IASWiki - User contributions [en]

Application:Required documents

2020-03-13T13:22:30Z

Apeters1: /* Sending applications via email is possible from now on until 31 March: */

'''Due to the coronavirus pandemic, applications via email are now possible and kindly asked for – see email application for more information.'''

=List of all required documents for application=
In order to apply for the 2-year Master of Science program Intelligent Adaptive Systems, you need to send a paper application to the IAS Team at the Department of Informatics, Universität Hamburg. The IAS team is a team of IAS professors, researchers, lecturers, and academic advisors. The IAS Team and the selection committee will only read complete applications that meet the formal requirements. These applications will be ranked according to the selection criteria.

In order to apply successfully please follow these instructions:

The deadline is on the 31st of March. Faxes and e-mails are not accepted. The IAS selection committee does not inform you of missing documents or late applications. Your application is considered incomplete if one or more of the required documents are not received before the deadline (via postal mail) and/or if your STiNE online application form is not submitted online. As a result, your application will not take part in the selection process. You can not submit missing documents after the expiration of the application deadline. There will be no reconsideration.

The documents 'do not'' have to be sent as certified/attested copies when applying. Do '''not''' send original certificates since the IAS selection committee will not send any documents back to you. However, please note that in case your application is successful, you will need to send attested/certified copies to the University via postal mail ''within 2 weeks'', so be prepared. You will receive a notification around 15 May about whether you are accepted or not. Official English and German translations of documents are accepted.

Please read the explanations of what documents you have to send and follow the links for more information.

=='''1. Cover-letter-form''' ==
* Please fill in the cover-letter form (with a pdf viewer/reader).
* Then print out the form. In case you are having any problems filling out the form digitally you can also print out the form and fill it in by hand (readable!).
* Send the printed form as the first page of your application via postal mail.
* Link to the cover-letter-form: [[Cover-letter-form|cover-letter-form]]

== '''2. The University's general online form (STiNE)'''==
The Universität Hamburg requires you to fill out a general and university-wide online form on their student platform called STiNE. The only purpose of this form is to register with the central administration. Nothing else. It is your way to tell the University that you might apply.
* While registering you will receive a BW - Number (Application Number). Please state this number in your cover letter.
* Submit, print and '''sign''' the STiNE online form and enclose the form with your paper application.
* Only within the application period (15 February - 31 March), the online application form can be accessed through the STiNE portal: https://www.stine.uni-hamburg.de. Sorry, some parts of the STiNE online form are in German and therefore rather tricky.
* As a service to IAS applicants, the IAS-Team has prepared a wiki entry: [[online application form|Online form STiNE]].
* For further questions about STiNE please ask the technical support of STiNE. STiNE is a part of the central administration - not the IAS Team's platform, see [https://www.stine.uni-hamburg.de/scripts/mgrqispi.dll?APPNAME=CampusNet&PRGNAME=EXTERNALPAGES&ARGUMENTS=-N000000000000002,-N000339,-A100101e#furtherquestions STiNE support].

After filling out the STiNE online form, '''click submit''', then '''print''' out the summary at the end (German: ''Druckansicht''). This print-out has to be '''signed'''. This submitted, printed, and signed STiNE form is one of the required documents which you have to send via postal mail to the Department of Informatics.

Please note: do not click "Freemover". Freemover is the wrong application.

Please, note that the STiNE online form is just the general, uni-wide application form for central administration reasons only. You still need to send your paper application to the address below. With the complete paper application, you apply to the Department of Informatics for a place in the IAS program.

Use the address displayed here or on the master's website. Do not use the address displayed in STiNE.

==''' 3. Curriculum Vitae'''==
The CV (table version) should include information on your academic and professional career and whether you have previous international experience. Please list specific information on your background that is relevant for IAS such as projects on AI or Robotics. Please, '''provide evidence''' of such projects through acquired certificates. Project descriptions and outlines on their CS content are especially important if you want the achieved credits to count for the 60 ECTS in computer science.
Please add your average/overall grade (can be preliminary) and your grading scale to your cv, next to the information of your degree, and provide official evidence for that information.

== '''4. Letter of Motivation'''==
This is the most important document since it accounts for 40% of your ranking score. It has to be written by yourself and in English. You should not exceed the maximum length of 1.5 pages.
In your letter of motivation, you should explain your motivation to study in this particular program. Your letter of motivation should answer the following questions:
* Why are you interested in the field of "Intelligent Adaptive Systems" and what parts of it are most interesting and why?
* Why is this program especially suited to complement the knowledge you already have?
* Why did you choose to study this program at Universität Hamburg?
* How does this program fit your academic and professional future goals?
* Read the selection criteria and the curriculum IAS so that you know what else might be important to write about.

The selection committee will give high ratings to letters which show that you have made a deliberate choice to study IAS and can justify your decision well, while also explaining how studying IAS will bring you closer to your desired goals. The board is looking for students that show high motivation and have a good chance of finishing the program with a high impact on the student's life. Your ability to present a well-connected chain of arguments is a major ability the board is looking for.

Things that affect the rating adversely are, amongst many, generic letters that are written for multiple applications, letters that are written in bad English or do not follow a good structure. The selection committee wants to read something relevant and precise about you.

== '''5. Proof(s) of English language proficiency'''==
Please see [[Application:Formal requirements| formal requirements]] for details on the required language certificates and further information.

Proof of English language proficiency by
CEFR/TELC: At least Level B2 in all testing categories (listening, reading, speaking, writing), better C1
IELTS: 6.5 + B2
TOEFL: IBT 90, PBT 575, CBT 230
Cambridge: CAE or CPE

==''' 6. Transcript of Records'''==
Please see '''[[Application:Formal requirements| formal requirements]]''' for detailed information on the requirements for your transcript of records.

== '''7. Self-made structured table of all core computer science courses'''==
As a formal requirement, you need to evidence 60 ECTS in core computer science courses. To do so, please provide your transcript and a self-made table listing all your core computer science courses you have completed. Please, also refer to the listed information under [[Application:Formal requirements| formal requirements]] regarding questions about the ''ECTS credit system'', the ''calculation'' of the required 60 ECTS, ''modules/courses counted as CS'' by IAS selection committee. Please use this [[Required Documents: Example structure table|example]] to provide evidence of your 60 ECTS credits or more.

=='''8. BSc certificates and diploma supplement'''==

* If you have finished your degree, please submit a copy of your degree certificate.

* You can apply if you have finished 5 out of 6 semesters and can evidence 150 ECTS credits (or comparable) of your first degree. At the point of your application, at least 60 ECTS in computer science must be evident. In order to prove that you are going to complete your degree soon, you must provide the official transcript of records showing the amount of already acquired credits or credit hours and the number of minimum credits or credit hours required for completion. The final transcript and graduation certificate have to be handed in for enrolment if you are admitted.

* Diploma Supplement: In any case provide a description of your degree - it is an official document issued by most universities.
** The degree's grading system
** The standard amount of semesters required for completion of your degree
** The description of how many weeks of in-class time with a lecturer present you have per semester
** The description of how your credit systems works, e.g. 1 cp is worth 30 hours of in-class time with lecturer present meaning 2 hours a week for 15 weeks...

=='''9. Your grade'''==
In regards to your overall average grade (preliminary) or final grade, please provide a document with your (preliminary) final grade calculated by your university, even if only 5 of 6 or 7 of 8 semesters of the studies have been completed so far. Your grade should be in the grading system your university provides and with which you can provide the grading system. The grade needs to be in numbers, not letters. Make sure you send an official document attested by your university as the IAS selection committee does not accept self-calculated '''final''' grades. Nor does the IAS selection committee calculate final grades for you. If this information is listed in your transcript of records or degree certificate, then you do not need to provide an additional document.

Preliminary grade:
Some transcripts or universities do not provide a preliminary average grade: compute it on your own on a separate document and explain how you did it. If it is not the simple grade average of all grades in the transcript, please provide official proof of what your university or degree rules of computing final marks are.

Please note: If you fail to provide proof of your grade or preliminary grade and grading scale the grade you are assigned will be the worst possible grade - a grade of 9.9 in selection procedures. This means that applications without a grade will rank behind the last applicant who had provided a grade. This is also true if you state a different grade/grading scale in the table and cover-letter than in your transcript or when the selection committee controls your computed grade.

=='''10. Grading scale'''==
The IAS selection committee needs detailed information about your degree's grading system (alternative names: grading scale/scheme of evaluation/grade classification/range of marks ...). We need this information for our [[Application:Selection criteria| selection process]]. As the IAS selection committee will evaluate and rank all applications, we need the grading scale of your university to make your average or final grade comparable to others. In a lot of cases, official transcripts of records display the university's grading system. Usually, this is a table with all the degree's grades and corresponding information like minimum passing grade and maximum, outstanding or excellent grade, etc. However, if this is not the case for your transcript of records, then please provide this information attested by your university.

Highlight the grading scale, minimum passing grade, and maximum grade in your official documents and state exactly on which page the relevant information can be found, e.g., "the grading scale can be found on the printed degree description page 4 Section 2.1.1 see highlighted information". The selection committee will not look through your documents if you do not provide help on where to find the information it needs. Please display exact information on your paper printout. Please only submit relevant parts of lengthy documents. You may provide a link to the full document so we can control the information. However, the selection committee will not follow links or translate websites to search for information. You need to provide all the relevant information in the paper application.

Please note: If you fail to provide proof of your grade or preliminary grade and grading scale you will be assigned the worst possible grade - a grade of 9.9 in selection procedures. This means that applications without a grade or grading scale will rank behind the last applicant who has provided a grade. This is also true if you state a different grade/grading scale in the table and cover-letter than in your transcript/official documents or when the selection committee controls your grade computation.

=='''11. Evidence that your university and degree is recognized in Germany'''==
Admission to a Master's degree program at a German university requires an undergraduate degree. Your degree must have been obtained from a recognized higher education institution. The degree also must be equivalent to at least a three year Bachelor in Germany. It is a prerequisite for an application for the master course "IAS" that your university degree is recognized as equivalent to a Bachelor's degree obtained in Germany.

===How to provide proof that your university is recognized in Germany?===

The selection committee's advice: print out the anabin database entry for proof. It is cost-free and fast:
* Use the database anabin and print out the information about your university
* Your university needs to be recognized with H+
* More information here: [[Desired Documents:Anabin|Anabin]]

If you have difficulties handling anabin, you may use the fee-based service, called Uni-Assist:
* This is the official recommendation of the Universität Hamburg is that you use the fee-based service Uni-Assist (but you don't need to if you provide the anabin printout)
* Request this service around 1 of December - otherwise Uni-Assist might not answer you in time
* More information about [[FAQ:UniAssist| Uni-Assist]]
* Only use Uni-assist if you do not want to look up your University in the database Anabin

Some countries have to get a German authorities endorsement anyway for visa or application- you may hand this in as additional proof:

An endorsement of recognition from German authorities, including information about the type of higher education entrance eligibility and, if applicable, for a particular subject. The Universität Hamburg accepts the following types of endorsement of recognition:

* APS certificates from the academic review offices of Beijing, Ulaanbaatar, and Hanoi

Please note: For the application to the Master program IAS it is enough to send in your information from Anabin.

If you cannot find information on whether your university is recognized in Germany, the selection committee has to decide case by case whether your degree is eligible or not. In this case, your degree usually does not qualify.

=Sending applications via email is possible from now on until 31 March:=

Because of the corona-virus pandemic, the IAS Team has decided to allow sending an application document via email instead of postal mail. Everything else stays the same.

