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Recognition of foreign educational qualifications

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Recognition of foreign educational qualifications

To apply to Universität Hamburg, you need to have your documents checked in a "preliminary documentation" procedure (VPD) by uni-assist (University Application Service for International Students). uni-assist reviews your international certificates and notifies you when it sends your VPD whether your previous educational qualifications permit you to start studying in Germany or are recognized for your program of choice.

Recommended deadlines when applying for preliminary documentation

Universität Hamburg strongly recommends that you submit your documents to uni-assist at the latest

  • by 1 June of the year in which you apply to begin in a winter semester
  • by 1 December of the year in which you apply to begin in a summer semester
  • by 15 February of the year in which you apply for an international master´s program

It takes at least four weeks to process your documents. Please plan accordingly to have your transcripts reviewed by uni-assist so that you can apply for the program of your choice at Universität Hamburg by the application deadline.

You can find preliminary information about your degree by consulting the admissions database of the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) and access the information portal on recognition of foreign degrees (anabin databank, in German only).

If you belong to one of the following groups, you do not need to submit documents for VPD procedures:

  • graduates of a Studienkolleg in Germany with certification that you have completed an assessment test indicating the grade received on the assessment text and the converted grade of your foreign higher education entry qualification
  • graduates with an Abitur certificate from a German school located abroad (university entrance exam, entrance exam, or German international Abitur exam)
  • people who have already received a stamp of recognization from a German governmental office, including information about type of higher education entry qualifcation and a converted grade

How do I apply for the preliminary documentation procedure at uni-assist?

uni-assist provides information on a different application procedure for preliminary documentations on its website. However, we recommend you apply for preliminary documentation as described below:

Please download the application form (PDF) and fill it out. You can also fill out the form electronically and then print it out.

Please submit the following documents to uni-assist:

  • the filled-out application form
  • a certified copy of your higher education entry qualification (Abitur) (NB: excepting applications for the MA in International Business and Sustainability, MIBAS)
  • if available, a certified copy of your higher education admissions exam
  • if available, a certified copy of your university transcript
  • certified translations of all of your transcripts

Transcripts must be submitted in German or English or translated into one of these languages.

Translations will only be accepted if they have been made by sworn translators or certified by the proper authorities.

For information about translations that have been certified and executed by sworn translators, please see www.uni-assist.de/standards.html.

What costs can I expect?

Once you have submitted your documents to uni-assist, you need to transfer your fee to uni-assist's bank account.

The processing fee is €75. For further details, please see the information under "Regulation of fees".

Please note that uni-assist will only review your documents once you have transferred the processing fee!

If you can prove that you have been registered as a refugee in your German residency permit, uni-assist checks your documents free of charge, provided certain conditions are met.

When I can expect to receive my VPD?

You will receive your preliminary documentation results from uni-assist at the earliest four weeks following submission of your documents. You may only apply to Universität Hamburg with this preliminary documentation!

What information exactly does my VPD contain?

Your VPD is issued so that you can apply to Universität Hamburg. It contains the following:

  • your overall grade for your higher education entry qualification (adapted to the German grading system)
  • the date on which your higher education entry qualification was issued
  • information about the type of higher education entry qualification you have; for Universität Hamburg, thise generally includes a higher education entry qualification for all types of higher education institutions and all subject areas (allowing you to apply for a bachelor's program/Staatsexamen program in any discipline at Universität Hamburg and is known as a "general higher education entry qualification") or a higher education entry qualification for all higher education institutions for the specific subject areas (allowing you to apply to a bachelor's/Staatsexamen program at Universität Hamburg in only those disciplines indicated by uni-assist; if you are not sure whether your program is categorized according to one of these subject areas, please contact the Application and Admissions Team).

If uni-assist informs you that your transcripts or certificates do not permit you to study in Germany, a Studienkolleg in Germany (preparatory college) may be an option for you.

How long are the results of the preliminary documentation procedure valid?

Your preliminary review documentation from uni-assist is valid for one year from the date of issue.

You have preliminary review documentation that is more than one year old? Please ensure that preliminary review documentation that has expired will be accepted for the purposes of the application procedure at Universität Hamburg.

Please send your preliminary review documentation to the Info Service for prospective international students (Campus-Center) via the following form: www.uni-hamburg.de/int_e

The Info Service for prospective international students will inform you via email whether or not Universität Hamburg will accept your expired preliminary review documentation for the purposes of your application.

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Information for refugees

If you can prove that you have been registered as a refugee in your German residency permit, uni-assist checks your documents free of charge under certain conditions. Information about the conditions is provided here: