If you are interested in this programme, please check the special FAQ page for this DAAD scholarship programme.
Please refrain from making inquiries regarding the status of your application. If you have applied via uni-assist, you will be noticed by e-mail when your documents are forwarded to the University of Passau. Due to the high volume of inquiries, the Programme Co-ordinators are unable and will not answer questions about the status of your application.
The programme begins in October (winter semester).
Please use our personalised, interactive guide to find out how to apply.
Please be aware that the application deadline is different!
Please use our personalised, interactive guide to find out how to apply.
The decisive factor for the application process is not your nationality, but the country in which you obtained your relevant university degree.
Please use our personalised, interactive guide to find out how to apply and which documents you need.
Typical required documents include (depending on your prior education):
If any of your documents are written in a language other than English or German, you will have to have them translated by a certified translator and upload both the original document as well as the translation.
Any missing documents must be submitted by the application deadline.
The only exceptions are the German language certificate and your final Bachelor’s degree certificate, which can be submitted within the first year of your studies.
Your application will only be processed if it is complete.
If you have not provided the required documents by the end of the application period, you will automatically receive a rejection notification.
The APS ('Akademische Prüfstelle') exists in China, Vietnam and India. For these countries, the APS certificate is a mandatory requirement for applying to a German university.
The APS is a joint institution of the German Embassy and the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD). It checks the authenticity of educational biographies and the corresponding educational certificates, and issues certificates if the result is positive.
The University of Passau does not use uni-assist’s VPD documentation as admission criteria.
To be eligible for this Master’s programme, you must provide a (final or preliminary) transcript/Transcript of Records that certifies:
Please note that we cannot pre-screen your documents prior to application to determine whether your qualifications meet the requirements. Also, waivers for any requirements are not granted.
Yes. To demonstrate that you have earned the required 60 ECTS credits in the social sciences and/or economics and/or law as well as 10 ECTS credits in social and/or economic research modules, you may also include additional courses you have taken beyond your first university degree, provided that these are academic qualifications.
Work experience (with or without certificates) cannot, under any circumstances, be used as proof of the required credit points.
Yes. You do not necessarily need a degree in the social sciences, economics, or law to apply.
However, you must demonstrate that you have completed:
If you have not obtained these credits either as part of your first degree or through additional academic coursework, you are not eligible to apply.
International applicants with a university degree from abroad must provide proof of German language proficiency at level A1 CEFR. However, if you do not have proof of German proficiency at the time of application, you can still apply and submit it during your first year at the University of Passau.
Our language centre offers German language courses free of charge for all students who are enrolled in one of our degree programmes.
You need a recognised language certificate in English at level B2 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR).
Yes, the proof of English language proficiency must be provided at the time of application.
No. You must provide proof of your English proficiency at the level B2 CEFR by the application deadline.
Bachelor's students at the University of Passau can take English courses at our Language Centre during their studies. Completion of the FFA Advanced Level (Aufbaustufe 2) in English with a minimum grade of 4 (sufficient) is accepted as proof of the required English proficiency for this Master's programme.
Please use the following documents to find all the details on the content of the Master's degree Governance and Public Policy:
Yes, we do offer two double degree options within this Master's programme:
The programme leads to a Master of Arts (M.A.) degree and requires 120 ECTS credits. It can be completed in 4 semester full-time study.
The programme is taught entirely in English with some modules also available in German.
Passau is a beautiful city with 53,000 inhabitants, located at the confluence of the three rivers Donube, Inn and Ilz. On our website on housing options, you'll get an overview of where to live in Passau. There are public and private student halls as well as private accommodation options.
At the University of Passau, there a no tuition fees. However, students do pay a semester fee.
We provide an overview of the cost of living in Passau and funding options.
Please use the DAAD scholarship database for information on scholarships for international applicants.
If the Helmut-Schmidt-Scholarship programme isn't an option for you, you can also use the DAAD scholarship database to explore other scholarship opportunities for international applicants.
On the website of the University of Passau, you can also find several scholarship opportunities.
If you come to Germany to study and live here, you will have to go through some bureaucratic and administrative steps along the way. Which pieces of paperwork you need depends on your nationality.
Please read our website on visa and residence permits to find out details.
If you did read all the FAQ and didn't found the answer to your question, you can contact the Programme Co-ordinators:
E-mail: studiengangskoordination@sobi.uni-passau.de
Only for questions on the Helmut-Schmidt-Scholarship programme PPGG:
