Bachelor of Arts (B.A.)

Study Architecture

In the Bachelor's in Architecture, you will learn to carry out design, planning and construction tasks independently. In addition to the technical, design, economic and social aspects, special emphasis is placed on the appropriate integration of the existing architectural environment.

application info
Modell
Foto: Florian Hammerich/OTH Regensburg

Content

What is the Bachelor of Architecture programme about?

The Bachelor's in Architecture offers students an active degree and plenty of opportunity to shape their course. The faculty is internationally well-connected, but at the same time is committed to the building culture of our region. Theory and practice are taught equally in project-based modules. This enables our students to experience the complex interrelationships and mindsets that are important for the profession of architect:

  • Planning, design and presentation
  • Construction, materials, building structures and energy
  • Project realisation
  • Urban planning and building history

The independent study of practical problems and solution strategies and their integration into complex processes in accordance with the principles of a comprehensive university degree, enables students to keep learning and developing new things.

Strengths of the degree programme

The building

Building L at Galgenbergstraße 32 facilitates a very special collaborative atmosphere: open, shared decks connected by free atrium staircases and a central space to form a large, continuous spiral of rooms, which host not only group work and seminars, but also exhibitions and lectures. It is an open and lively building full of dynamism.

Laboratories and workshops

The faculty's laboratories and workshops are state-of-the-art and extremely well-equipped.

Architecture and context

The faculty's thematic focus on "Architecture and Context" encapsulates our common search for strategies to make the architecture of the future sustainable, aesthetic and contextual.

Career opportunties

Study objective and career prospects

Architecture unites creativity, science, technology and society. It spans from the creative vision, through the design process with its constructional details, to the realisation of a building that offers people new qualities - all within the framework of cost and time constraints.

Structure and modules

How is the degree programme structured?

The Bachelor's in Architecture is a full-time course comprising six theoretical semesters. Mandatory elective modules enable specialisation.

Studies and organisational matters

So that everything runs smoothly

When and where do lectures take place? Which legal regulations must be observed? Who can you ask? Answers to these and other questions about the Bachelor of Architecture programme can be found here.

  • Lectures take place on the main campus of the OTH Regensburg in the Faculty of Architecture building:

    Building L
    Galgenbergstraße 32
    93053 Regensburg


Faculty strengths

Application info

1. Please register in the  OTH Regensburg application portal. It is not necessary to register with “Hochschulstart” for this degree programme.

2. The application process is entirely online. Please complete the online application and upload all required application documents. This includes as a minimum your university entrance qualification. An important part of the application is your digital portfolio. Without it, your application is not valid. If further documents are required, they will be requested in the application portal.

3. Make sure you regularly check your status in the application portal. Here you can also see whether any documents are still missing. You can upload missing documents before the deadline for late submission of certificates. If you upload the required documents, your status will change.

4. You will automatically receive email notifications via the application portal when your application status changes.

 

5. After your application has been processed, you will receive an e-mail with further information from the Admissions and Organisation Office of the OTH Regensburg as confirmation of receipt.

6. After the application period has ended, all valid application documents are checked by the examination committee. You will then receive either an invitation to the aptitude test or a notice of non-acceptance from the faculty. Please note that it is no longer possible to apply after the application deadline. 

7. So what comes next? You can find all the information you need in the section under "Admissions and enrolment".

 

For winter semesters:

Application period for first semesters: 1 May - 15 June. Final deadline for late submission of certificates: 27 July.

Application period for higher semesters: 01 May - 15 June (no late submissions)

For summer semesters:

(No start of studies, therefore an application is only possible for a higher semester. This requires creditable achievements from a relevant programme of study).

Application period for higher semesters: 15 November – 15 January (no late submissions)

Portfolio

In order to pre-select the candidates for the aptitude test, we require you to submit a digital portfolio which you should upload in the application portal together with the other application documents. The portfolio should not exceed a maximum of 20 MB. The following documents must be uploaded individually:

  1. Curriculum vitae (max. one DIN A4 page).
  2. A signed declaration (= declaration of authorship) that all work has been produced independently (max. one DIN A4 page).
  3. A letter of motivation (max. one DIN A4 page) in which you explain the most important reasons why you want to study architecture at the Ostbayerische Technische Hochschule Regensburg. Try to explain what interests you about architecture. For example, have you had any experiences in recent years that have changed your perception of phenomena in our (built) environment, culture or social life? Were there any buildings, landscapes, events or the like that have inspired or touched you? Did this happen in a completely different context, for example when reading a book or playing a computer game? Can you describe what motivates you, what inspires you?
  4. Portfolio: cover page / title page with your full name, your complete address and your application number.

Explanation of the portfolio

To prove your individual artistic talent and suitability for completing the Bachelor's degree programme in Architecture, please submit five different works which you completed independently, amounting to a maximum total of 15 pages plus cover page and index. These can be drawings, paintings, collages, computer representations and images of sculptural works or similar.

