Before Studies

The documentary evidence of foreign formal qualifications (certificates, diplomas) must first be recognised by uni-assist for an application at OTH Regensburg (university of applied sciences)

• for all Bachelor degree programmes,
• for the Master degree programme Electrical and Microsystems Engineering (MEM)
• for the Master degree programme European Business Studies (MEB)
• for the Master degree programme Mathematics for Business and Industry (MBI)

Uni-assist validates all your certificates and transcripts of your educational records. Please request a so-called “preliminary review documentation” (in German abbr. VPD) there. (Exceptions are applications for a Bachelor's degree programme from the PR China and Vietnam. The recognition lies in the responsibility of the particular Academic Evaluation Center – see below. Applicants from India need in addition to the VPD from uni-assist a certificate of the Academic Evaluation Center of India.) Please read the detailed information about the admission requirements on the website of the specific degree programme.

For the application for all other Master degree programmes there is no VPD necessary. Please submit your certificates and diplomas of your home country translated into German or English. Each Master degree programme has its specific admission requirements. You will find detailed information on the websites of each study programme.

If you have already attended a preparatory college (Studienkolleg) and have passed the assessment examination (Feststellungsprüfung), you don't need a VPD from uni-assist any more.

Applicants with an International Baccalaureate (IB) or an AbiBac do not need a VPD. If you have any questions in this regard, please contact department-of-studies@oth-regensburg.de.

VPD from uni-assist (Bachelor, MEM and MEB)

Please keep in mind that the processing time can take 4 to 6 weeks, sometimes even longer. We have summarized the most important steps in our information sheet "How to request the VPD". Get your university admission checked by uni-assist in advance in order to get information about the evaluation of your certificates.

If your VPD qualifies you directly for higher education, then the VPD proofs your university entrance qualification. You can use it in order to apply for a place in a degree programme. Please respect the application deadline!

If your VPD certifies that you are qualified for the Studienkolleg, you must complete a preparatory year before starting your studies – see below under ‘Assessment Examination / Preparatory College (Studienkolleg)’.

Academic Evaluation Centre (Akademische Prüfstelle)

Applicants for a Bachelor degree programme from the PR Chinaand Vietnam need to upload their APS certificate including an average grade from the Academic Evaluation Center of the respective German embassy before the deadline. If the APS certificate doesn't show a grade a VPD is required.

Applicants from India need a certificate of the Academic Evaluation Center of Indiain order to request a VPD from uni-assist. (If academic achievements are to be recognised in the VPD, they must also be verified in the APS certificate.)

Assessment examination / Preparatory College (Studienkolleg)

If you are not directly qualified for higher education, but only for a preparatory college (Studienkolleg), you need to sit an assessment examination at a preparatory college in order to obtain a German university entrance qualification. Over a period of two semesters (1 year) the Studienkolleg prepares students for the assessment examination (FSP) which will qualify you to apply for a place in a degree programme at OTH Regensburg. Entrance examinations in German and Mathematics are held at the beginning of February and at the end of July for admission to the Studienkolleg.

Please apply directly to one of the Studienkollegs. In the Free State of Bavaria the FSP examination is organized by the Studienkolleg Coburg for the Universities of Applied Sciences.

General information about preparatory colleges in Germany

For your application at OTH Regensburg please submit your FSP certificate together with your school-leaving certificate from your home country.

A successfully passed assessment examination also proofs sufficient German language skills. No further language certificate is necessary.

The teaching language in most degree programmes at OTH Regensburg is German, including those with English titles. Therefore applicants have to proof a sufficient level of German, if they have acquired their Higher Education Entrance Qualification abroad.

Exceptions are the degree programmes that can be studied in English. You will find a list on this webiste under the bullet point English language degree programmes.

Overview: Required Levels of German and All Certificates Recognized at the OTH Regensburg

Detailed information on the requirements can be found on the respective degree programme page.

You can either upload the proof of your proficiency in German to your application or to your enrolment.

There is the possibility for international OTH-applicants to pass the "Deutsche Sprachprüfung für den Hochschulzugang" (DSH) and other German proficiency exams at the ZSK of the University of Regensburg. The information sheet from the University of Regensburg (in German) summarises everything you need to know.

In order to gain the required language level, a preparatory German language course might be useful.

If you haven’t reached the required level of German language skills yet, a preparatory German language course might be interesting for you.

OTH Regensburg closely cooperates with the Center of Language and Communication (ZSK) at the University of Regensburg, who offers German as a foreign language (DaF). The courses start from level B2. A course fee of 530 € per semester needs to be paid. You will find all facts and dates about the courses in the summer semester 2025 in the information sheet of the ZSK.

