Admission
to study

You can generally study in Saxony with a foreign (higher) education qualification. However, recognition is subject to certain conditions

To study at one of Saxony’s universities, you will need a university entrance qualification (HZB). In other words, you’ll need a school-leaving qualification that qualifies you to study. EU citizens or prospective students from non-EU countries are also subject to different regulations than German citizens or foreign students who have obtained their university entrance qualification in Germany but not at a preparatory course (Studienkolleg).

Are you from the EU, the EEA (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway) or Switzerland? Then you can breathe a sigh of relief: If your qualification allows you to study in your home country, then you can usually also study in Saxony. With a school-leaving qualification from another country, the situation is different. Your qualification may not be recognized. In this case, you must either take a comparable degree programme in your home country for two to three semesters or complete a preparatory course in Germany. This will specifically prepare you for studying in Saxony. Leipzig University, Mittweida University of Applied Sciences, and Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences all run preparatory courses, for example. Check in advance which requirements you have to meet for the preparatory course of your choice and where you have to apply.

You can check whether your university entrance qualification is recognized in Saxony via the DAAD admissions database or on the Anabin database.

Most degree programmes are taught in German. You’ll therefore have to be able to prove that you have at least B2 level German according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). Universities often require a German certificate or a language test on site during the application process. Some advanced degree programmes can also be studied in English.