Application Process and Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) about our International Bachelor Programs
This page provides information about the admission requirements, the selection process, and the application timeline. Please take some time to read it carefully. The admission office will not reply to questions and inquiries, if the corresponding answer is included in this page. Our FAQs also explain everything you need to know if you are interested in studying computer science or cybersecurity at Saarland University at the Saarland Informatics Campus in Saarbrücken.
The portal for applications for the winter semester 2025/26 is expected to reopen in mid-December 2024. The current Admission Requirements and the Timeline 2025 will therefore be published here at the end of November.
Admission Requirements
This is a competitive program that has a limited number of seats. To be considered for admission you must provide a University Entrance Qualification (UEQ) and choose one of three application tracks listed and detailed below.
The University Entrance Qualification
The central component of your application is a University Entrance Qualification enabling for direct access to study programs at German universities (UEQ). Without a UEQ, it is legally impossible to enroll. What constitutes a UEQ depends on various aspects (please see the Appendix below). We cannot assess whether your documents constitute a UEQ before you apply. We can only check your application documents after you submit your complete application. We will ignore any mail that asks us for an assessment of documents prior to an application.
Application Tracks
In addition to the UEQ you need to provide additional qualifications. You can do this in one of the following three tracks:
- You provide documentation of having successfully participated in a science/informatics/mathematics olympiad, and results from an English test.
(please refer to the Appendix for the requirements for the English test and the olympiads we accept.) - You provide the results of an aptitude test, and an English test.
(please refer to the Appendix for the requirements for the English test and the aptitude tests we accept.) - You participate in a two-day (online) interview.
Note that you cannot apply for multiple tracks. You have to choose one when submitting your application. After you submit your application, you can no longer change between tracks.
Selection Criteria
After all documents you provided have been carefully examined, your UEQ grade will be combined with your track results into a score that gives you a position in a ranking of all participants. We admit the best N applicants from this ranking to the study program, where N depends on the number of available seats in the program.
Timeline
The program starts in the winter term in mid October. The application portal opens on December 1 of the previous year. Our final application deadline is July 15. However, if you want early feedback on your application (early accept), you can apply to one of the earlier “preliminary review deadlines”: January 15th or June 1st. See the next section for details.
After the final deadline, we review all applications within four weeks. The admission/rejection letters will be available by August 31 the latest. Please do not request status updates prior to this date. Note that if you want to apply in the interview track, you have to apply for one of the preliminary review deadlines (see below). In other words: Note that the interview track is only available if you apply until June 1st. It is not available with deadlines after June 1st.
Preliminary Review Deadlines
To provide timely feedback, we have two preliminary review deadlines (PRDs) on January 15th and June 1st.
Only in case you have all required proofs and additional qualification documents, you may submit an application to one (and only one) of the PRDs before the final deadline (July 15th). The upcoming PRD will be the one you submitted to.
All applications submitted to a PRD will be reviewed within four weeks after this PRD. Depending on the application track you choose and the documents you submit, one of the following will happen:
| You provide Olympiad certificates that meet our standards | You provide aptitude test results in the top group | You apply in the interview track | |
| Your documents constitute a valid UEQ | If your UEQ grade places you in the top group, we will admit you right away. You will get a notification within four weeks.(*)
| If your UEQ grade places you in the top group, we will invite you for an interview within four weeks. (*) | |
| Your submitted proof of additional qualifications does not or not sufficiently meet the specified requirements
| You will receive a rejection for formal reasons. You will get a notification within eight weeks. | ||
| Your documents do not constitute a valid UEQ | You will receive a rejection for formal reasons, as a valid UEQ is an absolute condition for admission to the study program. You will get a notification within eight weeks. | ||
(*) If you have not been notified of either an early admission or an interview invitation four weeks after the intermediary deadline you submitted to, your application is still active until the final deadline on July 15th. After the final deadline passed, we include you in the final ranking of all applicants. Our experience however is that, given the limited amount of seats we have, applicants who applied for a PRD and have not been admitted on that PRD have little chance of being admitted at all.
To choose the interview track, you must apply for one of the PRDs by June 1st the latest. Note that you cannot re-apply for an interview if you have not been invited after a prior PRD or not been admitted after the interview.
