FAQs for prospective students

These FAQs apply mainly to applicants who do not have German academic qualifications. Please also read through our page on the application process for international students.

1. How can I prove that I have a sufficient command of English?
2. Can I apply to more than one programme?
3. Should I send hard copies of my documents to uni-assist?
4. Do I need to apply through uni-assist?
5. I applied through uni-assist but haven’t heard anything since. When will the University notify me about my application?
6. Are internships required for students?
7. Do I need to complete the preparatory internship before applying?
8. Where can I do the preparatory internship? What if I’ve already completed an internship?
9. When is the enrolment deadline?
10. I was accepted for admission but couldn’t enrol before the deadline. Can I enrol in a later semester?

 

1. How can I prove that I have a sufficient command of English?

For our bachelor’s programmes, applicants must prove that they can speak, read and write English at the B2 level according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (or CEFR). As a comparison, for German applicants this is equivalent to seven consecutive years of English at the highest tier of secondary schools.

Applicants with credentials earned outside of Germany must submit a valid and recognised language certificate (not older than two years) with their applications in order to prove their proficiency in English. Accepted certificates can be found here.

​For some of our master's degree programmes level C1 is required.

Please also refer to language requirements for master’s degree programmes.

 

2. Can I apply to more than one programme?

Yes! International applicants must apply through uni-assist, which charges handlings fees for your application. You pay per desired course of study. You can find more information on the uni-assist website: https://www.uni-assist.de/en/how-to-apply/pay-all-fees/handling-fees/

If you are accepted to more than one programme, you can choose later for which programme you want to enrol.

 

3. Should I send hard copies of my documents to uni-assist?

No, please do not send hard copies of your application documents. Each university sets different rules for uni-assist applications, but Rhine-Waal University of Applied Sciences only requires you to submit scans of your documents to the uni-assist application portal.

Please note that if you are accepted into a programme, you will be required to show your original documents in order to enrol at the University.

 

4. Do I need to apply through uni-assist?

Bachelor’s degree programmes:

If you did not earn your secondary school qualifications in Germany (your Hochschulzugangsberechtigung), then you must apply through uni-assist. This essentially applies to all international applicants. If you are required to apply through uni-assist, please do not send your application to the University – it will not be considered under any circumstances!

Master’s degree programmes:

You are eligible to apply if you have earned a professionally qualifying undergraduate degree. However, if you did not earn your bachelor’s degree in Germany, then you must apply through uni-assist.

Please note: If you are already a student at Rhine-Waal University of Applied Sciences with an international secondary school qualification and you would like to change degree programmes, but you are ineligible to transfer to an advanced semester in the new programme, then you have to apply for the first semester via Uni-Assist.

 

5. I applied through uni-assist but haven’t heard anything since. When will the University notify me about my application?

Unfortunately, it’s impossible to say how long it will take to process an individual application. Generally the initial uni-assist phase can require up to six weeks or more. Once your application is forwarded to the University, applicants will usually receive a response within one or two weeks. You will be notified of the results of your application by email as soon as possible.

Rhine-Waal University of Applied Sciences has no direct control over your application until it is forwarded to us by uni-assist. If you have questions about your application status in uni-assist, please contact uni-assist directly.

 

6. Are internships required for students?

Yes. In general, undergraduates are required to complete a minimum of two internships during their studies:

Preparatory internship (or pre-study internship): This is a short internship of at least 8-weeks, usually undertaken at a company, public authority or other for-profit/non-profit organisation. The goal of the preparatory internship is to help prepare you for your future career by giving you a first look at what it’s like to work in a job related to your studies.

Please see your programme’s examination regulations for more information, as well as Section 4 (3) of the General Examination Regulations.

Work placement (or practical semester): This is a much longer period of practical training – usually a minimum of 20 weeks full-time – and is also completed outside of the university, usually at a company, public authority or other for-profit/non-profit organisation. The work placement is usually completed in the sixth semester of study, and provides you with an opportunity to gather valuable work experience in your field and to apply your advanced theoretical knowledge in real-world situations. For many students, the work placement serves as a basis for the bachelor’s thesis, which is written in the following semester.

Please see your programme’s examination regulations for more information, as well as Section 20 of the General Examination Regulations.

As master’s programmes are only three semesters in length, they normally do not include an internship or a practical semester. Postgraduate students often decide to write their thesis in cooperation with an external organisation, however.

 

7. Do I need to complete the preparatory internship before applying?

No, but for international applicants we strongly recommend that you complete the 8-week preparatory internship before you submit an application to us. This is not a mandatory requirement, simply a recommendation because in your home country you will generally not have to worry about unfamiliar language or cultural barriers.

Since the preparatory internship can be divided into parts, you can also complete it here in Germany during the semester breaks. If you can’t speak German, however, you will most likely have more difficulty finding an internship.

The final deadline for the preparatory internship is the start of the fourth semester: if you haven’t completed it by then, you can’t re-register for the semester and will lose your student status!

 

8. Where can I do the preparatory internship? What if I’ve already completed an internship?

While the exact requirements vary by programme (please refer to your examination regulations for details), generally the preparatory internship must have a clearly identifiable connection to your subject of study. That means you can complete the internship in many different companies, agencies and organisations as long as your tasks and responsibilities are somehow connected to your course curriculum.

If you have already completed an internship in a related field, you can apply for official recognition of this internship. The application includes an official form and all certificates or other proof of your internship that clearly show your work during that time.

If your application is accepted, you do not have to do a second preparatory internship. This does not affect the sixth semester work placement requirement

For specific questions about recognition of prior internships, please speak with the director of your study programme or the chair of your Faculty Examination Board.

 

9. When is the enrolment deadline?

As the enrolment deadline can vary each semester, please make sure that you enrol before the given deadline in your admission letter. The letter of admission is only valid for the semester you applied for and cannot be extended, which means that you have the opportunity to enrol before the deadline mentioned in your admission letter. The university is legally bound to the official deadlines and cannot enroll any students after the deadline has passed. 

Unfortunately, it is not possible to defer any admissions into another semester. If you are not able to enrol within the given deadline you have the opportunity to apply again for the next semester. A place for the next semester cannot be guaranteed.

10. I was accepted for admission but couldn’t enrol before the deadline. Can I enrol in a later semester?

No. Your admissions letter is only valid for one semester. If you are unable to enrol during that semester you will have to apply again next year.