Part of completing the Bachelor's degree in Architecture is to observe, analyse and translate the environment in all its architectural, artificial and natural manifestations with curiosity and interest.

An application portfolio is rarely a more or less random compilation of already existing works, but rather the aesthetic documentation of a conscious engagement with a topic of personal interest. You should submit five different works which you completed independently. These works do not have to form a unified whole, but can of course also be included as individual, stand-alone works that convincingly demonstrate your involvement and interests.

You should not only submit the final results, but also document your work process: preliminary studies, variants, observations and experiments. These can potentially tell us more about what you are aiming to express amd what you are interested in. The works do not necessarily have to relate to architecture. What is more important is your creativity, your engagement with specific spacial, artistic or design issues / interests, observations or ideas that you have developed individually.

Please do not just focus on the works, but also on constructing a clear and appealing portfolio. Your cover letter and CV are part of your self-presentation
and must be prepared with care in terms of content and form.

The limitation to five works does not mean that the portfolio should only take up five pages - you can use up to 15 pages. Your five works should demonstrate that you can work with at least three different representation techniques: these include for example free-hand drawings, paintings, collages or photographs. Please present sculptural and model works by means of illustrations. If you submit design-architectural projects, these should be limited to a maximum of two of the five works.

The portfolio will be evaluated by the selection committee based on idea, concept, creativity and quality on a point scale of 0 – 20 points. In order to be admitted to the aptitude test, you are required to achieve at least 12 points. Results will be announced promptly by e-mail. Please refrain from inquiries and please don't contact us for advice on portfolio design. 

Application status

If your application status is „Temporarily excluded“, this is because you have not submitted a suitable university entrance qualification (higher secondary school certificate or similar). This status is not related to your portfolio or the aptitude test. If you upload a university entrance qualification certificate which fulfils our requirements, your status will change. Please read more about your status.

Aptitude test on 12.07.2024

The next step is taking the aptitude test at OTH Regensburg. You can find the Faculty of Architecture in building L in Galgenbergstraße 32, 93053 Regensburg. If your application is successful, you will receive an e-mail invitation to the qualifying examination at the latest one week before the date of the test.

The day of the aptitude test will be scheduled as follows:

  • 8:00 AM - 8.45 am   Registration (Please let us know whether you have registered for the aptitude test in Industrial Design as well = double application. If that is the case, we will consider this for our planning.)
  • 8:45 am - 9:45 am   Welcome speech
  • 10:00 am - 1:00 pm   Rational-cognitive part and Artistic-creative part
  • 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm   Lunch break
  • 2:00 pm - ca. 7:00 pm   Interviews                                 

Assessment criteria:                                  

  • Spatial imagination
  • Drawing skills
  • Descriptive and communication skills
  • Technical understanding
  • Perception
  • Creativity and imagination
  • Information processing
  • Work behaviour
  • Ability to work in a team, commitment
  • Motivation

Work equipment (please bring your own!):            

  • Pencil B
  • Pencil sharpener
  • Rubber eraser
  • Ruler / triangle

Auxiliary materials are not allowed!

Additional certificate:             

-> Please bring a copy of your university entrance qualification certificate to the aptitude test. In addition, if you haven't already done so, do not forget to upload the certificate in the application portal until 27.07.2024.

Results will be announced promptly by e-mail; verbal inquires will not be answered.

Legal basis: Study and Examination Regulations and University Statutes on the Evaluation of Applicants.

General Information:

During the pre-study placement, practical ideas and knowledge are to be conveyed, i.e. no auxiliary activities should be performed. It is to be completed full-time ( which is normal in companies/institutions).
If you are attending the FOS/BOS, please do not enclose any internship documents, proof of activities, etc. Your school leaving certificate is sufficient, as it states the field of study.

Confirmation of pre-study placement:

- Submit one complete confirmation and not several partial confirmations.
- The number of weeks must be included in all pre-study placement confirmations; i.e. not only the period of time.
- If the previous pre-study placement was not completed in Germany, a certificate in at least English is required.

You are welcome to use our ”Praktikumsbestätigung” (pre-study placement confirmation) form as an aid and submit it to the company/institution for signature.

Special information for this study programme:

The pre-study internship requirement does not apply if the FOS/BOS certificate with a subject major in technology or design is uploaded with the application for admission. In all other cases, the following information applies:

Due date of the pre-study placement certificate:

From the start of your studies until the end of the second semester at the latest (not the deadline for your application for admission). To be submitted by e-mail to the Examinations and Internships Office.

Duration:

6 weeks

Splitting up your pre-study internship:

The pre-study internship can be completed as a whole or in consecutive segments of at least three weeks each. The documents must be submitted once in full, not several times with partial confirmations.

