Information on studying
The special offers of the Bergische Universität Wuppertal for prospective students are aimed at Ukrainians who have fled their home country since 24 February 2022 as a result of the Russian attack, as well as refugees from third countries or stateless persons who were legally living in Ukraine at that time and for whom a return to their home countries is currently not possible. The prerequisite in each case is the existence of an admission entitlement to study at universities in North Rhine-Westphalia.
In order to find your way around at a new university, it is especially important to make contacts and get to know people who can help you. To find your way around. Through our Buddy Programme, we bring you together with experienced students and university staff who will support and guide you.
If you would like a personal buddy, please contact:
Annika Groß-Selbeck (student auxiliary)
E-Mail: intouch[at]uni-wuppertal.de oder annika.gross-selbeck-hk[at]uni-wuppertal.de
We appreciate your interest in in studying at the University of Wuppertal, Germany.
First of all you need a higher education entrance qualification (HZB) for the desired degree programme at the University of Wuppertal . Your HZB is your school-leaving certificate or a degree programme you have already started or completed. If you have a Ukrainian school-leaving qualification, you will usually also need proof of years of study already successfully completed for the HZB. You can check in the anabin database (available in german only) yourself whether you meet the requirements. If you have any questions, we will be happy to advise you.
Contact:
Najib Sabbagh
Phone +49 (0)202 439 5266
E-mail: sabbagh@uni-wuppertal.de
Personal consultation hours at the Student Service Centre (SSC) at the main entrance to Building G:
Monday and Thursday 09.00 - 12.00 hrs.
and by appointment
Our application information for prospective students with foreign certificates of education can be found here.
Online-Information is available on our website.
Here you can find Information on our German taught Bachelor programmes.
Here you can find information on our Master programmes.
The application must be submitted to the university via uni-assist. Application period for each summer semester (start: 1st April) is always 15 November to 15 January, for each winter semester (start: 1st October) is 15 May to 15 July.
You also need a recognized language certificate in German or English, depending on the degree programme you have chosen. If you do not yet have sufficient German language skills (at least level C1), you have the option of indicating in your uni-assist application that you would like to attend also a preparatory German course at the University beforehand. Here you can find information on our German courses that prepare you for university studies.
General information on all relevant aspects on studying in Germany can be found on the internet platform "study in germany".
The requirement for enrolment for a degree programme with or without a degree sought at Bergische Universität Wuppertal is proof of an entrance qualification for higher education institutions in the Federal Republic of Germany.
You can check for yourself in the "anabin" database (of the German Conference of Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs - Central Office for Foreign Education) whether your foreign school-leaving qualification - possibly in conjunction with periods of study in your home country - is equivalent to the German higher education entrance qualification.
Guest studies (max. 2 semesters) without intended degree at the Bergische Universität Wuppertal
- Application with the application form "Guest Studies for Refugees"
- Proof of residence permit in Germany according to § 24 AufenthG
- Submission of the application together with the listed documents to the International Student Office of the Bergische Universität Wuppertal.
You can submit simple copies of your certificates; official certification is currently not required as an exception.
For the guest study programme for refugees, no proof of sufficient language skills needs to be submitted. However, please note that the majority of the courses are held in German.
The guest study programme for refugees is limited to two semesters. Examinations may be taken during this time. It is not possible to graduate from the Bergische Universität Wuppertal. At the end of the stay, a Transcript of Records can be issued upon request.
Admission and enrolment for German-language degree programmes require proof of German language skills that enable students to study in the desired degree programme. For foreign-language applicants who do not have German language skills of at least level C1 and who are seeking a degree at Bergische Universität Wuppertal, the university offers German language courses of all levels to prepare students for their studies, subject to available capacity.
The German courses take place all year round with 38 teaching weeks and about 24 hours per week. The period during which classes are not held is adjusted to the school holiday schedule of the state of North Rhine-Westphalia. The German course ends with the final examination at course level C1.
COST COVERAGE
In addition to the semester fee, a cost contribution of 500 EUR per semester is payable for participation in the preparatory German course. In the summer semester of 2023, this cost contribution for the langugae course for refugees from Ukraine will be covered by the university from In Touch Wuppertal funding.
The prerequisite for enrolment as a student in the preparatory German course is proof of eligibility for admission to higher education institutions in the Federal Republic of Germany for one of the degree programmes offered at the university. You can check for yourself whether your foreign school leaving certificate - possibly in conjunction with periods of study in your home country - is equivalent to the German higher education entrance qualification in the "anabin" database of the German Conference of Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs - Central Office for Foreign Education.
- Application with the "application form study"
- Proof of residence permit in Germany according to § 24 AufenthG
- Submit the application together with the listed documents to the International Student Office of the Bergische Universität Wuppertal.
You can submit simple copies of your certificates, an official certification is exceptionally not required.
As an In Touch occasional student you don´t have a student status. Admission as an occasional student is for 1 semester at a time and is confirmed by a occasional student´s certificate. You can attend individual courses at the University of Wuppertal, but you cannot take any exams.