!Important: You still have to provide a complete application as described above. Please follow all 1-12 steps. This includes sending up to 12 documents in one pdf (as you would have done via postal mail). This '''also includes filling-in the STiNE online form''', see 2. under required documents.

Prepare your application as described on the website and the wiki.

'''For sending your application pdf, follow exactly those steps:'''

* in only one pdf document including all your documents 1-12.
* filename of pdf = '''Final_IASApplication_YourFullname_Your_BW-number''' !
* Use the order of documents in your pdf as presented here 1.-12 when compiling the document.
* attach not more than 9 MB
* until 31 March
* Email - subject [Final IAS Application] [Your Full name, Your BW-number] (The emails will be sorted automatically)
* only use: ias-team@informatik.uni-hamburg.de
* start your Email text with "Dear IAS-Team, this is my final application to the Master IAS. I have registered in STiNE. This is my BW-Number. Please consider the attached application document as my final application to the IAS study program.....

Everything else stays exactly the same as it is described on this website and wiki except the postal mailing part. Please note, we still do not inform you about missing documents or incomplete applications.

For evaluating the application we will only consider the information provided in this one email: Email - subject [Final IAS Application] [Your Full name, Your BW-number] + Email text starting with "Dear IAS-Team, this is my final application to the Master IAS. I have registered in STiNE. My BW-Number is. Please consider the attached application document as my final application to the IAS study program.....

==I have sent my paper application already + I received an email confirmation by the IAS Team that it has arrived ==
Then you do not need to do anything.

==I have sent my paper application already + I did not receive email confirmation until 13 March 2020 ==
Please do send your application via email considering the steps above. Due to the corona-virus, the IAS Team and many other people at the university will be working from home. That means nobody will get the postal mail.
Please state that your application is on the way and send the application via email again.

==I have not sent my paper application yet==
Please, send it via email. Please state in the email text that you have not sent a paper application

== Order for the pdf application==
Please, put the documents in this order and produce one pdf (and make sure that they are not attached to one another (Please do not use staples, paper clips, folders, etc.):)

# Cover Sheet
# Signed Online Form STiNE
# CV
# Motivation Letter
# Language Test Score
# Transcript
# Self-made table
# Bachelor Certificate + Diploma Supplement
# Grade
# Grading scale
# Anabin print out
# everything else

Please highlight important information in your documents, e.g. grading scale, grade, "H+" in the anabin printout, finishing date ...

Please check carefully if you have sent all the required documents in due time. The deadline is the 31 of March (No postal mail arrives on Saturdays and Sundays at the university). Faxes are not accepted. We do not inform you of missing documents or late applications. Your application is considered incomplete if one or more of the required documents are not received before the deadline via email or if your STiNE form is not submitted online. As a result, your application will not take part in the selection process. There will be no reconsideration of your application. Also note, that we do not inform you about received emails or postal mail (letters, parcels, envelopes) – Please check with your postal mail provider if you like an acknowledgment.

One final note from the selection committee: We like a neat, well-structured, precise, and complete application. Think for yourself. Show that you can be a responsible, well-organized student, and follow basic instructions.
The selection committee and the IAS team consist of professors, lecturers, advisors, Post-docs who will also teach you once you are accepted.

= Additional Documents =
Generally, all possible documents that support your application (especially as evidence for the arguments used in your motivation letter) can be included and will be taken into account in the selection process. Please only include documents that are relevant to your application. The selection of documents already shows your ability to distinguish between relevant and irrelevant content and a large amount of randomly added certificates or documents may have a negative effect on your ranking.

==Desired documents==

* Documents that add to the evidence needed for the requirements, e.g. additional proofs of language proficiency or higher education courses with computer science content, letter of recommendation
* Evidence for research or professional and/or international experience relevant to IAS studies.
* International experience, e.g. a study exchange, shows your ability to adapt to different learning and living environments and should be listed and described as part of our CV.
* The same holds for professional experience that may show your ability to work in a computer science context.
* Training courses or extensive experience showing a deep understanding of computer science concepts. This will be taken into account for general suitability for the very specific Master program IAS.

== Suitable additions ==
* GRE test or other academic tests showing your ability to study in higher education. Such tests are not required but may be taken into account if provided and if they add to the general story of the application.
* Certificates of contests and competitions can be added if relevant. Please carefully decide whether the certificate can add any additional value to your application.

== Undesired documents ==
* Full module handbooks. To show that you fulfill the requirement of the sufficient 60 ETCS credits, you have to send the self-made and structured table. Please don't send full module handbooks as the IAS admission team will not have the time to search for core CS courses in those handbooks for you.
* Certificates that don't add additional information or are not relevant at all. More is not always better since it may show that you are not able to decide what is relevant for the subject and what is not. Select the certificates that best show your abilities.

==Do all the documents have to be sent as certified/attested copies?==
No, not for the application at the Department of Informatics - IAS. You can send the required application documents as simple copies. But please be aware that once you have been sent an ''letter of acceptance'' by the CampusCenter (central administration), you have to send certified/attested copies of your language certificate, your university entrance qualification (e.g. high school certificate), and your bachelor's degree certificate to prove the authenticity of those documents together with the matriculation form '''within 14 days''' to the "Team for Application and Admission" (Ger: ''Team Bewerbung und Zulassung'') at the CampusCenter of the Universität Hamburg. Therefore, we highly recommend preparing certified/attested copies of all the relevant documents upfront.
The central administration team (CampusCenter Team for your enrolment, located at the city center) and the IAS Team (for your application and later your studies, located at the Department of Informatics, Hamburg Stellingen) are two very distinct teams and have nothing to do with the task of the other.

More FAQ

* [[FAQ: Q&A| Frequently Asked Questions about the application]]

Application:Required documents

2020-03-13T13:22:09Z

Apeters1: /* Sending applications via email is possible from now on until 31 March: */

'''Due to the coronavirus pandemic, applications via email are now possible and kindly asked for – see email application for more information.'''

=List of all required documents for application=
In order to apply for the 2-year Master of Science program Intelligent Adaptive Systems, you need to send a paper application to the IAS Team at the Department of Informatics, Universität Hamburg. The IAS team is a team of IAS professors, researchers, lecturers, and academic advisors. The IAS Team and the selection committee will only read complete applications that meet the formal requirements. These applications will be ranked according to the selection criteria.

In order to apply successfully please follow these instructions:

The deadline is on the 31st of March. Faxes and e-mails are not accepted. The IAS selection committee does not inform you of missing documents or late applications. Your application is considered incomplete if one or more of the required documents are not received before the deadline (via postal mail) and/or if your STiNE online application form is not submitted online. As a result, your application will not take part in the selection process. You can not submit missing documents after the expiration of the application deadline. There will be no reconsideration.

The documents 'do not'' have to be sent as certified/attested copies when applying. Do '''not''' send original certificates since the IAS selection committee will not send any documents back to you. However, please note that in case your application is successful, you will need to send attested/certified copies to the University via postal mail ''within 2 weeks'', so be prepared. You will receive a notification around 15 May about whether you are accepted or not. Official English and German translations of documents are accepted.

Please read the explanations of what documents you have to send and follow the links for more information.

=='''1. Cover-letter-form''' ==
* Please fill in the cover-letter form (with a pdf viewer/reader).
* Then print out the form. In case you are having any problems filling out the form digitally you can also print out the form and fill it in by hand (readable!).
* Send the printed form as the first page of your application via postal mail.
* Link to the cover-letter-form: [[Cover-letter-form|cover-letter-form]]

== '''2. The University's general online form (STiNE)'''==
The Universität Hamburg requires you to fill out a general and university-wide online form on their student platform called STiNE. The only purpose of this form is to register with the central administration. Nothing else. It is your way to tell the University that you might apply.
* While registering you will receive a BW - Number (Application Number). Please state this number in your cover letter.
* Submit, print and '''sign''' the STiNE online form and enclose the form with your paper application.
* Only within the application period (15 February - 31 March), the online application form can be accessed through the STiNE portal: https://www.stine.uni-hamburg.de. Sorry, some parts of the STiNE online form are in German and therefore rather tricky.
* As a service to IAS applicants, the IAS-Team has prepared a wiki entry: [[online application form|Online form STiNE]].
* For further questions about STiNE please ask the technical support of STiNE. STiNE is a part of the central administration - not the IAS Team's platform, see [https://www.stine.uni-hamburg.de/scripts/mgrqispi.dll?APPNAME=CampusNet&PRGNAME=EXTERNALPAGES&ARGUMENTS=-N000000000000002,-N000339,-A100101e#furtherquestions STiNE support].

After filling out the STiNE online form, '''click submit''', then '''print''' out the summary at the end (German: ''Druckansicht''). This print-out has to be '''signed'''. This submitted, printed, and signed STiNE form is one of the required documents which you have to send via postal mail to the Department of Informatics.

Please note: do not click "Freemover". Freemover is the wrong application.

Please, note that the STiNE online form is just the general, uni-wide application form for central administration reasons only. You still need to send your paper application to the address below. With the complete paper application, you apply to the Department of Informatics for a place in the IAS program.

Use the address displayed here or on the master's website. Do not use the address displayed in STiNE.

==''' 3. Curriculum Vitae'''==
The CV (table version) should include information on your academic and professional career and whether you have previous international experience. Please list specific information on your background that is relevant for IAS such as projects on AI or Robotics. Please, '''provide evidence''' of such projects through acquired certificates. Project descriptions and outlines on their CS content are especially important if you want the achieved credits to count for the 60 ECTS in computer science.
Please add your average/overall grade (can be preliminary) and your grading scale to your cv, next to the information of your degree, and provide official evidence for that information.

== '''4. Letter of Motivation'''==
This is the most important document since it accounts for 40% of your ranking score. It has to be written by yourself and in English. You should not exceed the maximum length of 1.5 pages.
In your letter of motivation, you should explain your motivation to study in this particular program. Your letter of motivation should answer the following questions:
* Why are you interested in the field of "Intelligent Adaptive Systems" and what parts of it are most interesting and why?
* Why is this program especially suited to complement the knowledge you already have?
* Why did you choose to study this program at Universität Hamburg?
* How does this program fit your academic and professional future goals?
* Read the selection criteria and the curriculum IAS so that you know what else might be important to write about.

The selection committee will give high ratings to letters which show that you have made a deliberate choice to study IAS and can justify your decision well, while also explaining how studying IAS will bring you closer to your desired goals. The board is looking for students that show high motivation and have a good chance of finishing the program with a high impact on the student's life. Your ability to present a well-connected chain of arguments is a major ability the board is looking for.

Things that affect the rating adversely are, amongst many, generic letters that are written for multiple applications, letters that are written in bad English or do not follow a good structure. The selection committee wants to read something relevant and precise about you.

== '''5. Proof(s) of English language proficiency'''==
Please see [[Application:Formal requirements| formal requirements]] for details on the required language certificates and further information.

Proof of English language proficiency by
CEFR/TELC: At least Level B2 in all testing categories (listening, reading, speaking, writing), better C1
IELTS: 6.5 + B2
TOEFL: IBT 90, PBT 575, CBT 230
Cambridge: CAE or CPE

==''' 6. Transcript of Records'''==
Please see '''[[Application:Formal requirements| formal requirements]]''' for detailed information on the requirements for your transcript of records.

