Applying via uni-assist from the USA
Useful information – single steps –
personal advice
Steffi Arendsee (Information service)
and
Malgorzata Wladyka (consultant)
Outline
1. uni-assist and its pre-check in detail
2. Apply successfully – step by step
3. What if...?
4. Good to know: helpful tips for USA-applicants
uni-assist...
●
●
●
...is an association of 178 German universities, the German
Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) and the German Rector's
conference (HRK) based in Berlin
...is entrusted by its member universities to pre-check
international student applications
...makes the admission process for international applicants
easier, more efficient and customer-friendly
uni-assist's pre-check in detail
Regular procedure
You apply to a German university
via uni-assist
so-called „VPD“-procedure
You apply directly to a German
university with a preliminary review
documentation (VPD) issued by
uni-assist
uni-assist determines whether your educational certificates qualify in
principle for admission to university studies in Germany
uni-assist calculates the German equivalent of your final grade
uni-assist evaluates language
competencies and course-specific
criteria as set down by the
university
uni-assist electronically forwards
your application to the university
uni-assist issues a VPD with which
you then directly apply to the
university
The university further processes your application and decides on your
admission
Apply successfully – step by step
1. Plan your studies
2. Check out the general and specific admission requirements
3. Apply online and submit the relevant documents
4. Pay the handling fees
5. Track your application
1. Plan your studies
Check the following websites for useful information on the German higher
education system, scholarships, visa matters etc.:
●
●
https://www.study-in.de/en/
https://www.daad.de/deutschland/en/
Find suitable programmes & universities here:
●
https://www.study-in.de/en/plan-your-studies/find-programme-and-university/
Get in contact with the universities of your choice
2. Check the admission
requirements (1/2)
1. Admission requirements
...include prior education, subject requirements, language competencies, minimum
grade, work experience, CV, recommendation letters etc.
As a general rule: You will have to meet the general requirements for higher
education access in Germany („Hochschulzugangsberechtigung“) and
course-related criteria as set down by the higher education institution
2. Further formal requirements
...such as officially authenticated hard copies, simple hard copies, digital copies of
your certificates and further documents; handed in either by you or by the issuing
institution
As a general rule: All documents need to be submitted in paper form. Certificates
generally need to be authenticated if not sent by the issuing institution (see the
uni-assist standards for official authentication:
http://www.uni-assist.de/standards_en.html )
2. Check the admission
requirements (2/2)
3. Application deadlines
...may vary from course to course and also for preparatory courses (such as
Studienkolleg, German language course etc.)
As a general rule: from around May to 15 July for winter semester enrollment;
from the beginning of December to 15 January for summer semester
enrollment
4. uni-assist's scope of service
...uni-assist cooperates with 178 member universities, yet:
Please enquire at the university whether you need to apply via uni-assist as the
universities determine which applicant groups and courses uni-assist is responsible
for
3. Apply online and submit your
documents
●
Get registered in the uni-assist
online portal:
https://www.uni-assist.de/online/Frontend
/Login/index?lang=en
●
●
●
Create online applications for
each course at each university
Submit your applications
electronically to uni-assist
Print, sign and send your
application form along with the
documents as required
4. Pay the handling fees
• 75 EUR for first application per semester
• 15 EUR for each additional application within the same
semester
• Information on fees and payment options:
http://www.uni-assist.de/fees-payment.html
5. Track your application
uni-assist keeps you informed about the status of your
application
• You will automatically receive both a confirmation of
receipt of your application(s) and information on your
pre-check results
• You can check the current status of your application(s)
in your online account
• You will be contacted if there are documents missing
What if...
…your application was handed in incomplete or not in time?
●
●
●
Your application cannot be forwarded to the
university resp. a VPD cannot be issued to you
But: You can submit missing documents within the
application period at any time
The application will be reviewed again and a new
result will be sent to you and the university
Our recommendation:
1. Contact the university you want to apply to to get all the information on
the admission criteria, deadlines etc.
2. Apply as soon as possible, at least six weeks before the deadline expires.
You will then have the chance to add any missing documents to your
application.
