FAQ

Get information and plan your application

How do I apply to Harz University?

Please inform yourself about the admission requirements first.

The portal you use for applying depends on the educational qualification you have passed. If you received your first degree (Bachelor) in Germany, you are asked to apply via the platform of Hochschule Harz.

If you received your first degree abroad, you are asked to apply via uni-assist.
They will check your documents on behalf of our university. Please note, that uni-assist will not check your application until you have completed your online application and uni-assist has received both your application documents by post and the handling fees.

We recommend an early application to enable uni-assist to demand and check missing documents in due time.

How do I know whether I am eligible to study a Bachelor programme in Germany?

If you wish to study a Bachelor course, you will need a University entrance qualification, called a “Hochschulzugangsberechtigung”. These are educational certificates which prove that you are qualified to study at a German university - especially your school leaving certificate. Depending on your country of origin, several semesters of university studies in that country may additionally be required.

Are you unsure if you have a University entrance qualification?

Find out quickly and simply if you are qualified to study in Germany using your Educational certificates here: https://www.uni-assist.de/en/tools/check-university-admission/

How do I know whether I am eligible to study a Master programme in Germany?

In order to apply for a Master’s course in Germany, you need to have completed Undergraduate studies in a related subject.

Your degree must be equivalent to a German Bachelor degree. This involves the following criteria, among others: The initial degree must be attained at a university which is recognised (accredited) according to the laws of the country in question. Some countries also require the course of study itself to be accredited.

You can check the recognition of your university using the information portal "anabin" of the Central Office for Foreign Education (ZAB).

I cannot find "Harz University" in the uni-assist portal. How can I apply?

You first need to register in the uni-assist online portal. Then choose the study programme you want to apply for and/or our institution: "Wernigerode, Hochschule Harz".

Please note that - depending on whether you want to apply for a restricted or non-restricted study programme - registration is not possible from mid-June/mid-July to October and mid-December/mid-January to April. During these periods Harz University is not visible in the uni-assist portal as it needs to be updated with all relevant information for the next application period.

In the meantime, you can check your documents for completeness. A full list of required documents as well as the application deadlines can be found here for Bachelor programmes and here for Master programmes.

Which documents do I have to submit for my application at Harz University?

Information on the documents to be submitted via uni-assist can be found here.

Please note that additional documents are required, especially for Master programmes. You can find out about the additionally required documents in the admission regulations of the respective degree programme.

Never submit original certificates, but only officially certified copies. Your application documents will be stored at uni-assist for documentation purposes for a limited period of time and will not be returned.

Can I submit my application/documents to Harz University of Applied Sciences directly?

No, you can't. Applications with foreign educational certificates must be submitted to uni-assist exclusively.

Can I apply for a Studienkolleg (Preparatory Course) at Harz University?

Unfortunately, not. Harz University does not run its own Studienkolleg.

Applicants who have to complete a preparatory course at a so called Studienkolleg first or need to acquire a recognised language certificate contact our Landesstudienkolleg, please. It is located in Köthen at the Anhalt University of Applied Sciences. On behalf of the universities of the Federal State of Saxony-Anhalt it prepares international applicants for their studies in terms of language and/or subject.

However, you are free to apply to one of the other German Studienkollegs in order to obtain a recognised language certificate or the so called Feststellungsprüfung (assessment test):
http://studienkollegs.de/home.html

What is the language of instruction of the study programmes at Harz University?

In almost all study programmes at Harz University language of instruction is GERMAN. The only programme taught in English is Technology and Innovation Management (M.Eng.).

I don’t speak German and want to take a language course to be eligible for admission. Which certificate is accepted by your university?

If German is not your mother tongue, one of the following language certificates has to be submitted:

  • DSH (Deutsche Sprachprüfung für den Hochschulzugang ausländischer Studienbewerber): at least DSH2
  • TestDaF (Test German as a Foreign Language): at least 14 points, whereby TDN  3 must not be scored below in any skill.
  • Language Diploma of the Conference of Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs - Level 2 (DSD II)
  • Goethe Certificate C2: Grosses Deutsches Sprachdiplom (GDS)
  • successful completion of the assessment test of a Studienkolleg (preparatory college)
  • Certificate telc German C1 University
  • Assessment test of a Studienkolleg: examination part GERMAN
  • Certificate of the Austrian Language Diploma C2 (ÖSD C2)

Proof of German language proficiency is not required if you have successfully completed a German-language Bachelor's programme in Germany.