== '''7. Self-made structured table of all core computer science courses'''==
As a formal requirement, you need to evidence 60 ECTS in core computer science courses. To do so, please provide your transcript and a self-made table listing all your core computer science courses you have completed. Please, also refer to the listed information under [[Application:Formal requirements| formal requirements]] regarding questions about the ''ECTS credit system'', the ''calculation'' of the required 60 ECTS, ''modules/courses counted as CS'' by IAS selection committee. Please use this [[Required Documents: Example structure table|example]] to provide evidence of your 60 ECTS credits or more.

=='''8. BSc certificates and diploma supplement'''==

* If you have finished your degree, please submit a copy of your degree certificate.

* You can apply if you have finished 5 out of 6 semesters and can evidence 150 ECTS credits (or comparable) of your first degree. At the point of your application, at least 60 ECTS in computer science must be evident. In order to prove that you are going to complete your degree soon, you must provide the official transcript of records showing the amount of already acquired credits or credit hours and the number of minimum credits or credit hours required for completion. The final transcript and graduation certificate have to be handed in for enrolment if you are admitted.

* Diploma Supplement: In any case provide a description of your degree - it is an official document issued by most universities.
** The degree's grading system
** The standard amount of semesters required for completion of your degree
** The description of how many weeks of in-class time with a lecturer present you have per semester
** The description of how your credit systems works, e.g. 1 cp is worth 30 hours of in-class time with lecturer present meaning 2 hours a week for 15 weeks...

=='''9. Your grade'''==
In regards to your overall average grade (preliminary) or final grade, please provide a document with your (preliminary) final grade calculated by your university, even if only 5 of 6 or 7 of 8 semesters of the studies have been completed so far. Your grade should be in the grading system your university provides and with which you can provide the grading system. The grade needs to be in numbers, not letters. Make sure you send an official document attested by your university as the IAS selection committee does not accept self-calculated '''final''' grades. Nor does the IAS selection committee calculate final grades for you. If this information is listed in your transcript of records or degree certificate, then you do not need to provide an additional document.

Preliminary grade:
Some transcripts or universities do not provide a preliminary average grade: compute it on your own on a separate document and explain how you did it. If it is not the simple grade average of all grades in the transcript, please provide official proof of what your university or degree rules of computing final marks are.

Please note: If you fail to provide proof of your grade or preliminary grade and grading scale the grade you are assigned will be the worst possible grade - a grade of 9.9 in selection procedures. This means that applications without a grade will rank behind the last applicant who had provided a grade. This is also true if you state a different grade/grading scale in the table and cover-letter than in your transcript or when the selection committee controls your computed grade.

=='''10. Grading scale'''==
The IAS selection committee needs detailed information about your degree's grading system (alternative names: grading scale/scheme of evaluation/grade classification/range of marks ...). We need this information for our [[Application:Selection criteria| selection process]]. As the IAS selection committee will evaluate and rank all applications, we need the grading scale of your university to make your average or final grade comparable to others. In a lot of cases, official transcripts of records display the university's grading system. Usually, this is a table with all the degree's grades and corresponding information like minimum passing grade and maximum, outstanding or excellent grade, etc. However, if this is not the case for your transcript of records, then please provide this information attested by your university.

Highlight the grading scale, minimum passing grade, and maximum grade in your official documents and state exactly on which page the relevant information can be found, e.g., "the grading scale can be found on the printed degree description page 4 Section 2.1.1 see highlighted information". The selection committee will not look through your documents if you do not provide help on where to find the information it needs. Please display exact information on your paper printout. Please only submit relevant parts of lengthy documents. You may provide a link to the full document so we can control the information. However, the selection committee will not follow links or translate websites to search for information. You need to provide all the relevant information in the paper application.

Please note: If you fail to provide proof of your grade or preliminary grade and grading scale you will be assigned the worst possible grade - a grade of 9.9 in selection procedures. This means that applications without a grade or grading scale will rank behind the last applicant who has provided a grade. This is also true if you state a different grade/grading scale in the table and cover-letter than in your transcript/official documents or when the selection committee controls your grade computation.

=='''11. Evidence that your university and degree is recognized in Germany'''==
Admission to a Master's degree program at a German university requires an undergraduate degree. Your degree must have been obtained from a recognized higher education institution. The degree also must be equivalent to at least a three year Bachelor in Germany. It is a prerequisite for an application for the master course "IAS" that your university degree is recognized as equivalent to a Bachelor's degree obtained in Germany.

===How to provide proof that your university is recognized in Germany?===

The selection committee's advice: print out the anabin database entry for proof. It is cost-free and fast:
* Use the database anabin and print out the information about your university
* Your university needs to be recognized with H+
* More information here: [[Desired Documents:Anabin|Anabin]]

If you have difficulties handling anabin, you may use the fee-based service, called Uni-Assist:
* This is the official recommendation of the Universität Hamburg is that you use the fee-based service Uni-Assist (but you don't need to if you provide the anabin printout)
* Request this service around 1 of December - otherwise Uni-Assist might not answer you in time
* More information about [[FAQ:UniAssist| Uni-Assist]]
* Only use Uni-assist if you do not want to look up your University in the database Anabin

Some countries have to get a German authorities endorsement anyway for visa or application- you may hand this in as additional proof:

An endorsement of recognition from German authorities, including information about the type of higher education entrance eligibility and, if applicable, for a particular subject. The Universität Hamburg accepts the following types of endorsement of recognition:

* APS certificates from the academic review offices of Beijing, Ulaanbaatar, and Hanoi

Please note: For the application to the Master program IAS it is enough to send in your information from Anabin.

If you cannot find information on whether your university is recognized in Germany, the selection committee has to decide case by case whether your degree is eligible or not. In this case, your degree usually does not qualify.

=Sending applications via email is possible from now on until 31 March:=

Because of the corona-virus pandemic, the IAS Team has decided to allow sending an application document via email instead of postal mail. Everything else stays the same.

!Important: You still have to provide a complete application as described above. Please follow all 1-12 steps. This includes sending up to 12 documents in one pdf (as you would have done via postal mail). This '''also includes filling-in the STiNE online form''', see 2. under required documents.

Prepare your application as described on the website and the wiki.

'''For sending your application pdf, follow exactly those steps:'''

* in only one pdf document including all your documents 1-12.
* filename of pdf = '''Final_IASApplication_YourFullname_Your_BW-number'''
* Use the order of documents in your pdf as presented here 1.-12 when compiling the document.
* attach not more than 9 MB
* until 31 March
* Email - subject [Final IAS Application] [Your Full name, Your BW-number] (The emails will be sorted automatically)
* only use: ias-team@informatik.uni-hamburg.de
* start your Email text with "Dear IAS-Team, this is my final application to the Master IAS. I have registered in STiNE. This is my BW-Number. Please consider the attached application document as my final application to the IAS study program.....

Everything else stays exactly the same as it is described on this website and wiki except the postal mailing part. Please note, we still do not inform you about missing documents or incomplete applications.

For evaluating the application we will only consider the information provided in this one email: Email - subject [Final IAS Application] [Your Full name, Your BW-number] + Email text starting with "Dear IAS-Team, this is my final application to the Master IAS. I have registered in STiNE. My BW-Number is. Please consider the attached application document as my final application to the IAS study program.....

==I have sent my paper application already + I received an email confirmation by the IAS Team that it has arrived ==
Then you do not need to do anything.

==I have sent my paper application already + I did not receive email confirmation until 13 March 2020 ==
Please do send your application via email considering the steps above. Due to the corona-virus, the IAS Team and many other people at the university will be working from home. That means nobody will get the postal mail.
Please state that your application is on the way and send the application via email again.

==I have not sent my paper application yet==
Please, send it via email. Please state in the email text that you have not sent a paper application

== Order for the pdf application==
Please, put the documents in this order and produce one pdf (and make sure that they are not attached to one another (Please do not use staples, paper clips, folders, etc.):)

# Cover Sheet
# Signed Online Form STiNE
# CV
# Motivation Letter
# Language Test Score
# Transcript
# Self-made table
# Bachelor Certificate + Diploma Supplement
# Grade
# Grading scale
# Anabin print out
# everything else

Please highlight important information in your documents, e.g. grading scale, grade, "H+" in the anabin printout, finishing date ...

Please check carefully if you have sent all the required documents in due time. The deadline is the 31 of March (No postal mail arrives on Saturdays and Sundays at the university). Faxes are not accepted. We do not inform you of missing documents or late applications. Your application is considered incomplete if one or more of the required documents are not received before the deadline via email or if your STiNE form is not submitted online. As a result, your application will not take part in the selection process. There will be no reconsideration of your application. Also note, that we do not inform you about received emails or postal mail (letters, parcels, envelopes) – Please check with your postal mail provider if you like an acknowledgment.

One final note from the selection committee: We like a neat, well-structured, precise, and complete application. Think for yourself. Show that you can be a responsible, well-organized student, and follow basic instructions.
The selection committee and the IAS team consist of professors, lecturers, advisors, Post-docs who will also teach you once you are accepted.

= Additional Documents =
Generally, all possible documents that support your application (especially as evidence for the arguments used in your motivation letter) can be included and will be taken into account in the selection process. Please only include documents that are relevant to your application. The selection of documents already shows your ability to distinguish between relevant and irrelevant content and a large amount of randomly added certificates or documents may have a negative effect on your ranking.

==Desired documents==

* Documents that add to the evidence needed for the requirements, e.g. additional proofs of language proficiency or higher education courses with computer science content, letter of recommendation
* Evidence for research or professional and/or international experience relevant to IAS studies.
* International experience, e.g. a study exchange, shows your ability to adapt to different learning and living environments and should be listed and described as part of our CV.
* The same holds for professional experience that may show your ability to work in a computer science context.
* Training courses or extensive experience showing a deep understanding of computer science concepts. This will be taken into account for general suitability for the very specific Master program IAS.

== Suitable additions ==
* GRE test or other academic tests showing your ability to study in higher education. Such tests are not required but may be taken into account if provided and if they add to the general story of the application.
* Certificates of contests and competitions can be added if relevant. Please carefully decide whether the certificate can add any additional value to your application.

== Undesired documents ==
* Full module handbooks. To show that you fulfill the requirement of the sufficient 60 ETCS credits, you have to send the self-made and structured table. Please don't send full module handbooks as the IAS admission team will not have the time to search for core CS courses in those handbooks for you.
* Certificates that don't add additional information or are not relevant at all. More is not always better since it may show that you are not able to decide what is relevant for the subject and what is not. Select the certificates that best show your abilities.

==Do all the documents have to be sent as certified/attested copies?==
No, not for the application at the Department of Informatics - IAS. You can send the required application documents as simple copies. But please be aware that once you have been sent an ''letter of acceptance'' by the CampusCenter (central administration), you have to send certified/attested copies of your language certificate, your university entrance qualification (e.g. high school certificate), and your bachelor's degree certificate to prove the authenticity of those documents together with the matriculation form '''within 14 days''' to the "Team for Application and Admission" (Ger: ''Team Bewerbung und Zulassung'') at the CampusCenter of the Universität Hamburg. Therefore, we highly recommend preparing certified/attested copies of all the relevant documents upfront.
The central administration team (CampusCenter Team for your enrolment, located at the city center) and the IAS Team (for your application and later your studies, located at the Department of Informatics, Hamburg Stellingen) are two very distinct teams and have nothing to do with the task of the other.

More FAQ

* [[FAQ: Q&A| Frequently Asked Questions about the application]]

Application:Required documents

2020-03-13T13:15:16Z

Apeters1:

'''Due to the coronavirus pandemic, applications via email are now possible and kindly asked for – see email application for more information.'''

