Bachelor's programmes and state examinations

Germans, EU/EEA applicants and candidates with equivalent admission status

  • Bachelor's programmes and state examination in law

    A prescribed number of study places are available in every restricted-admission subject. After deducting a certain quota of places for hardship cases, second-degree applicants and foreign applicants, 20 % of the study places are allocated to those who received the highest marks on their Abitur (German university entrance qualification), while 80 % are awarded through the university-wide selection procedure (AdH). In this selection procedure, the applicant's Abitur grade is improved by 0.1 for each semester of "waiting time" up to a maximum grade of 1.0. Waiting time is recognised as all semesters in which the applicant was not enrolled at a German university since receiving his/her Abitur. The number of waiting semesters is calculated automatically based on the data provided in your application.

    All applicants are ranked on the basis of both their (preliminary) Abitur grade and the university-wide selection procedure. Applicants who have received the same Abitur grades are ranked further based on whether they performed military or civil service and are subsequently placed at their exact rank by the drawing of lots.

    The University of Münster allocates study places for all restricted-admission bachelor's programmes and the state examination in law via the Dialogue-Oriented Service Procedure (DoSV). This procedure compiles and compares the ranking lists of all participating universities in order to facilitate faster and more reliable allocation of study places. The procedures also require applicants to comply with specific requirements which are clearly explained in our checklist for the DoSV [de]. You can find more information on the website hochschulstart.de [de].

    There is no waiting list for future admission. If you have not been granted a study place in the current round of applications, you will have to reapply for admission in the following semester.

  • State examination in medicine, pharmacy, dentistry

    There are only a limited number of study places set aside for every restricted-admission degree programme. First, an advance quota of study places is allocated to special target groups (e.g. foreign applicants, rural physician quota, second-degree applicants etc.). All remaining study places are then awarded on the basis of three main quotas, for which all applicants are automatically considered. These are the best "Abitur" grade quota (30 %), the additional aptitude quota ZEQ (10 %) and the University selection procedure (AdH) (60 %).

    Best Abitur grade quota (30 %):
    This ranking list is based on the number of points applicants have achieved on their "Abitur" (German university entrance qualification), and, to a lesser extent, by any civil or military service they performed and the drawing of lots. In order to calculate this quota, sixteen state ranking lists (one for each German state) are created for purposes of comparison. A special calculation formula is then used to compile these sixteen ranking lists into one national ranking list for all of Germany.

    Additional aptitude quota (ZEQ) (10 %):
    The ZEQ quota considers such criteria as the test for admission to medical degree programmes (TMS) / test for admission to the pharmaceutical degree programme (PhaST) and various recognised vocational training programmes. The following values are used for calculating the quota:

    Medicine/Dentistry Pharmacy
    TMS
    from 2022: 90 points    		 PhaST
    from WiSe 23/24: 100 points (bevor: 90 points)
    vocational training
    10 points    		 Abitur grade
    from WiSe 23/24: no points (before 10 points)
       
     

    University selection procedure (AdH) (60 %):

    The remaining 60 % of available study places are awarded based on the University’s selection procedure (AdH). The following values are used for calculating the quota:

    Medicine/Dentistry Pharmacy

    Abitur grade
    from winter semester 2020/2021: 56 points

     

    TMS
    from winter semester 2020/2021: 40 points

    Abitur grade
    50 points

    PhaST
    40 points

    vocational training
    10 points

    performed service [de]
    from winter semester 2020/2021: 3 points

    		  
    prizes [de]
    1 point    		  
     
    The last group of candidates considered for admission are those who represent hardship cases and are unable to obtain admission through any of the above-mentioned quotas.
    This admission process only applies to EU/EEA applicants and holders of a German secondary school-leaving certificate.

    For further information about the study-place allocation procedure, please visit the websites of the Faculty of medicine from the University of Münster medicampus  and Hochschulstart.

  • Degree programmes with mandatory aptitude tests

    Those who apply for admission to bachelor's programmes in Sport and Physical Education (not including human movement in sports and exercise) and bachelor's programmes in Music (not including musicology) are also required to pass an aptitude test. Please note that some aptitude tests are administered long before the start of the application phase.

  • Higher-semester enrolment

    Study places in restricted-admission degree programmes can only be awarded to candidates applying for higher-semester enrolment if capacity allows. Not every study place is immediately re-allocated when a student drops out. Higher-semester study places can only be allocated when the number of students enrolled in that respective semester, as well as the total number of higher-semester students in the degree programme, falls below the prescribed capacity limit.