Content:

Proof of practical construction activities in a company in the main or secondary construction industry must be provided. The practical work should provide insight into the conditions and processes of construction in a broad spectrum. The FOS/BOS “Technik und Gestaltung” (technology and design) qualification is fully recognised as a pre-study internship.

 

1. Please register in the application portal of OTH Regensburg .

2. You can now select the programme you want to apply for. Please go through the steps of the application, read the information carefully and upload the required documents when prompted. If you are applying for a higher semester, the most important documents are your university entrance qualification (for details please also check the tab „International“), certificates of language proficiency, official transcripts of records showing the courses you already completed, as well as a completed and signed application for credit recognition. Additional documents will be pointed out in the application portal.

Important!
You should only apply for a higher semester if you have already completed at least one semester in a similar university degree in terms of academic level (Bachelor’s or Master’s degree) and field of study. If you are currently enrolled in your first semester at university, you should not apply for a higher semester because you will most likely not receive your exam results before our application deadline (we do not accept any documents after the deadline).

To assess whether you have already completed creditable work, you should first read the study and examination regulations of the programme you wish to study, in particular which courses and modules are included in the curriculum. Further details of course content can be found in the programme’s module handbook. You can find these documents on the OTH Regensburg programme website. If you believe that you have already completed courses that are equivalent in terms of content and workload to courses from the programme’s curriculum at OTH Regensburg, you can make a proposal for recognition to the Admissions Board by listing these courses in the application for credit transfer. You also need to submit transcripts of records. Please combine these with course or module descriptions from your previous university. Instead of uploading the complete module handbooks, you should only upload the module descriptions of the courses you have completed. If the courses were taken at OTH Regensburg, module descriptions are not required. If you would be interested in studying the programme in the first semester as well, you should apply separately for the first semester (different deadlines or requirements may apply).

3. Please check the OTH Regensburg application portal regularly for updates on your status or missing documents. If necessary, you can upload any missing documents before the application deadline.

4. As soon as your application has been processed by the Admissions Office, you will receive a confirmation e-mail with additional information. Please note that receiving a confirmation e-mail does not imply that you will also receive admission.

 

For their application at the OTH Regensburg, international applicants need

  • a university entrance qualification
  • an adequate knowledge of German

 

UNIVERSITY ENTRANCE QUALIFICATION

For an application for a Bachelor’s degree programme at the OTH Regensburg (university of applied sciences) international certificates, transcripts of your educational records and diplomas must first be recognized by uni-assist. Please request a so-called “preliminary review documentation” (in German abbr. VPD). (Exceptions are applications from the PR China and Vietnam. The recognition lies in the responsibility of the particular Academic Evaluation Center. However, if the APS certificate does not show a grade, a VPD is also required. Applicants from India need a certificate of the Academic Evaluation Center of India in order to request the VPD from uni-assist.)

 

GERMAN LANGUAGE SKILLS

German language skills on level DSH 1 are required. You have to upload your German language certificate either when applying or when enrolling via the online portal.

These certificates are recognized as an alternative to the DSH 1 certificate:

  • TestDaF: TDN 3 in all sections of the exam
  • Studienkolleg: Feststellungsprüfung „Deutsch“
  • DSD: Level II with B2 in all sections of the exam
  • Goethe: C1
  • telc: telc Deutsch C1, telc Deutsch C1 Hochschule
  • ÖSD: C1
  • UNIcert® Deutsch III

Please read all texts and, if available, linked documents directly under Application Info!

 

If you need a visa to study in Germany, you should look into the visa procedure and (if necessary) register on the waitlist as soon as possible. Depending on your country, receiving a visa appointment can take a long time. On the other hand, our admission letters are only valid for one semester and admission cannot be deferred.

You can find more information for prospective international students (on visas or other issues) on the web pages of the International Office.

For prospective students with a master craftsman's certificate

With a master craftsman's certificate or an equivalent equivalent qualification, you can apply without restriction and have no subject restrictions, as you have a general university entrance qualification. In the application portal, you will be asked for your higher education entrance qualification. Please enter "Beruflich Qualifizierte Meister" (vocationally qualified master craftsman).

When applying, in addition to your complete certificate including grade point average, you must also submit documentary proof of an interview with the departmental advisor for course guidance. Please make an appointment as early as possible. The name and contact details can be found in the "contact" section of each degree programme. Your course guidance advisor will also provide you with documentary proof that the interview took place. Documentary records of academic counselling from other universities in Bavaria are recognised for the same or similar degree programmes and must also be uploaded in the application portal. Other documents specific to your chosen study programme can be found in the application portal.

Attending a preparatory course (including mathematics) is particularly useful for taking up a technical or engineering degree programme. The OTH Regensburg offers suitable preparatory courses for those with vocational qualifications.