=List of all required documents for application=
In order to apply for the 2-year Master of Science program Intelligent Adaptive Systems, you need to send a paper application to the IAS Team at the Department of Informatics, Universität Hamburg. The IAS team is a team of IAS professors, researchers, lecturers, and academic advisors. The IAS Team and the selection committee will only read complete applications that meet the formal requirements. These applications will be ranked according to the selection criteria.

In order to apply successfully please follow these instructions:

The deadline is on the 31st of March. Faxes and e-mails are not accepted. The IAS selection committee does not inform you of missing documents or late applications. Your application is considered incomplete if one or more of the required documents are not received before the deadline (via postal mail) and/or if your STiNE online application form is not submitted online. As a result, your application will not take part in the selection process. You can not submit missing documents after the expiration of the application deadline. There will be no reconsideration.

The documents 'do not'' have to be sent as certified/attested copies when applying. Do '''not''' send original certificates since the IAS selection committee will not send any documents back to you. However, please note that in case your application is successful, you will need to send attested/certified copies to the University via postal mail ''within 2 weeks'', so be prepared. You will receive a notification around 15 May about whether you are accepted or not. Official English and German translations of documents are accepted.

Please read the explanations of what documents you have to send and follow the links for more information.

=='''1. Cover-letter-form''' ==
* Please fill in the cover-letter form (with a pdf viewer/reader).
* Then print out the form. In case you are having any problems filling out the form digitally you can also print out the form and fill it in by hand (readable!).
* Send the printed form as the first page of your application via postal mail.
* Link to the cover-letter-form: [[Cover-letter-form|cover-letter-form]]

== '''2. The University's general online form (STiNE)'''==
The Universität Hamburg requires you to fill out a general and university-wide online form on their student platform called STiNE. The only purpose of this form is to register with the central administration. Nothing else. It is your way to tell the University that you might apply.
* While registering you will receive a BW - Number (Application Number). Please state this number in your cover letter.
* Submit, print and '''sign''' the STiNE online form and enclose the form with your paper application.
* Only within the application period (15 February - 31 March), the online application form can be accessed through the STiNE portal: https://www.stine.uni-hamburg.de. Sorry, some parts of the STiNE online form are in German and therefore rather tricky.
* As a service to IAS applicants, the IAS-Team has prepared a wiki entry: [[online application form|Online form STiNE]].
* For further questions about STiNE please ask the technical support of STiNE. STiNE is a part of the central administration - not the IAS Team's platform, see [https://www.stine.uni-hamburg.de/scripts/mgrqispi.dll?APPNAME=CampusNet&PRGNAME=EXTERNALPAGES&ARGUMENTS=-N000000000000002,-N000339,-A100101e#furtherquestions STiNE support].

After filling out the STiNE online form, '''click submit''', then '''print''' out the summary at the end (German: ''Druckansicht''). This print-out has to be '''signed'''. This submitted, printed, and signed STiNE form is one of the required documents which you have to send via postal mail to the Department of Informatics.

Please note: do not click "Freemover". Freemover is the wrong application.

Please, note that the STiNE online form is just the general, uni-wide application form for central administration reasons only. You still need to send your paper application to the address below. With the complete paper application, you apply to the Department of Informatics for a place in the IAS program.

Use the address displayed here or on the master's website. Do not use the address displayed in STiNE.

==''' 3. Curriculum Vitae'''==
The CV (table version) should include information on your academic and professional career and whether you have previous international experience. Please list specific information on your background that is relevant for IAS such as projects on AI or Robotics. Please, '''provide evidence''' of such projects through acquired certificates. Project descriptions and outlines on their CS content are especially important if you want the achieved credits to count for the 60 ECTS in computer science.
Please add your average/overall grade (can be preliminary) and your grading scale to your cv, next to the information of your degree, and provide official evidence for that information.

== '''4. Letter of Motivation'''==
This is the most important document since it accounts for 40% of your ranking score. It has to be written by yourself and in English. You should not exceed the maximum length of 1.5 pages.
In your letter of motivation, you should explain your motivation to study in this particular program. Your letter of motivation should answer the following questions:
* Why are you interested in the field of "Intelligent Adaptive Systems" and what parts of it are most interesting and why?
* Why is this program especially suited to complement the knowledge you already have?
* Why did you choose to study this program at Universität Hamburg?
* How does this program fit your academic and professional future goals?
* Read the selection criteria and the curriculum IAS so that you know what else might be important to write about.

The selection committee will give high ratings to letters which show that you have made a deliberate choice to study IAS and can justify your decision well, while also explaining how studying IAS will bring you closer to your desired goals. The board is looking for students that show high motivation and have a good chance of finishing the program with a high impact on the student's life. Your ability to present a well-connected chain of arguments is a major ability the board is looking for.

Things that affect the rating adversely are, amongst many, generic letters that are written for multiple applications, letters that are written in bad English or do not follow a good structure. The selection committee wants to read something relevant and precise about you.

== '''5. Proof(s) of English language proficiency'''==
Please see [[Application:Formal requirements| formal requirements]] for details on the required language certificates and further information.

Proof of English language proficiency by
CEFR/TELC: At least Level B2 in all testing categories (listening, reading, speaking, writing), better C1
IELTS: 6.5 + B2
TOEFL: IBT 90, PBT 575, CBT 230
Cambridge: CAE or CPE

==''' 6. Transcript of Records'''==
Please see '''[[Application:Formal requirements| formal requirements]]''' for detailed information on the requirements for your transcript of records.

== '''7. Self-made structured table of all core computer science courses'''==
As a formal requirement, you need to evidence 60 ECTS in core computer science courses. To do so, please provide your transcript and a self-made table listing all your core computer science courses you have completed. Please, also refer to the listed information under [[Application:Formal requirements| formal requirements]] regarding questions about the ''ECTS credit system'', the ''calculation'' of the required 60 ECTS, ''modules/courses counted as CS'' by IAS selection committee. Please use this [[Required Documents: Example structure table|example]] to provide evidence of your 60 ECTS credits or more.

=='''8. BSc certificates and diploma supplement'''==

* If you have finished your degree, please submit a copy of your degree certificate.

* You can apply if you have finished 5 out of 6 semesters and can evidence 150 ECTS credits (or comparable) of your first degree. At the point of your application, at least 60 ECTS in computer science must be evident. In order to prove that you are going to complete your degree soon, you must provide the official transcript of records showing the amount of already acquired credits or credit hours and the number of minimum credits or credit hours required for completion. The final transcript and graduation certificate have to be handed in for enrolment if you are admitted.

* Diploma Supplement: In any case provide a description of your degree - it is an official document issued by most universities.
** The degree's grading system
** The standard amount of semesters required for completion of your degree
** The description of how many weeks of in-class time with a lecturer present you have per semester
** The description of how your credit systems works, e.g. 1 cp is worth 30 hours of in-class time with lecturer present meaning 2 hours a week for 15 weeks...

=='''9. Your grade'''==
In regards to your overall average grade (preliminary) or final grade, please provide a document with your (preliminary) final grade calculated by your university, even if only 5 of 6 or 7 of 8 semesters of the studies have been completed so far. Your grade should be in the grading system your university provides and with which you can provide the grading system. The grade needs to be in numbers, not letters. Make sure you send an official document attested by your university as the IAS selection committee does not accept self-calculated '''final''' grades. Nor does the IAS selection committee calculate final grades for you. If this information is listed in your transcript of records or degree certificate, then you do not need to provide an additional document.

Preliminary grade:
Some transcripts or universities do not provide a preliminary average grade: compute it on your own on a separate document and explain how you did it. If it is not the simple grade average of all grades in the transcript, please provide official proof of what your university or degree rules of computing final marks are.

Please note: If you fail to provide proof of your grade or preliminary grade and grading scale the grade you are assigned will be the worst possible grade - a grade of 9.9 in selection procedures. This means that applications without a grade will rank behind the last applicant who had provided a grade. This is also true if you state a different grade/grading scale in the table and cover-letter than in your transcript or when the selection committee controls your computed grade.

=='''10. Grading scale'''==
The IAS selection committee needs detailed information about your degree's grading system (alternative names: grading scale/scheme of evaluation/grade classification/range of marks ...). We need this information for our [[Application:Selection criteria| selection process]]. As the IAS selection committee will evaluate and rank all applications, we need the grading scale of your university to make your average or final grade comparable to others. In a lot of cases, official transcripts of records display the university's grading system. Usually, this is a table with all the degree's grades and corresponding information like minimum passing grade and maximum, outstanding or excellent grade, etc. However, if this is not the case for your transcript of records, then please provide this information attested by your university.

Highlight the grading scale, minimum passing grade, and maximum grade in your official documents and state exactly on which page the relevant information can be found, e.g., "the grading scale can be found on the printed degree description page 4 Section 2.1.1 see highlighted information". The selection committee will not look through your documents if you do not provide help on where to find the information it needs. Please display exact information on your paper printout. Please only submit relevant parts of lengthy documents. You may provide a link to the full document so we can control the information. However, the selection committee will not follow links or translate websites to search for information. You need to provide all the relevant information in the paper application.

Please note: If you fail to provide proof of your grade or preliminary grade and grading scale you will be assigned the worst possible grade - a grade of 9.9 in selection procedures. This means that applications without a grade or grading scale will rank behind the last applicant who has provided a grade. This is also true if you state a different grade/grading scale in the table and cover-letter than in your transcript/official documents or when the selection committee controls your grade computation.

=='''11. Evidence that your university and degree is recognized in Germany'''==
Admission to a Master's degree program at a German university requires an undergraduate degree. Your degree must have been obtained from a recognized higher education institution. The degree also must be equivalent to at least a three year Bachelor in Germany. It is a prerequisite for an application for the master course "IAS" that your university degree is recognized as equivalent to a Bachelor's degree obtained in Germany.

===How to provide proof that your university is recognized in Germany?===

The selection committee's advice: print out the anabin database entry for proof. It is cost-free and fast:
* Use the database anabin and print out the information about your university
* Your university needs to be recognized with H+
* More information here: [[Desired Documents:Anabin|Anabin]]

If you have difficulties handling anabin, you may use the fee-based service, called Uni-Assist:
* This is the official recommendation of the Universität Hamburg is that you use the fee-based service Uni-Assist (but you don't need to if you provide the anabin printout)
* Request this service around 1 of December - otherwise Uni-Assist might not answer you in time
* More information about [[FAQ:UniAssist| Uni-Assist]]
* Only use Uni-assist if you do not want to look up your University in the database Anabin

Some countries have to get a German authorities endorsement anyway for visa or application- you may hand this in as additional proof:

An endorsement of recognition from German authorities, including information about the type of higher education entrance eligibility and, if applicable, for a particular subject. The Universität Hamburg accepts the following types of endorsement of recognition:

* APS certificates from the academic review offices of Beijing, Ulaanbaatar, and Hanoi

Please note: For the application to the Master program IAS it is enough to send in your information from Anabin.

If you cannot find information on whether your university is recognized in Germany, the selection committee has to decide case by case whether your degree is eligible or not. In this case, your degree usually does not qualify.

=Sending applications via email is possible from now on until 31 March:=

Because of the corona-virus pandemic, the IAS Team has decided to allow sending an application document via email instead of postal mail. Everything else stays the same.

!Important: You still have to provide a complete application as described above, following all 1-12 steps -meaning sending up to 12 documents in one pdf as you would have done via postal mail. This also includes filling-in the STiNE online form, see 2. under required documents.

Prepare your application as described on the website and the wiki.

