Bachelor application - for international applicants (from outside the EU)

On this page you will find all important information about applying for a bachelor‘s degree programme for prospective students from Non-EU countries:

You count as a non-EU applicant if you completed your school-leaving certificate in a non-EU (or non-EEA) country AND your nationality is a country outside the EU (or EEA).

Qualification for admission to higher education − the right school-leaving certificate

To be able to study in Germany, you will need a school-leaving certificate that is recognised here as a “qualification for admission to higher education”. This means that your school-leaving certificate should be equivalent to the German Abitur. An overview of how international school-leaving certificates are assessed can be found on the information portal “Anabin”:

Knowledge of German

All bachelor's degree programmes at Leibniz Universität Hannover require proof of German language skills.

• At the time of applying, you must already have acquired at least language level B1.
• Proof of language level C1 must be provided at the time of enrolment (which tests are accepted)
• Comprehensive information about the necessary language certificates

The test for proving level B1 German language skills can be taken at any recognised language school in Germany, or at a Goethe-Institut or university abroad; the test for level C1 German certificates must be taken at a certified language school.

• More information on language certificates
• List of German courses at the Leibniz Language Centre (LLC) of Leibniz Universität Hannover and in the city of Hannover

We regret that you will be unable to apply for a bachelor's degree programme at Leibniz Universität Hannover if you have no knowledge of German. Unfortunately, provisional enrolment is not possible either.

Degree programmes with special admission requirements

Several degree programmes are subject to additional requirements, such as a pre-study placement, a special language certificate or an aptitude test. You can find out which degree programmes at Leibniz Universität Hannover are subject to additional requirements.

Please note that an application for a bachelor's degree programme at Leibniz University Hannover is only possible with a preliminary review documentation (VPD) from uni-assist. Please apply for preliminary review documentation (VPD) via uni-assist no later than eight weeks before the LUH application deadline for the desired study programme. You then have to apply via the LUH portal during the application period.

Applications for the winter semester (starting on 1 October):

• Application for bachelor's degree programmes with restricted admission and for the preparatory college between June 1st and July 15th.
• Enrolment for admission-free bachelor's degree programmes between June 1st and September 30th.

Applications for the summer semester (starting on 1 April):

• Enrolment only for the bachelor's degree programmes in Electrical engineering and information technology B. Sc., Mechanical engineering B. Sc. and Sustainable Engineering B. Sc..
• Application for the preparatory college exclusively for the T-course between December 1st and January 15th.

Applying for a bachelor's degree programme at Leibniz University Hannover is a two-stage process:

1.  In the first step, you apply for preliminary examination documentation (VPD) from uni-assist (probably from March 2024). Please note that processing time can take four to eight weeks.
2.  In a second step, you must then apply via the LUH portal during the application period. You then upload the VPD received from uni-assist with the rest of your application documents.

Uni-assist checks whether your school leaving certificate allows you to start studying straight away or whether an additional test (“assessment test” at the preparatory college) is necessary. You also need a VPD from uni-assist to apply for the preparatory college.

Uni-assist checks whether your school leaving certificate allows you to start studying straight away or whether an additional test (“assessment test” at the preparatory college) is necessary. You also need a VPD from uni-assist to apply for the preparatory college.

An application for a VPD degree programme without a VPD for the LUH is only possible in the following cases:

• If you already have a valid VPD from uni-assist for the desired study degree (bachelor's VPD)
• If you have already received admission from LUH for the desired study programme
• If you are currently a student at LUH
• If you are recognized as a refugee in Germany
• If you have obtained a school or university degree in the EU or in the European Economic Area
• If you have an European citizenship
• If you are applying for a higher semester as a continuing student and have already started exactly the same degree programme at a German university (continuing students who started their studies abroad or at a German univerity of applied sciences need a VPD)

If you have already applied to Leibniz University Hannover for an undergraduate degree programme or for the preparatory college with a VPD from uni-assist, but were unable to start the programme or preparatory college, you can apply directly via the LUH online portal again for an undergraduate programme without applying again for a VPD at uni-assist. Leibniz University Hannover will accept your VPD for applications for the 2025 summer semester up to three years after it was issued. Please note that from the application for the winter semester 2025/2026 onwards, we will only accept VPDs that are not older than two years!

•     Even if you are currently studying at Leibniz University Hannover, you can apply to change your course of study or do a double degree directly via the Leibniz University Hannover online portal.
•     The regular application deadlines apply to you. Once received, your application will be included in the regular application process.

You can use the Leibniz University Hannover online portal to view the status of your application and check whether your application has been processed and your documents have been checked. In addition, you will be informed by email about all steps during the processing process.

