Subject-specific university entrance qualifications

There are some undergraduate degree programmes which accept applicants who have a 'fachgebundene Hochschulreife' or a 'fachgebundene Hochschulzugangsberechtigung'. While there are some technical differences between these two terms, they are often used interchangeably and both were translated as 'subject-specific university entrance qualifications'.

There are many different educational pathways leading to subject-specific university access. These qualifications restrict the subjects that a candidate can study at university. On this page, we cannot list every possible certificate and the degree programmes that one might be able to enrol on with each certificate. The information is therefore not a comprehensive guide.

How do people get a 'fachgebundene Hochschulreife'? 

The most common educational pathways are:

• Successfully completing the 13th grade of a 'Fachoberschule' or 'Berufsoberschule' without taking a second foreign language option. (If you take a second foreign language at these types of school, you obtain a general university entrance qualification instead.
• Taking certain exams / obtaining sufficient academic credit at a Fachhochschule (University of Applied Sciences) results in obtaining a subject-specific university entrance qualification for closely related degree programmes at a university.

How do people get a 'fachgebundene Hochschulzugangsberechtigung'?

• It is possible to obtain a subject-specific university entrance qualification through a vocational pathway (German web page). Professionals can obtain the university entrance qualification for subjects closely related to their field of work. The University is responsible for determining whether a candidate's professional experience is sufficiently related to a field of study for them to be able to enrol on a degree programme.

Fachhochschulreife

Please be aware that a 'Fachhochschulreife' (entrance qualification for Universities of Applied Sciences) does not suffice for enrolling on a University degree programme. 

Which degree programmes can I study with a subject-specific university entrance qualification?

 1. University entrance qualification for subjects related to social sciences

• B.A. European Studies
• B.A. European Studies Major
• B.A. Governance and Public Policy
• B.A.  Journalism and Strategic Communication
• B.A. Media and Communication
• Teacher training programme for primary education * 
• Teacher training programme for secondary education (Mittelschule) *

2. University entrance qualification for subjects related to technology:

• B.Sc. Computer Science
• B.Sc. Digital Transformation in Business and Society
• B.Sc. Information Systems
• B.A. Internet Computing
• B.A. Mathematics
• Teacher training programme for primary education * 
• Teacher training programme for secondary education (Mittelschule) * 
• Teacher training programme for secondary education (Realschule) (with the subject combination mathematics and computing)
• Teacher training programme for secondary education (Gymnasium) (with the subject combination mathematics and computing)

3. University entrance qualification for subjects related to business / economics:

• B.Sc. Business Administration and Economics
• B.Sc. Digital Transformation in Business an Society
• B.A. European Studies
• B.A. European Studies Major
• B.A. Governance and Public Policy
• B.Sc. Information Systems
• B.A. International Cultural and Business Studies
• B.Sc. Internet Computing
• B.A.  Journalism and Strategic Communication
• Law undergraduate programme
• LL.B. Legal Tech
• B.Sc. Mathematics
• B.A. Media and Communication
• Teacher training programme for primary education *   
• Teacher training programme for secondary education (Mittelschule) *​​​​​​​ 
• Teacher training programme for secondary education (Realschule) with one of the following subject combinations:
  • computer science with business and economics
  • social studies with business and economics
  • mathematics with computer science
• Teacher training programme for secondary education (Gymnasium)  with one of the following subject combinations: 
  • computer science with business and economics
  • mathematics with business and economics

4. University entrance qualification for subjects related to creative industries

• B.A.  Journalism and Strategic Communication
• B.A. Media and Communication
• Teacher training programme for primary education *​​​​​​​  
• Teacher training programme for secondary education (Mittelschule) *​​​​​​​ 

5. University entrance qualification for subjects related to health

• Teacher training programme for primary education *​​​​​​​ 
• Teacher training programme for secondary education (Mittelschule) *​​​​​​​  ​​​​​​

6. University entrance qualification for subjects related to Agricultural Economics, Bio- and Environmental Technology

• Teacher training programme for primary education *​​​​​​​ 
• Teacher training programme for secondary education (Mittelschule) *​​​​​​​  ​​​​​​

*) The teacher training programmes for primary school and middle school teaching are open to applicants with any subject-specific university entrance qualification. In addition, there are no restrictions on the teaching subject combinations.