'''For sending your application pdf, follow exactly those steps:'''

* in only one pdf document including all your documents 1-12.
* filename of pdf = Final_IASApplication_YourFullname_Your_BW-number
* Use the order of documents in your pdf as presented here 1.-12 when compiling the document.
* attach not more than 9 MB
* until 31 March
* Email - subject [Final IAS Application] [Your Full name, Your BW-number] (The emails will be sorted automatically)
* only use: ias-team@informatik.uni-hamburg.de
* start your Email text with "Dear IAS-Team, this is my final application to the Master IAS. I have registered in STiNE. This is my BW-Number. Please consider the attached application document as my final application to the IAS study program.....

Everything else stays exactly the same as it is described on this website and wiki except the postal mailing part. Please note, we still do not inform you about missing documents or incomplete applications.

For evaluating the application we will only consider the information provided in this one email: Email - subject [Final IAS Application] [Your Full name, Your BW-number] + Email text starting with "Dear IAS-Team, this is my final application to the Master IAS. I have registered in STiNE. My BW-Number is. Please consider the attached application document as my final application to the IAS study program.....

==I have sent my paper application already + I received an email confirmation by the IAS Team that it has arrived ==
Then you do not need to do anything.

==I have sent my paper application already + I did not receive email confirmation until 13 March 2020 ==
Please do send your application via email considering the steps above. Due to the corona-virus, the IAS Team and many other people at the university will be working from home. That means nobody will get the postal mail.
Please state that your application is on the way and send the application via email again.

==I have not sent my paper application yet==
Please, send it via email. Please state in the email text that you have not sent a paper application

== Order for the pdf application==
Please, put the documents in this order and produce one pdf (and make sure that they are not attached to one another (Please do not use staples, paper clips, folders, etc.):)

# Cover Sheet
# Signed Online Form STiNE
# CV
# Motivation Letter
# Language Test Score
# Transcript
# Self-made table
# Bachelor Certificate + Diploma Supplement
# Grade
# Grading scale
# Anabin print out
# everything else

Please highlight important information in your documents, e.g. grading scale, grade, "H+" in the anabin printout, finishing date ...

Please check carefully if you have sent all the required documents in due time. The deadline is the 31 of March (No postal mail arrives on Saturdays and Sundays at the university). Faxes are not accepted. We do not inform you of missing documents or late applications. Your application is considered incomplete if one or more of the required documents are not received before the deadline via email or if your STiNE form is not submitted online. As a result, your application will not take part in the selection process. There will be no reconsideration of your application. Also note, that we do not inform you about received emails or postal mail (letters, parcels, envelopes) – Please check with your postal mail provider if you like an acknowledgment.

One final note from the selection committee: We like a neat, well-structured, precise, and complete application. Think for yourself. Show that you can be a responsible, well-organized student, and follow basic instructions.
The selection committee and the IAS team consist of professors, lecturers, advisors, Post-docs who will also teach you once you are accepted.

= Additional Documents =
Generally, all possible documents that support your application (especially as evidence for the arguments used in your motivation letter) can be included and will be taken into account in the selection process. Please only include documents that are relevant to your application. The selection of documents already shows your ability to distinguish between relevant and irrelevant content and a large amount of randomly added certificates or documents may have a negative effect on your ranking.

==Desired documents==

* Documents that add to the evidence needed for the requirements, e.g. additional proofs of language proficiency or higher education courses with computer science content, letter of recommendation
* Evidence for research or professional and/or international experience relevant to IAS studies.
* International experience, e.g. a study exchange, shows your ability to adapt to different learning and living environments and should be listed and described as part of our CV.
* The same holds for professional experience that may show your ability to work in a computer science context.
* Training courses or extensive experience showing a deep understanding of computer science concepts. This will be taken into account for general suitability for the very specific Master program IAS.

== Suitable additions ==
* GRE test or other academic tests showing your ability to study in higher education. Such tests are not required but may be taken into account if provided and if they add to the general story of the application.
* Certificates of contests and competitions can be added if relevant. Please carefully decide whether the certificate can add any additional value to your application.

== Undesired documents ==
* Full module handbooks. To show that you fulfill the requirement of the sufficient 60 ETCS credits, you have to send the self-made and structured table. Please don't send full module handbooks as the IAS admission team will not have the time to search for core CS courses in those handbooks for you.
* Certificates that don't add additional information or are not relevant at all. More is not always better since it may show that you are not able to decide what is relevant for the subject and what is not. Select the certificates that best show your abilities.

==Do all the documents have to be sent as certified/attested copies?==
No, not for the application at the Department of Informatics - IAS. You can send the required application documents as simple copies. But please be aware that once you have been sent an ''letter of acceptance'' by the CampusCenter (central administration), you have to send certified/attested copies of your language certificate, your university entrance qualification (e.g. high school certificate), and your bachelor's degree certificate to prove the authenticity of those documents together with the matriculation form '''within 14 days''' to the "Team for Application and Admission" (Ger: ''Team Bewerbung und Zulassung'') at the CampusCenter of the Universität Hamburg. Therefore, we highly recommend preparing certified/attested copies of all the relevant documents upfront.
The central administration team (CampusCenter Team for your enrolment, located at the city center) and the IAS Team (for your application and later your studies, located at the Department of Informatics, Hamburg Stellingen) are two very distinct teams and have nothing to do with the task of the other.

More FAQ

* [[FAQ: Q&A| Frequently Asked Questions about the application]]

Application:Required documents

2020-03-13T13:13:55Z

Apeters1: /* 2. The University's general online form (STiNE) */

'''Due to the coronavirus pandemic, applications via email are now possible and kindly asked for – see email application for more information.'''

=List of all required documents for application=
In order to apply for the 2-year Master of Science program Intelligent Adaptive Systems, you need to send a paper application to the IAS Team at the Department of Informatics, Universität Hamburg. The IAS team is a team of IAS professors, researchers, lecturers, and academic advisors. The IAS Team and the selection committee will only read complete applications that meet the formal requirements. These applications will be ranked according to the selection criteria.

In order to apply successfully please follow these instructions:

The deadline is on the 31st of March. Faxes and e-mails are not accepted. The IAS selection committee does not inform you of missing documents or late applications. Your application is considered incomplete if one or more of the required documents are not received before the deadline (via postal mail) and/or if your STiNE online application form is not submitted online. As a result, your application will not take part in the selection process. You can not submit missing documents after the expiration of the application deadline. There will be no reconsideration.

The documents 'do not'' have to be sent as certified/attested copies when applying. Do '''not''' send original certificates since the IAS selection committee will not send any documents back to you. However, please note that in case your application is successful, you will need to send attested/certified copies to the University via postal mail ''within 2 weeks'', so be prepared. You will receive a notification around 15 May about whether you are accepted or not. Official English and German translations of documents are accepted.

Please read the explanations of what documents you have to send and follow the links for more information.

=='''1. Cover-letter-form''' ==
* Please fill in the cover-letter form (with a pdf viewer/reader).
* Then print out the form. In case you are having any problems filling out the form digitally you can also print out the form and fill it in by hand (readable!).
* Send the printed form as the first page of your application via postal mail.
* Link to the cover-letter-form: [[Cover-letter-form|cover-letter-form]]

== '''2. The University's general online form (STiNE)'''==
The Universität Hamburg requires you to fill out a general and university-wide online form on their student platform called STiNE. The only purpose of this form is to register with the central administration. Nothing else. It is your way to tell the University that you might apply.
* While registering you will receive a BW - Number (Application Number). Please state this number in your cover letter.
* Submit, print and '''sign''' the STiNE online form and enclose the form with your paper application.
* Only within the application period (15 February - 31 March), the online application form can be accessed through the STiNE portal: https://www.stine.uni-hamburg.de. Sorry, some parts of the STiNE online form are in German and therefore rather tricky.
* As a service to IAS applicants, the IAS-Team has prepared a wiki entry: [[online application form|Online form STiNE]].
* For further questions about STiNE please ask the technical support of STiNE. STiNE is a part of the central administration - not the IAS Team's platform, see [https://www.stine.uni-hamburg.de/scripts/mgrqispi.dll?APPNAME=CampusNet&PRGNAME=EXTERNALPAGES&ARGUMENTS=-N000000000000002,-N000339,-A100101e#furtherquestions STiNE support].

After filling out the STiNE online form, '''click submit''', then '''print''' out the summary at the end (German: ''Druckansicht''). This print-out has to be '''signed'''. This submitted, printed, and signed STiNE form is one of the required documents which you have to send via postal mail to the Department of Informatics.

Please note: do not click "Freemover". Freemover is the wrong application.

Please, note that the STiNE online form is just the general, uni-wide application form for central administration reasons only. You still need to send your paper application to the address below. With the complete paper application, you apply to the Department of Informatics for a place in the IAS program.

Use the address displayed here or on the master's website. Do not use the address displayed in STiNE.

==''' 3. Curriculum Vitae'''==
The CV (table version) should include information on your academic and professional career and whether you have previous international experience. Please list specific information on your background that is relevant for IAS such as projects on AI or Robotics. Please, '''provide evidence''' of such projects through acquired certificates. Project descriptions and outlines on their CS content are especially important if you want the achieved credits to count for the 60 ECTS in computer science.
Please add your average/overall grade (can be preliminary) and your grading scale to your cv, next to the information of your degree, and provide official evidence for that information.

Filename: 3_cv_BWNumber

== '''4. Letter of Motivation'''==
This is the most important document since it accounts for 40% of your ranking score. It has to be written by yourself and in English. You should not exceed the maximum length of 1.5 pages.
In your letter of motivation, you should explain your motivation to study in this particular program. Your letter of motivation should answer the following questions:
* Why are you interested in the field of "Intelligent Adaptive Systems" and what parts of it are most interesting and why?
* Why is this program especially suited to complement the knowledge you already have?
* Why did you choose to study this program at Universität Hamburg?
* How does this program fit your academic and professional future goals?
* Read the selection criteria and the curriculum IAS so that you know what else might be important to write about.

The selection committee will give high ratings to letters which show that you have made a deliberate choice to study IAS and can justify your decision well, while also explaining how studying IAS will bring you closer to your desired goals. The board is looking for students that show high motivation and have a good chance of finishing the program with a high impact on the student's life. Your ability to present a well-connected chain of arguments is a major ability the board is looking for.

Things that affect the rating adversely are, amongst many, generic letters that are written for multiple applications, letters that are written in bad English or do not follow a good structure. The selection committee wants to read something relevant and precise about you.

Filename: 4_Motivation_BWNumber

== '''5. Proof(s) of English language proficiency'''==
Please see [[Application:Formal requirements| formal requirements]] for details on the required language certificates and further information.

Proof of English language proficiency by
CEFR/TELC: At least Level B2 in all testing categories (listening, reading, speaking, writing), better C1
IELTS: 6.5 + B2
TOEFL: IBT 90, PBT 575, CBT 230
Cambridge: CAE or CPE

Filename: 5_English_BWNumber

==''' 6. Transcript of Records'''==
Please see '''[[Application:Formal requirements| formal requirements]]''' for detailed information on the requirements for your transcript of records.

Filename: 6_transcript_BWNumber

== '''7. Self-made structured table of all core computer science courses'''==
As a formal requirement, you need to evidence 60 ECTS in core computer science courses. To do so, please provide your transcript and a self-made table listing all your core computer science courses you have completed. Please, also refer to the listed information under [[Application:Formal requirements| formal requirements]] regarding questions about the ''ECTS credit system'', the ''calculation'' of the required 60 ECTS, ''modules/courses counted as CS'' by IAS selection committee. Please use this [[Required Documents: Example structure table|example]] to provide evidence of your 60 ECTS credits or more.

