Before you get stuck into your application, you should be pretty certain that you fulfill the criteria for your chosen degree program at LMU. Here you can find the general prerequisites for acceptance onto a bachelor's, master's or doctoral degree as well as State Examinations.
The undergraduate bachelor’s and State Examination (Staatsexamen) degree programs lead to a first academic degree. The most important prerequisites for beginning a bachelor's or State Examination degree program are:
1. A university entrance qualification:
The university entrance qualification is a high school leaving certificate which qualifies you to embark on a degree program at a German university. In Germany, this is known as Abitur (German higher education entrance qualification). In general, high school leaving certificates in EU states are deemed equivalent to the German Abitur, and qualify you to begin studying in Germany. If you have an high school leaving certificate from another country, an official assessment will be required to ensure it is equivalent to the German Abitur. In some countries, school leaving certificates do not qualify the holder for university entrance. Sometimes the school leaving certificate can be combined with a one-year course of study in the home country or a different country to reach a level equivalent to that of the German Abitur. Completion of a degree program (six semester degree program) at a German university also qualifies the holder for university entrance.
You can refer to the Anabin website or the DAAD admissions database to find out whether your school leaving qualifications and/or your higher education course qualify you to embark on a degree program at a German university.
If your school leaving qualification is not deemed equivalent to the German Abitur, you can qualify for university entrance by completing a recognized one year (minimum) preparatory course and passing the final examination. You cannot register directly on a preparatory course (Studienkolleg) in Munich; you first need to apply for a degree program at LMU. You will need to pass a test in order to participate on the preparatory course. In order to be admitted to take this test, you will need to prove that your proficiency in German is at B2 level. You must have attended a German language course within the last three months.
2. Furnishing evidence of proficiency in German:
The linguistic demands when studying at LMU are high. In order to complete a bachelor's degree or a State Examination degree program, you will first need to pass a recognized German language test.
Many degree programs also require additional qualifications: subjects which have (local or national) admission restrictions, for example, will require you to achieve a certain average grade in your Abitur (“numerus clausus”). Other subjects require an aptitude test, pre-registration or academic advising and orientation. For student applicants from non-EU countries, further conditions apply to subjects with national admission restrictions. The International Admissions Office will be happy to advise you here.
Master's degree programs lead to a second academic degree, and build on the knowledge and skills acquired during the first degree program and/or on other relevant qualifications and experience. The basic prerequisites for master's degree programs are:
1. A first academic degree (bachelor’s or equivalent):
Please note that acquiring an academic degree in one subject does not necessarily qualify you for any master's degree program. The subjects which are recognized for pre-qualification are listed in the Examination & Study Regulations associated with each master's degree program. In general, you should have acquired your first academic degree in a field which is similar to the aspired second degree program. For more information, please contact the International Admissions Office or talk to the study coordinator responsible for your specific degree program (assuming you already know which academic route you wish to take).
2. Furnishing evidence of proficiency in German:
The linguistic demands when studying at LMU are high. In order to complete a master's degree program, you will first need to pass a recognized German language test, unless the program in question is English-speaking.
In addition, those applying for a master's degree program via the admission procedure will need to furnish evidence of special aptitude for the program in question. The aptitude tests are regulated individually by the faculties, and can vary. For information on the aptitude assessment for your chosen degree program, please visit the subject in question's website.
Once you have acquired a second academic degree (generally a master's or a State Examination), those with special aptitude can commence their doctoral studies in order to get a doctoral degree (Dr or PhD). There are some specific constellations (particularly in natural sciences) which allow students to embark on their doctoral studies immediately upon successful completion of a bachelor's degree ("fast track”). Doctoral studies can be completed in the following two ways: an individually supervised doctoral degree program or within the framework of a a structured doctoral degree program.
Meeting the formal minimal requirements (master's or State Examination) does not automatically qualify you for a doctoral degree program. In general, these are subject to further individual requirements with respect to the research project in question. This needs to be clarified in a personal interview with the PhD supervisor or with the person responsible for coordinating the doctoral degree program in question.
The same applies to the language in which the doctoral dissertation needs to be submitted, and in which the team of doctoral candidates communicate with their supervisor. As these issues need to be clarified with the supervisor or coordinator personally, furnishing evidence of proficiency in German may or may not be a prerequisite for your doctoral studies at LMU.
For more information, please see the Graduate Center web pages.
Before you prepare your application, check that you fulfil all the prerequisites for studying at the LMU. Here you will find a list of the general prerequisites for embarking on a bachelor, master's or doctoral degree program, as well as for courses ending with a state examination. For subjects which have admission restrictions, or subjects which require aptitude assessments, pre-registration or academic advising and orientation, you will also need to fulfil the subject-specific prerequisites.
Please note: If you want to combine a major with a minor subject, you will need to fulfil the admission requirements for each of the two subjects.
Generally, in order to study at LMU, you need to have sufficient knowledge of German and prove German proficiency through an approved language certificate.
LMU does, however, offer some bachelor-level and some master-level degree programs in English (sometimes in combination with other languages), for which no knowledge of German is necessary.
LMU and the institutions associated with it offer courses specially to prepare you for the level of German required on your degree program. We also offer German courses that run along side your studies, subject specific and other foreign language courses.
In order to begin an undergraduate degree program (bachelor's or State Examination), you will need a university admissions qualification such as the German Abitur (German higher education entrance qualification), or an equivalent qualification. Here we explain factors that affect your application such as your nationality and the origin of your high school leaving qualifications.