A Ukrainian secondary school leaving certificate (Svidoctvo pro zdobuttja povnoji zahal'noji serednoji osvity / Atestat pro povnu zahal'nu serednju osvitu) alone does not entitle the holder to study at universities in Germany. For this, the following is additionally required:
- at least one year of successful higher education studies in the desired field of study at a state or state-recognised private higher education institution in Ukraine or another CIS country
or
- attendance at a German Studienkolleg and passing the „Feststellungsprüfung“
At the University of Wuppertal HZB can also be acquired by taking the entrance examination TestAS, an aptitude test for foreign applicants from non-EU countries.
Detailed information about the TestAS can be found here.
Information on the evaluation of your foreign educational certificates can be found in the anabin database of the Standing Conference of the Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs of the Länder in the Federal Republic of Germany (KMK) - Central Office for Foreign Education (ZAB).
According to a current resolution of the Standing Conference of the Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs of 05.04.2022, in view of the fact that no regular state examinations for the acquisition of a higher education entrance qualification will take place in Ukraine this year and that refugees from Ukraine will therefore not be able to complete their school year or academic year in a regular manner, the above-mentioned educational certificates will be evaluated for higher education entrance, even if not all regularly required state examination achievements can be proven.
These regulations only apply to persons with a residence permit for temporary protection according to Section 24 of the Residence Act and to educational certificates/degrees that are/would be acquired in 2022 in times of the Ukraine crisis.
The prerequisite for enrolment in a degree programme or the preparatory German course at Bergische Universität Wuppertal is proof of eligibility to study in the desired degree programme in the Federal Republic of Germany.
You can check for yourself whether your foreign school-leaving certificate, possibly in conjunction with periods of study in your home country, is equivalent to the German higher education entrance qualification in the "anabin" database of the German Conference of Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs - Central Office for Foreign Education.
Applicants who, due to their flight, are unable to provide proof of their higher education entrance qualification either in the original or as a certified copy, can obtain proof of their higher education entrance qualification from Bergische Universität Wuppertal via a three-stage procedure:
- Determination of the personal prerequisites for participation in this procedure by the International Student Office of the university
- Plausibility check of the educational biography in relation to the acquisition of a higher education entrance qualification in the home country. For this purpose, please submit an application via the uni-assist portal within the application deadlines (summer semester: 15.11.-15.01. 15.5-15.7 and winter semester 15.5-15.07.). If you do not have any educational certificates, you will receive a self-disclosure form from uni-assist. You will then be informed about all further steps by uni-assist.
- Proof of the claimed higher education entrance qualification by taking the TestAS with a standard score of at least 95 in the core test and 100 in the subject module relevant to the intended degree programme.
This, together with the available foreign educational certificates, proves a foreign subject-specific higher education entrance qualification which entitles the applicant to take up studies in degree programmes in the relevant subject fields at Bergische Universität Wuppertal.
Before enrolling in a German-language degree programme at Bergische Universität Wuppertal, foreign-language applicants must prove that they have the German language skills required for admission to the degree programme.
Proof is provided by taking the "Deutsche Sprachprüfung für den Hochschulzugang" (DSH) at least at the DSH-2 level. The prerequisite for the DSH conducted at the university is proof of German language skills at least at the C1 level.
Those who can present one of the following certificates are exempt from proving their linguistic ability to study in the form of the DSH-2:
- TestDeutsch als Fremdsprache" (TestDaF) with at least the result TDN 4 in all partial examinations
- Goethe-Zertifikat C2: Grosses Deutsches Sprachdiplom (GDS)
- Deutschen Sprachdiploms der Kultusministerkonferenz (German Language Diploma of the Standing Conference of the Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs) - Second Level (DSD II)
- Zentrale Oberstufenprüfung" (ZOP) of the Goethe-Institut
- Kleines Deutsches Sprachdiplom (KDS) or Großes Deutsches Sprachdiplom (GDS)
- telc Deutsch C1 Hochschule (university)
All Bachelor's degree programmes are generally studied in German, but there are individual English-language courses in almost all degree programmes.
Of the Master's degree programmes at the university, the degree programmes:
- Applied Economics
- Computer Simulation in Science (always begins in the winter semester)
are studied in English. All other Master's programmes are generally studied in German, but there are individual English-language courses in all programmes.
Enrolment/matriculation at Bergische Universität Wuppertal triggers the statutory health insurance obligation. This applies regardless of asylum or residence status. Refugees who receive benefits according to the Asylum Seekers' Benefits Act (Asylbewerberleistungsgesetz) can apply for exemption from insurance with a health insurance company within 3 months of enrolment and justify this by stating that their health care is guaranteed according to the Asylum Seekers' Benefits Act.
Psychological counselling for students is offered by the University's Central Student Counselling Service (ZSB). As a student, you will find support here in developing coping strategies in difficult study and life situations.
In addition, the ZSB supports students and doctoral students at the University with intercultural questions and problems.
Contact points outside the university:
TelefonSeelsorge®
The volunteers of TelefonSeelsorge® Deutschland e.V. help around the clock to deal with distressing feelings and anxiety. The hotline is free of charge.
