The process of applying to a university in Germany can seem very confusing and frustrating. So I'll show you step by step from beginning to end what you need to do to successfully apply to your dream university. Hey, if you're new here, my name is Max. I'm a computer science and design student in Germany and I make content about finances, university life and everything about studying in Germany. So if you're watching this video, I assume that you've already picked Germany for your study journey. So step one, before you send any application, you need to pick the right course and the right university. This step is really important. Don't underestimate it because it lays the foundation for everything else in your student life. When studying abroad, you want to make the best decision possible, right? Changing degree programs afterwards is very stressful and also expensive. I can speak from my own experience here. Most of the universities have over 100 degree programs and most of the bigger universities like LMU, TUM, Heidelberg University have a selection of courses taught in English. Germany has high quality education and is especially strong when it comes to engineering, science, so physics, chemistry, etc. and medicine. But in the end, it's all about what you want to do and what you can do for a long time without getting insane. The German Academic Exchange Service, you might know it as DAAD, has a big list of around 21,000 programs you can check out with about 2,000 in English. If you wanna specifically target English-taught programs, I can also recommend you "Hochschulkompass" and "myGermanUniversity" as a useful resource. So picking a university is also not the easiest process. There are more than 400 universities spread all over Germany. Here you need to ask yourself the question, what city is attractive for me and how important is the university ranking, the prestige? I can only say that bigger cities have higher cost of living but also better opportunities and a bigger network. Munich is a good example here, multiple excellent universities and a lot of big companies around. If you want to know about the most prestigious universities here, check out the video I made about the 5 best universities in Germany. So by now, you might have even picked a degree program and a university. But that doesn't always mean that you can immediately study the subject. Each degree program and university has its own requirements and admission restrictions. And in the entire application process, getting this part right and figuring out if you're eligible is probably the hardest part. This step is super crucial because even tiny things matter a lot. This is especially when your application gets going and even small mistakes could mess it up. So I can only recommend you to take a lot of time to really understand what they are asking for. To study in Germany, you need to have a recognized "Hochschulzugangsberechtigung" which is just a fancy German word for higher education entrance qualification. For undergraduate students, a high school diploma, school living certificate or university entrance exam result is usually enough. And the DAAD has a huge database of information on admission requirements for selected countries. And the so-called Numerus Clausus also plays a role. Numerus Clausus, fancy Latin word, I know. These limits can be set by specific universities or across the country. And they decide who gets in based on certain criteria. They can be strict or not so strict. And that's why the first thing you should find out is Just meeting a basic requirement doesn't guarantee you a spot in the program you want. Courses like medicine, pharmaceutical science, dentistry and psychology are super popular. They get way more applicants than they have spots, so it's very competitive. But there are also a bunch of degree programs that don't have these limits. After doing this, you will also need to check the language requirements. Most courses are taught in German, so as an international applicant, you need to submit proof of your proficiency in the German language. But if your course is taught in English, you'll most likely not have to show proof of your German level. But unless you are a native speaker or have previously studied in English, you will need to prove your knowledge of English with a language test. Universities will usually put the scores they require on their websites. So you need to have decent language skills in German or English. For students from EU countries, the application is usually easier. For students with qualifications from outside Europe, it's not always that straightforward. They cannot just casually apply to a German university and get accepted. A lot of students have to take an entrance examination after attending a prep course here in Germany. This prep course is the infamous "Studienkolleg". And this one might apply to you, so please pay attention here. This "Studienkolleg" is a course designed for international students who want to study at a German university but don't meet the direct entry requirements. And these institutions offer specialized courses to help you bridge the gap between your current qualifications and the requirements for studying at a German university. So I'm gonna explain how it works and what they do. So the first thing is targeted preparation. They usually have courses in a lot of subjects, subject specific modules or intercultural orientation so that you can get familiar with the German education system and the culture. Sounds pretty nice. They also do eligibility enhancement. This is just a fancy word for If you are a student from another country and your school qualifications aren't exactly like the ones they require in Germany, they help you get your qualifications to match what's required to study at a German university. You can attend courses that are relevant to your field of study. By doing this you make sure that you have the necessary foundational knowledge. And for students whose German skills are not enough to go to university here, Studienkollegs often have really intensive language courses. I call them language bootcamps because a German instructor is gonna yell at you in angry German. No, I'm just kidding. You can successfully complete the Studienkolleg, only if you pass the "Feststellungsprüfung", the big exam at