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Studying medicine is known as one of the most popular and at the same time most difficult degree programmes in Germany. The structure of the selection procedure and the system behind the allocation of study places takes a number of different criteria into account. We have briefly summarised what these are, what quotas there are and how the application process works:
What are the odds?
In Germany, study places for human medicine and dentistry are allocated via a preliminary quota and three main quotas. The main quotas include the Abitur best quota, the university selection procedure and the additional aptitude quota.
Advance quota
In the preliminary quota, 20% of the available study places are allocated at the beginning of the selection process to applicants who have applied via the quota for foreigners, second degree applicants, hardship cases or rural doctors. The remaining places are then allocated in the three main quotas.
The three main quotas:
High school graduation quota
The selection procedure for the medical degree programme is best known for its Abitur best quota, in which only applicants with Abitur grades of around 1.0 have a chance of gaining a place. However, "only" 30% of the study places from the three main quotas are actually allocated in this quota. The Abitur is rated differently depending on the federal state in which the school-leaving certificate was obtained, and service completed is also taken into account as a subordinate criterion.
University selection procedure (AdH)
In the AdH, 60% of the main quota places are allocated. Here, the universities recognise a wide range of criteria with individual weighting. In addition to the Abitur grade, these include aptitude tests (e.g. TMS, HamNat), completed vocational training and completed services.
Additional suitability quota (ZEQ)
The remaining 10% study places from the main quotas are allocated via the ZEQ. Here - also depending on the university - only criteria that do not depend on A-levels, such as aptitude tests, selection interviews or special educational backgrounds and extracurricular commitment, count.
How does the application process for medical studies work?
The application process is centralised via the application portal hochschulstart.de. You first register on the website and fill out an application online. All required documents must then be submitted in the following weeks. After the application deadline, applicants are ranked according to their performance and fulfilled criteria at the desired universities and admission offers are gradually made for the individual quotas. In order to secure a place, you must accept an offer of admission within a specified period before the portal closes. As soon as an offer has been accepted, the remaining offers expire and are made available to the next highest-ranking applicants.
After the portal is closed, the succession phase begins, in which places that have not been taken up are allocated to applicants who have not yet received an offer. In order to enrol at your chosen university, you must also enrol after accepting an offer of a place. This differs from university to university, but you will receive the exact information about the process directly with your acceptance letter.
The application deadlines differ in part for old and new high school graduates and are roughly as follows:
Winter term:
End of April: start of the application phase
End of May: Online application deadline
Mid-June: Deadline for subsequently submitted documents for former high school graduates
Mid-July: Deadline for subsequently submitted documents for new high school graduates
End of July: Admission offers for applicants in the preliminary and Abitur quota
Beginning of August: Admission offers for AdH and ZEQ applicants
Mid/end of August: Portal closure and start of the succession phase
End of September: End of the succession phase
Mid-October: start of the winter semester
Summer term:
Mid-November: start of the application phase
Mid-January: Online application deadline
Mid/end of January: Deadline for subsequently submitted documents for all applicants
End of January: Admission offers for applicants in the preliminary and Abitur quota
Beginning of February: Admission offers for AdH and ZEQ applicants
Mid/end of February: Portal closure and start of the succession phase
End of March: End of the succession phase
Beginning of April: start of the summer semester
You can find more detailed information on the procedure and the current deadlines and dates at hochschulstart.de. To find out what your chances of getting a Medical study place and which odds are the best, you can, for example, use the smartphone app "ncrechner" use.
Finally, we at Futuredoctor wish you every success with your application! If you have any further questions or are looking for alternatives, we are also available at any time. Just click through our blog and website or contact us via email or Instagram!
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