US High School Diploma
●
●
●
●
●
Regional accredication
i.e. Middle States Association of Colleges and
Schools (MSA) or Western Association of Schools
and Colleges (WASC)
Completed High School Diploma with the results
of year 9 till year 12
Official transcript (authenticated, if not directly
sent by the High School to uni-assist)
Overall CGPA (unweighted) over 3,0
Grading scale: 4,3,2 system or 100 system with
a comparison to the A,B,C grades
Subject requirements
●
●
●
●
4 units in English (year 9-12) with at least grade C in each year,
highest level that must be proven: English 4, English Honours or AP
English
5 units in Math and Science taken together:
»
2-3 units in Math with at least grade C in each year,
highest level that must be proven: Precalculus
»
2-3 units in Science (Biology, Chemistry or Physics)
2 units in a Foreign language (i.e. German I and German II)
3 units in Social Sciences (i.e. American History, Geography,
Economics, ...)
Caution: Not all subjects are recognized, i.e. „AP Statistics“ is not
sufficient for Math!
If all requirements are met, an admission to the preparatory
course (Studienkolleg) at German universities is possible.
High School Diploma + SAT/ACT/AP
SAT (old and new test)
1300 points in Math and (Critical) Reading taken together
ACT
29 points in the composite score
AP exams (at College Board)
4 exams (including Math, Science and a Language) with at least grade 3
All test results must be submitted directly from the institution (i.e. College Board) or
as an authenticated copy to uni-assist.
Apart from the test results the completed High School Diploma (all requirements
fulfilled) must be submitted.
If these requirements are met, a direct admission to German universities is possible.
Associate degree or 2 years of study
Either: a completed Associate degree
Or: two years of study in a regular Bachelor program at a
recognized US university (50% of the credits must be proven)
Subject requirements:
5 independent general education subjects including Math, Science,
English, a Foreign language + one other subject
3 of those subjects must be taken in 3 ascending (consecutive)
semester courses
If all requirements are met, direct admission to German universities is
possible.
What if the requirements are not met?
Deficits in the High School Diploma:
●
if the subject requirements are not met and the grades and overall
CGPA are not fulfilled, regular courses of study at a recognized
university can substitute the missing requirements
BUT:
●
if all subject requirements with grades are met, but the overall CGPA
is below 2.95, study courses can NOT substitute this deficit
Caution:
●
not all study courses can substitute the missing High School Diploma
subjects
i.e. „Writing“ study courses are not sufficient to substitute English
Honours; „Intermediate Algebra“ is not sufficient to substitute
Precalculus
Bachelor degree
Completed regular Bachelor degree at a US-accredited,
recognized university
Requirements:
completion of all required credits (usually 120 credits),
overall CGPA (and grading system), proof that the degree is
conferred (degree certificate or printed on transcript)
If the requirements are met, direct admission to German
universities in Bachelor degree programs and Master degree
programs is possible.
Calculation via the German grading system
Evaluation according to the guidelines from anabin
Applying the Modified Bavarian Formula:
Nmax - Nd
-------------------- * 3 + 1
Nmax - Nmin
Nmax = maximum achievable points/ grade
Nmin = minimum passing grade
Nd = grade point average achieved
Where to find information
●
In general:
http://anabin.kmk.org
1. anabin Datenbank
> Schulabschlüsse mit Hochschulzugang
> Suchen (USA)
> High School Diploma (HSD)
2. Bildungswesen
> USA
●
If only applying with a High School Diploma:
www.studienkollegs.de
anabin – information
on US certificates
anabin – information
on US education system
Common mistakes I
●
Unofficial transcripts
●
Only screenshots/ online printouts from SAT or ACT
●
●
●
Unweighted GPA and/ or grading system missing on
the High School Diploma
No US terminology in the High School Diploma (i.e. IB
course names instead of US terms or „mathematics“ instead
of „precalculus“)
No German language proficiency when applying with a High
School Diploma (only access to Studienkolleg)
Common mistakes II
•
Officially authenticated versus simple copies
•
Wrong application form
•
Signature missing/ just scanned
•
special requirements for university or course
•
Deadlines!
•
Criteria/ regulations by ZaB – subject to change
Contact us!
In case of any further questions, please contact us:
Contact form:
https://www.uni-assist.de/online/Frontend/Kontaktformular/index/?lang=en
By telephone:
Monday to Friday | 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. (CET)
Phone: +49 30 666 44 345
Our address:
uni-assist e.V.
Geneststraße 5
10829 Berlin
Germany
Thank you.