Intakes in Germany: Winter and Summer Deadlines for International Students

German universities are popular among international students for their research programs and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) courses. These programs accept applications majorly via two intakes in Germany: winter and summer. Academically both of them have equal standing. However, winter intake is considered to be the primary season for applying to German universities. Majority of the programs are open for admission in this intake session with deadlines in July - August.

• Summer intake having deadlines in December - January is also available for the students who miss out on the winter intake.
• Most of the intakes in Germany have a starting and ending date for the application of undergraduate and postgraduate programs.
• International students interested to study in Germany should start preparing for admission at least a year before the commencement of the application session.
• Applications can be submitted directly to the university or through the uni-assist portal. 

Intakes in Germany for International Students

German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) has a database of almost 2,000 programs in both German and English language and approximately 1,389 programs taught in English all over the country. Universities receive thousands of applications throughout the year from study abroad aspirants for admission in these programs. It became difficult to accommodate students in one semester. Thus, two intakes in Germany were started. 

Following are the two intake sessions for applying to German universities bachelors and masters programs:

Application for German universities consists of multiple steps such as taking the language proficiency tests for English and German courses, applying for the study permit of Germany, arranging for accommodation, etc.

Winter Intakes in Germany

International students interested in admission for the winter intakes in Germany should adhere to the following timeline.

• April - June: The students should consider taking tests like GMAT/GRE or the language proficiency tests like English (TOEFL, IELTS), German (TestDaf, TELC), etc at least two to three months prior to the deadline so that there is a scope for a retest in case of less marks.
• May - June: During this time period, students should start drafting their SOP and request for the LORs. They should invest about a month to complete these as they are the most important documents in the admission procedures. SOP for Germany should be written with full research and should be completely personal for applying to German universities.
• July - August: Application deadlines for most universities lie within these two months. Students should get ready for personal interviews or video interviews depending upon the program.
• August - September: Apply for the German student visa as soon as the acceptance letter reaches. This process takes approximately 3 months. Keep into consideration the enrollment deadlines and apply for the student loans or scholarships available in Germany for international students if needed.
• September: Arrive in Germany a month before the semester starts to find suitable accommodations and get comfortable in a new place.

Summer Intakes in Germany

The timeline for getting admission to summer intakes in Germany are as follows:

• August - September: The students should take up English proficiency tests (TOEFL, IELTS) or German proficiency tests (TestDaf, TELC), and other competitive tests required to study in Germany (GRE/ GMAT) during this period.
• October - December: Start drafting your SOP and request for the LOR for Germany. Students should contact their professors or supervisors to get a good recommendation letter.
• December - January: Apply to the German university of your choice and wait for the admission decision. If accepted, confirm your admission with the payment of the enrollment deposits and other fees.
• January - February: Apply for the German Student Visa and also request for the student’s loan or other scholarships. Follow the guidelines religiously and make sure to avoid all possible reasons for visa rejection in Germany. Check the deadlines for the scholarships and apply on time.
• March - April: Students should travel to Germany one month prior to the intake process and should look for the accommodation and other utilities.

Intakes in Germany: Deadlines for 2020-21 Session

Deadlines are set by universities at their own discretion and thus vary from one institute to another. However, most of the public universities in Germany have more or less the same deadlines.

Intake sessions and application closing dates of the applying to German universities for the session 2020-21 are mentioned below:

How to Choose the Right Intake in Germany

Following factors should be taken into consideration for choosing the right time for applying to German universities:

• Search for the available intake sessions for the program the student is looking for admission.
• Check the acceptance rates in different intake sessions
• Students should check how prepared they are according to the application deadline before filling the application form.
• Must have a proof of test scores, academic official transcripts, SOPs, and LORs with them
• Draft the SOP and contact the authorities for LOR before submitting the application
• Check the availability of flights, accommodations, any changes in immigration rules, etc

Germany is a popular destination for international students majorly because of low tuition fees and ample availability of scholarships. Winter is the preferred intake session as the universities offer a large number of courses in this session only. However, the students should have a complete check on the deadlines and requirements for applying to German universities and submit application only when all the documents and test scores are ready.