As a general rule, if you have not yet studied or have not yet successfully completed a degree programme at a German university at the time of application , you are applying for a first degree programme.

You are therefore applying for a second degree programme if you have already completed a degree at a German university at the time of application.

Exception Master's degree: If you are applying for a Master's degree programme and the Master's degree programme you are applying for requires the completion of a qualifying Bachelor's degree programme, you are also applying for a first degree programme.

Here are some examples:

Explanations

What is a higher education institution?
Universities are, for example, universities, former comprehensive universities, teacher training colleges, music colleges, art colleges, sports colleges, Bundeswehr universities, ecclesiastical universities, universities of applied sciences including universities of applied sciences for public administration.
Vocational academies and the predecessor institutions of universities of applied sciences, e.g. higher technical colleges and engineering schools, are generally not included. However, the vocational academies in Baden-Württemberg, among others, were granted university status on 1 March 2009 and are now called "dual universities". Applicants who obtained their degree there after 28 February 2009 are considered second degree applicants.

When is a degree programme considered completed?
A degree programme is completed when all prescribed examinations have been successfully passed. Degrees are all professionally qualifying degrees from a university (e.g. Diplom, Magister, Bachelor's, Master's, state examinations or the first state examination for the teaching profession and law). To find out when a final examination is considered to have been passed, please contact the office that is conducting the examination.

The general application and enrolment process applies to applications for degree programmes/subjects without admission restrictions.

For degree programmes/subjects with restricted admissions, admission is limited - out of consideration for applicants who do not yet have a degree. A maximum of three percent of study places per degree programme are reserved for second degree applicants. These study places are allocated according to the criteria of the final result of the first degree programme and reasons for the second degree programme. Points are awarded for both criteria according to certain criteria. For this reason, you must upload a justification, the degree certificate from your first degree programme and, if applicable, further evidence for the points award when submitting your application. You must also assign yourself to a case group.

Note: If you do not yet have the degree certificate from your first degree programme at the time of application, you can first upload a certificate from the office responsible for issuing the degree certificate. The certificate must show the date of graduation and the grade with which you completed your first degree programme.

You can find more information about the special features of a second degree programme on the Hochschulstart website. The criteria of the ZV (central allocation) degree programmes also apply to the local admission restrictions at the individual universities.