FAQ's Frequently asked questions

Q: QUESTION - A: Answer
Q: DO I HAVE TO PAY TUITION FEES? - A: At present, most students in the federal state of Rhineland Palatinate do not have to pay tuition fees. However, students have to finish their studies within the limits of a certain timeframe which is allotted to them by means of a study account ("Studienkonto"). If students exceed the standard study periods substantially, they may have to pay tuition fees. Students of our part-time MBA Programme also have to pay tuition fees (cf. MBA website).
Q: WILL I GET A CONDITIONAL OFFER IF I FULFIL MOST (BUT NOT ALL) OF THE REQUIREMENTS (e.g., all conditions except for the language requirements)? - A: Sorry, no. Like most German universities, we do not issue conditional offers. Incomplete applications will always be rejected. Please keep your documents and apply for a later start date.
Q: I WANT TO STUDY GERMAN IN GERMANY. IS THAT POSSIBLE? - A: Yes, e.g. by applying to a Studienkolleg or by opting for preparatory language courses. The Studienkolleg for the universities of applied sciences in the federal state of Rhineland Palatinate is Studienkolleg Kaiserslautern ( www.hs-kl.de/international/internationales-studienkolleg ).
Q: I DO NOT KNOW WHETHER MY SCHOOL-LEAVING CERTIFICATES QUALIFY ME FOR UNDERGRADUATE/GRADUATE STUDY IN GERMANY. CAN YOU HAVE A LOOK AT THEM BEFORE I SUBMIT A FULL APPLICATION? - A: Please contact UNI-ASSIST about this question. Once your application fee has been received, you can send them an online version of your application; based on this information, they can provide you with advice and suggestions before you submit your full application. You may also use the the ANABIN database maintained by the German Central Office for Foreign Education in order to find out about academic recognition for qualifications you have attained ( www.anabin.de ).
Q: WHAT GERMAN LANGUAGE COURSES DO YOU OFFER? - A: As we assume that you will have some German language skills when you arrive, our language courses focus on German language skills for academic purposes. Small-group tuition is provided. Courses are very communicative and interactive and substantial individual input is expected.
Q: DO YOU OFFER SCHOLARSHIPS TO INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS? - A: As a university, we don't. However, you may be eligible for scholarships offered by the German Academic Exchange Service. ( www.daad.de ).
Q: HOW ARE LECTURES AND CLASSES ORGANISED? - A: Most lectures are taught by one professor; the most frequent type of lectures is 90 minutes per week. You will spend about 20 real-world hours (as opposed to the typical 45-minute teaching units) in seminar rooms, laboratories and lecture halls - - - but you should calculate another 20 hours per week for preparations, revision sessions and further reading. If the courses are organised in different parallel groups (e.g. in practical exercises "Übung"), you are expected to participate actively and on a regular basis. In lectures, professors will explain to you what type of direct interaction is feasible. In many cases, traditional lecture elements and discussions will be combined.
Q: WHAT ASSESSMENT METHODS ARE UTILISED? - A: Assessment methods may vary (research papers, written and oral examinations, lab reports, ...); however, written exams are frequently used as group sizes make it difficult to use the other alternatives extensively. Please note that multiple-choice exams are very rare as departmental guidelines limit the extent to which multiple-choice questions can be included.

More FAQs (in German) are available at our admissions homepage.