FAQ - Frequently asked Questions

• Can you also apply for the MSc Psychology with a non-psychology degree?

You can only apply for the Master's degree if at least 75% of your Bachelor's degree consisted of psychological content. This corresponds to about 135 ECTS credits for a 3-year Bachelor's degree, and correspondingly more for a 4-year Bachelor's degree. Please check for yourself if you come up with the necessary ECTS in psychology and statistics by going through your Module Handbook. For guidance on what counts as psychology coursework, you can refer to our Psychology Bachelor's Module Handbook. Please note that it is not possible to make up courses within the Master's programme that are required for admission to the Master's programme. A degree from a distance learning university (e.g. Hagen) is equivalent to a degree from a presence university. For more information, see also the MSc Admission Regulations.

• Can you also apply with a degree from a university of applied sciences?

Yes, provided your UAS degree is state-recognised and at least 75% of your Bachelor's degree consisted of psychological content. This corresponds to about 135 ECTS points for a 3-year Bachelor's degree, and correspondingly more for a 4-year Bachelor's degree. Please check for yourself if you come up with the necessary ECTS in psychology and statistics by going through your Module Handbook. For guidance on what counts as psychology coursework, you can refer to our Psychology Bachelor's Module Handbook. Please note that it is not possible to make up courses within the Master's programme that are required for admission to the Master's programme. A degree from a distance learning university (e.g. Hagen) is equivalent to a degree from a presence university. For further information, see also the MSc Admission Regulations.

• I have a degree from FernUni Hagen, but could not take Clinical Psychology there. Can I still apply for the DCP specialisation?

Yes, because there are no prerequisites regarding the combination of subjects. Incidentally, the DCP specialisation is not a purely "clinical Master's", but also includes the subjects of general, differential, educational and developmental psychology. The missing clinical contents can be acquired through internships, self-study, etc. From a formal point of view, it is not necessary to catch up on certain subjects.

• When is the latest date by which I must have my Bachelor's degree in order to apply for the MSc Psychology programme?

All 180 ECTS must be available at the latest for matriculation at the beginning of October. If your transcript is not yet ready, you can also enrol with a certificate stating that all achievements have been completed and that your final grade is not worse than 2.0. In this case, you must submit the completed transcript during the first semester. Under the following link you will find information on enrolment and what you can do if you do not yet have a final degree certificate: http://www.uni-heidelberg.de//studium/interesse/bewerbung/imma_ma.html

• Is there a minimum average grade for admission to the MSc?

Yes, the minimum average grade is 2.0.

• What is the minimum number of credit points (ECTS points / Credit Points) required to apply for the MSc?

You need at least 80 credit points at the time of application. All 180 ECTS must be completed by the time of matriculation at the beginning of October at the latest.

• Does the Bachelor thesis already have to be registered at the time of application?

No, it is sufficient if the Bachelor's thesis is submitted in good time before the start of the Master's programme during the summer semester. It does not have to be registered at the time of application.

• What do I have to consider if I have German citizenship but obtained my Bachelor's degree abroad?

In this case, you are considered a German applicant. You can therefore apply in the normal way. Send your application to the Application Office for German Applicants. Your application documents will be forwarded to the International Office and checked for equivalence. Your grade will then be converted into the German grading system; however, this happens without your intervention. You can check whether your university is recognised in the Information System for the Recognition of Foreign Educational Qualifications (Anabin). Please note that all foreign documents must be certified. You can find a PDF leaflet on certifications here.

• Can I apply even if I have a BSc in Psychology but no university entrance qualification?

Ms. Kramer from the Central University Administration is responsible for questions about studying without an Abitur. If in doubt, please contact her (Tel. 06221 - 54-5454; E-Mail: kramer@zuv.uni-heidelberg.de).

• Are certain subject specialisations required for the MSc (e.g. clinical psychology for the DCP specialisation)?

No, the prerequisite for the MSc is (as a rule) a Bachelor's degree in a psychological or psychology-related subject from a recognised (specialist) university. It is not required that you have acquired a certain number of ECTS credits in certain subjects.

• Is a change of university location possible in the MSc?

Yes, information on this can be found here.

• I already have a Master's degree. Can I still apply for the MSc programme in Psychology?

That depends on the extent to which your previous degree is equivalent to the Heidelberg degree. If the two degrees are comparable in terms of duration and content, you cannot apply for an additional MSc Psychology, but if they are different, it is possible to apply for a second Master's degree.

• Do you have to prove special foreign language skills (e.g. English)?

No, a good knowledge of English is highly recommended, as the specialist literature is often only available in English, but special foreign language skills do not have to be proven. With a few exceptions, the language of instruction is German.

• Which proofs of German language skills are valid in the case of international applications?

Foreign applicants without a German university entrance qualification must provide proof of sufficient German language skills, for example through previous language tests such as the TestDaF (minimum mark 4 in all four categories!). You can find other language proof options here. It may be necessary to take the Deutsche Sprachprüfung für den Hochschulzugang (DSH).

• Is the language of instruction German or English?

The majority of courses are held in German, although some lectures and seminars are also held in English. This applies to the OBAC as well as to the DCP.

• Are certified copies necessary for the application?

Certified copies are only necessary in the case of international applications or in the case of foreign certificates of achievement. Certificates of achievement from German institutes abroad (e.g. language certificates from the Goethe-Institut) do not need to be certified; simple copies are sufficient here. Incidentally, international application documents must also be submitted with a corresponding translation - in German, or at least in English or French. The originals of translations by sworn translators do not have to be certified, but their copies do. A PDF leaflet on certification can be found here.