How much does it cost to study at Harz University?

There are no tuition fees to be paid for studying at Harz University. There is only charged a semester contribution each semester. This covers administrative costs as well as a semester ticket for free use of buses at our two study locations Wernigerode and Halberstadt and their surroundings.

However, you should be aware that the living expenses in Germany can be much higher than in your home country. A rough calculation can be found here.

In my attachment you will find my certificates and my curriculum vitae. Can you please check whether I
can start my studies?

Unfortunately, we cannot verify your academic performance and language proficiency directly.
Uni-assist checks the eligibility requirements for a Harz University programme on behalf of our university.

Before applying to uni-assist, you may want to check on their website if you meet the basic admission criteria.

You can also verify if your foreign qualification complies with the general requirements to study at a German higher education institution by using the anabin database to independently check whether your certificates entitle you to study in Germany:
https://anabin.kmk.org/anabin.html

Please note that your eligibility does not guarantee your admission.

Is it possible to have examination results from earlier study periods recognised for my studies at Harz University?

Yes, that’s possible, but only after your matriculation. In advance, however, it is not possible to check a possible recognition or to give a forecast as to the extent to which examination achievements can be recognised when enrolling in the first semester.

Is it possible to apply for a higher semester?

We strongly recommend international applicants to apply for the 1st semester.
Often the application for a higher semester aims at shortening your studies.

Before applying for a study placement in a higher semester, you should consider the following points:

  • Even if you have already completed a degree programme in the desired subject area in your home country, placement in a higher semester does not mean that all required examinations from previous semesters can be recognised. As a rule, in addition to the examinations of the higher semester, you still have to take examinations from the previous semesters. This faces you not only with a heavier workload, but also with the expiring examination deadlines for courses from earlier semesters. There may also be an overlapping between lectures and examination times.
  • Placement in a higher semester does not automatically mean that you will be offered a place to study at our university. Whether you can be admitted depends on whether there are free places available in that semester. This will only be known once the re-registration of students who are already enrolled has been completed. At this point, both the application deadline and the admission process for the 1st semester are completed. Therefore, if you cannot be offered a place in the higher semester, it is too late to apply for the 1st semester.
  • Even if you are admitted to the 1st semester, it is possible to have credits from previous semesters recognised and thus complete your studies in a shorter period of time. An application for recognition and a statement as to which study achievements can be recognised is only possible after enrolment. The respective lecturer decides on the recognition of examination achievements after enrolment has taken place. In addition to your Transcript of Records, proof of the content of previous courses (e.g. course/module descriptions) is required for this.

I have applied for the APS certificate, but will be unable to upload it before the uni-assist application deadline. What should I do?

Applicants with educational qualifications from China, Vietnam and India

Uni-assist can only evaluate your application documents with a valid, original APS certificate (or digital APS certificate from Vietnam) within the deadline.

Do I have to hand in certified documents?

Yes, you do. Regarding the certification of documents refer to the information provided by uni-assist e.V., please.

I have already received an evaluation report/Vorprüfungsdokumentation from Uni-assist. Is this valid for my application to Harz University of Applied Sciences?

The so-called evaluation report or Vorprüfungsdokumentation provided by uni-assist is not valid at Harz University of Applied Sciences. It is therefore mandatory to apply via uni-assist e.V.

I have applied online via uni-assist. What are the next steps?

After you sent your documents by regular mail to uni-assist and paid the handling fee, they will process your application. This may take 4 to 6 weeks.

They only evaluate if all necessary documents are included in the right form during the processing procedure. You may submit missing documents up until the Application deadline. Uni-assist will inform you by email as soon as the evaluation result is available in your My assist account under “My Inbox.”

You can check the status of your application using your My assist account - via the application overview in the menu. The status will only change once uni-assist has processed your application in its entirety and will inform you in detail about your evaluation result.
Your application is successful if they have received your complete application within the deadline and all criteria set by our university are met.