In order to register for a course, please send these documents to the International Office of the OTH Regensburg:

• VPD via uni-assist (recognition of certificates) qualifying directly for higher education or admission to a Master's degree programme at OTH Regensburg
• Proof of German language skills, at least B1 "good" (Goethe, telc, TestDaF, ÖSD resp. 70 points or more in an onSET)
• Registration form, filled-in and signed
• Proof of payment of the 530 € course fee (for refugees in most cases a copy of the ID card is sufficient) - the account details are on the registration form

Please send the documents for the registration for the courses in the summer semester 2025 via e-mail to anmeldung_df(at)oth-regensburg.de. Deadline is 14 February 2025. Make sure to request your VPD in advance! It can take 4-6 weeks to get it.

The courses will be from 23 April till 24 July 2025.

As soon as you have submitted all required documents, you will receive an informal e-mail confirming your application, which includes useful infor­mation about the enrolment and further steps to take. Please note that a semester fee must be paid each semester (€ 181 in winter semester 2024/2025). It includes a semester ticket.

If you need a formal letter of confirmation (e.g. for your visa), please let us know. Please be aware that the letter can only be issued if the required documents for registration are completely submitted. For some countries (e.g. Iran), an admission is additionally required for the visa application. Only in this case you have to additionally apply for a study place - only for the visa. For most countries, however, a confirmation of German course attendance is sufficient. In this case please do NOT apply for your desired degree programme via the online application portal yet.

Please also read the information about "Visas" and "Housing" further down on this website. You will find some information about student financing on the website During Studies. Please note that in most cases you can only apply for a scholarship if you have already successfully completed two semesters of your degree programme.

German courses with costs are also offered by the Volkshochschule Regensburg (TestDaF) and by a number of language schools. On the website of the Federal Governement for qualified professionals working in Germany you will find interesting links for learning German online.

OTH Regensburg offers these English-language degree programmes:

• B.Sc. International Comuputer Science (ICS)
• B.Eng. International Mechanical Engineering (IME) (German skills on level A2 required)
• M.A. International Management (MEB) (no service fee)
• M.Eng. Electrical and Microsystems Engineering (MEM)
• M.Sc. Mathematics for Business and Industry (MBI)

Please follow the links for detailed information. Only the English certificates listed there will be accepted.

For non-EU students there is a service fee of € 500 per semester for the English-language degree programmes (exception: Master International Management). Please follow the link for detailed information.

Online Portal for Applications

If you want to study a degree programme at OTH Regensburg University of Applied Sciences you need to apply for a university place. Please use the online portal during the application period and upload all required documents (as PDF files) directly. Some documents can be submitted later, but only if the application has been received by the deadline.

You will find the link to the portal and all detailed information such as deadlines and admission requirements on the website of each degree programme under application info. (You can access the page of your desired degree programme by searching in the degree programme overview). There you will also find the deadlines for submitting the pass certificates of assessment examinations  and the VPD (for Bachelor applications). A letter of motivation is not required for a Bachelor's application.

Do not withdraw your application after the application deadline in order to resubmit it. Submission after the deadline is no longer possible!

After you have sent your application documents you will automatically receive a confirmation of receipt via e-mail. You can use this confirmation for your visa application. Please note that processing a visa application can take several months! Please inform yourself about the visa requirements in your country before applying! We cannot issue conditional admission during the application process.

It is possible to apply for more than one degree programme.

For details about course contents and the selection procedure, please contact the responsible academic counsellor. You can find the specific contact persons on the website of each study degree programme.

If you want to apply for a higher semester, please apply for a first semester in addition.

After the application you can see the status of your application in the portal. The status "Valid" does not mean that you have been admitted, but that you are participating in the study place allocation procedure. The status "In preparation" means that you have not yet submitted your application.

If you have any questions about your application documents please contact the Admissions and Organisation Office.

Course Allocation

There is a limit to the number of places available for some of our degree programmes (so-called NC-programmes), so applicants will be selected based on their average grade obtained in their higher education entrance qualification. In the international quota there are places reserved for applicants

• who are non-German or stateless and not nationals of a Member State of the European Economic Area (EEA) and
• who have not obtained their university entrance qualification in Germany or at a German school abroad.

In terms of entrance requirements, no distinction is made between EEA nationals / foreign nationals with a German university entrance qualification, and Germans.

Nationality is relevant for admission. If there are two nationalities and you are aiming for the quota for foreign course applicants, then only the non-German nationality may be given.

5 % of places are reserved for international applicants. Applicants are selected according to their level of qualification, waiting times are not credited. Applications for recognition of hardship cases cannot be considered.

Hochschulstart will send out the admission and rejection notifications by e-mail for a winter semester from the end of July to the end of August and for a summer semester from the end of January to the end of February.

