Information for Degree Seeking Students

Application for the winter semester 2026/27

Application period starts May 1, 2026. The application process is online. Application deadline for the winter semester is usually July 15.

To submit an application, you must first register in the application portal. Please note down your username and password, as you will need to use the portal repeatedly throughout the application process. Please log in to the portal regularly with your user name and password to check the status of your application. The letter will only be made available via the portal.

Anschließend legen Sie Ihre Bewerbung über Bewerbungsantrag hinzufügen an.

Upload the following application documents:

• copies and official translations of secondary school leaving certificates (higher education entrance qualification) in original language and translation (German or English)
• proof of German language skills on level B1 (according to CEFR) or higher*
• proof of English language skills on level B2* (according to CEFR) or higher for the following programmes:
  • International Relations
  • Economics, Law and Social Sciences - Economics concentration
  • Economics, Law and Social Sciences - Social Science concentration
  • Economics, Law and Social Sciences - Law concentration
  • Management
  • Communication Science
• Originally certified copies of university entrance examinations or of previous university studies or finished first study degrees in original language and translation
• if applicable: copy of the Feststellungsprüfung certificate (Studienkolleg), APS certificate (only applicants of Chinese or Vietnamese nationality)
• if already available at the time of application: proof of passed Eignungsfeststellungsverfahren (Communication Sciences) or proof of passed Eignungsprüfung (Arts, Sports, Music) 

*Proof of English level B2 must be presented at the time of enrollment at the latest. 

At the beginning of the studies, German language skills on the level DSH-2 or DSH-3 must be proven. Equivalent language certificates are telc C1 Hochschule, TestDaF (at least 4 points in each section), Deutsches Sprachdiplom Stufe 2.

Study-preparatory German language courses are offered by our cooperation partner EZSI.

Application for the summer semester 2026

Application for the summer semester 2026 is possible for the following Master's degree courses:

M Applied Linguistics – Acquisition, Processing and Use of Language
Master of Education (all MEd courses)
M Transcultural History
M Literary Studies: Texts. Signs. Media
M Philosophy (Language - Knowledge - Action)
M Economics, Law and Social Sciences
M Theology and Economics

The language of instruction of the above-mentioned Master's courses is German.
The application process is online. 

Application deadline for summer semester 2026 is January 15, 2026.

To submit an application, you must first register in the application portal and then upload the following documents:

• Transcript of Records of your previous academic achievements in original language and translation (German or English).
• Degree certificate (Bachelor or comparable) in original language and translation (German or English)
• Proof of German language skills at least on level B1 (according to the Common European Framework of Reference CEFR)
• further documents if necessary

Please note down your username and password, as you will need to use the portal repeatedly throughout the application process. Please log in to the portal regularly to check the status of your application.
The Letter of Notification will also be provided through the portal.

Applicant portal

Application for the winter semester 2026/27

The application process is online.

To submit an application, you must first register in the application portal and then upload the following documents:

• Transcript of Records of your previous academic achievements in original language and translation (German or English).
• Degree certificate (Bachelor or comparable) in original language and translation (German or English)
• Proof of German language skills at least on level B1* (according to the Common European Framework of Reference CEFR)
• further documents if necessary (i.e. CV, motivation letter, additional documents)

Applicant portal

*Required German language skills:

German language skills are required for all Master's programmes except Religious Studies and Global Communication. These two programmes are taught in English and require proof of English language skills, but no German. For further programme-specific information, please refer to the website of the respective degree programme.

For all other programmes, German language skills at DSH-2 or DSH-3 level must be proven at the start of the studies. Equivalent language certificates are telc C1 Hochschule, TestDaF (at least 4 points in each section), Deutsches Sprachdiplom Level 2. No enrolment without appropriate proof of German!

Instructions for the applicant portal:

Please note down your username and password, as you will need to use the portal repeatedly throughout the application process. Please log in to the portal regularly to check the status of your application.

The Letter of Notification will also be provided through the portal.

The general application deadline for the winter semester is July 15.
However, prospective students from non-EU countries are advised to apply as early as possible and by June 15, 2026 at the latest in order to ensure timely processing so that there is still sufficient time for the visa process.

Students interested in the Master's program "Public Policy" (fee required) refer directly to the Willy Brandt School of Public Policy.