Filename: 7_60ECTStable_BWNumber

=='''8. BSc certificates and diploma supplement'''==

* If you have finished your degree, please submit a copy of your degree certificate.

* You can apply if you have finished 5 out of 6 semesters and can evidence 150 ECTS credits (or comparable) of your first degree. At the point of your application, at least 60 ECTS in computer science must be evident. In order to prove that you are going to complete your degree soon, you must provide the official transcript of records showing the amount of already acquired credits or credit hours and the number of minimum credits or credit hours required for completion. The final transcript and graduation certificate have to be handed in for enrolment if you are admitted.

* Diploma Supplement: In any case provide a description of your degree - it is an official document issued by most universities.
** The degree's grading system
** The standard amount of semesters required for completion of your degree
** The description of how many weeks of in-class time with a lecturer present you have per semester
** The description of how your credit systems works, e.g. 1 cp is worth 30 hours of in-class time with lecturer present meaning 2 hours a week for 15 weeks...

Filename: 8_certificate_BWNumber

=='''9. Your grade'''==
In regards to your overall average grade (preliminary) or final grade, please provide a document with your (preliminary) final grade calculated by your university, even if only 5 of 6 or 7 of 8 semesters of the studies have been completed so far. Your grade should be in the grading system your university provides and with which you can provide the grading system. The grade needs to be in numbers, not letters. Make sure you send an official document attested by your university as the IAS selection committee does not accept self-calculated '''final''' grades. Nor does the IAS selection committee calculate final grades for you. If this information is listed in your transcript of records or degree certificate, then you do not need to provide an additional document.

Preliminary grade:
Some transcripts or universities do not provide a preliminary average grade: compute it on your own on a separate document and explain how you did it. If it is not the simple grade average of all grades in the transcript, please provide official proof of what your university or degree rules of computing final marks are.

Please note: If you fail to provide proof of your grade or preliminary grade and grading scale the grade you are assigned will be the worst possible grade - a grade of 9.9 in selection procedures. This means that applications without a grade will rank behind the last applicant who had provided a grade. This is also true if you state a different grade/grading scale in the table and cover-letter than in your transcript or when the selection committee controls your computed grade.

=='''10. Grading scale'''==
The IAS selection committee needs detailed information about your degree's grading system (alternative names: grading scale/scheme of evaluation/grade classification/range of marks ...). We need this information for our [[Application:Selection criteria| selection process]]. As the IAS selection committee will evaluate and rank all applications, we need the grading scale of your university to make your average or final grade comparable to others. In a lot of cases, official transcripts of records display the university's grading system. Usually, this is a table with all the degree's grades and corresponding information like minimum passing grade and maximum, outstanding or excellent grade, etc. However, if this is not the case for your transcript of records, then please provide this information attested by your university.

Highlight the grading scale, minimum passing grade, and maximum grade in your official documents and state exactly on which page the relevant information can be found, e.g., "the grading scale can be found on the printed degree description page 4 Section 2.1.1 see highlighted information". The selection committee will not look through your documents if you do not provide help on where to find the information it needs. Please display exact information on your paper printout. Please only submit relevant parts of lengthy documents. You may provide a link to the full document so we can control the information. However, the selection committee will not follow links or translate websites to search for information. You need to provide all the relevant information in the paper application.

Please note: If you fail to provide proof of your grade or preliminary grade and grading scale you will be assigned the worst possible grade - a grade of 9.9 in selection procedures. This means that applications without a grade or grading scale will rank behind the last applicant who has provided a grade. This is also true if you state a different grade/grading scale in the table and cover-letter than in your transcript/official documents or when the selection committee controls your grade computation.

=='''11. Evidence that your university and degree is recognized in Germany'''==
Admission to a Master's degree program at a German university requires an undergraduate degree. This must have been obtained from a recognized higher education institution. The degree also must be equivalent to at least a three year Bachelor that was attained in Germany. It is a prerequisite for an application for the master course "IAS" that your university degree is recognized as equivalent to a Bachelor's degree obtained in Germany.

===How to provide proof that your university is recognized in Germany?===

The selection committee's advice: print out the anabin database entry for proof. It is cost-free and fast:
* Use the database anabin and print out the information about your university
* Your university needs to be recognized with H+
* More information here: [[Desired Documents:Anabin|Anabin]]

If you have difficulties handling anabin, you may use the fee-based service, called Uni-Assist:
* This is the official recommendation of the Universität Hamburg is that you use the fee-based service Uni-Assist (but you don't need to if you provide the anabin printout)
* Request this service around 1 of December - otherwise Uni-Assist might not answer you in time
* More information about [[FAQ:UniAssist| Uni-Assist]]
* Only use Uni-assist if you do not want to look up your University in the database Anabin

Some countries have to get a German authorities endorsement anyway for visa or application- you may hand this in as additional proof:

An endorsement of recognition from German authorities, including information about the type of higher education entrance eligibility and, if applicable, for a particular subject. The Universität Hamburg accepts the following types of endorsement of recognition:

* APS certificates from the academic review offices of Beijing, Ulaanbaatar, and Hanoi

Please note: For the application to the Master program IAS - it is enough to send in your information from Anabin.

If you cannot find information on whether your university is recognized in Germany, the selection committee has to decide case by case whether your degree sounds eligible or not. Usually, your degree does not qualify.

=Sending applications via email is possible from now on until 31 March:=

Because of the corona-virus pandemic, the IAS Team has decided to allow sending an application document via email instead of postal mail. Everything else stays the same.

!Important: You still have to provide a complete application as described above, following all 1-12 steps -meaning sending up to 12 documents in one pdf as you would have done via postal mail. This also includes filling-in the STiNE online form, see 2. under required documents.

Prepare your application as described on the website and the wiki.

'''For sending your application pdf, follow exactly those steps:'''

* in only one pdf document including all your documents 1-12.
* filename of pdf = Final_IASApplication_YourFullname_Your_BW-number
* Use the order of documents in your pdf as presented here 1.-12 when compiling the document.
* attach not more than 9 MB
* until 31 March
* Email - subject [Final IAS Application] [Your Full name, Your BW-number] (The emails will be sorted automatically)
* only use: ias-team@informatik.uni-hamburg.de
* start your Email text with "Dear IAS-Team, this is my final application to the Master IAS. I have registered in STiNE. This is my BW-Number. Please consider the attached application document as my final application to the IAS study program.....

Everything else stays exactly the same as it is described on this website and wiki except the postal mailing part. Please note, we still do not inform you about missing documents or incomplete applications.

For evaluating the application we will only consider the information provided in this one email: Email - subject [Final IAS Application] [Your Full name, Your BW-number] + Email text starting with "Dear IAS-Team, this is my final application to the Master IAS. I have registered in STiNE. My BW-Number is. Please consider the attached application document as my final application to the IAS study program.....

==I have sent my paper application already + I received an email confirmation by the IAS Team that it has arrived ==
Then you do not need to do anything.

==I have sent my paper application already + I did not receive email confirmation until 13 March 2020 ==
Please do send your application via email considering the steps above. Due to the corona-virus, the IAS Team and many other people at the university will be working from home. That means nobody will get the postal mail.
Please state that your application is on the way and send the application via email again.

==I have not sent my paper application yet==
Please, send it via email. Please state in the email text that you have not sent a paper application

== Order for the pdf application==
Please, put the documents in this order and produce one pdf (and make sure that they are not attached to one another (Please do not use staples, paper clips, folders, etc.):)

# Cover Sheet
# Signed Online Form STiNE
# CV
# Motivation Letter
# Language Test Score
# Transcript
# Self-made table
# Bachelor Certificate + Diploma Supplement
# Grade
# Grading scale
# Anabin print out
# everything else

Please highlight important information in your documents, e.g. grading scale, grade, "H+" in the anabin printout, finishing date ...

Please check carefully if you have sent all the required documents in due time. The deadline is the 31 of March (No postal mail arrives on Saturdays and Sundays at the university). Faxes are not accepted. We do not inform you of missing documents or late applications. Your application is considered incomplete if one or more of the required documents are not received before the deadline via email or if your STiNE form is not submitted online. As a result, your application will not take part in the selection process. There will be no reconsideration of your application. Also note, that we do not inform you about received emails or postal mail (letters, parcels, envelopes) – Please check with your postal mail provider if you like an acknowledgment.

One final note from the selection committee: We like a neat, well-structured, precise, and complete application. Think for yourself. Show that you can be a responsible, well-organized student, and follow basic instructions.
The selection committee and the IAS team consist of professors, lecturers, advisors, Post-docs who will also teach you once you are accepted.

= Additional Documents =
Generally, all possible documents that support your application (especially as evidence for the arguments used in your motivation letter) can be included and will be taken into account in the selection process. Please only include documents that are relevant to your application. The selection of documents already shows your ability to distinguish between relevant and irrelevant content and a large amount of randomly added certificates or documents may have a negative effect on your ranking.

==Desired documents==

* Documents that add to the evidence needed for the requirements, e.g. additional proofs of language proficiency or higher education courses with computer science content, letter of recommendation
* Evidence for research or professional and/or international experience relevant to IAS studies.
* International experience, e.g. a study exchange, shows your ability to adapt to different learning and living environments and should be listed and described as part of our CV.
* The same holds for professional experience that may show your ability to work in a computer science context.
* Training courses or extensive experience showing a deep understanding of computer science concepts. This will be taken into account for general suitability for the very specific Master program IAS.

== Suitable additions ==
* GRE test or other academic tests showing your ability to study in higher education. Such tests are not required but may be taken into account if provided and if they add to the general story of the application.
* Certificates of contests and competitions can be added if relevant. Please carefully decide whether the certificate can add any additional value to your application.

== Undesired documents ==
* Full module handbooks. To show that you fulfill the requirement of the sufficient 60 ETCS credits, you have to send the self-made and structured table. Please don't send full module handbooks as the IAS admission team will not have the time to search for core CS courses in those handbooks for you.
* Certificates that don't add additional information or are not relevant at all. More is not always better since it may show that you are not able to decide what is relevant for the subject and what is not. Select the certificates that best show your abilities.

==Do all the documents have to be sent as certified/attested copies?==
No, not for the application at the Department of Informatics - IAS. You can send the required application documents as simple copies. But please be aware that once you have been sent an ''letter of acceptance'' by the CampusCenter (central administration), you have to send certified/attested copies of your language certificate, your university entrance qualification (e.g. high school certificate), and your bachelor's degree certificate to prove the authenticity of those documents together with the matriculation form '''within 14 days''' to the "Team for Application and Admission" (Ger: ''Team Bewerbung und Zulassung'') at the CampusCenter of the Universität Hamburg. Therefore, we highly recommend preparing certified/attested copies of all the relevant documents upfront.
The central administration team (CampusCenter Team for your enrolment, located at the city center) and the IAS Team (for your application and later your studies, located at the Department of Informatics, Hamburg Stellingen) are two very distinct teams and have nothing to do with the task of the other.

More FAQ

* [[FAQ: Q&A| Frequently Asked Questions about the application]]

Application:Required documents

2020-03-13T13:13:09Z

Apeters1: /* 1. Cover-letter-form */

'''Due to the coronavirus pandemic, applications via email are now possible and kindly asked for – see email application for more information.'''

=List of all required documents for application=
In order to apply for the 2-year Master of Science program Intelligent Adaptive Systems, you need to send a paper application to the IAS Team at the Department of Informatics, Universität Hamburg. The IAS team is a team of IAS professors, researchers, lecturers, and academic advisors. The IAS Team and the selection committee will only read complete applications that meet the formal requirements. These applications will be ranked according to the selection criteria.

