof, no measurement number will be calculated.

Measurement number determination:
    Graduation within the standard period of study = 2 points
    Graduation after the standard period of study + 1 semester = 2 points
    Graduation after standard period of study + 2 semesters = 1.5 points
    Graduation after standard period of study + 3 semesters = 1 point
    Graduation after standard period of study + 4 semesters = 0.5 points
    Graduation after standard period of study + 5 semesters and more = 0 points
    Standard period of study and duration of studies not proven = 0 points

Final grade of the first degree
The grade with which the first degree program was completed must be evidenced on the final transcript. If the degree certificate does not contain a final grade, this can be proven alternatively by means of a certificate from the office responsible for issuing the degree certificate. In the absence of a final grade, no measurement number can be determined.

Measurement number determination:
    Final grade first degree excellent / very good = 2 points.
    Final grade first degree good / fully satisfactory = 1.5 points
    Final grade first degree satisfactory = 1 point
    Final grade first degree sufficient = 0.5 points
    No proven final grade = 0 points

Written justification of the second degree
On a separate sheet of paper (informal), please submit a detailed written justification of your desired second degree program. This should include information about previous education and professional activities as well as the desired career goal. The justification should include all aspects that are relevant to a second degree program.

Measurement determination:

• Case group 1: Second degree for compelling professional reasons = 9 points.

A profession is sought which can only be pursued on the basis of two completed courses of study. The further studies are intended to enable the student to take up a profession which necessarily requires the successful completion of two courses of study

• Case group 2: Second study for scientific reasons = 7, 9, 11 points

The second degree is to be endorsed for scientific reasons. In view of a later occupation in science and research, a further scientific qualification in another course of study is sought on the basis of the previous scientific and practical activity.

• Case group 3: Second degree program due to special professional reasons = 7 points

The professional situation is significantly improved by the fact that the completion of the second degree program complements the first degree program in a meaningful way. It depends on which professional activity is aimed at and in which way both degrees support the professional practice. The concrete and individual career planning is decisive. It must be possible to establish an objective connection between the contents of the completed first degree and the intended second degree.

• Case group 4: Second degree program due to other professional reasons = 4 points

Although the further study does not represent a meaningful supplement to the first study, the professional situation is considerably improved by the second study for other reasons. A detailed individual statement is required.

• Case group 5: Other reasons than those mentioned above = 1 point

For example, re-entry after raising children or similar.

A change of university or a change of degree programs within Technische Hochschule Lübeck to a higher semester is only possible if you have completed enough credits for the new degree program.

(If this is not the case, you must apply for the first semester within the regular application period. Please note that you can only apply for the first semester of a degree program with restricted-admission if you are not already enrolled in the same degree program at another university at the time of application.)

How to apply

1. Register in the application portal of Technische Hochschule Lübeck.
2. Apply by August 31st or February 28th/29th in the application portal of Technische Hochschule Lübeck for the corresponding higher semester and upload your university entrance qualification, your academic record and a certificate of enrollment or exmatriculation.
3. After submitting your application, the university will assess it and assign you to a higher semester based on the ECTS credits you have earned according to your academic record. (Exception: If you were already enrolled in the same degree program at TH Lübeck, you will be automatically assigned to the next semester.)
4. You can view the status of your application at any time in the application portal.

Exception: The Bachelor's program in Architecture requires an aptitude test before admission. Please check with the test committee whether the test can be waived based on your previous studies or a previously completed test. If approved, upload the confirmation in the application portal.

Please note: If you have definitely failed an examination that is required by the examination regulations,the applicable regulationsstate that it is not possible to further study in the same program at the same type of university. Therefore, if you have definitively failed a degree program at a regular university, you are allowed to continue studying the same program at Technische Hochschule Lübeck. However, if you have definitively failed a degree program at a university of applied sciences, you are not allowed to continue in the same degree program at Technische Hochschule Lübeck.

For applicants who have obtained their university entrance qualification outside of Germany, direct application is only possible if 90 ECTS credits have been earned at a German university, and sufficient knowledge of the German language has been proven. Otherwise, the application must be made via uni-assist. Further information on the application process through uni-assist, as well as the German language proficiency certificates recognized here, can be found at the top of this page.

Admissions to higher semesters depend on the number of available places. If there are more applications than available places, a selection will be made based on the grade of the university entrance qualification.

If you have any further questions, please contact the respective examination board

• Applied Natural Sciences at hans-juergen.grein(at)th-luebeck.de
• Architecture and Civil Engineering at pruefungsausschuss-bauwesen(at)th-luebeck.de
• Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at andreas.hanemann(at)th-luebeck.de
• Mechanical Engineering and Business Administration at pruefungsausschuss-mw(at)th-luebeck.de

Applications are submitted online through our application portal.

www.hochschulstart.de.

Additional points to consider:

Can I apply for another program at TH Lübeck in addition to the one mentioned?

Within the framework of the Dialog-oriented Service Procedure, TH Lübeck accepts two applications per applicant. If you do not receive an admission offer through the hochschulstart.de selection process, you can subsequently apply for an open study program (typically only applicable to non-restricted programs).

Do I need to register through hochschulstart.de for admission to a higher semester in the mentioned programs?

No, registration is not required. The application for admission to a higher semester is done exclusively through the application portal of TH Lübeck.

Please note that the information provided here is subject to the specific application process and regulations of TH Lübeck, and it's always advisable to refer to the official university website or contact their admissions office for the most accurate and up-to-date information.