Guide to applying for a master's degree program

for international applicants

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2:28 | 2 Oct 2020

International applicants who wish to embark on a master's degree program at the LMU must apply / register for the course separately (concurrently) both to the respective institute / master's degree program and to the International Office. Different deadlines may apply.

Please note: The documents you will need to provide to the master’s degree program coordinator will also be required when you register at the International Office.

Four steps for international applicants

Please refer to the respective master’s degree program to find out about application procedures, and submit your completed application to the program coordinator. The requirements and documents you will need to submit with your application differ widely from program to program, as do the deadlines also.

If the coordinator of your chosen master's degree program accepts your application, he or she will issue you a letter of acceptance for the master's degree program. Please submit a copy of this letter when you apply / register at the International Office.

Please apply separately / additionally to the LMU International Office (deadline for registering for the summer semester: 15 January / for the winter semester: 15 July).

For the For the Master's programs
Allgemeine und vergleichende Literaturwissenschaft, Art History, Biochemistry, Bioinformatics, Buchwissenschaft, Data Science, Chemistry, Epidemiology, Germanistische Linguistik, Germanistische Literaturwissenschaft, History, Informatics, Mathematics, Media informatics, Mensch-Computer-Interaktion, Religions- und Kulturwissenschaft, Quantitative Economics, Slavistik, Sociology and Statistics & Data Science
please use the online portal MoveIN. The portal is open from 15 November until 15 January 2025. More information: Infosheet (PDF, 324 KB)

For all other programs: You will need to submit the following documents when you apply to the International Office (by post):

  • Completed application form
  • All higher education/university certificates and/or diplomas and all transcripts of records
    • in the original language – as officially certified copies
    • and with officially certified translation where applicable. Certificates in English, French, Italian, Spanish, Catalan, Latin, Portuguese and Rumanian do not have to be translated.
    • Note: If you have a university degree recognized in Germany (Bachelor's degree), no secondary school certificates from the time before your Bachelor's program are required.
  • Registration and confirmation of programs previously studied at any other German university.
  • Letter of admission for the Master's degree program from the degree program coordinator (can be handed in later during registration)
  • Updated resume (please see sample (PDF, 101 KB))
  • Applicants from the PR China, India and Vietnam should submit the original certificate from the Akademische Prüfstelle bei der Deutschen Botschaft (APS).
  • Evidence of proficiency in German: please refer to the general regulations on proficiency in German. Exception: master's degree programs and double degree programs in which the course language is English. Please ask your master's degree program coordinator whether any special regulations apply to your course with regard to the German language test.
  • Where applicable, marriage certificate / official proof of change of name

Report/letter of recommendation or work experience references are not required when registering at the International Office.

For country-specific requirements, please refer to the detailed application information.

The letter of admission is an important official document which you will need to show the authorities, and which you will need in order to register at LMU. The International Office will send you the letter of admission by email. Its validity is conditional on passing the German language test (exception: English-speaking master’s degree programs and double degree programs) and (academic) acceptance on the master’s degree program of your choice.

Once you have a letter of admission, you must register before the deadline. To register, please send all the documents listed on the letter of admission! Here you will find more information on registering as an international applicant.

Who to contact for master's degree programs

You can find the contact information for each master's degree program at the corresponding degree program's website:

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