Application and admission
All Information at a Glance
Restricted Admission:
Limited to 25 students
Language Requirements:
International C1 Certificate in English
Application Deadline:
April 30 for winter semester
Term 1 Academic Year 2024/25
Start of introductory courses: October 7
Start of classes: October 14
Admission & Selection Process
- Bachelor (B.Sc.) degree in biology, ecology, environmental sciences or a closely related discipline
- Provide evidence of at least 3 credit points in the field of Ecology acquired in your undergraduate studies
- Fluency in English according to level C1 of the CEFR (Common European Framework of Reference for Languages)
- Letter of motivation explaining why you chose this program and what your research interests are
- Admission regulations M.Sc.Ecology (in German)
AFTER applying - upon receipt of your online application - your uploaded documents will be used to check whether your higher education institution/university is accredited and whether your degree entitles you to enroll in the desired Master's programme.
Please contact master@uni-bremen.de for further questions to your degree.
If you would like to inform yourself in advance, you can visit the following websites
- Anabin for higher education institutions/universities outside Germany (German only)
- Higher Education Kompass for higher education institutions/universities within Germany
Applicants whose native language is not English or whose last study was not completely taught in English language, are asked to submit a proof of proficiency in English according to level C1.
List of all the tests that are accepted as proof of C1 competence in English.
Please contact masterprotect me ?!uni-bremenprotect me ?!.de for further questions to English language certificates.
For some countries, e.g. India, the three years Bachelor degree is not considered equivalent with a German Bachelor’s degree, only the 4 years bachelor is. This was decided by German government. Please, ask us (mscecolprotect me ?!uni-bremenprotect me ?!.de) before applying if you are not sure your degree is equivalent.
Contact Us
If you are unsure, whether the content of your degree program is sufficiently suitable for the Master's program or should there still be any further questions to the Master program itself, please do not hesitate to address
mscecolprotect me ?!uni-bremenprotect me ?!.de
Program Coordinator:
Prof. Dr. Martin Diekmann
Assistant Coordinator:
Inae Kim-Frommherz
Selection Process
Selection process
If the number of applicants meeting the admission requirements exceeds the number of availabe study places - which is usually the case - the Master's Selection Board will rank the applications, up to 100 points may be awarded for an application.
Ranking System
up to 50 points: Overall grade of previous degree, or average grade achieved up to time of application (min. 135 CP). A ranking list of applicants is drawn up on the basis of their grades.
up to 30 points: Related subjects in Ecology, studied in previous degree courses, or related professional or other experience.
up to 20 points: Letter of Motivation stating reasons for your interest in the program, written in English.
Letter of Motivation
What we expect
Criteria for the evaluation of the letter are specific reference to the study course, a distinct explanation of the applicant’s own qualification and aims, especially as regards the connection between future career and the course of studies, as well as the applicant’s motivation being in accordance with the orientation of the course of studies. Your motivation letter should be one page maximum.
Application
Online Application
Applications must be submitted online, prior to the closing date and together with all necessary admission requirements. Applicants must apply via the central online application portal of the University of Bremen (MOIN).
The online application form will be active 6 weeks before the application deadline. Your application is only valid for the semester you have selected.
Applications may (and should) already be submitted before the previous study degree (i.e. usually B.Sc.) has been finished, if at least 135 ECTS have been obtained, equivalent to the work load of 4.5 semesters. In those cases, admission can be granted on the condition that the previous degree will be successfully finished by September, 30th.
The certificate of language proficiency is furnished at the latest two weeks after the beginning of the master courses. In this case the relevant documents and certificates are to be handed in by 31 December of that year.
Application documents
At the time of application, you must provide a current overview of grades and course work (study schedule/ transcript of records) and, if already available, proof of having been awarded your degree. You have to upload the following documents:
- Certificate of Bachelor degree or official academic transcript of Study Records of your Bachelor studies. i.e. a list of successfully studied courses completed at your home university (inlcuding duration, final grades, graduation scheme), in English or German
- Detailed and current curriculum vitae (CV), written in English
- Letter of Motivation, explaining your interest for enrollment in the Master of Ecology program, written in English
- Proof of sufficient English language skills, in English
- Any additional documents or relevant qualifications, such as internships or academic awards, written in German or English
Further questions about the application procedure?
Please check the Master's Portal of the University of Bremen for answers concerning your online application (registration, upload of documents etc.). You will find answers to frequently asked questions at the FAQ of the Master's Portal.
If there are any questions left, please contact the Secretariat for Students International (SfSI)
masterprotect me ?!uni-bremenprotect me ?!.de.