Interviews
Interviews are held about five weeks after the respective PRD (see the schedule in the table below). If you applied for the interview track and are selected for the interview, we will notify you within four weeks. If you do not hear within four weeks, assume that you have not been selected for the interview and your application will be rejected (see Final Decisions below).
Interview dates are fixed and cannot be changed. You cannot postpone your interview to a later PRD round. If you do not appear for the interview on the date you are invited, you will be rejected automatically.
Please do not email us about the status of your application on the interview track, as you can determine that status following what is written above.
The interview itself consists of two rounds that are spread over two days: On the first day, you will take a math test, solving exercises that test your knowledge of algebra, geometry, and calculus. If you pass this test, on the second day, you will have a one-on-one interview with one of our faculty, who will assess your problem-solving and English skills. Please note that we cannot disclose further information about the nature of the test or the interview except that it will be based on standard high school mathematics (in all international curricula) and basic problem-solving skills, so do not email us about the syllabus or the contents of these.
Final Decisions
Final decisions about acceptance/rejection are communicated before August 31. The decision notification will include a formal confirmation letter. In case of acceptance, you will need this letter to enroll at the university.
Schedule 2024
| Track | ||||||||
| Interview | Aptitude | Olympiads | Acceptance Notification | |||||
| Deadline | UEQ required? | Open | Invitation | Dates | Open | Open | Admission notification | Final |
| Jan 15 | ✓ | ✓ | Feb 05 | Feb 19 & 26 9am-1pm CET | ✓ | ✓ | Feb 28 | Aug 31 |
| Jun 01 | ✓ | ✓ | Jun 21 | Jul 03 & 10 9am-1pm CEST | ✓ | ✓ | Jul 12 | Aug 31 |
| Jul 15 | Final | – | – | ✓ | ✓ | – | Aug 31 | |
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University Entrance Qualification
The decisive source for this is the ANABIN database issued by the German federal government. Anabin classifies foreign school-leaving diplomas as either to be equivalent to a German university entrance qualification or specifies additional requirements. Unfortunately, ANABIN is available in German only. Below, you find instructions on how to use Anabin to check if your diploma is eligible. Additionally, here is a list of the most common cases per country.
- Goto ANABIN and select your country.
- You’re presented with a list of all certificates that are relevant for admission in German universities.
- Select your certificate and a window opens that shows the eligibility with this certificate:
- The relevant statement here is “Direkter Zugang (für alle Fächer)” or “Direkter Zugang (fachgebunden) zu allen Hochschulen”. This means that your certificate in principle equals a German university entrance qualification. “für alle Fächer” means that your UEQ is not limited to any subject where as “fachgebunden” means that your UEQ is limited to certain subjects. Any other statement there means that additional restrictions apply that you have to translate using an online translation service.
Examples
Most common school-leaving diplomas of EU countries are accepted without restrictions. In doubt, please check Anabin as described above.
- United Kingdom: Scottish Qualifications Certificate (SQC) – Higher/Advanced Higher, General Certificate of Education – Advanced Level / Advanced Subsidiary Level, Cambridge Pre-U, AICE, International Advanced Level
- Switzerland: Matura (other special cases in Anabin)
- Albania: Deftese pjekurie with Certificate Matura Shteterore
- Turkey: Lise Diplomasi 11 years in conjunction with Turkish university admission exam documented by code card with more than 180000 points (in SAY, SÖZ, EA or DIL).
- Israel: Te’udat bagrut
- India: Secondary school leaving certificate (after 12th grade) + either one further year of successful studies at a recognized higher education institution in the field of computer science or an IIT Joint Entrance Exam (Main and Advanced) with APS-certificate
- China: DSD-II School and gaokao (with APS-certificate)
- USA: High-School Diploma with with 9th to 12th grade transcripts and either an advanced placement test (required grades specified in Anabin, see USA-BV08) or an assiociate degree (Anabin USA-BV09)
Olympiad Requirements
- Participation and medal in the International Olympiad in Mathematics (IMO).
- Medal at the International Olympiad in Informatics (IOI), Physics (IPhO) or Chemistry (IChO).