    If (a few) higher-semester study places happen to become available, these are allocated in the following order:

    1. Students who are already enrolled at a lower semester in the same degree programme (corresponding subject and degree name) and have earned academic credit for placement at a higher semester in this degree programme
    2. Transfer students who are already enrolled in the same degree programme (corresponding subject and degree name) at a university located in the EU. If selection falls between several candidates in this group, admission is decided by the drawing of lots.
    3. Applicants who wish to change majors (lateral entrants) but have never been enrolled in the same degree programme at a university in the EU. If selection falls between several candidates in this group, admission is granted in the following order:
    • Students who have already completed a different degree programme at a German university
    • Students enrolled in a restricted-admission degree programme/subject in the first semester
    • Students enrolled in a restricted-admission degree programme/subject at a higher semester

Non-EU/non-EEA applicants without a German university entrance qualification

  • First-semester enrolment

    General allocation procedure

    In restricted-admission degree programmes, study places are allocated primarily on the basis of the grade point average (GPA) of the applicant's university entrance qualification (i.e. secondary school-leaving certificate). Foreign grades are converted to the German grading system using the criteria provided by the Standing Conference of Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs (KMK) [de], with the highest grade assigned the German grade 1.0 and the lowest passing grade a 4.0. Academic certificates with no specified final grade are assigned the German grade 4.0. In the case of a tie, decisions are made by the drawing of lots.

    How to improve your GPA on your university entrance qualification

    As a foreign applicant, if you participate in a university-preparatory German language course at the University of Münster, you can – under certain circumstances – improve your GPA of your university entrance qualification. If you pass the DSH examination and also successfully complete the "Preparatory Course for Academic and Subject-Specific Orientation at the University of Münster" offered as part of the DSH preparatory course in our "German as a Foreign Language" subject area, you can improve your GPA (converted to the German grading system) with bonus points based on the following scheme:

    Academic achievement in the preparatory course (in percent) Bonus grade points
    82 and higher 0.5
    77-81 0.4
    72-76 0.3
    67-71 0.2
    57-66 0.1
    below 57 0

    You can improve your GPA up to a maximum of 0.5 grade points. For example, if your GPA was converted to a 2.2 in the German grading system, after completing the preparatory course, you could potentially improve your grade to a 1.7 (2.2 – 0.5 = 1.7).

    Participation in the preparatory course is only possible if you also participate in the DSH language course.

    How to improve your GPA on your university entrance qualification for the subjects of Medicine and Dentistry

    Candidates who apply for admission to study Medicine and Dentistry and have received the TestAS certificate confirming their aptitude for university study, are granted bonus points on their GPA (converted to the German grading system) based on the following TestAS results:

    TestAS result (standard value of the subject module "Mathematics, Computer Science and Natural Sciences") Bonus grade points
    Standard value 100-110 0.2
    Standard value 111-120 0.4
    Standard value 121-130 0.6

    Please note that not both bonuses (TestAS and Propädeutikum) are counted at the same time. If you have both taken a TestAS and participated in the Propädeutikum and you submit both certificates, the higher bonus will be included in the evaluation. Crediting is only possible for the subjects medicine and dentistry.

  • Degree programmes with mandatory aptitude tests

    Those who apply for admission to bachelor's programmes in Sport and Physical Education (not including Human Movement in Sports and Exercise) and bachelor's programmes in Music (not including Musicology) are also required to pass an aptitude test. Please note that some aptitude tests are  administered long before the start of the application phase.

  • Higher-semester enrolment

    Study places in restricted-admission degree programmes can only be awarded to candidates applying for higher-semester enrolment if capacity allows. Not every study place is immediately re-allocated when a student drops out. Higher-semester study places can only be allocated when the number of students enrolled in that respective semester, as well as the total number of higher-semester students in the degree programme, falls below the prescribed capacity limit.

    If (a few) higher-semester study places happen to become available, these are allocated in the following order:

    1. Students who are already enrolled at a lower semester in the same degree programme (corresponding subject and degree name) and have earned academic credit for placement at a higher semester in this degree programme
    2. Transfer students who are already enrolled in the same degree programme (corresponding subject and degree name) at a university located in the EU. If selection falls between several candidates in this group, admission is decided by the drawing of lots.
    3. Applicants who wish to change majors (lateral entrants) but have never been enrolled in the same degree programme at a university in the EU. If selection falls between several candidates in this group, admission is granted in the following order:
      • Students who have already completed a different degree programme at a German university

      • Students enrolled in a restricted-admission degree programme/subject in the first semester

      • Students enrolled in a restricted-admission degree programme/subject at a higher semester