the end. After that, you have the qualifications that you need for university admission in Germany. But if you are a high achieving student, so extremely strong grades and a good set of skills, you might be able to bypass this and directly apply to your dream university. Having good grades and a fantastic academic track record is always a plus. I made an entire video about all the requirements you need to meet to study at a German university. And for your convenience, I put the link in the video description. I can really recommend you check it out after watching this video. Alright, you now have the right university and the right degree program. You have checked and understood the requirements. You know that you're eligible to study it. Okay, great. Now you're going to send the application. But this part is also confusing for many people because there is more than one option to send your application. Yep, in Germany, there are three main groups that handle applications and you need to understand them to know which one to pick for your specific situation. The university admissions foundation in Germany, it's called Hochschulstart, takes care of certain subjects, especially for students from the EU, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein. They also manage the process for some courses with limited spots like medicine and psychology. Then there's uni assist. This one is a big deal for international students. You can use their website to apply to multiple universities at the same time. A lot of universities also manage their own applications. And if your dream university is not available on uni assist or Hochschulstart, you need to directly apply to the university through their own dedicated online platform. You can usually apply twice a year to start in either the winter or summer semester. The application period closes a few months before the semester starts. So your application needs to be complete and reach the university before the deadline for them to consider it. Getting in touch early gives you more time to fix things if anything's missing. I can recommend you apply at least six weeks before the deadline in case you need to fix something. After the deadline passes, it might take about one to two months to hear if you're accepted or not. So if your degree program starts in the winter semester, it looks like this. The application deadline is usually the end of May to July 15th. The letter of admission will be sent out in August, September. The letters of rejection will be sent out in September, October. If you start your studies in the summer semester, so March, April, the application deadline is from the beginning of December to January 15th. Letters of admission will be sent out in February, March. Letters of rejection will be sent out in March, April. At some universities, there are different time frames. Or sometimes admission is only possible for the winter semester. And at some institutions, the deadlines are earlier, so please get the exact information from the university website. When it comes to documents, each university decides what they want, but typically they'll ask for a certified copy of your high school diploma or degree in the original language, translated grades and course overview, a passport photo, a copy of your passport, proof of your language proficiency, English or German, like a test certificate, letter of motivation, and some courses will ask to hand in a portfolio or work experience documents. For your documents to count, they need to be officially certified and translated into German. You can get these done at German embassies or consulates in your home country, or there are some online services for that. Some universities also accept documents in English or French. But don't make the mistake and accidentally send your original documents. I know a couple of people who got into trouble because of that. And very important, don't forget to budget for certifications, German exams and application fees. Using uni assist costs about 75 euros for document evaluation and the first check, plus 30 euros for each extra application at one university in a semester. However, it's worth asking a university again because some universities are kind and actually cover fees. The schools might also charge a processing fee to check your application. Keep in mind, they'll only start reviewing your application after you've paid the fee. So to send a successful application and actually study at a German university, there are five important things you should keep in mind. This advice comes from the bottom of my heart. So getting accepted at a German university is all about probabilities. So you need to up your chances by focusing on quantity. Apply to a lot of universities. The more applications you send, the better your chances of getting accepted. Picking universities in smaller or lesser known towns can be a good move. A lot of students aim for big famous universities in cities like Munich, Berlin or Hamburg. But the competition for those spots is usually higher. In smaller places, you might have a better shot at getting in. And keep in mind, your high school grades aren't always the only thing that matters. Sometimes showing that you're involved in social or community activities can really help. Germans love that stuff. Plus, acing proficiency tests can give you a boost as well. As a native speaker, I can only say "practice, you're German". And keep in mind, sometimes before a semester starts, spots that haven't been filled get chosen randomly in a lottery. So if you missed out during your regular admissions, it's worth checking with your school to see if they do this and what you might need to participate. And around a quarter of bachelor's degree programs actually begin in the summer semester. Not as many people apply for summer, so it might be less competitive. If you apply for both winter and summer semesters, you can up your chances of getting in. So the best way to do all of this is to visit the online platform, create an account, fill out the application form, upload all the necessary documents, pay the fees, submit your applications, and then wait a bit until it's processed. And hopefully you get a positive answer. I really hope you will get into your dream university. As always, I'm rooting for you. Love you and stay focused.