Master
On this page you will find information on application and admission to a specialist Master's degree program. If you would like to find out more about the Master of Education, please visit the website of the Center for Teacher Education and Educational Research (ZfLB) (in German).
A master's program serves to deepen or broaden the specialist knowledge acquired with the bachelor's degree. Master's programs have a standard period of study of two to four semesters and require a successfully completed, relevant bachelor's degree.
You can find general information about the master's application and the admission procedure on this page. All further detailed information on the respective admission requirements and application deadlines can be found on our master's portal.
Contents of this page:
- Application, Documents and Deadlines
- Procedure for Allocation of Study Places and Hardship Application
- Prerequisites and Selection Criteria
- Bachelor's Level University Degree and Minimum CP
- Subject Proximity of the Bachelor's Degree Program
- Academic Achievements in Specific Areas of Focus
- (Minimum) Grade of the Bachelor's Degree
- Letter of Motivation
- Entrance and Aptitude test
- Curriculum Vtae and Letter of Reference
- Language Certificates for the Master's Program
Kontakt
Questions about the application portal and "hard" requirements (e.g. language certificates)
► Student Office
Questions regarding "soft" prerequisites (e.g. subject proximity)
► Academic Advisors
General questions and advice on choosing a degree program
► Central Student Advisory Service
Applicants for the first semester and advanced students apply online via the MOIN portal: http://moin.uni-bremen.de
Students of the University of Bremen use their ZfN account to log in. Students from other universities have to create a new account. Applications are only possible for one master’s program at a time.
Application Deadlines for First Year Students
For applications for the first semester, the application deadlines stated in the master's portal apply. It is indicated whether the master’s program starts in winter or summer semester.
Application for a Higher Semester
Advanced students can usually apply for both the winter and summer semester. Deadline: winter semester as stated in the master's portal, summer semester usually January 15th. Advanced master’s applicants must provide proof of at least 10 CP in the master’s program applied for (exception: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology requires at least 21 CP). Proof of CP for master’s programs with restricted admission must be submitted by the end of the respective application period, and for master’s programs with open admission by two weeks after the start of the lectures (usually for winter semester: end of October, for summer semester mid or end of April).
In case of a change of location, where advanced master’s students wish to continue studying a master’s program of the same name at the University of Bremen, the proof of 10 CP is not required.
Please be aware that a few master’s programs do not accept advanced students, please check before applying.
Important note: Currently, all admission regulations are being adapted to the deadline for admission-free Master's programs. In older admission regulations, a different deadline may be mentioned. However, for admission-free Master's programs, the deadline of two weeks after the start of the course always applies for the proof of 10 CP as advanced applicant.
The application portal opens approximately 6 weeks before the application deadline. The application is only valid for the current semester and cannot be transferred to another semester. If you want to start your studies at a later semester, a new application is necessary.
Application Documents
The admission regulations of the respective master’s program specify which documents you have to upload in the application portal. At the time of application, the following are usually required:
- current overview of grades and academic achievements (Transcript of Records)
- graduation certificate, if already available
- current curriculum vitae in table form
- letter of motivation
The transcript of records must be an official document of the university. Self-prepared overviews or printouts that cannot be verified will not be accepted. Additional documents may be requested:
- language certificates
- proof of academic achievement in specific fields of study
- proof of professional experience, internship or apprenticeships
- letters of recommendation
A degree withdrawal certificate is not required.
Admission and Documents for Enrollment
After receiving the admission letter, you must submit officially certified copies of your documents in paper form. The required documents will be stated in your admission letter. You accept the study place by paying the semester fee. For degree programs with restricted admission, the money must be received by the deadline specified in the letter of acceptance. If you missed the payment deadline for an open-admission degree program, please contact the Student Office.
You will only be enrolled if you provide proof of all required prerequisites by the deadline. All documents must be received by two weeks after the start of the semester in order to be enrolled. In order to receive the study documents including the semester ticket in time for the start of the semester, it is recommended to submit the documents completely, if possible, already one month before the start of the semester (for winter semester: beginning of September, for summer semester: beginning of March).