Are you a citizen of an EU/EEA member state, and have acquired your university entrance qualification in a country other than Germany, and not at a German school abroad?
Your school leaving certificate may or may not automatically qualify you to begin a degree program at a German university. The list of countries and school leaving certificates which do not automatically qualify you to embark on a degree program at a German university changes from time to time. For the most recent details, please see ANABIN or refer to the DAAD web portal.
In such cases, you may be able to acquire a university entrance qualification by attending a one-year preparatory course (Studienkolleg). Please apply first for your chosen subject at LMU. If you fulfill the relevant conditions, you will be assigned a place on a preparatory course by the LMU International Office. Please note that you will be required to furnish evidence of B2-level proficiency in German in order to begin a preparatory course in Bavaria.
If you would like to register for a degree program which does not have restricted admission, or a degree program which requires an aptitude test or pre-registration (including master's degrees and doctoral degrees), your contact for admissions for studying at LMU and for registration is the International Office in the central university administration.
If you wish to pursue a degree program with local admission restrictions, your contact for admissions for studying at LMU and for registration is the Office of the University Registrar in the central university administration.
Please note: If you wish to register for a degree program with national admission restrictions (Pharmacy, Medicine, Dentistry, or Veterinary Medicine), you will first need to register for the national allocation procedure organized by the SfH (Foundation for University Admissions). Once you have been assigned a place at LMU, the Office of the University Registrar becomes responsible for dealing with your registration.
Are you a citizen of a country which is not an EU/EEA member state, and have gained a university entrance qualification in a country other than Germany, and not at a German school abroad?
Your school leaving certificate may or may not automatically qualify you to begin a degree program at a German university. The list of countries and school leaving certificates which do not automatically qualify you to embark on a degree program at a German university changes from time to time. For the most recent details, please see ANABIN or refer to the DAAD web portal.
In such cases, you may be able to acquire a university entrance qualification by attending a one-year preparatory course (Studienkolleg). Please apply first for your chosen subject at LMU. If you fulfill all the relevant conditions, you will be assigned a place on a preparatory course by the LMU International Office. Please note that you will be required to furnish evidence of B2-level proficiency in German in order to begin a preparatory course in Bavaria.
Your contact for admissions for studying at LMU and for registration is the International Admissions Office in the central university administration.
Please note: If you wish to apply to begin in an advanced semester of a subject with admission restrictions, admission and registration are regulated by the Office of the University Registrar
Are you a German national or a foreign national / stateless person with a German higher education entrance qualification (Abitur or subject-specific higher education entrance qualification) obtained in Germany or from a German school abroad?
Your contact for admission to a degree program at LMU and for registration is the Office of the University Registrar in the central university administration.
Please note: If you wish to register for a degree program with national admission restrictions (Pharmacy, Medicine, Dentistry, or Veterinary Medicine), you will first need to register for the national allocation procedure organized by the SfH (Foundation for University Admissions). Once you have been assigned a place at LMU, the Office of the University Registrar becomes responsible for dealing with your registration.
Are you a German national (with a German passport!), and acquired your high school leaving certificate at a school abroad?
Your high school leaving certificate may or may not automatically qualify you to begin a degree program at a German university. The list of countries and school leaving certificates which do not automatically qualify you to embark on a degree program at a German university changes from time to time. For the most recent details, please see ANABIN or refer to the DAAD web portal.
If your high school leaving certificate does not qualify you to begin a degree program, you may be able to acquire a university entrance qualification by attending a one year Studienkolleg (preparatory course). Please apply first for your chosen subject at LMU. If you fulfill all the relevant conditions, you will be assigned a place on a preparatory course by the LMU International Admissions Office.
Your contact for admissions for studying at LMU and for registration is the Office of the University Registrar in the central university administration.
Please note: If you wish to register for a degree program with national admission restrictions (Pharmacy, Medicine, Dentistry, or Veterinary Medicine) – and you are in possession of a university entrance qualification which is recognized in Germany – you will first need to register for the national allocation procedure organized by the SfH (Foundation for University Admissions). Once you have been assigned a place at LMU, the Office of the University Registrar becomes responsible for dealing with your registration.
Do you have dual citizenship, and would like to study at LMU? The following rules govern where and subject to which conditions you will need to apply:
Dual citizenship for Germany and an EU/EEA country or Germany and a non-EU/EEA country:
Are you considered to be German? You can apply as a German with a German Abitur or as a German with a foreign high school leaving qualification.
Dual citizenship EU/EEA country and EU/EEA country or EU/EEA country and non-EU/EEA country:
Are you considered to be an EU/EEA citizen? You can apply as an EU/EEA citizen with non-German high school leaving qualifications or as an EU/EEA citizen with a German higher education entrance qualification (“Bildungsinländer”).
Dual citizenship non-EU/EEA country and non-EU/EEA country:
Are considered to be a non-EU/EEA citizen? You can apply as a non-EU/EEA citizen with non-German high school leaving qualifications or as a non-EU/EEA citizen with a German higher education entrance qualification (“Bildungsinländer”).
Please note: You must state all citizenships in your application!
With the so-called Test for Foreign Students (Test AS) conducted by Deutscher Akademischen Austauschdienst (DAAD) applicants can assess whether or not they are up to studying in Germany. The test takes place once a year (in May) and prospective students are able to participate while concluding their high school education. LMU encourages applicants to do this test so that you can better assess your own abilities.