2023 Application Deadlines for Public & Private Universities in Germany
German universities have two distinct application deadlines: the summer and the winter intake deadlines. The summer intake is for the summer semester, which starts in March or April. Similarly, the winter intake is for the winter semester, which begins in September or October. For most universities, the application deadlines for the summer semester begin in early December and end on 15 January. Whereas the application deadline for winter intake runs from early May and ends on 15 July.
The academic year in Germany generally begins in the winter semester. A majority of German universities offer programs during that time. Only a few German universities have applications open for summer intake. Therefore, the bulk of the international student intake occurs during the winter semester. According to DAAD figures, 2.95 million students were registered in various courses in Germany during the winter semester of 2021–2022. 416,437 of those were international students. Since the COVID situation is under control, these numbers will be even higher in 2023.
If you plan to apply to any German university for the upcoming year (2023), you need to prepare for it well in advance. Here is a comprehensive guide to the 2023 application deadlines for public and private universities in Germany.
Overview of Deadlines for German Universities
Number of semesters | 2, summer and winter |
Winter semester begins in | September or October |
Winter intake deadlines | Early May to July 15 each year |
Summer semester begins in | March or April |
Summer intake deadlines | Early December till 15 January each year |
The DAAD website lists 1,443 English-taught programs meant for international students at German Universities.
Application deadlines for popular Business and Management schools
German business schools make significant investments in globalization. They have ties with numerous international colleges and organizations. Students can utilize such opportunities to get acquainted with the global labor market. Additionally, German MBA programs provide extensive specialization possibilities, including engineering management, big data management, etc. The robust economy of Germany is another factor luring foreign students. Multinational corporations like BMV, Volkswagen, Adidas, and others that are based there provide many job prospects for business graduates. As a result, German business and management schools are growing in popularity internationally.
The table below lists the tentative application deadlines of popular business schools in Germany.
University Name | Type | Summer Semester Deadline | Winter Semester Deadline |
University of Munich | Public | 15 January 2023 | 15 July 2023 |
University of Bonn | Public | 15 January 2023 | 15 July 2023 |
Technical University of Munich | Public | October 2022 to January 2023 | April 2023 to May 2023 |
Cologne Business School | Private | Rolling admissions | |
Munich Business School | Private | – | – |
EU Business School Munich | Private | Rolling admissions | |
GISMA Business School | Private | Rolling admissions | |
ISM International School of Management | Private | 15 December 2022 | 15 June 2023 |
IUBH: International University of Applied Sciences | Private | Rolling admissions | |
BIC Berlin International College | Private | Rolling admissions | |
Steinbeis University School of Management and Innovation | Private | Rolling admissions | |
Kuehne Logistics University | Private | 31 May 2023 |
Application deadlines for Medical schools in Germany
To study medicine in Germany, students must have excellent academic standing. Due to Numerus Clausus (limited number of seats), the acceptance rate of public medical universities is exceptionally low. Therefore, many international students choose private schools to pursue a medical degree. Let us go through the provisional deadlines for some popular medical universities in Germany.
University Name | Type | Summer Semester Deadline | Winter Semester Deadline |
Heidelberg University | Public | 15 January 2023 | 15 July 2023 |
Humboldt-Universität Zu Berlin | Public | 15 January 2023 | 15 July 2023 |
Freie Universität Berlin | Public | 15 January 2023 | 31 May 2023 to 15 July 2023 |
University Targu Mures Medical Campus Hamburg (UMCH) | Public | To be announced |
Medical students have to interact with patients in hospitals. Thus, German language proficiency is essential for them. If you wish to learn advanced-level German, then courses by IIK Deutschland are the perfect option. You can choose between on-campus and online courses that are offered.
Application deadlines for popular Engineering and IT universities
Engineers are well respected in the country. In contrast to other nations, Germany hardly ever has unemployed engineers. Due to digitalization, the IT sector is also gaining momentum in Germany. German universities provide a wide selection of specializations in engineering and IT programs. They are therefore well-liked by international scholars. Some very popular courses are:
- Mechanical engineering
- Architecture
- Civil engineering
- Data science
- Mechatronics
- Computer science
Here is a list of tentative deadlines for engineering and IT colleges in Germany.
University Name | Type | Summer Semester Deadline | Winter Semester Deadline |
Technical University of Berlin | Public | 15 January 2023 | 15 July 2023 |
Karlsruhe Institute of Technology | Public | 15 January 2023 | 15 July 2023 |
University of Duisburg-Essen | Public | 15 January 2023 | 15 July 2023 |
Lancaster University of Leipzig | Private | Rolling admissions | |
Berlin International University of Applied Sciences | Private | 31 January 2023 | 31 August 2023 |
SRH Berlin University of Applied Sciences | Private | 15 January 2023 | 15 July 2023 to 11 November 2023 |
University of Europe for Applied Sciences | Private | Rolling admissions | |
Arden University Berlin | Private | Rolling admissions |
Application deadlines for Studienkolleg (preparatory programs)
Applying to German universities without preparation is difficult. German universities have quite high standards for their higher education programs. Therefore, your chances of being rejected are significant if you do not meet the eligibility requirements. To determine your eligibility, you can visit the “My Guide” section of the DAAD website. If you are not eligible, then you won’t be able to apply to any higher education institute. Students can attend Studienkolleg to pass the “Feststellungsprüfung” (university qualification exam). The future deadlines to apply to these foundation courses are as follows.
Studienkolleg Program | Application Deadline | |
Studienkolleg Düsseldorf | Rolling admissions | |
Studienkolleg Paderborn- International Foundation College at Paderborn University | February 29 (summer semester) and September 30 (winter semester) | |
FH Aachen University of Applied Sciences – Freshman Year Program | Autumn 2022 (September and October) | |
Wildau Foundation Year, Technical University of Applied Sciences | September 2022 – August 2023 and March 2023 – August 2024 |
Application deadlines for German universities are not universal for public and private universities. Plus, they may vary from university to university. Deadlines for bachelor’s programs may vary from those for master’s degrees. The following deadlines apply to students submitting applications through the Uni-assist:
- January 15, 2023, for the summer semester
- July 15, 2023, for the winter semester
Uni-assist advises students to submit their applications at least 8 weeks prior to the deadlines. This guarantees that they will have adequate time to submit extra paperwork if necessary.
It can be hard to decide which German university to apply to. Public universities are difficult to get into. They provide free education, and thus the competition is high. To avoid overcrowding, these universities offer a limited number of seats known as Numerus Clausus. Hence, students with high academic scores have a higher chance of getting into a public school. On the other hand, private universities have less competition, and hence their acceptance rate is high. Gyanberry has partnered with many German universities. We provide admission counseling services to help students study at their dream German university. Book a free video appointment if you want to learn more about our services.