Application for a higher semester (placement decision)

If you are planning to transfer from your current university or degree programme and have already gained credits, you might be eligible for continuing your studies in a higher semester. This topic page explains everything you need to know in detail.

1. Preparation: Inform

First of all, you should inform yourself about specifics of your desired degree programme at Halle University with the help of relevant webpages in our study offer   . If your qualification may not yet meet specific admission requirements (e.g. scores or language certificates), you should mention this  aspect to the examination office directly.

If you wish to study a (combined) degree programme with Numerus Clausus (short NC), the limitation of seats also affects higher semester terms and associated (earlier) application deadlines

There are certain rules and regulations for which specific higher semester one might apply in either winter or summer semester, according to each programmes specific start. We will explain all that further down here.

2. Placement decision by the examination office

Please contact the relevant examination office    well before the regular application deadline (see below for exceptions) and submit the pre-completed placement decision form (Einstufungsbescheid) and your previous transcript of records.

Once the examination office, board or advisor returns the form, it will indicate the individual higher semester to which you have been assigned at MLU – in recognition of your previous achievements.

For degree programmes with Numerus Clausus (limitation of seats), an additional grade average will be given. It is relevant for the allocation of seats during admission.

Responsibilities different from examination offices:

  • for BSc Psychologie (Psychology), please contact the study and examination board directly
  • for other (combined) degree programmes at the Faculty of Arts and Humanities I (Philosophische Fakultät I) please contact the programme‘s advisor first
  • for degree programmes offered by the Faculty of Natural Sciences II (Naturwissenschaftliche Fakultät II), the respective study and examination board is responsible for placement decisions. In any case, the examinations office will be happy to answer any questions you may have.

3. Application

If you have obtained a German university entrance qualification (like Abitur), please apply via our online application portal    for the very semester that is indicated with the placement decision. Please mind that applications to programmes limited by Numerus Clausus do not allow subsequent changes after the application deadline.

Once you submitted your application online to us, you will find an individual hint on additionally required documents in your personal account. Please submit the placement decision along with the required documents by post subsequently.

Transfer students that obtained their university entrance qualification abroad, shall submit their application similarly via uni-assist   .

After you have been successfully enroled:

The placement decision is only an instrument for admission, but does not yet recognise your achievements. In order to actually transfer previous study and examination credits, you shall take further steps after enrolment.

Further details

  • Once you might have failed an exam in a similar degree programme ultimately, please address this issue with the relevant examination office before application. If time will tell that you are not entitled to claim examination, your enrolment must be withdrawn ex officio.
  • Admission to a higher semester with the help of clearing (Losverfahren) does only require your placement decision to be submitted with formal enrolment (not application).
  • Fulltime students may not enrol in the same NC programme at different German universities simultaneously. Auditing students with primarily enrolment at other universities (Zweithörer) may only enrol in higher semester on the basis of mutual agreements.

Specific regulation depending on programmes

Bachelor (combined) programmes

  • Winter term only allows enrolment in uneven semesters (3 or 5) while summer term allows only enrolment in even semesters (2, 4 or 6). A placement decision is obligatory even if you might transfer from 90 to 120 credit points in the same subject or if you wish to transfer from another university into a similarly named programme.
  • For BSc Psychologie (Psychology) 60 or 180 CP see here.

Master's (combined) degree programmes

The start of each programme is announced at the detailed webpages in our study offer. It applies as a rule:

  • If a programme only starts with winter term, you may apply for semester 2 or 4 with summer term.
  • If a programme starts with both terms, you may apply for all higher semesters with summer term.

The placement decision and recognition of transfer credits will be issued by the relevant study and examination board. Please ask the examination office for contact details.

Conditional enrolment to master programmes is allowed on basis of your pending graduation. For enrolment in higher semesters your graduation is mandatory.

Teacher training programmes

  • Winter term only allows enrolment in uneven semesters (3 or 5) while summer term allows only enrolment in even semesters (2, 4 or 6); exception: the supplementary teacher's programme Media Education (Medienbildung) does not allow applications to higher semesters.
  • Transfer students from other German federal states or newcomers from other disciplines must provide a placement decision from the central examination office for teaching qualifications (ZLB). This also applies for transfer students from secondary schools (Sekundarschule) to grammar school (Gymnasium) in the same subject.
  • Regarding teacher training for primary schools (Grundschule): if there is a different subject semester recognition along with your placement, please apply for the lowest mentioned semester. The required programme foundation studies (Grundlagenstudium) does not reflect a school subject.

Church examination / Diploma (Protestant Theology)

Applicants may enrol in all higher subject semesters for winter and summer term.

Law (Staatsexamen)

Winter term only allows enrolment in uneven semesters (3 or 5) while summer term allows only enrolment in even semesters (2, 4 or 6).

This programme requires a divergent placement form.  (> see topic page of  responsible examination office)

Food Chemistry (Staatsexamen)

Winter term only allows enrolment in uneven semesters (3 or 5) while summer term allows only enrolment in even semesters (2, 4 or 6).

Pharmacy; Medicine; Dentistry

In contrast to applications to semester 1 (via hochschulstart.de), applications to higher subject semesters shall always be formally submitted via our own application portal   . Exception to this: Applicants with international degrees shall apply for higer semesters via uni-assist.de   .

In general, winter term only allows enrolment in uneven semesters (3 or 5) while summer term allows only enrolment in even semesters (2, 4 or 6).

The following information only provide a basic orientation on credits and semesters to be transfered. Please contact the relevant state examiantion office (Landesprüfungamt) to clarify responsbilities in your individual case.

PHARMACY

  • Domestic students shall request their placement decision from the relevant departement's examination office (Anne Tamaschke).
  • Transfer students from abroad that have been born in Germany AND domestic newcomers from other disciplies shall contact the state examination departement (Landesprüfungsamt) in the state of their birth. (Two examples: You were born in Germany but have previously studied pharmacy abroad. Or in the case of domestic newcomers: you were born in Germany and want to switch from Biochemistry to Pharmacy).
  • For other constellations (e.g. international transfer students), the state examination office in Hesse (Hessen)    will issue the placement decisions. (Two examples: You were born abroad, but are now studying Medicine in Germany and want to switch to Pharmacy. Or: You were born abroad and have been studying Pharmacy abroad and would like to continue your studies here at Halle University).

MEDICINE

Information will be given with the help of a specific handout. It also mentions the handling of our own form required for medicine transfers (both currently only available in German, sorry).

Transfer students from abroad who have not been born in Germany shall request the placement decision from the central state exmination office (Landesprüfungsamt) in Düsseldorf, North Rhine-   Westphalia (Nordrhein-   Westfalen)   .

If you studied abroad but have been born in Germany, please request the placement decision from the state exmination office (Landesprüfungsamt) in the federal German state of birth (go to list   ).

DENTISTRY

Information will be given with the help of a specific information handout. It also mentions the handling of our own form required for dentistry transfers (both currently only available in German, sorry).

Transfer students from abroad who have not been born in Germany shall request the placement decision from the central state exmination office (Landesprüfungsamt) in Düsseldorf, North Rhine-   Westphalia (Nordrhein-   Westfalen)   .

German born transfer students from abroad shall request the placement decision from the state examination office (Landesprüfungsamt) at the German federal state of birth (go to list   ).

ALL transfer students for dentistry shall request and provide an additional placement decision from our medical faculty.

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