FAQs covering the application and enrolment procedures

Please use the following link for a list of the key application and enrolment dates for our undergraduate degree programmes. Other important semester dates such as the start and end of the main teaching period, re-registration deadlines, etc. are listed here.

The answer to this question depends on your student status. First-time applicants may apply for a maximum of two degree programmes in Saarland University's SIM application portal. If you have already obtained a degree from a German university, you can only apply for one programme, as you will then be applying to study for a second undergraduate degree. However, in both of the above cases, you can still apply for programmes that are administered centrally via the DoSV admissions procedure (DoSV: dialogue-oriented service procedure) that can be accessed via the internet platform hochschulstart.de. 

If you are already studying and have acquired the relevant transferable academic credits, you can – in addition to applying for admission to the first semester of a study programme – also apply for higher-semester admission in up to two other undergraduate degree programmes. 

Please note that if you want to apply for higher-semester entry to a multi-subject degree programme, such as a teacher training degree programme (Lehramt), you will need to show that you have acquired sufficient academic credit in all of the subjects in your intended degree programme. The amount of academic credit that you will need to have acquired will vary depending on which degree programme you wish to join. Details are available from the Examinations Office with responsibility for that programme. If you have transferable academic credit from your current degree programme, you can, alternatively, apply to enter the new programme in the first subject semester and then have the ECTS credits from the relevant modules transferred to your new programme at some later date. 

Undergraduate degree programmes (Bachelor's, teacher training or state-examined degree programmes) 

If you want to apply for a place on an undergraduate degree programme (also referred to as first degree programmes or first-cycle programmes), the number of documents you will need to submit is usually quite small. You will, however, need to submit proof of your higher education entrance qualification (e.g. your Abitur certificate) and a valid identity document (identity card or passport). Additional documentation will need to be submitted if (i) you have completed a period of voluntary service (e.g. you have worked on a recognized community or social project (FSJ) or environmental project (FÖJ), served under the Federal Volunteering Scheme (BFD) or have completed a period of voluntary military service), (ii) you have taken an aptitude test as part of the nationally administered admission procedure for 'Medicine', 'Dentistry' or 'Pharmaceutical Science' or the aptitude test for the Bachelor's programme in Psychology, or (iii) you plan to submit a special application (e.g. citing grounds of exceptional hardship). Applicants who do not have a German school leaving certificate or who wish to apply to study for a second (undergraduate) degree will also need to submit further documentation. 

Master's degree programmes 

If you are planning to apply for a place on a Master's programme, you will normally need to submit more documents than for a first-cycle degree. In addition to providing proof of your undergraduate degree qualification, you will often need to submit documents that will be used to assess your aptitude for the intended programme of study and to determine whether you meet the formal admission criteria (e.g. transcript of records, language proficiency, translations of foreign education credentials, etc.). 

As the application procedure is conducted entirely online, all documents must be submitted in electronic form (typically as PDF or JPG files). You do not need to provide certified copies of the documents you submit, e.g. your higher education entrance qualification. Postal applications will not be accepted. 

Please note, however, that different regulations apply to those degree programmes (Medicine, Dentistry, Pharmaceutical Science) for which the admission process is coordinated nationally by hochschulstart. If you are seeking admission to one of these three degree programmes, you must first apply via the integrated online application interface AntOn, after which you must submit all of your application documents by post to Hochschulstart within the designated application period.

You will need to use the dialogue-oriented service procedure (DoSV) if you want to apply for a place to study on one of the three degree programmes 'Medicine', 'Dentistry' or 'Pharmaceutical Science' for which admissions are coordinated nationally. Applications for these degree programmes are made directly via www.hochschulstart.de.

Saarland University also makes use of the DoSV system to manage admissions to its Bachelor's degree programmes in 'Biology' and 'Psychology'. Here, too, the first step is to register with www.hochschulstart.de. Once you have received your applicant ID number (BID) and your applicant authentication number (BAN) from hochschulstart.de, you should continue the application process via Saarland University's SIM application portal or the SIM student web portal. Once you have submitted the application questionnaire, your admission application will be stored in your hochschulstart user account for you to access and process further, if required. (Note: there may be a delay between submitting your application and when it appears in your hoschulstart account.)

Admissions to the three degree programmes 'Medicine', 'Dentistry' and 'Pharmaceutical Science' are coordinated nationally and applications can only be submitted directly via www.hochschulstart.de. You do not need to submit an additional application to Saarland University.

However, the procedure is slightly different for the two Bachelor's degree programmes 'Biology' and 'Psychology'. Here, too, the first step is to register with www.hochschulstart.de. Once you have received your applicant ID number (BID) and your applicant authentication number (BAN) from hochschulstart.de, you should continue the application process via Saarland University's SIM application portal or its SIM student web portal. Once you have submitted the application questionnaire, your admission application will be stored in your hochschulstart user account for you to access and process further, if required. (Note: there may be a delay between submitting your application and when it appears in your hoschulstart account.)