Changing majors and transferring

You are changing majors if you are already studying or have studied at Universität Hamburg or another German university and want to change your subject or, if you are pursuing a teaching degree, you want to change your teaching subjects or convert your teaching degree.
As a rule, you need to apply for the first semester of the new program, meaning you are subject to the same selection and admission procedures as first-time university applicants. Please note that the period of time you have already studied does not count towards the official waiting period. Any waiting period which you have already accumulated, however, is still taken into account.

If you are enrolled at Universität Hamburg, changing majors does not require you to withdraw from your current program. That means that you stay enrolled in your current program and once you are admitted to the new program, your enrollment will be automatically converted at the start of the new program. Students enrolled at other German universities should wait to withdraw until they have received confirmation of admission from Universität Hamburg.

You are a transfer student if you belong to one of the following groups:

Students who want to continue to pursue a subject at Universität Hamburg in which they have already received their first degree at another German university or students who want to study another subject after their first degree has been recognized. The latter comprises students of theology, ancient Hebrew, pharmacy, food-stuffs chemistry, medicine and dentistry only.
Students in a bachelor's program who want to apply for a higher semester at Universität Hamburg.