Admission to a Bachelor's study programme requires a university entrance qualification (HZB), which must be demonstrated by:

• General university entrance qualification
• University of Applied Sciences entrance qualification comprising a practical and an academic component – the HZB date is the date on which the most recently acquired component was obtained
• a prior qualification recognised by the Hessian Minister of Education and Cultural Affairs as equivalent to the Fachhochschulreife
• a successfully completed university entrance examination for those with vocational qualifications
• the master craftsman’s examination and comparable qualifications from advanced vocational training

Detailed information on obtaining an HZB valid in Hesse is available on the website of the Hessian Ministry of Science and Research, Art and Culture.

A certificate obtained outside Hesse must be recognised as equivalent by the State Education Authority if eligibility for a study programme in Hesse is not immediately apparent. The relevant notification must be uploaded as part of the online application. The academic component of a Fachhochschulreife qualification is recognised as soon as the practical component has been verified.

Admission to the Online Communication study programme is subject to a numerus clausus (NC). In the winter semester 23/24, the NC threshold was a grade of 3.4 and a waiting period of 3 semesters.

There are 85 places available each year.

If your study credentials obtained abroad are not comparable to a German HZB, you must first attend a Studienkolleg before commencing your study programme.

Applications to h_da with foreign qualifications (and, where applicable, an external assessment test) are made entirely online via uni-assist. There, your qualification obtained abroad will be assessed to determine whether it entitles you to participate in a study programme in Germany and at h_da. If the assessment is successful, uni-assist will forward your application details to us. A processing fee is payable to uni-assist. We recommend submitting applications as early as possible. The assessment of your application documents is based on the guidelines of the Central Office for Foreign Education (ZAB) and the Hessian Ministry of Science and the Arts.

The Online Communication study programme is taught in German. For this reason, you must demonstrate sufficient knowledge of German for the purposes of applications and admission.

Preparatory courses in German as a foreign language run from the beginning of May until 15 July.

Check your eligibility for university admission in advance

Using uni-assist’s ‘Check: University Admission ’ tool, you can quickly and easily check in advance of your application whether your qualifications entitle you to participate in a study programme in Germany.

Applications can be submitted once a year for the winter semester. The deadline for applications is 15 July. The Darmstadt University of Applied Sciences application portal will be available from the beginning of June

Time and again, students already possess valuable specialist skills when they begin their studies at h_da. These consist either of

• credits from study programmes at other higher education institutions, or
• demonstrated skills gained through vocational training, continuing education and both professional and informal work experience.

If these skills meet the requirements of a module in their study programme at h_da, they can be recognised and credited towards their study programme. By exempting students from individual examinations and modules, this creates additional flexibility in their study programme.

The benchmark for assessment is the skills taught on the study programme, as described in the relevant module handbooks. h_da’s Recognition Regulations govern the formal aspects of recognition and credit transfer.

If you are considering whether this option is suitable for you, please get in touch with the contact person for your study programme at an early stage.

To be placed in a higher semester, one or more of the following requirements must be met:

• Previous academic records: an overview of all academic achievements, including all examination attempts and the number of credit points earned, in the form of an original printout from your higher education institution (it is possible to submit academic records obtained after the application deadline in the form of a latest overview including all examination attempts and credit points; however, such submissions can only be taken into account if the admissions procedure has not yet been carried out)
• Only when transferring to the same study programme: original proof of eligibility to sit examinations (certificate of no objection)
• Proof of all previous periods of study
• If you have already withdrawn from your studies: certificate(s) of withdrawal; please note: it is not necessary to withdraw from your studies solely for the purpose of applications.
• If applicable: Proof of completion of a pre-study internship.
• Curriculum Vitae
• If applicable: degree certificate from your first degree

Once we have received your documents in full and by the deadline, the relevant faculty will decide, based on your academic achievements to date, into which semester you will be placed.

A pre-study internship is not required for admission.