Recognition of foreign educational qualifications
Before you apply to HafenCity Universität (HCU), you need to have a recognition of your international school/university certificates by uni-assist e.V. (University Application Service for International Students).
The core task of uni-assist e.V. is the evaluation of international school/university certificates. Uni-assist examines if the submitted school/university certificates are equivalent to German school/university degrees, i.e. whether they qualify in principle for admission to university studies in Germany. In addition uni-assist examines if you can prove sufficient language skills. Uni-assist transmit your inspection result in electronical form to the HCU.
You can find preliminary information about your degree by consulting the admissions database of the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) and access the information portal on recognition of foreign degrees (anabin databank).
You have to apply via My assist portal. Please notice that this application is compulsory. Otherwise you can't take part at the selection process of the HafenCity University Hamburg.
The application process via uni assist is an online only application. You do not need to send certified copies of your certificates to uni-assist by post. An online application with uploaded documents is sufficient.
Please upload the following documents to My assist portal:
General notes
- Document your education in detail: Start with the certificate from the last school you graduated from (which entitles you to begin university studies in your home country) and continue up to the current state of progress in your university studies.
- Upload in My assist portal all certificates in their entirety: include the diploma certificate as well as the overview of subjects and grades. You must not omit any parts of the certificate (such as a diploma supplement) or single pages.
- Upload your certificates in their original language, accompanied by a certified translation in German or English.
school certificates:
- assessment test of a German Studienkolleg
- school leaving certificate (submit the certificate which allows you to start university studies in your home country. Submit the certificate in its entirety, including the overview of subjects and grades)
- proof of having passed a university entrance exam (If you have already passed a university entrance exam in your country of origin, please submit the relevant certificate)
- a translation of your certificates
The certificates must be submitted in German or English or translated into one of these languages.Translations will only be accepted if they have been made by certified translators or certified by the proper authorities.
Note: An application via uni-assist is only necessary if you don't have a conversion of your foreign school certificate into the German grading system of uni-assist (Evaluation report of uni-assist).
School and university certificates:
- school leaving certificate (Submit the certificate which allows you to start university studies in your home country. Submit the certificate in its entirety, including the overview of subjects and grades)
- proof of having passed a university entrance exam (If you have already passed a university entrance exam in your country of origin, please submit the relevant certificate)
- if available, certificates of previous university studies (Please submit a complete overview of subjects and grades issued by your university. If you have already completed your studies, we also need your diploma certificate.)
- your university's grading system (In order to calculate your grade, we need the grading system used by your university for your degree. The grading system is usually included with the overview of subjects and grades.)
- translation of your certificates
The certificates must be submitted in German or English or translated into one of these languages.Translations will only be accepted if they have been made by certified translators or certified by the proper authorities.
proof of language proficiency:
- language certificate
- if not available, a registration to a language exam
For all Bachelor degree programmes you need sufficient German skills. Which German language certificates we accept you can find here.
school and university certificates:
certificates on university studies (Please submit all certificates in their entirety: include the diploma certificate as well as the overview of subjects and grades. You must not omit any parts of the certificate (such as a Diploma supplement) or single pages.)
your university's grading system (In order to calculate your grade, we need the grading system used by your university for your degree. The grading system is usually included with the overview of subjects and grades.)
school leaving certificate (Submit the certificate which allows you to start university studies in your home country. Submit the certificate in its entirety, including the overview of subjects and grades)
proof of having passed a university entrance exam (If you have already passed a university entrance exam in your country of origin, please submit the relevant certificate)
translation of all certificates
The certificates must be submitted in German or English or translated into one of these languages. Translations will only be accepted if they have been made by certified translators or certified by the proper authorities.
proof of language proficiency:
- language certificate
- if not available, a registration to a language exam
For some Master degree programmes where the language of instruction is German. Sufficient German langugage skills is an entrance requirement. For the Master degree programmes Geodesy and Geoinformatics (only the specialisation Hydrography) and REAP you need English language skills because the lanugage of instruction is English. You will find more information about the language requirements in the specific admission regulation (BZO) of the particular degree programmes or here.
You can find further information on the website of uni-assist under the menu item 'assemble your documents'.
Find out under 'info country by country' if there are special notes on certificates from your country of origin.
The inspection of your documents is with costs. Please inform yourself directly at uni-assist how much you have to pay. Once you have submitted your documents to uni-assist, you need to transfer your fee to uni-assist's bank account. Please note that uni-assist will only review your documents once you have transferred the processing fee.
Note
Uni-assist only pre-check your certficates. If you want to take part in the selection procedure of the HCU, you have to apply via the ahoi application portal of the HCU. Further information you can find under the menu items "Application Bachelor" and "Application Master".
