Most students treat eligibility as something they will deal with later. But in the German admissions system, eligibility is the foundation.
It decides whether your application is even allowed into the evaluation stage.
If you do not meet the eligibility requirements, nothing else matters.
Thousands of applicants receive automatic rejections every semester because they never understood this structure.
This guide explains the full framework clearly.
Institutional Recognition (Anabin)
The first ever step you need to take, even before thinking of applying to German universities, is to start by verifying whether your institution is recognized in Germany.
German universities use Anabin to check this.
The first part is your home University Recognition, which can have one of these ratings:
- H+: Institution fully recognized.
- H-: Institution not recognized.
- H+/-: Partially recognized.
- Not listed: No recognition data available.
If your institution is H+, you pass this step.
If it is H-, the application usually ends here.
If it is H+/-, the university evaluates your case more carefully.
If it is not listed, you may need APS or additional verification.
The second part is your Degree Recognition, which can have one of these ratings:
They rate it as follows:
- Equivalent (gleichwertig): The degree is considered fully comparable to a German qualification.
- Conditionally Equivalent (bedingt vergleichbar): The degree is recognized, but not fully comparable.
- Not Equivalent (nicht gleichwertig): The degree does not meet German academic standards for a relevant comparison.
If the degree is missing in Anabin, the university does not reject automatically - they perform a manual evaluation or request APS.
Subject Alignment
Your bachelor’s degree must match the field of the master’s program. This is one of the most common reasons applicants are rejected.
German Universities check:
- Core subjects
- Required modules
- Total credits in relevant areas
- Foundational topics
- Advanced coursework in the specialization
For example, data science requires mathematics, programming, and statistics; so they will check if you have enough credits in those subjects in your bachelor’s.
Similarly, computer science requires algorithms, systems, and software engineering, and so on.
Weak alignment results in rejection.
ECTS Comparison
Germany uses the ECTS system to standardize academic workload across Europe.
One ECTS credit represents roughly 25 to 30 hours of total workload, including lectures, assignments, labs, and exam preparation.
A standard bachelor’s degree in Germany is 180 ECTS, which usually corresponds to three years of study. Many international degrees fit this structure, but universities need to check if your academic effort aligns with their expectations.
When evaluating your degree, universities look at several details:
- Total credits
Whether your degree meets the expected overall workload. Students with fewer total credits often face additional requirements or bridging modules. - Distribution of credits
Whether your degree meets the expected overall workload. Students with fewer total credits often face additional requirements or bridging modules. - Core subject credits
Programs check if you have enough credits in key areas. For example, data science programs expect a minimum number of credits in mathematics and programming, while engineering programs expect credits in physics, circuits, and lab-based modules. - Lab or practical requirements
Technical programs often expect hands-on experience. If your bachelor’s has limited lab work, your application may be considered incomplete or less competitive.
Some programs require 210 ECTS, which corresponds to a four-year bachelor’s degree. These programs expect additional depth, often in the form of extended projects, internships, or advanced coursework.
Some programs accept 180 ECTS without issue, but others ask you to complete extra modules after admission. In some cases, a three-year degree is accepted only if the core subject coverage is strong.
Highly technical programs often expect a four-year bachelor’s degree, especially in engineering, computer science, and applied sciences. This is because German technical degrees usually include more lab hours, project work, and specialization modules.
APS Verification
APS is a document verification service operated by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) and the German Embassy. Its purpose is to confirm that an applicant’s academic background is genuine, recognized, and comparable with German standards before the university begins evaluating the actual application.
APS performs several checks:
- Authenticity of documents
APS verifies that your transcripts, mark sheets, degree certificates, and exam records are not forged. They check signatures, seals, issuing authorities, and registration details with your university or examination board. - Recognition status
APS confirms whether your institution is officially recognized in your home country. This is especially important when your university is not clearly listed in Anabin or when multiple versions of the same institution exist. - Exam structure
APS examines how your degree was earned. They look at the examination format (semester exams, final exams, continuous assessment), credit system, grading scale, and whether your studies followed a legitimate higher-education structure. - Degree completion
APS validates that you have genuinely completed all academic requirements. In some countries, APS checks your exam history directly with the university or board to ensure accuracy. - Equivalency
APS assesses whether your academic qualification is comparable to a German degree. It does not replace Anabin, but it provides an additional layer of certainty for universities.