In order to apply successfully please follow these instructions:

The deadline is on the 31st of March. Faxes and e-mails are not accepted. The IAS selection committee does not inform you of missing documents or late applications. Your application is considered incomplete if one or more of the required documents are not received before the deadline (via postal mail) and/or if your STiNE online application form is not submitted online. As a result, your application will not take part in the selection process. You can not submit missing documents after the expiration of the application deadline. There will be no reconsideration.

The documents 'do not'' have to be sent as certified/attested copies when applying. Do '''not''' send original certificates since the IAS selection committee will not send any documents back to you. However, please note that in case your application is successful, you will need to send attested/certified copies to the University via postal mail ''within 2 weeks'', so be prepared. You will receive a notification around 15 May about whether you are accepted or not. Official English and German translations of documents are accepted.

Please read the explanations of what documents you have to send and follow the links for more information.

=='''1. Cover-letter-form''' ==
* Please fill in the cover-letter form (with a pdf viewer/reader).
* Then print out the form. In case you are having any problems filling out the form digitally you can also print out the form and fill it in by hand (readable!).
* Send the printed form as the first page of your application via postal mail.
* Link to the cover-letter-form: [[Cover-letter-form|cover-letter-form]]

== '''2. The University's general online form (STiNE)'''==
The Universität Hamburg requires you to fill out a general and university-wide online form on their student platform called STiNE. The only purpose of this form is to register with the central administration. Nothing else. It is your way to tell the University that you might apply.
* While registering you will receive a BW - Number (Application Number). Please state this number in your cover letter.
* Submit, print and '''sign''' the STiNE online form and enclose the form with your paper application.
* Only within the application period (15 February - 31 March), the online application form can be accessed through the STiNE portal: https://www.stine.uni-hamburg.de. Sorry, some parts of the STiNE online form are in German and therefore rather tricky.
* As a service to IAS applicants, the IAS-Team has prepared a wiki entry: [[online application form|Online form STiNE]].
* For further questions about STiNE please ask the technical support of STiNE. STiNE is a part of the central administration - not the IAS Team's platform, see [https://www.stine.uni-hamburg.de/scripts/mgrqispi.dll?APPNAME=CampusNet&PRGNAME=EXTERNALPAGES&ARGUMENTS=-N000000000000002,-N000339,-A100101e#furtherquestions STiNE support].

After filling out the STiNE online form, '''click submit''', then '''print''' out the summary at the end (German: ''Druckansicht''). This print-out has to be '''signed'''. This submitted, printed, and signed STiNE form is one of the required documents which you have to send via postal mail to the Department of Informatics.

Please note: do not click "Freemover". Freemover is the wrong application.

Please, note that the STiNE online form is just the general, uni-wide application form for central administration reasons only. You still need to send your paper application to the address below. With the complete paper application, you apply to the Department of Informatics for a place in the IAS program.

Use the address displayed here or on the master's website. Do not use the address displayed in STiNE.

Filename: 2_Stine_BWNumber

==''' 3. Curriculum Vitae'''==
The CV (table version) should include information on your academic and professional career and whether you have previous international experience. Please list specific information on your background that is relevant for IAS such as projects on AI or Robotics. Please, '''provide evidence''' of such projects through acquired certificates. Project descriptions and outlines on their CS content are especially important if you want the achieved credits to count for the 60 ECTS in computer science.
Please add your average/overall grade (can be preliminary) and your grading scale to your cv, next to the information of your degree, and provide official evidence for that information.

Filename: 3_cv_BWNumber

== '''4. Letter of Motivation'''==
This is the most important document since it accounts for 40% of your ranking score. It has to be written by yourself and in English. You should not exceed the maximum length of 1.5 pages.
In your letter of motivation, you should explain your motivation to study in this particular program. Your letter of motivation should answer the following questions:
* Why are you interested in the field of "Intelligent Adaptive Systems" and what parts of it are most interesting and why?
* Why is this program especially suited to complement the knowledge you already have?
* Why did you choose to study this program at Universität Hamburg?
* How does this program fit your academic and professional future goals?
* Read the selection criteria and the curriculum IAS so that you know what else might be important to write about.

The selection committee will give high ratings to letters which show that you have made a deliberate choice to study IAS and can justify your decision well, while also explaining how studying IAS will bring you closer to your desired goals. The board is looking for students that show high motivation and have a good chance of finishing the program with a high impact on the student's life. Your ability to present a well-connected chain of arguments is a major ability the board is looking for.

Things that affect the rating adversely are, amongst many, generic letters that are written for multiple applications, letters that are written in bad English or do not follow a good structure. The selection committee wants to read something relevant and precise about you.

Filename: 4_Motivation_BWNumber

== '''5. Proof(s) of English language proficiency'''==
Please see [[Application:Formal requirements| formal requirements]] for details on the required language certificates and further information.

Proof of English language proficiency by
CEFR/TELC: At least Level B2 in all testing categories (listening, reading, speaking, writing), better C1
IELTS: 6.5 + B2
TOEFL: IBT 90, PBT 575, CBT 230
Cambridge: CAE or CPE

Filename: 5_English_BWNumber

==''' 6. Transcript of Records'''==
Please see '''[[Application:Formal requirements| formal requirements]]''' for detailed information on the requirements for your transcript of records.

Filename: 6_transcript_BWNumber

== '''7. Self-made structured table of all core computer science courses'''==
As a formal requirement, you need to evidence 60 ECTS in core computer science courses. To do so, please provide your transcript and a self-made table listing all your core computer science courses you have completed. Please, also refer to the listed information under [[Application:Formal requirements| formal requirements]] regarding questions about the ''ECTS credit system'', the ''calculation'' of the required 60 ECTS, ''modules/courses counted as CS'' by IAS selection committee. Please use this [[Required Documents: Example structure table|example]] to provide evidence of your 60 ECTS credits or more.

Filename: 7_60ECTStable_BWNumber

=='''8. BSc certificates and diploma supplement'''==

* If you have finished your degree, please submit a copy of your degree certificate.

* You can apply if you have finished 5 out of 6 semesters and can evidence 150 ECTS credits (or comparable) of your first degree. At the point of your application, at least 60 ECTS in computer science must be evident. In order to prove that you are going to complete your degree soon, you must provide the official transcript of records showing the amount of already acquired credits or credit hours and the number of minimum credits or credit hours required for completion. The final transcript and graduation certificate have to be handed in for enrolment if you are admitted.

* Diploma Supplement: In any case provide a description of your degree - it is an official document issued by most universities.
** The degree's grading system
** The standard amount of semesters required for completion of your degree
** The description of how many weeks of in-class time with a lecturer present you have per semester
** The description of how your credit systems works, e.g. 1 cp is worth 30 hours of in-class time with lecturer present meaning 2 hours a week for 15 weeks...

Filename: 8_certificate_BWNumber

=='''9. Your grade'''==
In regards to your overall average grade (preliminary) or final grade, please provide a document with your (preliminary) final grade calculated by your university, even if only 5 of 6 or 7 of 8 semesters of the studies have been completed so far. Your grade should be in the grading system your university provides and with which you can provide the grading system. The grade needs to be in numbers, not letters. Make sure you send an official document attested by your university as the IAS selection committee does not accept self-calculated '''final''' grades. Nor does the IAS selection committee calculate final grades for you. If this information is listed in your transcript of records or degree certificate, then you do not need to provide an additional document.

Preliminary grade:
Some transcripts or universities do not provide a preliminary average grade: compute it on your own on a separate document and explain how you did it. If it is not the simple grade average of all grades in the transcript, please provide official proof of what your university or degree rules of computing final marks are.

Please note: If you fail to provide proof of your grade or preliminary grade and grading scale the grade you are assigned will be the worst possible grade - a grade of 9.9 in selection procedures. This means that applications without a grade will rank behind the last applicant who had provided a grade. This is also true if you state a different grade/grading scale in the table and cover-letter than in your transcript or when the selection committee controls your computed grade.

=='''10. Grading scale'''==
The IAS selection committee needs detailed information about your degree's grading system (alternative names: grading scale/scheme of evaluation/grade classification/range of marks ...). We need this information for our [[Application:Selection criteria| selection process]]. As the IAS selection committee will evaluate and rank all applications, we need the grading scale of your university to make your average or final grade comparable to others. In a lot of cases, official transcripts of records display the university's grading system. Usually, this is a table with all the degree's grades and corresponding information like minimum passing grade and maximum, outstanding or excellent grade, etc. However, if this is not the case for your transcript of records, then please provide this information attested by your university.

Highlight the grading scale, minimum passing grade, and maximum grade in your official documents and state exactly on which page the relevant information can be found, e.g., "the grading scale can be found on the printed degree description page 4 Section 2.1.1 see highlighted information". The selection committee will not look through your documents if you do not provide help on where to find the information it needs. Please display exact information on your paper printout. Please only submit relevant parts of lengthy documents. You may provide a link to the full document so we can control the information. However, the selection committee will not follow links or translate websites to search for information. You need to provide all the relevant information in the paper application.

Please note: If you fail to provide proof of your grade or preliminary grade and grading scale you will be assigned the worst possible grade - a grade of 9.9 in selection procedures. This means that applications without a grade or grading scale will rank behind the last applicant who has provided a grade. This is also true if you state a different grade/grading scale in the table and cover-letter than in your transcript/official documents or when the selection committee controls your grade computation.

=='''11. Evidence that your university and degree is recognized in Germany'''==
Admission to a Master's degree program at a German university requires an undergraduate degree. This must have been obtained from a recognized higher education institution. The degree also must be equivalent to at least a three year Bachelor that was attained in Germany. It is a prerequisite for an application for the master course "IAS" that your university degree is recognized as equivalent to a Bachelor's degree obtained in Germany.

===How to provide proof that your university is recognized in Germany?===

The selection committee's advice: print out the anabin database entry for proof. It is cost-free and fast:
* Use the database anabin and print out the information about your university
* Your university needs to be recognized with H+
* More information here: [[Desired Documents:Anabin|Anabin]]

If you have difficulties handling anabin, you may use the fee-based service, called Uni-Assist:
* This is the official recommendation of the Universität Hamburg is that you use the fee-based service Uni-Assist (but you don't need to if you provide the anabin printout)
* Request this service around 1 of December - otherwise Uni-Assist might not answer you in time
* More information about [[FAQ:UniAssist| Uni-Assist]]
* Only use Uni-assist if you do not want to look up your University in the database Anabin

Some countries have to get a German authorities endorsement anyway for visa or application- you may hand this in as additional proof:

An endorsement of recognition from German authorities, including information about the type of higher education entrance eligibility and, if applicable, for a particular subject. The Universität Hamburg accepts the following types of endorsement of recognition:

* APS certificates from the academic review offices of Beijing, Ulaanbaatar, and Hanoi

Please note: For the application to the Master program IAS - it is enough to send in your information from Anabin.

If you cannot find information on whether your university is recognized in Germany, the selection committee has to decide case by case whether your degree sounds eligible or not. Usually, your degree does not qualify.

=Sending applications via email is possible from now on until 31 March:=

Because of the corona-virus pandemic, the IAS Team has decided to allow sending an application document via email instead of postal mail. Everything else stays the same.

!Important: You still have to provide a complete application as described above, following all 1-12 steps -meaning sending up to 12 documents in one pdf as you would have done via postal mail. This also includes filling-in the STiNE online form, see 2. under required documents.

Prepare your application as described on the website and the wiki.

