Step 1: What do I want to study?
Inform yourself about the study programs that the MLU has to offer. In here you can find all the Bachelor and Master programs that the university has available. There are plenty of options and international students can apply to all of them.
Tips: If you are unsure of what you would like to study, you could visit the profiles of the other Student Ambassadors that the university has and read more about certain study programs or study areas. Also, you can check out the videos that the Uni Halle offers in their YouTube Channel.
Step 2: Which requirements do I need for applying to that study program?
After deciding to which study program you would like to apply to, it is very important that you visit the program’s website (also in the link given in Step 1) and read specially through the information below the subtitles “Admission requirements” and “Application/Enrollment”. The requirements can vary a lot for every course of study (e.g. language skills, NC, practical experience, deadlines), so be sure to not miss anything. At the MLU, all applications by international students are handled by Uni-Assist, meaning, you will send all your documents (some online and some via post) directly to Uni-Assist, and they will evaluate if everything is in order. If so, they will forward your application to the MLU.
Tips: If you are interested or want to apply to more than one program, write down in a notebook, a list of all the requirements and deadlines there are for each course, so you don’t get confused or mix them all up.
Step 3: Do I have a university entrance qualification?
Once you know to which program you would like to apply to and what do you need for it, one of the most important things is to make sure that you have a sufficient university entrance qualification. If you want to find out if you are already qualified to study in a German university using your educational background, you can use the following database offered by Uni-Assist. Most of the time you will either need to do a preparatory course for one year (Studienkolleg) or for some countries it is also possible to complete one successful year at a higher education institution (this means to have done the total amount of credits that the university in your home country asks, for having one successful year of university studies).
Tips: Depending on your German skills or personal wishes, you can decide what to do. In my case, because the Studienkolleg is taught in German and I had no German skills at the time, I decided to rather do a year of studies in a university in my home country, and at the same time, take some German classes. This way, I was able to “save” some time. Otherwise I would’ve needed at least one year to learn German, before I could apply to the Studienkolleg, and then another year of the preparatory course. But whatever you do, get it done on time before you need to start your application.
Step 4: Gather all your documents
Now it is time to obtain all the documents required by the university. You can find a list of them in the program’s website, below the subtitles “Admission requirements” and “Application/Enrollment” (as already explained in Step 2). When sending per post some of the required documents to Uni-Assist, you won’t send the originals, but certified copies. So, make sure to have certified copies of each document as necessary. Also, don’t forget to get a certified translation of everything in case your documents are not originally in English or German. Both, the certified copies and certified translation can be made most of the time in the German Embassy or Consulate in your home country.
Tips: Allow yourself to have enough time to gather all your documents before the application deadlines. Certified translations or certified copies might take some extra time too, so be sure to take that into account. Moreover, it is important to consider that getting certified translations is a bit expensive. But good news is that in most German Embassies, when you are applying for studying in Germany, you are entitled to get the first 3 sets of documents (with up to 10 pages each set) of certified copies for free. Use it wisely!
Step 5: Start your online application
You can start working on your application as soon as the university has activated applications for your desired course of study in the Uni-Assist online portal. The application with Uni-Assist will be online through the online portal My Assist, for which you will need to create an account. In here, you will have to fill in several information and upload numerous files. The documents that need to be sent by post are in general certificates (including overviews of subjects and grades), proofs of language proficiency as officially certified copies in the original language and, if necessary, also in certified translation, and lastly, the application form signed by hand. Documents that do not need an official certification or an original signature can be uploaded directly in your online account. Any documents that you send by post as certified copies must not be uploaded into your account.
Tips: The documents sent by post to Uni-Assist must reach them before the application deadline. So again, give yourself enough time to send everything, since it could take a while.
Step 6: Pay your fees
There are some fees that you need to pay to Uni-Assist for evaluating and processing your application(s). The costs are 75.00 EUR for the first desired course of study application and 30.00 EUR for each additional desired course of study. The fees should be paid before sending your documents per post, otherwise your application won’t be processed. You can find more information about payment options here.
Tips: If something goes wrong with your application (e.g. your university entrance qualification is not sufficient or your documents arrived after the deadline), you won’t get the money back for the handling fees. Also, in case of reapplying in the future, it is necessary to pay the fees again. So, be careful with your application.
Step 7: Submit your application online, send your documents, sit tight and wait!
Once you have paid your handling fees, you can now submit your application online and send your documents per post. Depending on your country and how much work-load Uni-Assist has, it can take up from 4 to 6 weeks until you get an evaluation report from Uni-Assist. You will receive this evaluation report by e-mail and post. In case of any missing documents, you may submit them until the application deadline. You can also track the status of your application through your My Assist account. The status will only change once they have processed your application in its entirety.
Tips: Don’t get desperate. It will take some time. If the 6 weeks have gone by, try sending Uni-Assist an email.
I hope this blog helps YOU, future MLU-international student, when applying for your desired course of study. I know it seems like a lot, but I promise you that you won’t regret it. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate on contacting me. I am happy to help you and to welcome you in the near future.