Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin

Bachelor admission: German entrance qualification

Applicants with a German university entrance qualification (often the Abitur), and those whose previous study periods were at German universities, apply directly to Humboldt-Universität for programmes with and without admission restriction. For restricted programmes (Numerus Clausus), places are allocated by university selection procedure, average Abitur grade and waiting semesters (up to ten, counted as half-years since the Abitur without enrolment at a university in the European Economic Area).

Bachelor admission: international applicants

Applicants with a non-German entrance qualification, or whose application is based on study periods abroad, apply through uni-assist (portal My uni-assist). A higher education entrance qualification (HZB) recognised for study in Germany is required, and uni-assist decides on the recognition of foreign certificates. Applicants without a direct entrance qualification apply for the Studienkolleg at Freie Universität Berlin. Medicine is applied for through the Charité. All undergraduate programmes are taught in German. The application documents are stored for three application periods.

Sports Science applicants must also submit a medical certificate and proof of a sports aptitude test not older than two years. American Studies, Deaf Studies, English, French, German and Spanish require further language certificates with the application.

Application deadlines

• Direct application, Bachelor with admission restriction: 1 June to 15 July (winter semester 2026/27) and 1 December to 15 January (summer semester 2027).
• Direct application, Bachelor without admission restriction: 1 June to 31 August and 1 December to 28 February.
• uni-assist route, Bachelor (with and without restriction): 1 June to 15 July and 1 December to 15 January.
• Master of Arts/Science with restriction (direct and uni-assist): 18 May to 14 June and 1 December to 15 January; Master without restriction via uni-assist: 18 May to 28 June and 1 December to 15 January; without restriction by direct application: 1 June to 31 August and 1 December to 28 February.
• The end dates are cut-off deadlines (Ausschlussfrist); individual programmes, particularly postgraduate ones, may have their own deadlines.

German language

German at level C1 of the Common European Framework is required for undergraduate programmes. Accepted certificates include Goethe-Zertifikat C1, telc C1, telc C1 Hochschule, DSH-1 and TestDaF with at least 3 in all sections. Certificates of attendance are not accepted. After admission, proficiency is tested in the DSH before enrolment, unless an equivalent is proven, such as TestDaF with at least 4 in all sections, telc C1 Hochschule passed with good or very good, Goethe-Zertifikat C2 or DSH-2 from another German university, with a certificate not older than three years. HU does not run preparatory German courses.

Master admission

A first university degree (for example a Bachelor's) accepted by German universities is required, or the applicant must be in the final examination stage, with the previous university confirming the expected graduation date. Subject-specific entry and admission requirements (ZZR), including English, German or other language requirements and accepted certificates, are set for each programme. Where the ZZR names no other requirement, German at level C1 is required, and many humanities and social science Master's programmes explicitly require German C1. Some Master's and cooperative programmes (for example Computational Neuroscience, Euromasters, Global History, International Relations and Polymer Science) have their own application procedures and deadlines handled by the programme coordinators.

Doctorate

Enrolment for doctoral studies is possible without a deadline in both semesters. The Humboldt Graduate School is the central point of contact for doctoral candidates, supported by the Research Service Centre and the Study Department.

• Campus Mitte (Berlin-Mitte): the oldest HU campus, with the historic main building at Unter den Linden 6, the Faculty of Law (Kommode, Bebelplatz 2), the School of Business and Economics (Spandauer Straße 1), the Faculty of Theology (Burgstraße 26) and most humanities institutes around Dorotheenstraße. The Jacob-und-Wilhelm-Grimm-Zentrum of the University Library is here.
• Campus Nord (Mitte district): a green campus around Invalidenstraße with the Rhoda-Erdmann-Haus (Department of Biology, 51 laboratories and measurement rooms), the Thaer-Institute building, the historic Tieranatomisches Theater, the Institute for Catholic Theology and the Berlin Institute for Islamic Theology, a branch library at the Erwin Schrödinger Centre and a sports hall.
• Campus Adlershof (south-east Berlin): a science and technology centre with Mathematics, Computer Science, Physics, Chemistry, Geography and Psychology, the Lise-Meitner-Haus, the Johann-von-Neumann-Haus, the Wolfgang-Köhler-Haus, the Center for the Science of Materials Berlin and the Natural Sciences branch library in the Erwin Schrödinger Centre.
• Campus Dahlem (south-west Berlin): experimental agricultural and horticultural sciences, including the Thaer-Institute teaching and research station for crop science and the CUBES Circle research building for sustainable urban food production.

Facilities across the campuses include the University Library at 12 locations, canteens run by the Studierendenwerk Berlin, the Humboldt Store in the foyer of the main building, the Language Centre, the Career Centre, University Sports with over 300 courses, music ensembles and exhibitions and collections.