Studienkolleg (Preparatory College)

Applicants whose university entrance qualification is not equivalent to the German Abitur may, under certain conditions, receive conditional admission and take the assessment test at the Studienkolleg. The Staatliches Studienkolleg Thüringen is located in Nordhausen, approximately 70 km north of Erfurt.

To obtain conditional admission with the requirement of taking the assessment test at the preparatory college, you must apply for a bachelor's degree programme. The application period is from 1 May to 15 July, and until September for unrestricted subjects. Please note the information in the tab Application for Bachelor Studies.

The University of Erfurt is a university focused on the humanities and social sciences and therefore does not issue conditional admissions to the T-course or M-course at the preparatory college.

Please note that certificates from the assessment test in the M course or T course do not qualify you for admission to the University of Erfurt.

After submitting an application and reviewing the documents, conditional admission to the G course and W course at the preparatory college may be granted.

G course: Preparation for language and humanities degree programmes in the subjects of literature, history, English, German and mathematics.

W course: Preparation for economics and social sciences degree programmes in the subjects of economics, social studies, media studies and English.

Subject allocation to the focus courses at the preparatory college

Allocation to the focus course is always based on the major subject, which is why subjects that can only be studied as a minor subject are not listed here.

G COURSE:

Arts | Catholic Religion | Communication Sciences | Educational Sciences | English and American Studies | German Studies |  History | Literary Studies | Music | Philosophy | Primary Education | Protestant Religion | Religious Studies | Special Education and Inclusive Pedagogy  | Teaching, Learning and Training Psychology | Technology Education 

W COURSE:

Economics, Law and Social Sciences - Economics concentration | Economics, Law and Social Sciences - Law concentration | Economics, Law and Social Sciences - Social Sciences concentration |  International Relations

Applicants who require an APS certificate for their application (Vietnam, China, India): Please upload the APS certificate unchanged and as a single file, as otherwise the seal may be destroyed. Please upload the document to our portal exactly as you received it from the APS office. Do not convert it or upload it together with other documents.

Application for the winter semester 2026/27

Application period starts May 1, 2026. The application process is online. Application deadline for the winter semester is usually July 15.

To submit an application, you must first register in the application portal. Please note down your username and password, as you will need to use the portal repeatedly throughout the application process. Please log in to the portal regularly with your user name and password to check the status of your application. The letter will only be made available via the portal.

Upload the following application documents:

• copies and official translations of secondary school leaving certificates (higher education entrance qualification) in original language and translation (German or English)
• proof of German language skills on level B1 (according to CEFR) or higher*
• originally certified copies of university entrance examinations or of previous university studies or finished first study degrees in original language and translation
• if applicable: copy of the Feststellungsprüfung certificate (Studienkolleg), APS certificate (only applicants of Chinese or Vietnamese nationality)
• if already available at the time of application: proof of passed Eignungsfeststellungsverfahren (Communication Sciences) or proof of passed Eignungsprüfung (Arts, Sports, Music) 

Applicant portal

*Required German skills upon beginning of studies

At the beginning of the studies, German language skills on the level DSH-2 or DSH-3 must be proven. Equivalent language certificates are telc C1 Hochschule, TestDaF (at least 4 points in each section), Deutsches Sprachdiplom Stufe 2.

Study-preparatory German language courses are offered by our cooperation partner EZSI.

Admission to the “Studienkolleg”

Applicants whose school leaving certificate is not recognized as being equivalent to the German general higher education entrance qualification (Abitur) can apply for admission to a pre-university program (Studienkolleg) and take an assessment test (Feststellungsprüfung). The Staatliches Studienkolleg Thüringen is located in Nordhausen, 70 kilometers to the north of Erfurt. Whether you must attend the Studienkolleg-program or not will be examined during the application process.

International students can pursue their postgraduate studies at the University of Erfurt, i.e. by doing their PhD. This is possible in several faculties or institutes

•      Faculty of Philosophy
•     Faculty of Economics, Law and Social Sciences
•     Faculty of Education
•     Faculty of Catholic Theology
•     Max-Weber-Centre for Advanced Cultural and Social Studies

Further information for prospective PhD students can be found here.

At the beginning of the PhD project, the proscpective candidate should have found their supervisor and then has to apply in the faculty in order to be accepted as a doctoral candidate according to the respective PhD regulation.

After being officially accepted as a doctoral candidate in the faculty, you can be a member of the University and apply for the enrolment as a doctoral student through the University's online application portal.