University Entrance Qualification (HZB) and application

in other words, a degree that qualifies you to study. After 11 years of school in Ukraine, your general school leaving certificate does not yet fulfil the HZB requirement. You must either have successfully studied at a Ukrainian university for at least one year (and be able to officially prove your enrolment and grades) or attend a preparatory college (Studienkolleg) in Bavaria. Please note that you will need to have at least B1+ level German and pass the entrance exam for Studienkolleg.

Recognition can be more complicated for other degrees such as a Junior Bachelor's degree or (vocational) training at a college. It is advisable to speak directly to the university or another organisation about recognition.

You will also need an official language certificate at level B2 or higher to study in Bavaria. You can find out which certificates and tests are accepted directly from the university. There are English degree programmes without the need for a proof of German, but only a few.

To study medicine, you need at least a C1 German certificate. Medicine is a regulated degree program in Germany with NC (Numerus Clausus), which means that only a certain and very good average grade is accepted. Many people apply to study medicine every year and it is also very difficult for Germans to get a place. There are also admission restrictions (NC) for other degree programmes.

For a Master's degree program or higher, you will need your Bachelor's degree certificate and other documents. Please find out the details yourself, as there are often different rules depending on the degree program.

You can get individual help either from the International Office of your Bavarian university/ or from the Coordination Office for Ukraine.

More detailed information:
Право на отримання вищої освіти - DAAD Україна (external link, opens in a new window)
Study in Bavaria: Entry Requirements (external link, opens in a new window)
University Entrance Qualification | Study in Germany (external link, opens in a new window)

so get the information directly from the university. There are almost always detailed instructions and a list of all documents online. It is important to always pay close attention to the formal requirements and deadlines and to submit everything on time. Contact the International Office immediately if you do not have a particular document.

All documents must be officially certified copies or translations - plan enough time for this! (If the documents have already been issued bilingually in Ukrainian and English, no further translation is usually necessary) Some universities also require a preliminary check of the documents, for example via the provider uni-assist; you should allow extra time for this.

Pay close attention to the application deadlines, but as a guide, 15 July is the deadline for the next winter semester and 15 January for the next summer semester.

Documents you will always need

• an officially certified copy of the certificate of the complete general secondary education
• a school overview of subjects and grades (officially translated and notarised)
• if available: officially certified copy of the External Independent Assessment
• Certificate of enrolment (if counting studies in Ukraine for HZB)
• an overview of subjects and grades at university (if counting studies in Ukraine for HZB)
• if available: an officially certified copy of all previous university certificates
• a passport photo
• a copy of the passport (name and photo)
• notarised copies of language certificates
• a curriculum vitae in tabular form

You can get personalised help from the International Office of your Bavarian university/college. More detailed information:
Study in Bavaria (en): Application Process (external link, opens in a new window)
Application | Study in Germany (external link, opens in a new window)

You only pay a semester fee per semester (80-300 euros), which in most cases doubles as a ticket for local public transport. Only a few universities, such as the LMU in Munich or the Deggendorf Institute of Technology, have reintroduced tuition fees for non-EU students.

You also need health insurance. This costs around 120 euros per month for students. If you come to Bavaria as a regular international student (study visa and residence permit according to §16b), you will need proof of funding, which is usually a blocked account with 11,904 euros. If you have fled/are fleeing to Germany (residence permit according to §24 AufenthG) you do not need this proof.

On average, students in Germany also pay around 400 euros per month for housing and another 200 euros per month for food and groceries. These figures vary greatly depending on where you live - large cities like Munich can be twice as expensive!

There are various scholarships from state and private organisations that can help you to finance your studies. In addition, students from Ukraine can apply for BAFöG, the state financial support for students in Germany, under §24 AufenthG.

More detailed information:
Навчання у Німеччині - DAAD Україна  (external link, opens in a new window)
Віза та посвідка на перебування - DAAD Україна (external link, opens in a new window)
Funding - DAAD Ukraine (external link, opens in a new window)
Study in Bavaria: Financing your studies (external link, opens in a new window)

you have to look for a flat yourself. You can rent your own flat or share a flat (so-called WG). Or you can apply for a room in a dormitory - there are private providers (nice, but a bit more expensive) and the dormitories of the Studentenwerk (cheaper, sometimes a bit older). On average, you should budget around 400 euros per month for accommodation, but in larger cities a flat can cost even more. Plan plenty of time to look for accommodation, unfortunately the situation is difficult, especially in larger cities.

One of the biggest platforms for finding a room in a shared flat: WG-Gesucht.de (external link, opens in a new window)

The regional student services organisations( Studentenwerke or Studierendenwerke) have dormitories in almost all study locations: Deutsches Studierendenwerk (external link, opens in a new window)