If you would like to study part-time - i.e. parallel to your job - rather than full-time, we recommend that you visit the pages of the Centre for Continuing Education and Knowledge Management (ZWW).

 

For prospective students with a vocational qualification certificate

If you have completed vocational training, it is possible to apply for a place at university with a specific subject in mind. Your vocational training and the degree programme you wish to pursue must have a subject-related connection. In the application portal, you will be asked for your higher education entrance qualification. Please enter "Beruflich Qualifizierte Gesellen" (vocationally qualified journeymen).

Please upload the following documents with your application:

1. Certificate of completion of vocational training including grade point average

2. Certificate of completion from a vocational school

3. Proof of subsequent full-time employment of at least three years relevant to the vocational training.

4. Other documents specific to your chosen study programme can be found in the application portal.

5. Documentary record of an interview with the departmental advisor for course guidance. Please make an appointment as early as possible. The name and contact details can be found in the "contact" section of each degree programme. Your course guidance advisor will also provide you with confirmation that the interview took place. Documentary records of academic counselling from other universities in Bavaria are recognised for the same or similar degree programmes and must also be uploaded in the application portal.

For full admission, applicants are still required to complete a two-semester probationary period, i.e. admission is tentative and subject to certain conditions.

Attending a preparatory course (including mathematics) is particularly useful for taking up a technical or engineering degree programme. The OTH Regensburg offers suitable preparatory courses for those with vocational qualifications.

If you would like to study part-time - i.e. parallel to your job - rather than full-time, we recommend that you visit the pages of the Centre for Continuing Education and Knowledge Management (ZWW).

Admission and enrolment

If your application has the status “Gültig” ("valid"), you can already be assured that you will be offered a place in a study programme at the OTH Regensburg. (This does not apply to Bachelor degrees in Architecture, Industrial Design and Midwifery). You can download the corresponding “Zulassungsbescheid” (admission letter) in the application portal. You can accept your offer of admission immediately in the application portal and enrol online.

Enrolment generally takes place in August for the winter semester and in February for the summer semester.
If you have also applied for a degree programme with restricted admission, please wait with your current enrolment until the allocation of places in study programmes has been decided. However, to be on the safe side, you should enrol by the end of the deadline at the latest.
If you cannot be admitted due to missing documents, you will receive a letter of rejection.

Documents

The following documents must normally be uploaded for online enrolment at the university:

  • “Antrag auf Immatrikulation” (Application for enrolment) along with other documents required, depending on the individual case. You will be able to download the application for enrolment after accepting the place of study online in the OTH Regensburg application portal.
  •     Signed “Einwilligungserklärung zum Datenschutz” (declaration of consent regarding data protection). You will receive this together with the application for enrolment.
  •     Copy of valid identity card/passport
  •     Digital notification of health insurance, see the following notes "I would like to enrol. What do I have to do?"

Semester fee

You will receive the transfer details for the semester fee with your application for enrolment.

I want to enrol as a student and have to provide proof of health insurance. What do I need to do?

  • If you have chosen public / statutory insurance, please contact your health insurance company and inform them that you are planning to enrol at Ostbayerische Technische Hochschule (OTH) Regensburg. Your health insurance company will then send us a digital notification known as M10. Please note that we cannot accept any insurance membership certificates in PDF or paper form. Our institution number is H0000048 (please provide this to your insurance company if necessary).

    If you have questions about public vs. private insurance, please check the website of the DAAD.


  • If the insurance from your home country is not accepted in Germany and you are over 30 years old, you may have chosen a private health insurance for Germany. In this case, please contact any public health insurance company in Germany with your insurance documents. Please inform them that you would like to enrol at Ostbayerische Technische Hochschule (OTH) Regensburg and remain privately insured. The health insurance company will then send us a digital notification of your exemption from public insurance. Please note that we cannot accept an insurance membership certificate from your private health insurance instead of the exemption. Our institution number is H0000048.

    If you have questions about public vs. private insurance, please check the website of the DAAD.


  • If you are already insured in another EU country, your insurance may be accepted in Germany. If that is the case, you need to apply from exemption from compulsory public insurance. To do that, please contact any public health insurance company in Germany, send them your insurance documents and inform them that you would like to enrol at Ostbayerische Technische Hochschule (OTH) Regensburg. The health insurance company will then send us a digital notification of exemption. Please note that we cannot accept any insurance membership certificates in paper form. Our institution number is H0000048.

    If you are coming from a non-EU country and/or are over 30 years old, you need to take on public or private health insurance which is valid in Germany. The website of the DAAD should help you better understand your options and choose the type of insurance which is best for you. After you have chosen your insurance, please ask your insurance company to send us a digital confirmation message of your insurance, or (if you have chosen private insurance) apply for exemption as instructed above.