- Medal at a standard Mathematics Olympiad during the last two years of school or during university, that is beyond the country level, such as the Asian Pacific Mathematics Olympiad (APMO).
- Medal at a standard Informatics Olympiad during the last two years of school or during university, that is beyond the country level, such as the Baltic Olympiad in Informatics (BOI) or the Central European Olympiad in Informatics (CEOI).
- Participation in the Inter-collegiate Programming Competition (ICPC) beyond the country level.
Note that we cannot make any exception from this list.
Language Requirements
You need to provide a proof of English language proficiency for the Olympiad and Aptitude track unless your are a native speaker. We accept the following English tests:
- IELTS Academic Test
- TOEFL iBT Test
- TOEFL Essential
- Cambrigde Certificate
You are considered a native speaker if you obtained your high-school diploma in one of the following countries: Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, UK, USA. We cannot make any exceptions from this rule.
Accepted Aptitude Tests
- SAT Standard test (evidence-based reading/writing, maths) is sufficient. The essay is not required.
- TestAS
- TestAS digital
- ACT
- Gaokao
- JEE Advanced
- Suneung
Your test must not be older than 2 years. There are no minimum requirements on your score because we fill our seats by a ranking of all applicants. The programs are highly competitive however. Successful applications in past iterations came from the 95% percentile which corresponds to SAT scores 1400+.
FAQ: Application, Admission, Qualification, Interview, Timing
All documents have to have to be uploaded prior to this deadline. If your documents arrive after this deadline, we are encouraging you to apply for the next winter semester.
There is no specific cut-off point for test results, as they also vary per application year. Furthermore, the number of admitted students is capped, whereas we cannot foresee the number of applications. We rank candidates according to their test results and thereby give preference to better test results.
Required qualifications are limited to the ones listed on our website.
Yes. You can also apply for both.
No, this is not sufficient.
It depends. Please refer to the ANABIN database for that. Note that we can only check this after you applied and not before. Please also do not inquire about this because we can only assess the documents after you applied.
No, application via our online form is mandatory. We cannot accept applications via e-mail or any hard-copy applications.
No, it is not. However, some high-school diplomas of other countries are considered to be equivalent to a German university entrance qualification. See question “How can I check if I have a German University Entrance Qualification”.
There is no NC (numerus clausus) however, since the programs have a limited number of seats, admittance is based on a ranking of the applicants.
No, this is not possible.
There is no need to attend a preparatory school or similar. If you are admitted, you can directly start your studies.
The students can use a work placement or internship in industry (maximum of 6 credits) for the ungraded section of mandatory elective courses.
No. The ranking data is internal information.
Yes.
We recommend students to be in Saarbrücken about one week before the lectures start. You should join the welcome events and you need a few days for formal steps at university, town hall, etc.
If you want to prepare for the interview, the best you can do is to recap your mathematical skills at high school level. We can however not go into details which particular topics will be subject to discussion in the interviews.
No, that is not necessary.
Unfortunately, no. German law enforces that all required documents (such as a high school diploma) have to be submitted by the application deadline; intermediate certificates and/or grades cannot be accepted.
You may be notified earlier. Note that it does not increase your chances of being accepted.
FAQ: Our Programs
No, you do not require any knowledge of German. Our courses are entirely taught in English, our staff is used to working with international students and staff on an every-day basis on campus. We are providing the best conditions to make you feel welcome at Saarland University. Additionally, we are providing German courses for beginners and more advanced students in case you are interested in improving your every-day language skills.
No, you don’t need to have programming skills. We’ll teach you all you need to know during your course!
There are two lectures in maths (MFI 1 & 2). However, mathematical reasoning will be required in many other lectures and seminars.
The German program has a minor subject that is taught in German only.
Since there is only a limited number of seats available, it is possible to switch from one study course to the other only at the beginning of a new semester and only after you have submitted a new application. Therefore, you should in any case consider carefully from the beginning which course is the right one for you.
So, for example, if you start with Computer Science and realize that you want to switch to Cybersecurity by either applying to the next higher semester by the deadline for the following semester, or by reapplying during your current semester for the first semester in the upcoming winter semester.