APS is mandatory for applicants from India, China, Vietnam, and Mongolia.
These countries were selected because universities face a higher volume of applications combined with inconsistent or complex verification processes.
If APS is required (which is compulsory for the above countries) and you do not submit it, the application is rejected immediately.
Language Requirements
Language eligibility is one of the strictest parts of the German admissions process.
Every program publishes an exact list of accepted tests, minimum scores, and validity rules.
These are enforced without exception.
For English-taught programs, the commonly accepted proofs are:
- IELTS
Often required with an overall 6.0 or 6.5 minimum, sometimes higher for competitive programs. - TOEFL iBT
Score expectations vary, usually between 80 and 95, with some technical programs demanding 100 or above. - PTE Academic
Accepted by many but not all universities. Some programs do not list it, so applicants must check carefully. - Medium of Instruction (MOI)
Only accepted if the specific university explicitly states it. Many universities reject MOI entirely. Even when accepted, it often replaces only IELTS and not TOEFL.
For German-taught programs, accepted tests include:
- TestDaF
Most programs require TDN 4 in all sections. - DSH
Typically, DSH-2 or higher is needed. - Telc C1 Hochschule
Widely accepted for academic programs. - Goethe-Zertifikat C2**
Recognized nationwide.
Universities apply these rules uniformly, and missing them leads to immediate rejection.
Program-Specific Requirements
After meeting the national eligibility framework, each program adds its own internal criteria. These rules reflect the academic depth and expectations of the department. They are non-negotiable and enforced even when everything else in your profile looks strong.
Common program-specific requirements include:
- Minimum GPA
Some programs require a minimum converted German GPA (like 2.5 or 2.3). Others silently filter applicants using internal cutoffs. - Mandatory modules
Many programs list specific subjects you must have completed, such as calculus, statistics, algorithms, circuits, or economics. - Work experience
Required for business, analytics, and management programs. Technical programs sometimes expect internships or project experience. - Programming skills
Technical and data-focused programs often require prior knowledge of Python, Java, R, or MATLAB. - Portfolio
Required for media, architecture, design, and planning programs. - Entrance exams
Some universities conduct their own subject tests or aptitude assessments. - Interviews
Used by programs that want to evaluate motivation, technical depth, or academic fit. - Technical assignments
Increasingly common in data science and engineering programs. - Statement of Purpose instructions
Some universities specify length, structure, or required topics. Submitting a generic SOP leads to rejection.
These requirements vary by university and department.
Even two programs with the same name but in different universities may have completely different prerequisites.
Why Good Applicants Still Get Rejected
Most rejected applicants do not fail because of a weak profile.
They fail because they overlooked or misunderstood one part of the eligibility structure.
Typical reasons include:
- Institution not recognized
- Degree not equivalent
- Missing core subjects
- Insufficient ECTS
- Missing APS
- Incorrect or invalid language proof
- Applying to a field unrelated to the bachelor’s degree
These gaps cannot be fixed by writing a better SOP, adding more projects, or submitting extra certificates.
They are structural eligibility issues.
When they are missing, the rest of the application does not matter.
How Edvi Applies This Framework
Edvi analyzes your entire educational background and applies the full German eligibility framework automatically.
It reads the recognition status of your university, interprets your degree, checks subject alignment, evaluates ECTS, identifies APS requirements, and compares your profile against the specific rules of each program.
Edvi then filters out programs that will reject you and highlights the ones where you meet the criteria.
This prevents avoidable rejections caused by misunderstanding or misreading eligibility rules.
Edvi saves you a large part of the effort and gives you the most accurate assessment of what is needed for your application.
Once you are set, it applies to the universities of your choice!
Apply with Edvi now!