If your application is successful, you will receiv an admission letter. For the enrolment you first have to accept the place of study and then apply for enrolment. The enrolment process is exclusively online. There is no need to report in person to the Admissions Office to do this. There is also no need to provide any original documents or notarised copies. Please upload all the documents mentioned in the admission letter within the specified deadline.

For degree programmes with restricted admission (NC programmes), you will need to accept the place of study both on hochschulstart.de and in the application portal of OTH Regensburg. If your programme does not have an NC, you only need to accept the place of study in the OTH application portal. Please respect the deadlines! If you do not accept the place of study within the deadline mentioned in the admission letter, you will lose it.

After your request for enrolment has been processed, you will receive some notifications and (if you provided a mailing address in Germany) you will also receive your student ID card by post. If you have not provided an address in Germany, you will be able to pick up the student card at the Admissions and Organisation Office after arriving on campus.  

Admission notices are only valid for one semester and admission or enrolment can not be deferred. So if you are unable to start your studies in the semester you received admission for (for example due to visa issues), you will have to apply again.

You can cancel your enrolment up to four weeks after the start of the semester and get your full fees refunded.

The enrolment is only valid for the firste semester. Students must re-register for the continuation of their studies for the second and all following semesters.

The certificate of enrolment / certificate of study (“Immatrikulationsbescheinigung”) will be available for download in your student account (“Reports”) after 1 September or 1 March (see “IT Access / RZ Login Data”).

For enrolment questions, please contact department-of-studies(at)oth-regensburg.de. To help us find your file or application, please make sure to mention your full name, your enrolment number or your applicant number (if you have not enrolled yet) and the degree programme you are applying for.

Missing German Language Certificate

If you have got a place in a degree programme, but the proof of German knowledge is missing, you can usually switch to a preparatory German language course for the same semester. Please send an e-mail to anmeldung_df(at)oth-regensburg.de. Please be aware that you cannot defer your admission to a later semester. You have to apply again in due time.

A note in advance: We have no influence on the visa process and therefore unfortunately cannot offer any support in this regard.

On the website of the Federal Foreign Office you find comprehensive information about visa regulations. We have summarized the most important aspects.

No visa required

EU nationals and nationals from Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland, Israel, the USA, Canada, Japan, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand, Andorra, Honduras, Monaco, San Marino, Brazil and El Salvador do not need a visa to enter the Federal Republic of Germany.

Student visa

Students from non-EU countries (except for Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland, Israel, the USA, Canada, Japan, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand, Andorra, Honduras, Monaco, San Marino, Brazil and El Salvador) must apply for a so-called student visa before they can enter the Federal Republic of Germany. These visas can be obtained from the German diplomatic representation (embassy, consulate) in the home country or current country of residence.

Please note that processing a visa application can take several months! Please inform yourself about the visa requirements in your country before applying! That's why you should contact a German diplomatic representation (the list is only available in German) as soon as possible!

Your admission notice is the basis on which you can apply for a student visa. You can also use the enrolment confirmation e-mail as proof of enrolment.Your entry to Germany should be planned for the date on which you are required to appear at OTH Regensburg as shown in your admission notice. Before granting a visa, the German diplomatic representation will ask for further documents such as proof of financing and evidence that you have health insurance. You should ask the German embassy or consulate where you currently reside exactly which documents you must present.

If you change your study programme during your studies, you need to inform the Foreigners’ Registration Office (Ausländerbehörde) at an early stage. If not, your stay is illegal!

Applicant visa

If you are planning to take a German course at a language school in Germany in preparation for studying here, i.e., you have not yet been issued with an admission notice for a university to support your visa application, you can still apply for an entry visa as a prospective student. You should ask the German diplomatic representation (the list is only available in German) in your home country exactly what requirements you need to meet (confirmation of registration with a language school, higher education entrance qualification, proof of financing etc.).

Under no circumstances should you come to Germany as a tourist or visitor! A tourist visa cannot be converted to a student visa once you have entered the country.

Certificate of right of residence / residence permit

EU nationals and nationals of Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway must register with the city’s civic centre (Bürgerzentrum), if they plan to stay for more than three months. There you need to apply for a Freedom of Movement Certificate = Freizügigkeitsbescheinigung.

Required are:

• a residence card for nationals of EU member states and EEA countries and their family members

• a valid passport

• a biometric passport photo

Non-EU nationals must register with the Regensburger Bürgerzentrum and apply for a residence permit within one week of arriving in the city. Residence permits for students are not issued until after they have enrolled.

The following documents are necessary when applying for a residence permit:

• application for a residence title (= Antrag auf Erteilung eines Aufenthaltstitels)

• a valid passport with entry visa

• a certificate of enrolment from OTH Regensburg

• health insurance certificate

• a biometric passport photo

• proof of adequate means of subsistence (992 € per month)

• funds to pay fee 

Please note: You must register with the Bürgerzentrum (Foreigners’ Registration Office, Abteilung für Ausländerangelegenhei­ten) within one week of moving into a room or apartment, stating your new address.