If you change to the next higher semester, a large part of your credits (e.g. all the above-mentioned courses) can be transferred to the other study program. So in case of properly completed achievements, you will receive a credit certificate from the examination office, which you must present in the course of your application for admission to the higher semester.
However, whether an application and thus switching programs will be successful, ultimately depends on the number of available seats and the respective applicant situation. This also applies to a renewed application to the first semester of the respective other degree program.
In principle, this is possible, but requires a detailed evaluation in each individual case. As soon as you are enrolled, you can apply for a transfer and we will check your documents individually.
Unfortunately, no.
https://www.uni-saarland.de/en/division/ls/dates.html
Lectures are usually given on site and in presence, if the pandemic allows for it.
In October, the primary introductory event for International CS Bachelor and International Cysec Bachelor students will take place live on YouTube. The CS Students’ Council, Professor Sebastian Hack, and Professor Christian Rossow will tell you everything you need to know about your new university, its structure, the support institutions and amenities, how to get around in Saarbrücken, and –if you just arrived from abroad– some quick-start tips for Germany. You can find the stream link and timetables on this website.
The International Office is holding a Welcome Week for international students. We strongly recommend you to participate in the Welcome Week in early October. There you will be able to receive a lot of helpful information regarding your stay in Germany.
We have 15 seats/year in each program.
Every BSc student can apply for the honors program. Note however that it is very competitive and only the best 5% of students get in.
FAQ: General Life at University
A German language course program is integral part of our international BSc study programs.
https://discord.com/invite/rMNFZrK
FAQ: Accomodation
All rooms are rooms in shared apartments, which means you will have your own private bedroom and share the kitchen and bathroom with other students. Usually 3 or 4 students will share one apartment.
The rooms are located in a good distance to the university and you can reach the campus by bus.
The rooms are fully furnished and vary in size, but range between 14m² and 23m².
The rental prices range between 300€ and 400€ per month, including utilities. Rental costs are not included in the program and have to be paid by the students themselves. In addition, a refundable security deposit of around 500€ will have to be paid.
Details on the specific room that can be offered to you will be made available to you after acceptance.
Students in Saarbrücken should calculate to have about 800 EUR living expenses per month, though this figure will vary individually. This figure includes fixed costs such as the obligatory health insurance and the rent for an apartment. The health insurance is 115 EUR per month and covers all necessary procedures. The rent adds up to about 300-400 EUR per month, which is significantly less than in Munich, Aachen, Berlin or Karlsruhe. If you aren’t already living in Germany, you can apply to rent one of the apartments reserved by the university for its international BSc. programs. These apartments are intended to make it easier for you to settle in and can be rented for one year. By the end of the first year, you’ll need to find new accommodation (either in a university hall of residence or on the private housing market). The university provides assistance with both. It is also very common to share an apartment with fellow students (called Wohngemeinschaft in German, or WG for short). More information.
FAQ: Fees
The academic study programs offered at Saarland University are state-funded. Therefore no tuition fees are charged for all Bachelor’s and consecutive Master’s programs. Instead, students pay an administrative fee, which includes a pass for public transportation and further benefits (no housing!): https://www.uni-saarland.de/en/study/organisation/fees.html
There is no tuition fee at Saarland University. The administrative fee for all students can you find here: https://www.uni-saarland.de/en/study/organisation/fees.html
FAQ: Uni-Assist
Uni-Assist is a service to check a priori if your high-school diploma qualifies as a German University Entrance Qualification. We can do such a check only after you applied.
It is not required.
Uni assist documents are not necessary. However, appropriate uni-assist documents are one way of proving your German university entrance qualification (HZB). So, if in doubt, submit them if you have them.
FAQ: Studienkolleg / VSI MINT
VSi MINT is a study program taught in German. It is targeted to international students whose high-school diploma does not qualify as a German University Entrance Qualification and who wish to gain access to Saarland University’s Bachelor Plus MINT study program.
We apply the same admission criteria to all students. By graduating from VSi MINT, you acquire a German university entrance qualification. However, the international BSc programs for Computer Science and Cybersecurity require additional qualifications that you have to provide. Please check the relevant section on admission requirements.