As soon as uni-assist has forwarded your application digitally, our Admission office is responsible for handling your application. Harz University will then decide if you will be placed in a course and will inform you of all further steps.

You can see the status of your forwarded application as soon as you get an automatically generated email from Harz University. Please check your Mail Inbox and Spam folder regulary! IMPORTANT: When logging in for the first time, please use the "Forgot login data" functionality.

A final decision about your application will be made once the admission board has decided on the basis of academic performance, language proficiency and professional experience, presumably end of July (summer)/ January (winter).

Uni-assist asked me to contact Harz University of Applied Sciences directly. What should I do?

Since uni-assist is the examining institution, you should first try to clarify your question regarding your application with uni-assist. If uni-assist refers you to us, we need your application number in order to clarify your request.


After admission

What are the steps after getting a letter of admission?

You will receive all updates regarding your admission status at Harz University directly in our portal. After getting a letter of admission, you need to declare your acceptance of a student place. To declare your acceptance of the student place you are asked to upload the following documents as scanned files:

  • a proof of the semester contribution payment (bank transfer receipt)
  • a proof of health insurance
  • filled out and signed information sheet for newly-enrolled
  • signed acceptance declaration together with
  • signed notice on the collection, saving, processing and transfer of personal data
  • passport photo

I don’t know if I will be able to arrive on time for the semester start. Can I start my studies online or defer my admission to a later semester?

Deferment is not an option, unfortunately.

iTIM students only:
We know that some applicants face long waiting times to get their visa. For this reason, we offer all courses of the first semester online, with the option of hybrid courses once enough students have arrived on campus.
The exams and mandatory laboratories, which start at the 15 November/15 May, need to be taken in presence. Being unable to attend on campus means students will have to retake them in a later semester.
Hence, we expect arrival by that date.

Should it be foreseeable that you will not be able to arrive by then, you can request a „letter of late arrival“ from our International Office via incoming(at)hs-harz.de after your successful enrollment.  

How can I find an accommodation in Wernigerode?

We know that finding accommodation can be stressful. Most students are experiencing no particular problems in finding a room in the city area.
Please check here for more information.

What is the closest airport to Wernigerode?

The closest airports are Berlin-Tegel, Berlin-Schönefeld, Leipzig-Halle, Hannover.

How do the IT Services (LSF, StudIP etc.) work at Hochschule Harz?

Information about IT Services you can find here.

In case you are not able to join us on campus during the Orientation Days, you will also get a comprehensive introduction into the services before the start of your studies during our Online Orientation Day event.

Does Harz University offer scholarships?

The University does not provide scholarships. However, as a student of Harz University you may apply for the scholarship “Deutschlandstipendium”.

Am I allowed to work while studying?

Students can generally work up to 20 hours a week during the semester. However, depending on the country of origin, certain regulations apply.

Students from the EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland
do not need a work permit to work while studying. However, you are required to insure yourself through a German health insurance company. The European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) is no longer valid in this case.

Students from non-EU countries
are allowed to work a maximum of 140 days (max. 8 hours/day) or 280 half days (max. 4 hours/day) per calendar year without a work permit. Alternatively, 20 hours/week are permitted. This will be indicated on your residence permit.
Compulsory internships for your studies do not count, but voluntary internships do.

  • If you work more than 20 hours a week - with permission of the Foreigners' Office - , you will be charged social security fees.
  • Self-employment or freelance work is only permitted with approval from the Foreigners' Registration Office.
  • An exception is working as an academc assistant. There is no limit of days academic assistants may work. However, they still have to inform the Foreigners' Office.

Where do I find an English speaking doctor?

On this website you can find English-speaking medical specialists of various fields in Saxony-Anhalt by using the language filter.

You can also find help with the Studentenwerk Magdeburg for mental health related issues: https://www.studentenwerk-magdeburg.de/en/social-affairs/psychosocial-counselling-for-students/

Postal address uni-assist for hard copies

Harz University of Applied Sciences
c/o uni-assist e.V.
11507 Berlin

Germany