Study prerequisites

Usually, a corresponding school-leaving qualification (for example: Abitur) is sufficient proof of qualification for studying at a university or at the Berufsakademie Sachsen, in some cases along with an additional or aptitude test. Not every university entrance qualification serves as an adequate qualification for every course of study. As a rule, the certificate mentions whether the qualification is valid only for certain study programmes, types of universities or federal states.

In Saxony, you can acquire the following qualifications that entitle you to study at a university:

Higher education entrance qualification: the general higher education entrance qualification (Abitur) entitles you to pursue any course of study at any university in the Federal Republic of Germany and at the Berufsakademie.

Advanced technical college entrance qualification (often called vocational diploma): the advanced technical college entrance qualification only entitles you to study at a technical college (university of applied sciences). Admission to the Berufsakademie can also be obtained by taking further exams.

Subject-linked higher education entrance qualification: the subject-linked higher education entrance qualification entitles students to pursue specific study programmes at universities. Potential fields of study are usually indicated on the certificate.

University admission for professionals/studying without an Abitur: in recent years, more and more universities have opened their doors to professionals who are interested in studying. If you have successfully completed your Master’s examination or comparable qualifications, you have a university entrance qualification equivalent to the Abitur and can study at all universities in Saxony.

If you have completed at least two years of state-regulated professional training (and have no Master’s degree), you can register for a course of study in a specific study programme at a Saxon university of your choice after a counselling interview and after passing the entrance examination. You will then hold a subject-linked higher education entrance qualification.

University admission in case of special aptitude: applicants with special artistic aptitude can be admitted even if they don’t have a general higher education entrance qualification. The respective university of fine arts conducts an aptitude test.

Legal regulations for this can be found in the Freedom of Institutes of Higher Education Act.