Application Deadline
April 30 for winter semester
Please take note
Documents for application
You apply WITHOUT CERTIFIED COPIES of your documents! Only in case of admission you have to hand in certified hardcopies.
Enrollment
Verification in two steps
After the application deadline your application will undergo two consecutive checks. At first the Secretariat for Students International (SfSI) will check if your application is complete and correct.
If your application is incomplete or incorrect, you will not be included into the following selection procedure. Instead you will receive a notification from the SfS International indicating that you are rejected and why.
At this stage, you cannot correct your application anymore nor deliver any missing documents.
But, if the criteria of the first step are met, your application will be forwarded to the Master's Selection Board for final evaluation according to the ranking criteria of the program.
The Selection Board of the Master's program Ecology will meet as soon as possible, latest early in June to evaluate all applications.
After having received the final ranking list for the Master's program Ecology the SfS International will inform you whether your application has been successful or not.
Enrollment
In case of success you will get a notification of admission by email via the MOIN portal.
Please take note of the conditions and deadlines contained in the notification. If requested you have to submit the requested further paper documents (until the deadline stated in the admission note!). If you do not submit the respective documents within the specified deadline or, if they are not correctly certified, you will not be enrolled.
You confirm acceptance by paying semester fee. Please consider the specified deadline for paying!
Check your status online
The Selection procedure will take some time (usually 6-8 weeks after the application deadline). Using your online registration login in MOIN, you can check the status of your application at any time.
morePlease take note
- Copies of original certificates must be VALIDATED.
- Certificates in other languages than German or English must be TRANSLATED into German or English.
- ORIGINAL DOCUMENTS NOT BE ACCEPTED, please do not send any!
- Please bring the documents PERSONALLY for the enrollment process at the university. Do not send any!
Getting ready for Bremen
- passport valid for the entire period to be spent in Germany (otherwise you will have to go home in-between to renew it)
- notification of enrollment or admission letter from the University Bremen
- proof of financial resources (secure livelihood)
- visa (not a tourist visa)
- proof of health insurance (if your current health insurance is recognised in Germany!)
You will need the originals and certified translations of the following documents
(ask the German embassy for accepted translaters and certification of copies)
- birth certificate
- secondary school leaving certificate
- possibly your academic qualifications
- language diplomas
and if there is one
- a book of vaccination certificates (Enquire at the German consulates if you need any vaccinations)
- an international driving licence
- Medicines you need
- Some German cash for your arrival
- Recent biometric photographs (e.g. for residence permit or registration as a citizen of Bremen)
- A power plug and possibly a voltage converter for electric appliances (in Germany: 230V/50Hz)
- Notebook capable of R
Information on visa, residence permit, registration, health insurance, bank account and more
morePlease take note
Important fact about health insurance
As a student from outside the EU/EAA /Switzerland or contract country, you are legally obliged to insure with the German public health insurance.
Contact
If you are an enrolled and prospective student you can find assistance here:
International Office
Claudia Pellegrino
Phone: +49 421 218-60365
Email: claudia.pellegrinoprotect me ?!vw.uni-bremenprotect me ?!.de
Living & Campus
If enrollment or re-registration is withdrawn before the semester documents have been printed, the entire semester fee can be refunded.
In the case of a return of a study place, a refund can only be made if we have received all semester documents (incl. semester ticket).
- Costs
- Housing
- Health insurance
- Bank account
- Daily needs on campus (such as banks and insurance companies)
- Jobs
- International communities at the University of Bremen
- Languages
- Arrival, transport and semester ticket
- Campus map
- Learning spaces
- Libraries
- Academic advisory Services
- Catering
- Culture on campus
- Sports
Formalities regarding residency
After arrival in Bremen you have to register as a citizen within two weeks after moving into your accomodation (Residents Registration Office/ Einwohnermeldeamt). For registering as a citizen you need an official certificate of your landlord.
At the latest four weeks before the expiry date of the entry / study visa, you must apply for a residence permit.
You can do both, applying for a residence permit and registering as a citizen of Bremen, on the campus at the Bremen Service University (BSU).
Students of the previous year may help you with these formalities.
More information on registration and residence permit
moreContact BSU
BSU (bremen_service universität)
Bibliothekstr. 6
28359 Bremen
Before classes start
MSc Ecology Welcome week
The week before your lectures start students of the previous year will organize a welcome week for all incoming students. They will help you with the formalities on campus and support you in dealing with administration and immatrikulation. The welcome week tutors will contact you via email and let you know the schedule for the week.
Start of introductory classes
October 7 for winter term 2024/25
Start of classes
October 14 for winter term 2024/25