Abitur and more

You can acquire the general qualification to enter higher education, for example, at grammar schools, vocational schools, adult education centres, colleges or with a degree from a university/university of applied sciences. It applies to all study programmes at universities

With the subject-related qualification to enter higher education, the admission to the course must be clear from the respective grade certificate. This entitles the holder to study in the area indicated on the subject-related qualification to enter higher education.

Within a trial course, you can take part in courses offered from one to two semesters. You may apply for the trial studies if you already have a professional qualification, however, without a secondary school leaving certificate and who:

• have at least two years of vocational training regulated by federal or state law and successfully completed in a field related to the desired study programme, and
• have at least three years of full-time professional practice subsequent to the training in a field related to the desired study programme.

The following documents can be submitted to check as to whether the requirements for admission to a trial course are met:

• cover letter with the (informal) application for admission to a trial course and a description of the current situation, and an indication of the specific study programme desired
• a current, detailed, tabular CV with information on education, training, and professional activities; in particular with a suitable proof of at least three years of full-time professional practice relevant to the intended study programme
• all previous vocational grade certificates and professional certificates of at least two years of relevant vocational education and training (all pages in officially certified copies) and school-leaving certificates (single copy)
• submission of the proof sheet regarding academic advice at the Central Academic Advisory Service

Postal address:
Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena
Dezernat 1 (SSZ)
Mr Götz
Fürstengraben 1
07743 Jena
Germany

Please remember to enclose a self-addressed and sufficiently stamped envelope.

Deadlines for applications

Application for an intended start in a winter semester (start of semester: 1 October):

• up to 30 June (for study programmes with restricted admission)
• up to 31 August (for study programmes without restricted admission).

Application for an intended start in a summer semester (start of semester: 1 April):

• up to 31 December (for study programmes with restricted admission)
• up to 1 March (for study programmes without restricted admission).

Please contact Michael Götz by phone on +49 (0)3641 9-41110 if you have any questions about the admission to higher education without the Abitur.

The International Pathway Programme is a form of entrance examination to higher education. It is aimed at international prospective students who meet the following requirements: 

• You are interested in pursuing your first undergraduate degree in a programme without admission restrictions offered at the University of Jena. In our range of degree programmes, these are all courses without a numerus clausus (NC) procedure.
• You do not yet hold a university entrance qualification for a German higher education institution
• You completed the TestASExternal link aptitude test and got a very good result
• You have sufficient German language skills to complete a degree programme in German language.

If you do not yet meet the above requirements, you might consider joining the Thuringian preparatory college (Studienkolleg) in Nordhausen. There, you will take the assessment test and a German language test after one year of preparation. You can find all information here.

The International Pathway Programme allows you to demonstrate your ability to study your chosen degree programme. First you will study two semesters in your chosen programme—just like regular students. After two semesters, you must have earned at least 30 credit points (regular students require 60 credit points). If you have successfully earned these credits, you have passed the subject-specific entrance examination that qualifies you to study at the University of Jena. 

Successfully passing the examination for the master craftsman’s diploma (“Meisterprüfung”) entitles the holder to study all study programmes at the Friedrich Schiller University Jena.

The successful completion of an education programme as a state-certified technician (i.e. “staatlich geprüfter Techniker/in”) or state-certified business management graduate (i.e. “staatlich geprüfter Betriebswirt/in”) entitles the holder to study all study programmes at Friedrich Schiller University Jena.

You may also be admitted to an institution of higher education after completing at least two years of vocational training (i.e. “berufliche Ausbildung”). In this regard, you must also complete the professional further vocational training successfully. This one must be recognized as an equivalent or is determined to be equivalent by the institution of higher education.

An overview of recognized further vocational training courses can be found in the Thuringian Ordinance on the Equivalence of Further Vocational Training for Admission to Higher EducationExternal link.

To check whether your secondary school leaving certificate can be granted as eligible, please send the following documents:

• a cover letter requesting the assessment of a secondary school leaving certificate and a description of the current situation, and an indication of the specific study programme desired
• a current, detailed, tabular CV, in particular with full details on education, training, and professional activities
• all previous vocational grade certificates, professional certificates, further training certificates (all pages in officially certified copies), and school leaving certificates and other proof of qualification (single copies).

Postal address:
Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena
Dezernat 1 (SSZ)
Mr Götz
Fürstengraben 1
07743 Jena
Germany

Please remember to enclose a self-addressed and sufficiently stamped envelope.

Graduates of the following education institutions are eligible to study in any undergraduate study programme:

• universities of applied sciences (“Fachhochschule”)
• universities of cooperative education (“duale Hochschule”)
• universities of management and administration (“Verwaltungsfachhochschule”)
• state/state-recognized vocational academies (“staatlich anerkannte Berufsakademie”).

The most important requirement for your studies at the University Jena is a secondary school leaving certificate for German universities (“Hochschulzugangsberechtigung” or “HZB”). In the DAAD database or anabin database, you can check whether your foreign education qualification is recognized in Germany.