All students must have adequate health insurance coverage. You will not be able to either register or re-register at our university of applied sciences without valid health insurance cover.

Foreign health insurance policies or private policies that stipulate a maximum amount of cover usually cannot be accepted.

Students from countries that have a social insurance agreement with Germany (all EU countries, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland) only need the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) or equivalent proof of their insurance in their home country. However, you still need to contact a German statutory health insurance company and apply for an exemption from German insurance. You should send them your insurance details and ask them to confirm directly to OTH Regensburg that your insurance is valid in Germany. The exemption will be valid for the entire duration of your enrolment.

Limited insurance agreements that only cover absolute emergencies exist with Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Turkey, and Tunisia. It is advisable to take out a German health insurance policy in these cases.

All other students must purchase German health insurance.

If you are under 30 years old, we recommend choosing the statutory / public student health insurance. It covers the costs of medical treatment, medication, hospitalisation, preventive measures, and rehabilitation. It also secures the entitlement to continued payment of wages in the event of illness. Proof of insurance will be required for your visa application, so blocked account providers may recommend insurance companies to you. Please choose your health insurance provider carefully, because once you activate your insurance, you will have to wait at least one year before you can switch to another company. To activate your public health insurance, you must first find accommodation, open a bank account and complete the city registration. Until you activate your public health insurance, you should be covered by travel insurance. Please note that once your insurance is activated, you will be asked to pay the premiums starting from the first day of coverage (which is at the latest the first day of the semester), not from the date of arrival in Germany.

Students under the age of 30 can also take out private insurance if they wish. However, private insurance is normally either more expensive than statutory insurance, or if it is cheaper, it usually does not offer the same coverage. Once you have opted for private insurance, you cannot go back to public insurance for the entire duration of your enrolment.

Students aged over 30 years cannot be insured at the student rate and must purchase private health insurance. If a student is privately insured, they must also apply for an exemption from the public health insurance by sending proof of their insurance to a public health insurance company.

You need to maintain an active insurance policy for the entire duration of your studies (even during semester breaks or while you are abroad). If you stop paying your premiums, the insurance company will notify us, and we will cancel your enrolment (which means that you could lose your student visa). If you need medical treatment while you are uninsured, the costs can escalate quickly.

The DAAD presents general information about the German Healthcare and Health Insurance on its website.

Please also read the information about insurances on the website of the OTH Study Department.

Annotation: We strongly advise you to take out personal liability insurance which will cover many of the claims for damages caused through the fault, negligence, etc. of the policy holder.

RZ i.e. “Rechenzentrum” (Data Centre) is your main point of contact for all IT issues, user ID and login data.

For almost all platforms you will use regularly (ELO, SSP and webmail), the log-in details are the same and will be known as your RZ login data (“RZ-Kennung”). They will be created automatically by RZ after enrolment. The new RZ login data are different from your applicant login data. Your applicant ID will be deleted after the start of the semester, so you should access your student ID account as soon as possible and only use that one going forward.

The RZ student login details must be retrieved from the portal. They will not be sent by e-mail!  

Every student can download the login data for his or her RZ account from the online portal a few days after enrolment. To get the RZ login data, you have to log in to your applicant account with your applicant ID and password. Under “My studies / Mein Studium” you will find a password-protected file which you can open by re-entering your applicant ID and password. There you will find your new access data in the form of three letters (a combination of your last and first name) and five numbers (Example: Mustermann, Max → mum12345) as well as a password. This is your student RZ login data.

After you have got your details, you can log out as an applicant and then log in to the same portal again as a student. You should change the password after you log in for the first time.

All participants in the preparatory German course must go to the information desk of the Computer Centre.

With your account and password, you can

• log into IT systems in computer rooms at OTH Regensburg and the University of Regensburg (CIP-Pools)
• use your personal OTH e-mail account
• use your personal storage space on the OTH drive (G:\)
• access the OTH drive (VPN, WLAN) and use the e-learning platform

Please register right away for the e-learning course information for international students!
 

In order to use the printers in the CIP-Pools, you need to put money on your student ID card at one of the validation machines.

If you have any questions or problems, please contact the info point.

Regensburg is a lively university city with over 30,000 students. As a result, the housing market is very tight. The search for a room is the students' own responsibility! It is recommended to start the search as early as possible. We have summarized useful information about accommodation for you.

We look forward to welcoming you personally to OTH Regensburg very soon! Please read all the information about starting your studies so that you are well prepared. You can find information specifically for international students on the International Office's page During Studies, e.g. about issues like how to get in touch with other students, university sports and student financing.