Please send all required documents bundled to the
Student Office
Bibliothekstr. 1
28359 Bremen
You will only be enrolled if you provide all the required documents by the deadline.
Application to the Dual Degree (DD)
In master’s programs with a dual degree, students earn one or two international degrees. Dual degree students are completing a part of their studies at a foreign university. The universities involved in the dual-degree
program issue either two separate certificates (double degree) or one joint certificate ( joint degree).
Special requirements often apply for admission to a dual-degree program, which are stated in the respective admission regulations. For information on how to apply, please contact the respective master’s program advisors.
Procedure for Allocation of Study Places and Hardship Application
The admission process for master’s programs goes through many steps. You can view the current status of your application yourself at any time in the MOIN portal. You will find information on the meaning of status messages in the MOIN portal in the FAQ list of the master portal under the question “What happens after I have submitted my application?”. There you will also find instructions on how to proceed if problems arise.
Selection Committee and Decisions
A selection committee is responsible for evaluating the applications in terms of subject matter and content. It checks, for example, whether the subject orientation of the bachelor’s degree matches the respective master’s program, whether the minimum CP in certain major fields of study are fulfilled, and how a letter of motivation is to be evaluated. Based on the decision of the master selection committee, the Student Office issues the admission and rejection notices and informs about this by e-mail. Please note that the review of applications and the selection by the commission takes some time (usually 6-8 weeks after the application deadline).
Restricted-Admission (Z)
For some degree programs, the Z in the overview of our master degrees indicates that the number of study places is limited and that a selection process takes place. In the master’s programs that do not show a Z, bachelor’s graduates are granted a place if they meet the requirements. Several criteria are often taken into account in the allocation procedure for restricted-admission master’s programs. The most important criteria are described further below on this website.
Hardship Application
For restricted-admission master’s programs, a hardship application may be submitted. The study places in the hardship quota are allocated to applicants for whom non-admission would mean exceptional hardship. 5% of the study places in master’s programs at the University of Bremen are reserved for special hardship cases, in the master’s program Business Studies 3%. Recognized hardships can lead to preferential admission.
You must submit the hardship application in the online application portal MOINby the end of the application period. Evidence relevant to the hardship application must also be uploaded. Hardship applications and supporting documents submitted in paper form cannot be considered. The hardship application will be processed in the Student Office and will not be forwarded to the selection committees.
Students with impairments are advised on the hardship application at the Contact and Information Center for Students with Disabilities or Chronic Illness ("KIS").
Prerequisites and Selection Criteria
For each master’s program, the prerequisites and selection criteria are defined in the subject-specific admission regulations. In order to participate in the application procedure or to be enrolled later, all prerequisites required by the master must be fulfilled.
Some prerequisites have to be fulfilled at the time of application, others can be fulfilled later. If a prerequisite is not met, enrollment will not occur. The requirements for admission are described in the admission regulations under “Aufnahmevoraussetzung und -verfahren” (admission requirements and procedures) (mostly § 1).
In restricted-admission master’s programs, selection criteria are used to allocate places. Some criteria are both used as prerequisites and used in the selection process. The criteria for the allocation of study places are described in the admission regulations under “Selection of applicants” (mostly in § 4).
Which prerequisites have to be fulfilled in different master’s programs and to what extent they play a role as selection criteria in restricted-admission master’s programs is described below.
Please note: Missing prerequisites cannot be made up for after starting the master at the University of Bremen and will lead to a rejection. If you are unsure about your prerequisites, please contact your academic advisor.
Bachelor’s Level University Degree
For enrollment in a master’s program, a university degree at the bachelor’s level is required. By the application deadline, bachelor’s students usually cannot provide proof of their bachelor’s degree at this point and therefore bachelor’s students do not yet need to submit their degree certificate for the application process. A lower number of credit points is therefore sufficient to apply, which you can find in the admission regulations of the respective Master's program.
