University access with Abitur and other school certificates of education
General information
The term Abitur refers to the general higher education entrance qualification (allgemeine Hochschulreife) that is awarded in Germany. Most students earn this qualification at a Gymnasium, but this is not the only institution that awards a general higher education entrance qualification.
If you hold a general higher education entrance qualification, you qualify for admission to any degree programme at any higher education institution in Germany. Holding a subject-restricted higher education entrance qualification (fachgebundene Hochschulreife), you also qualify for admission to any higher education institution but are restricted in your choice of subject.
If the only qualification you hold is an entrance qualification for universities of applied sciences (Fachhochschulreife), you can take up studies at a university of applied sciences (Fachhochschule), but you do not qualify for admission to a university (Universität) in Bavaria.
You can earn a general higher education entrance qualification at institutions including:
Gymnasium, Abendgymnasium, Kolleg:
Supporting document(s): general higher education entrance certificate
Berufsoberschule (BOS 13), Fachoberschule (FOS 13):
Supporting document(s): subject-restricted higher education entrance certificate AND documentary proof of proficiency in an additional foreign language
University of applied sciences, university, college of art or music:
Supporting document(s): certificate of graduation from a programme with a standard length of no less than six semesters; if you graduated from a university of applied sciences, please also submit your entrance certificate for universities of applied sciences.
You can earn a subject-restricted higher education entrance qualification at a wide range of institutions. The below list is not exhaustive.
Berufsoberschule (BOS 13), Fachoberschule (FOS 13):
Supporting document(s): subject-restricted higher education entrance certificate
If you hold a subject-restricted higher education entrance qualification awarded by a Berufsoberschule or Fachoberschule, you qualify for admission to programmes in subjects that are related to the track you chose at BOS/FOS.
To find out which degree programmes offered by universities in Bavaria are considered to be related to your track, please refer to section 1 of the document you can download from here (available in German only). Please do not forget to check if the programme of your choice is offered by the university of your choice.
To find out which programmes you can study at the University of Würzburg, click on your track in the list below.
academic speech and language therapy/logopedics; Biochemistry, biology, biomedicine, human-computer systems, midwifery, pedagogy, psychology, special education, political and social studies, teaching degree Grundschule/Mittelschule, teaching degree special education, teaching degree Realschule/Gymnasium (subject combination biology/chemistry each)
Biochemistry, biomedicine, chemistry, computational mathematics, games engineering, geography, computer science, food chemistry, aerospace information technology, mathematics, human-computer systems, mathematical physics, nanostructure technology, physics, functional materials, business information systems, mathematics for economics, teaching degree Grundschule/Mittelschule, teaching degree Realschule (subject combinations mathematics/physics, chemistry/mathematics, chemistry/physics, computer science/mathematics, computer science/physics), teaching degree Gymnasium (subject combinations mathematics/physics, mathematics/computer science, mathematics/chemistry, physics/computer science)
Geography, political and social studies, law, business management and economics, business information systems, mathematics for economics, teaching degree Grundschule/Mittelschule
Art history, art pedagogy, teaching degree Grundschule, teaching degree Mittelschule, media communication
Academic speech and language therapy/logopedics, biochemistry, biology, biomedicine, chemistry, food chemistry, midwifery, teaching degree Grundschule, teaching degree Hauptschule, teaching degree Gymnasium (subject combination biology/chemistry), teaching degree Realschule (subject combination biology/chemistry), teaching degree special education, psychology; medicine, pharmacy, dentistry
Supporting document(s): Vordiplom certificate (if you are studying a Diplom programme) or documentary proof that you have achieved the number of ECTS credits you are expected to have accumulated by the end of your second subject semester (usually 60; if you are studying a Bachelor’s programme); entrance certificate for universities of applied sciences
Please note that you only qualify for admission to programmes offered by universities in subjects that are closely related to the subject you are studying at your university of applied sciences.
To find out which degree programmes offered by universities are considered to be closely related to the subject you are studying, please refer to section 4 of the document you can download from here (for teaching degree programmes) or to Verordnung über die Qualifikation für ein Studium an den Hochschulen des Freistaates Bayern und den staatlich anerkannten nichtstaatlichen Hochschulen (Regulations on the Qualification for Study at Universities of the Free State of Bavaria and State-Accredited Private Universities, Qualifikationsverordnung - QualV) in the version applicable until 31 December 2007 (for other degree programme). Please note that both documents are available in German only.
To find out which programmes you can study at the University of Würzburg, click on the programme you are studying at your university of applied sciences.
Teaching degree Grundschule/Mittelschule, teaching degree special education (subject combinations with education for people with emotional and behavioural disorders or education for people with learning disabilities)
Teaching degree Realschule (subject combination physics with biology, chemistry, computer science, or mathematics), teaching degree Gymnasium (subject combination physics with biology, computer science, or mathematics)
Pedagogy, Protestant theology, Catholic theology, teaching degree Grundschule/Mittelschule (subject combinations with religious education each)
Pedagogy, political and social studies, teaching degree Grundschule/Mittelschule, teaching degree special education (subject combinations with education for people with emotional and behavioural disorders or education for people with learning disabilities)
Please note that the above list is not exhaustive. If you are studying a degree programme that is not listed here, we will have to verify on a case-by-case basis that your current programme is closely related to the programme you are planning to study at the University of Würzburg.
To allow us to do so, please mail the following documents to Referat 2.2 - Studierendenkanzlei der Universität Würzburg, Sanderring 2, 97070 Würzburg, Germany: informal request for verification that you qualify for admission to the degree programme of your choice (do not forget to specify programme) as well as an explanatory statement, your CV, a photocopy of your entrance certificate for universities of applied sciences, an enrolment certificate issued by your university of applied sciences, a copy of the academic and examination regulations of the programme that you are studying (Studien- und Prüfungsordnung; must detail contents covered and number of weekly contact hours), and a photocopy of your Vordiplom certificate or documentary proof that you have achieved the number of ECTS credits you are expected to have accumulated by the end of your second subject semester (usually 60). Please note that the address given above is our postal address. You can also hand in your documents in person. Our office is located at: Campus Hubland Nord, Oswald-Külpe-Weg 84 (door on the right-hand side), 97074 Würzburg.
Supporting document(s): certificate of graduation from a Fachakademie in Bavaria (overall grade of ‘sehr gut’ (excellent) required) AND entrance certificate for universities of applied sciences awarded upon successful completion of the exam Ergänzungsprüfung zum Erwerb der Fachhochschulreife (overall grade of ‘sehr gut’ (excellent) required)
Please note that you only qualify for admission to programmes offered by universities in subjects that are related to the occupational programme area you studied at your Fachakademie.
To find out which degree programmes offered by universities in Bavaria are considered to be related to your occupational programme area, please refer to section 2 of the document you can download from here (available in German only). Please do not forget to check if the programme of your choice is offered by the university of your choice.
The below list only includes the two most popular occupational programme areas.
Pedagogy, school education, special education, psychology, political and social studies, teaching degree Grundschule/Mittelschule, teaching degree special education
If you want to study a subject that is not considered to be related to your occupational programme area, please note: In 2009, an entitlement was introduced for individuals who graduated from a Fachakademie to be treated in the same way as holders of a master craftsman's diploma (Meisterbrief). These qualify for admission to any degree programme at any higher education institution in Bavaria but must consult with an advisor before they submit their application for admission. Click here for more information.
Please do not hesitate to contac Ms Kömm, phone +49 931-31 82461 (in the mornings only); email: studienberechtigung@uni-wuerzburg.de with any questions.
