Admission Process – Step by Step

It is important to us that our applicants are the right ones for the Karls, but also that the Karls is the right university for our applicants. That is why we want to get to know you during the admission process. Your talents, interests and experiences will be decisive in securing you admission to our university.

Your path to Karlshochschule starts with your online application. Your school grades are not the only aspect we care about. Instead your motivation and your experiences interest us: What has shaped your personality in the past? What are your interests, what are your skills? Why do you want to study at the Karls in this program?

We review your application in great detail. If our evaluation is positive, we will invite you to an admission interview via Skype which also offer you the chance to get to know better the university, our professors and our style of teaching and working together.

If you are interested in an exchange semester at Karlshochschule, please see the information for exchange students and visiting students by our International Office.

Application Deadlines

  • Do you come from within the European Union?
    Then your application deadline is 1 September of each year, possibly longer, please inquire.
  • Do you come from outside the European Union but you already have a standing VISA for Germany?
    Then your application deadline is 15 July (possibly later by individual arrangement) of each year.
  • Do you come from outside the European Union and you do not have a standing VISA for Germany, yet?
    Then your application deadline is 15 July* (possibly later, depending on the visa process of your home country) of each year.


In order to guarantee a smooth and comfortable admission process, however, we recommend applying well before the deadline, as the number of available slots is limited.

Please note: For corresponding information regarding the International Foundation Year please see here.
 

*Exceptions may apply for the countries who do not need a short-stay Germany visa:
Albania, Andorra, Australia, Brazil, Canada, El Salvador, Honduras, Iceland, Israel, Japan, Liechtenstein, Mexico, Monaco, New Zealand, Norway, South Korea, San Marino, Switzerland, USA, etc.

In concrete cases, please kindly get in touch with our Student Admissions Service.

Checklist - your application

  • Online Application for admission
  • Copy of your school leaving certificate containing a transcript of grades (translated in English or German)
  • If you have already studied at another university, please submit a current transcript of records.
  • If applicable, certificate of preparatory/foundation year for foreigners (Studienkolleg)
  • Letter of motivation in English (1 - 2 pages)
    Why did you choose Karls as your future university? Have there been personal experiences that you took in consideration while choosing a university? Why are you interested in your favorite study program? Why do you think you will be a successful student? How do you imagine your dream job after graduation?
  • Curriculum vitae in English
    If you have not written a resume/CV so far, you can use the Europass as a template.
  • Proof of English and/or German language proficiency (respective to the study program). Please note: Due to the current pandemic situation the and its logistic challenges we temporarily accept the IELTS indicator test as a valid proof of language proficiency; this test can be done online from anywhere in the world: https://www.ieltsindicator.com/
  • Additional certificates (e.g. internships, extra-curricular activities) Certificates documenting vocational training, internships, international experience, extra-curricular commitment at school or in charitable/non-profit
  • Passport-sized photograph

Language Requirements

For English, the B2 level according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) corresponds to an IELTS result of 6.0 points or above, an internet-based TOEFL score of at least 80 points, or the ISE II from Trinity College London. A C1 level corresponds to an IELTS result of 6.5 points or above, an internet-based TOEFL score of at least 100 points, or the ISE III from Trinity College London.

If you are a native speaking person, you are not required to hand in additional English language certificates. If English was the medium of instruction throughout your school/university education, a statement letter from your educational institution regarding the medium of instruction is required. In any case, we have the right to obtain further certificates if needed.

What’s next? Your personal Interview

If your application fulfils all requirements, we will invite you to an admission interview via Skype. This open discussion between you and one of our professors and one member of the admissions team gives you the opportunity to get to know the Karls more intimately: the university, its professors, staff, and students, as well as our style of teaching and working together. We want to clarify questions such as how motivated and suitable you are for the desired course, or what strengths and weaknesses you have. Based on your written application, the interview gives you the chance to shine and to show us your full potential.

After the interview, the admissions committee will discuss and decide if you are accepted to study at Karlshochschule. You will be informed about our decisionwithin a few days after the interview and we will also give you personal feedback about the interview.

If accepted into our university, your spot will be guaranteed for 14 days. During this time you can review all the information and your impressions of our University in order to make a well-informed decision. If you decide after those two weeks that you wish to study at Karlshochschule, you will be offered a spot depending on availability.

After admission, we will also get in touch with you regarding the visa process and how we might be able to support you during the process.

Applicants with an International Baccalaureate Diploma

Applicants with an International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma are usually eligible for our International Foundation Year and in many cases also for our 3-year Bachelor programs directly.

Find more information about the requirements here

We will however need to check your transcript to give you detailed information on your specific IB diploma. Please contact us or submit your diploma with your application, we will be able to tell you how to proceed then.

University transfer student - transfer credits

Do you want to transfer credit from your previous university studies to a Bachelor program at Karlshochschule? We offer the option to start in a higher semester of our programs if you have already studied the same program at another university. Our examination office will review your previous exams and educational credits to assess whether you meet the criteria to transfer to a higher semester.

Are you interested? Send us your application for a lateral entry through our online application form and include the following documents in addition to the general application documents:

  • all transcripts of your previous university studies including grades and credits/hours of the university courses (e.g. "transcript of records"),
  • all module descriptions for your finished modules of your previous study program (usually you can find them on the website of your current university).

If you have any questions about transferring credits as a lateral entrant, please get in touch with our Admission Service.