In case of admission, for enrollment the successful Bachelor’s degree must be submitted no later than two weeks after the start of the course. The final bachelor’s degree grade must be certified on the transcript. A certificate without a final grade is not sufficient for enrollment!
Subject Proximity of the Bachelor’s Degree Program
Some master’s programs are interdisciplinary in nature and broadly interpret the subject proximity of the bachelor’s program to the intended master’s program. Other master’s programs aim rather at a subject-specific specialization and therefore expect a close subject-related connection. The subject-related proximity must be assessed by the selection committee.
The admission regulations specify the bachelor’s degree programs to which the respective master’s program is primarily directed. The bachelor’s programs named there are close in subject to the chosen master’s program and applications from these bachelor’s programs will not be rejected on the basis of their subject orientation. However, bachelor’s programs that are not listed may still be close to the master’s program in terms of subject matter. Questions about this can be answered by the faculty advisor of the master’s program.
If your master’s program is restricted-admission, you should check the admission regulations to see if subject proximity plays a role in the selection process.
With a bachelor's degree, you may be able to qualify for a variety of master's programs. The overview "Which master's program is right for my bachelor's degree?" can help you get an overview of the master's programs that are open to you.
Academic Achievements in Specific Areas of Focus
For some master’s programs, proof of a minimum number of CP in a specific subject area, of methodological knowledge such as statistics, or in specific areas of study is a prerequisite in order to be considered in the application process. The minimum CP defined in the admission regulations must be proven by the application deadline.
If your master’s program is a restricted-admission program, you should check the admission regulations to see whether grades and/or the scope of your major field of study play a role in the selection process.
(Minimum) Grade of the Bachelor’s Degree
Some master’s programs require a minimum grade at the time of application, and failure to meet this grade will result in rejection of the application. If the bachelor’s degree has not yet been completed and thus no bachelor’s degree transcript is available, the average resulting from the current grade and transcript of records will be used. Degree programs that require minimum grades are indicated in the short overview and in the respective admission regulations for the Master's programs.
A special case is the Digital Media degree program with a specialization in media informatics: to determine the minimum grade, the assessment of a portfolio and relevant professional experience are also included.
In restricted-admission degree programs, the grade of the bachelor’s degree certificate or the average grade in the bachelor’s degree at the time of application always plays a decisive role for ranking in the selection process.
How is the Average Grade Calculated?
The Student Office uses the average grade shown on the study progress overview, the degree certificate or another official certificate. If only individual grades are shown on the curriculum summary, the average grade is calculated as the mean of the individual grades. Areas of focus or other weights (e.g., credit points) are not considered in the average calculation. If possible, obtain a certificate with the current average grade from your university if it is not already listed on the documents.
When calculating and converting international grades, the SfS follows the guidelines of the Conference of Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs. If you have a grading system from your university, we recommend that you include it with your application. The conversion into the German grading system is based on the so-called “bayerische Formel” (Bavarian formula).
Language Skills
The required language skills are listed in the master's portal. How to prove language skills can be found down below or on the website of the Language Centre of the Universities in the Land of Bremen.
Required language certificates must generally be proven no later than two weeks after the start of the course – the specific date will be stated in your letter of admission.
Language certificates that must already be submitted by the application deadline are indicated in brackets in the master's portal. Language proficiency must be demonstrated in order to be enrolled. However, they are not used as a selection criterion for ranking in restricted-admission master’s programs.
Letter of Motivation
Almost all master’s programs require a letter of motivation with the application. If the master’s programs have restricted-admission, the evaluation of the letter of motivation can play an important role in the allocation of study places. Many admission regulations specify criteria on which the evaluation of the letter of motivation is based (e.g. research interests, focus of studies, intended career fields). Use these tips to write letters of motivation that are specific to your degree program. This will increase your chances of getting a place on the course.