• Can I apply more than once for the Master's in Psychology at the University of Heidelberg?

Even if you do not succeed in a Master's admission procedure, you may still apply again the following year for the Psychology Master's programme at Heidelberg University. Even in the case of an acceptance that you cannot take, you are allowed to reapply.

• Is it possible - analogous to the Bachelor's degree - to apply for the Master's degree via another route (e.g. hardship application, waiting period, etc.)?

5% of the places are reserved for cases of hardship. Hardship cases are admitted after a grading of the degree of hardship. The hardship cases that are rejected or not admitted participate normally in the further application procedure. For more information, please refer to the Information Sheet of the Student Administration.

• **Can one apply for only one specialisation (DCP or OBAC)?

Yes, you have to decide when you apply. It is also not permitted to submit two separate applications. Double applications may lead to immediate rejection.

• Is it possible to submit documents after the application deadline?

No. All relevant application documents must be submitted by 15 May, otherwise they can unfortunately no longer be considered. It is only possible to submit documents by 15.5., but this is also possible by fax. Language certificates are an exception; these can also be submitted later.

• How do I apply for a change of university location?

You can find information on changing university location here.

• Is there a lottery procedure?

If study places remain unfilled after the end of the move-up procedure, these places will be allocated by lottery. Anyone can apply for this lottery procedure - even if they have not previously taken part in the main procedure or in the backlog procedure. The application deadline for the lottery procedure is 15 September - 15 October. Applications received earlier or later by lot cannot be considered. Only those whose lottery application was successful will receive a message.Information on the lottery procedure and the application for participation can be obtained here.

• Is it also possible to start in the summer semester?

No, at Heidelberg University, psychology studies only begin in the winter semester. Only a change of university location is possible in the summer semester.

• When do I have to enrol?

The enrolment period ends at the beginning of the lecture period at the beginning of October. Enrolment takes place online. Here](http://www.uni-heidelberg.de//studium/interesse/bewerbung/imma_ma.html) you can read the exact procedure.

• When do I have to have a completed transcript?

If you do not yet have a completed Bachelor's degree certificate, you can apply with a provisional certificate stating that you have completed all your coursework and will achieve an overall grade of at least 2.0. The completed certificate can then be submitted by the beginning of the semester. The completed certificate can then be submitted by the end of the first semester. More information...

• When does the advanced procedure take place?

Since the enrolment period ends at the beginning/middle of October, the advanced enrolment procedure usually begins in October.

• How can I prepare for the Master's selection test?

The Master's selection test tests the basic knowledge from a polyvalent psychology programme with a Bachelor's degree according to the recommendations of the DGPs, as implemented in Heidelberg as an example. No preparation is necessary. However, you can understand the principle contents of the test by referring to the Module Handbook.

• Can I suffer any disadvantages as a result of taking the test?

If you take the test, you can only improve. No minus points will be awarded. In the worst case, you will receive an additional point despite taking part (see Evaluation of the test).

• How is the Master's selection test evaluated?

Applicants who take the admission test can earn up to 20 additional points. A necessary condition for the award of additional points is that the proportion of correctly answered test items exceeds the level expected by chance. Therefore, additional points will only be awarded if the number of correct answers is at least 30% of the maximum number of points. The number of additional points is determined on the basis of individual performance relative to the distribution of scores of all participants in a year whose number of correct answers corresponds to at least 30% of the maximum achievable score. For this purpose, the test performances of these participants are arranged in ascending order. The percentile ranks of the test performances are divided into 20 intervals corresponding to the best 5% (percentile ranks >95), the second-best 5% (percentile ranks >90 to 95), and so on. The number of additional points depends on the interval in which the individual partial performance falls:

If the scores achieved do not correspond exactly to the above-mentioned percentage rank limits, the higher number of additional points will always be awarded for a score that lies on a percentage rank limit.

• Where will the Master Selection Test take place?

The Master's selection test will take place in Heidelberg in Neuenheimer Feld in building INF 252. To the site plan...

• How can I register for the Master's selection test?

You can register for the Master's selection test using the online application form. In addition, you will receive a separate invitation to take the test as part of the assessment of your application.

• Does my test result from a previous application procedure also count for the current application procedure?

The test result only counts for the current application procedure and expires after this. If you apply again in a later application procedure, you must take the test again to receive the additional points.

• Does the OBAC focus meet the requirements for psychotherapist training?

This question cannot be answered unequivocally with yes or no. According to the specifications of the Stuttgart Regional Council (this information only applies to Baden-Württemberg), the prerequisite for access to training as a psychological psychotherapist is, among other things, a "final examination passed at a university [...] in the course of study in psychology [...] whereby the Master's degree in psychology must build on a Bachelor's degree in psychology. The subject "Clinical Psychology" must have been studied in the Bachelor's and Master's degree programmes with a total of at least 9 ECTS [...]." (emphasis added). According to this (as of January 2015), it is in principle possible to train as a therapist after the OBAC, provided that one takes enough courses in clinical psychology among the elective options. However, this does not include a statement on the extent to which the individual training institutes place further requirements on applicants. It is also possible that this situation may change in the future. Please note that training as a therapist now generally requires a Bachelor's and Master's degree in psychology. You can find more information on the subject here.

• Is it possible to take the subject of psychology in the Master's programme as an accompanying subject ("minor")?

No, unfortunately this is not possible.

• Is it possible to study psychology part-time in the Master's programme?

Yes. This is factually possible simply because there is no time limit in the MSc. an application for part-time study can also be made officially.