Further information: www.telefonseelsorge.de
Contact: +49 800 1110111 and +49 800 1110222
Krisenchat.de/ukraine
Krisenchat.de/ukraine offers a free psychosocial counselling service for young people up to 25 years of age via WhatsApp and SMS in Ukrainian and Russian. Trained psychologists provide immediate psychosocial support.
Psychological counselling for students is part of the University's Central Student Counselling Service (ZSB). As a student, you will find support here in developing coping strategies in difficult study and life situations.
In addition, the ZSB supports students and doctoral students at the University with intercultural questions and problems.
Ukrainians who have fled since February 24, 2022 as a result of the Russian attack, as well as people from third countries or stateless persons who lived legally in Ukraine and for whom a return to their home countries is not possible, will be granted a residence permit pursuant to § 24 of the Residence Act (AufenthG - Aufenthaltsgewährung zum vorübergehenden Schutz) upon corresponding application. Ukrainian refugees are therefore entitled to benefits under the Asylum Seekers' Benefits Act. The Asylum Seekers' Benefits Act does not preclude them from studying.
People who have fled Ukraine and are seeking protection in Wuppertal should contact the Immigration and Integration Department of the City of Wuppertal for registration.
Please bring your identification papers with you.
The address is:
Haus der Integration (House of Integration)
Department of Immigration and Integration
Friedrich Engels-Allee 28
42103 Wuppertal
The reception of refugees takes place:
Monday - Thursday, 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Friday, 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
After admission, you must register at the Residents' Registration Office. For this you need an appointment booking at the Einwohnermeldeamt.
The address is:
Einwohnermeldeamt Wuppertal (Residents' Registration Office Wuppertal)
Steinweg 20
42275 Wuppertal
Questions about your stay in Wuppertal will be answered by the social workers of the team "Arrival and Participation", who will also provide you with information about support services and other contact points in the city of Wuppertal. Click here for a list of contact persons.
Further information from the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF) on entry and residence in Germany for people from Ukraine.
The Educational Guidance Guarantee Fund University (GF-H) is a programme funded by the Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth (BMFSFJ). The educational counsellors advise and support young immigrants in preparing, starting and/or continuing an academic career.
The core topics of educational guidance GF-H.
In addition to study-preparatory and university-oriented counselling, the GF-H Educational Counselling Service also offers financial support for certain groups of people according to the guidelines of the University Guarantee Fund.
Online registration for study guidance.
Support for refugee applicants from Ukraine in accordance with the Guidelines for the Guarantee Fund for Higher Education (RL-GF-H)
As of now, refugees from Ukraine with a residence status according to Section 24 of the Residence Act are eligible to apply for study preparation funding according to the RL-GF-H. Applications for funding can be submitted online or directly to one of the regional GF-H educational counselling centres.
Educational Guidance on YouTube
The GF-H Educational Guidance Service is now also available on YouTube. On its own channel you will find a video (as well as a preview video) with content and information about the Educational Guidance Guarantee Fund University and with short reports from people seeking advice.
Refugees from Ukraine who are regularly enrolled in a degree-oriented degree programme at Bergische Universität Wuppertal can receive BAföG from 01.06.2022 under certain conditions.
The precondition is that the students are holders of a residence title in accordance with § 24 of the Residence Act (§ 24 AufenthG) or a corresponding fictitious certificate in accordance with § 81 (5) in conjunction with (3) or (4) of the Residence Act (§ 24 AufenthG).
The BAföG maximum amount will be €934 per month from the winter semester 2022/23 and applies to students under 30 years of age who do not live with their parents and who have health and nursing care insurance themselves. Whether you are entitled to BAföG, and if so, how much, must be assessed individually and depends, among other things, on your age, your previous career and your assets.
For advice, please contact the Hochschul-Sozialwerk Wuppertal, Amt für Ausbildungsförderung.
The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) offers the scholarship programme "Hilde Domin Programme" with funds from the Federal Foreign Office. The programme is intended to support students at risk worldwide as well as doctoral candidates who are formally or de facto denied the right to education in their country of origin to take up or continue their studies in Germany in order to obtain a degree or doctorate at a German university.
Detailed information on the Hilde Domin Programme can be found on the DAAD website.
During the visa-free stay or the stay with a Schengen visa, no gainful employment may be pursued. Only activities according to § 30 BeschV (§ 40 No.2 in conjunction with § 17 para.2 AufenthV) are possible; these are very specific activities for a maximum of 90 days, such as for voluntary service, charitable or religious employment or certain internships.
Ukrainian refugees can, however, obtain a residence permit according to § 24 of the Residence Act (AufenthG). The residence permit is applied for at the foreigners authority at the place of residence, which is also responsible for issuing the employment permit.
The Digital Campus is a platform for digital study preparation funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research. The platform is being developed by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), RWTH Aachen University, TH Lübeck University, the Society for Academic Study Preparation and Test Development (g.a.s.t.) and the Goethe Institute. The Digital Campus will continue to grow by including additional offers.
Ukrainian refugees can use the onSET and TestAS services free of charge.
Information on the current offers of the Digital Campus can be found here.