Entrance and Aptitude Test
The following degree programs require participation in an entrance or aptitude test:
- Applied Geosciences
- Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
- Marine Geosciences
- Marine Microbiology
- Materials Chemistry and Mineralogy
- Production Engineering - Mechanical and Process Engineering
- Public Health – Health Services, Health Economics and Health Management
- Space Engineering from winter semester 2025/26)
- Business Psychology
The invitation to the test will be sent after the application. For the master’s program in Applied Geosciences, proof of successful testing is required at the time of application. Tests are used both as a minimum and as a selection tool. For example, applicants for the Master's in Production Engineering must achieve at least 50% of the available points in the entrance test in order for their application to be accepted. For the Master's in Business Psychology, the results of the entrance test are also used to rank the applications.
Tabular Curriculum Vitae
A tabular curriculum vitae is usually part of a complete master’s application. It should allow conclusions to be drawn about the subject-related proximity/fit of the previous studies and/or the previous professional experience to the intended master’s program, but otherwise plays no role in the selection process in restricted-admission master’s programs. It does not have to include a photo.
Letter of Reference
The application for the master’s program Marine Microbiology includes two letters of reference, the evaluation of which will be used in the ranking process.
Language Certificates for the Master’s Program
How proficient someone is in a foreign language is described by six levels A1 (beginner), A2, B1, B2, C1 and C2 (like native language). If you are unsure about your language level, use the Dialang assessment test for all European languages: https://dialangweb.lancaster.ac.uk
Required Language Skills
The language skills required for master’s programs are listed in the master's portal. You will not be enrolled without the required language certificates!
Language Proof via Language of Instruction
If your school examination qualifying for university entrance or previous studies were completed in the language required for the master’s program (medium of instruction), this will be recognized as language proof on the level C1 for the application. A certificate from the school or university is sufficient for this purpose.
Take Care of Language Requirements Timely. About two semesters before the end of your bachelor’s program, you should obtain information of the required language requirements of the intended master’s program. This will enable you to acquire any missing language certificates in good time.
Language Certificates
If the language skills cannot be proven by University entrance examination or other references, the language skills must be proven by a language certificate. Some internationally recognized certificates for English, French, and Spanish are listed on the website of the Language Centre of the Universities in the Land of Bremen.
Some language certificates have a validity period stated. If a validity date is indicated on the certificate, it will only be considered if it is still valid at the time of application. Certificates without a validity period are permanently recognized for the application.
Questions?
► TheLanguage Centre of the Universities in the Land of Bremen provides information about language certificates and language proofs.
► The Student Office provides information on the recognition of certificates for enrollment.
Language Tests up to B1 Level
For language certificates up to B1 level, tests are also offered for English, French and Spanish at the Languages Centre of the Universities in the Land of Bremen, at the Instituto Cervantes and at the Institut Français. These tests are subject to a fee (40 euros) and are only recognized for admission to universities in the state of Bremen.
Proof of German Language Proficiency
For German-language master’s programs, German language skills must be proven at C1 level. An university entrance qualification (e. g. Abitur) or a bachelor’s degree with German as the language of instruction is accepted as proof of German C1.
The following language certificates are accepted as C1 proof:
- TestDaF “Test of German as a Foreign Language” – total of at least 16 points, at least 3 points in all four parts of the exam
- DSH “German Language Examination for University Entrance” – min. DSH-2
- Assessment test (“Feststellungsprüfung”) at a preparatory college (“Studienkolleg”), German examination
- Goethe Certificate C1 or C2
- telc “Deutsch C1 Hochschule”
- DSD “Deutsches Sprachdiplom der Kultusministerkonferenz” Level II C1
- ÖSD (Austrian Language Diploma) C1 or C2
For more detailed Information and further language proofs vist our website.
Exemption from the German Language Certificate
An application for exemption from the German language proof can be submitted to the Languages Centre Bremen. However, such an exemption is only rarely possible (for example, in the case of a completed degree in German studies in the home country). If the score of the TestDaF examination is below 16 points, an exemption is not possible.
Inquiries concerning exemption from the German language proof should be sent by e-mail.