If you receive a confirmation of a place at the University of Hannover, the admission letter will be available to download from the application portal. You must accept this place within the specified period. If you miss this deadline, your place will be offered to another applicant.

After accepting the place, you will receive all of the documents relating to your degree programme in good time before term starts, for example your LeibnizCard.

If your previous education entitles you to attend the preparatory college but does not allow you to start your studies directly, you will also receive a corresponding notification from the university as a download from the application portal. In this case, Leibniz University Hannover will automatically register you in the Studienkolleg admissions process. You will then receive all further information directly from the Studienkolleg.

To apply for the preparatory college, you must first apply for preliminary examination documentation (VPD) from uni-assist and then apply directly to Leibniz University Hannover within the application deadline.

It is not possible to apply directly to the Studienkolleg.

• Applications for the winter semester (starting on 1 October): the application period for all preparatory foundation courses is from June 1st and July 15th.
• Applications for the summer semester (starting on April 1st): students can only apply for the technical preparatory foundation course (Studienkolleg T-Kurs) from December 1st to January 15th.

If the assessment of your school-leaving certificate determines that it is not equivalent to the German Abitur, you must first take a test in Germany before you can study here. This test is called an “assessment test” (Feststellungsprüfung). You will take a preparatory foundation course for two semesters to prepare you for this assessment test. Each semester may be repeated once.

You may only attend one of the following preparatory foundation courses:

• T courses for technical and engineering programmes such as Landscape Architecture and Environmental Planning, Mathematics and Natural Science majors (subjects taught: German, Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry and Computer Science)
• M courses for majors in Biology, Biochemistry, Chemistry, Medicine, Pharmacy and similar subjects (subjects taught: German, Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Biology)
• W courses for all economics, social science and law
  (subjects taught: German, Mathematics, Business and Economics, History, Politics, English)
• G courses for German, History, Philosophy, Law, social sciences, Politics and humanities majors
  (subjects taught: German Language and Literature, History, Social Studies)

The maximum number of participants for each course is 20.

In order to be able to attend the preparatory foundation courses (Studienkolleg), an entrance test must be completed.

A separate selection process of the preparatory foundation courses (Studienkolleg) precedes the entrance test. You will receive separate information about this directly from the Studienkolleg after the university has notified you.

Among other things, you must submit at least a B1 level German certificate to the preparatory foundation courses for the selection process, but level B2 is recommended. If you have been selected, you will receive the invitation to the entrance test directly from the Studienkolleg.

Assessment test

If you are accepted onto a preparatory course, you will attend this course for two semesters. Each semester may be repeated once. At the end of this course, you will take a final test, called the assessment test (Feststellungsprüfung).

The assessment test consists of a written part and an oral part. The type of test you take influences the subjects you will be permitted to study at university. Once you have passed the assessment test, you have to apply once again for a place at a university (taking into account the subjects you are permitted to pursue).

Universities use a selection procedure to award places on programmes with restricted admission. The grades achieved at home in your school-leaving certificate and in the assessment test (Feststellungsprüfung) play a decisive role in such selection procedures. There are also admission-free degree programmes, which require no specific grade for the application.

External assessment test

If you believe your level of knowledge is high enough not to have to attend a preparatory foundation course, you can sit the assessment test externally. You will take the same test as students who have spent one year on the preparatory foundation course.

Take great care not to overestimate your level of knowledge. The failure rate among those taking the test externally is very high. The test can only be repeated once. Assessment tests following a preparatory foundation course offered by universities of applied sciences do not qualify for entry to a university.

Assessment tests following a preparatory foundation course offered by universities entitle the candidate to study (any of the subjects permitted) at many universities or universities of applied sciences in Germany.

External assessment tests are no longer offered at Leibniz University Hannover.

If you have already applied to Leibniz University Hannover for an undergraduate degree program or for the preparatory college with a VPD from uni-assist, but were unable to start the course or preparatory college, you can apply directly via the Leibniz University Hannover online portal apply again for an undergraduate course without applying again for a VPD at uni-assist. Leibniz University Hannover will accept your VPD for applications for the 2025 summer semester up to three years after it was issued. Please note that from the application for the winter semester 2025/2026 we will only accept VPDs that are not older than two years!

The regular application deadlines apply to you. Once received, your application will be included in the regular application process.

Visa

Many international students need a visa to study in Germany. Please contact the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs for information about visa requirements.

Once the selection procedure has been completed, you will receive a written notification of acceptance or rejection. If you are offered a place, you must accept the place within a specified period and subsequently submit any documents that may be missing. Only then will you be enrolled on the bachelor's degree programme.