'''For sending your application pdf, follow exactly those steps:'''

* in only one pdf document including all your documents 1-12.
* filename of pdf = Final_IASApplication_YourFullname_Your_BW-number
* Use the order of documents in your pdf as presented here 1.-12 when compiling the document.
* attach not more than 9 MB
* until 31 March
* Email - subject [Final IAS Application] [Your Full name, Your BW-number] (The emails will be sorted automatically)
* only use: ias-team@informatik.uni-hamburg.de
* start your Email text with "Dear IAS-Team, this is my final application to the Master IAS. I have registered in STiNE. This is my BW-Number. Please consider the attached application document as my final application to the IAS study program.....

Everything else stays exactly the same as it is described on this website and wiki except the postal mailing part. Please note, we still do not inform you about missing documents or incomplete applications.

For evaluating the application we will only consider the information provided in this one email: Email - subject [Final IAS Application] [Your Full name, Your BW-number] + Email text starting with "Dear IAS-Team, this is my final application to the Master IAS. I have registered in STiNE. My BW-Number is. Please consider the attached application document as my final application to the IAS study program.....

==I have sent my paper application already + I received an email confirmation by the IAS Team that it has arrived ==
Then you do not need to do anything.

==I have sent my paper application already + I did not receive email confirmation until 13 March 2020 ==
Please do send your application via email considering the steps above. Due to the corona-virus, the IAS Team and many other people at the university will be working from home. That means nobody will get the postal mail.
Please state that your application is on the way and send the application via email again.

==I have not sent my paper application yet==
Please, send it via email. Please state in the email text that you have not sent a paper application

== Order for the pdf application==
Please, put the documents in this order and produce one pdf (and make sure that they are not attached to one another (Please do not use staples, paper clips, folders, etc.):)

# Cover Sheet
# Signed Online Form STiNE
# CV
# Motivation Letter
# Language Test Score
# Transcript
# Self-made table
# Bachelor Certificate + Diploma Supplement
# Grade
# Grading scale
# Anabin print out
# everything else

Please highlight important information in your documents, e.g. grading scale, grade, "H+" in the anabin printout, finishing date ...

Please check carefully if you have sent all the required documents in due time. The deadline is the 31 of March (No postal mail arrives on Saturdays and Sundays at the university). Faxes are not accepted. We do not inform you of missing documents or late applications. Your application is considered incomplete if one or more of the required documents are not received before the deadline via email or if your STiNE form is not submitted online. As a result, your application will not take part in the selection process. There will be no reconsideration of your application. Also note, that we do not inform you about received emails or postal mail (letters, parcels, envelopes) – Please check with your postal mail provider if you like an acknowledgment.

One final note from the selection committee: We like a neat, well-structured, precise, and complete application. Think for yourself. Show that you can be a responsible, well-organized student, and follow basic instructions.
The selection committee and the IAS team consist of professors, lecturers, advisors, Post-docs who will also teach you once you are accepted.

= Additional Documents =
Generally, all possible documents that support your application (especially as evidence for the arguments used in your motivation letter) can be included and will be taken into account in the selection process. Please only include documents that are relevant to your application. The selection of documents already shows your ability to distinguish between relevant and irrelevant content and a large amount of randomly added certificates or documents may have a negative effect on your ranking.

==Desired documents==

* Documents that add to the evidence needed for the requirements, e.g. additional proofs of language proficiency or higher education courses with computer science content, letter of recommendation
* Evidence for research or professional and/or international experience relevant to IAS studies.
* International experience, e.g. a study exchange, shows your ability to adapt to different learning and living environments and should be listed and described as part of our CV.
* The same holds for professional experience that may show your ability to work in a computer science context.
* Training courses or extensive experience showing a deep understanding of computer science concepts. This will be taken into account for general suitability for the very specific Master program IAS.

== Suitable additions ==
* GRE test or other academic tests showing your ability to study in higher education. Such tests are not required but may be taken into account if provided and if they add to the general story of the application.
* Certificates of contests and competitions can be added if relevant. Please carefully decide whether the certificate can add any additional value to your application.

== Undesired documents ==
* Full module handbooks. To show that you fulfill the requirement of the sufficient 60 ETCS credits, you have to send the self-made and structured table. Please don't send full module handbooks as the IAS admission team will not have the time to search for core CS courses in those handbooks for you.
* Certificates that don't add additional information or are not relevant at all. More is not always better since it may show that you are not able to decide what is relevant for the subject and what is not. Select the certificates that best show your abilities.

==Do all the documents have to be sent as certified/attested copies?==
No, not for the application at the Department of Informatics - IAS. You can send the required application documents as simple copies. But please be aware that once you have been sent an ''letter of acceptance'' by the CampusCenter (central administration), you have to send certified/attested copies of your language certificate, your university entrance qualification (e.g. high school certificate), and your bachelor's degree certificate to prove the authenticity of those documents together with the matriculation form '''within 14 days''' to the "Team for Application and Admission" (Ger: ''Team Bewerbung und Zulassung'') at the CampusCenter of the Universität Hamburg. Therefore, we highly recommend preparing certified/attested copies of all the relevant documents upfront.
The central administration team (CampusCenter Team for your enrolment, located at the city center) and the IAS Team (for your application and later your studies, located at the Department of Informatics, Hamburg Stellingen) are two very distinct teams and have nothing to do with the task of the other.

More FAQ

* [[FAQ: Q&A| Frequently Asked Questions about the application]]

Application:Required documents

2020-03-13T13:08:28Z

Apeters1: /* Sending applications via email is possible from now on until 31 March: */

'''Due to the coronavirus pandemic, applications via email are now possible and kindly asked for – see email application for more information.'''

=List of all required documents for application=
In order to apply for the 2-year Master of Science program Intelligent Adaptive Systems, you need to send a paper application to the IAS Team at the Department of Informatics, Universität Hamburg. The IAS team is a team of IAS professors, researchers, lecturers, and academic advisors. The IAS Team and the selection committee will only read complete applications that meet the formal requirements. These applications will be ranked according to the selection criteria.

In order to apply successfully please follow these instructions:

The deadline is on the 31st of March. Faxes and e-mails are not accepted. The IAS selection committee does not inform you of missing documents or late applications. Your application is considered incomplete if one or more of the required documents are not received before the deadline (via postal mail) and/or if your STiNE online application form is not submitted online. As a result, your application will not take part in the selection process. You can not submit missing documents after the expiration of the application deadline. There will be no reconsideration.

The documents 'do not'' have to be sent as certified/attested copies when applying. Do '''not''' send original certificates since the IAS selection committee will not send any documents back to you. However, please note that in case your application is successful, you will need to send attested/certified copies to the University via postal mail ''within 2 weeks'', so be prepared. You will receive a notification around 15 May about whether you are accepted or not. Official English and German translations of documents are accepted.

Please read the explanations of what documents you have to send and follow the links for more information.

=='''1. Cover-letter-form''' ==
* Please fill in the cover-letter form (with a pdf viewer/reader).
* Then print out the form. In case you are having any problems filling out the form digitally you can also print out the form and fill it in by hand (readable!).
* Send the printed form as the first page of your application via postal mail.
* Link to the cover-letter-form: [[Cover-letter-form|cover-letter-form]]
* Filename: 1_coverletter_BWNumber

== '''2. The University's general online form (STiNE)'''==
The Universität Hamburg requires you to fill out a general and university-wide online form on their student platform called STiNE. The only purpose of this form is to register with the central administration. Nothing else. It is your way to tell the University that you might apply.
* While registering you will receive a BW - Number (Application Number). Please state this number in your cover letter.
* Submit, print and '''sign''' the STiNE online form and enclose the form with your paper application.
* Only within the application period (15 February - 31 March), the online application form can be accessed through the STiNE portal: https://www.stine.uni-hamburg.de. Sorry, some parts of the STiNE online form are in German and therefore rather tricky.
* As a service to IAS applicants, the IAS-Team has prepared a wiki entry: [[online application form|Online form STiNE]].
* For further questions about STiNE please ask the technical support of STiNE. STiNE is a part of the central administration - not the IAS Team's platform, see [https://www.stine.uni-hamburg.de/scripts/mgrqispi.dll?APPNAME=CampusNet&PRGNAME=EXTERNALPAGES&ARGUMENTS=-N000000000000002,-N000339,-A100101e#furtherquestions STiNE support].

After filling out the STiNE online form, '''click submit''', then '''print''' out the summary at the end (German: ''Druckansicht''). This print-out has to be '''signed'''. This submitted, printed, and signed STiNE form is one of the required documents which you have to send via postal mail to the Department of Informatics.

Please note: do not click "Freemover". Freemover is the wrong application.

Please, note that the STiNE online form is just the general, uni-wide application form for central administration reasons only. You still need to send your paper application to the address below. With the complete paper application, you apply to the Department of Informatics for a place in the IAS program.

Use the address displayed here or on the master's website. Do not use the address displayed in STiNE.

Filename: 2_Stine_BWNumber

==''' 3. Curriculum Vitae'''==
The CV (table version) should include information on your academic and professional career and whether you have previous international experience. Please list specific information on your background that is relevant for IAS such as projects on AI or Robotics. Please, '''provide evidence''' of such projects through acquired certificates. Project descriptions and outlines on their CS content are especially important if you want the achieved credits to count for the 60 ECTS in computer science.
Please add your average/overall grade (can be preliminary) and your grading scale to your cv, next to the information of your degree, and provide official evidence for that information.

Filename: 3_cv_BWNumber

== '''4. Letter of Motivation'''==
This is the most important document since it accounts for 40% of your ranking score. It has to be written by yourself and in English. You should not exceed the maximum length of 1.5 pages.
In your letter of motivation, you should explain your motivation to study in this particular program. Your letter of motivation should answer the following questions:
* Why are you interested in the field of "Intelligent Adaptive Systems" and what parts of it are most interesting and why?
* Why is this program especially suited to complement the knowledge you already have?
* Why did you choose to study this program at Universität Hamburg?
* How does this program fit your academic and professional future goals?
* Read the selection criteria and the curriculum IAS so that you know what else might be important to write about.

The selection committee will give high ratings to letters which show that you have made a deliberate choice to study IAS and can justify your decision well, while also explaining how studying IAS will bring you closer to your desired goals. The board is looking for students that show high motivation and have a good chance of finishing the program with a high impact on the student's life. Your ability to present a well-connected chain of arguments is a major ability the board is looking for.

Things that affect the rating adversely are, amongst many, generic letters that are written for multiple applications, letters that are written in bad English or do not follow a good structure. The selection committee wants to read something relevant and precise about you.

Filename: 4_Motivation_BWNumber

== '''5. Proof(s) of English language proficiency'''==
Please see [[Application:Formal requirements| formal requirements]] for details on the required language certificates and further information.

Proof of English language proficiency by
CEFR/TELC: At least Level B2 in all testing categories (listening, reading, speaking, writing), better C1
IELTS: 6.5 + B2
TOEFL: IBT 90, PBT 575, CBT 230
Cambridge: CAE or CPE

Filename: 5_English_BWNumber

==''' 6. Transcript of Records'''==
Please see '''[[Application:Formal requirements| formal requirements]]''' for detailed information on the requirements for your transcript of records.

Filename: 6_transcript_BWNumber

== '''7. Self-made structured table of all core computer science courses'''==
As a formal requirement, you need to evidence 60 ECTS in core computer science courses. To do so, please provide your transcript and a self-made table listing all your core computer science courses you have completed. Please, also refer to the listed information under [[Application:Formal requirements| formal requirements]] regarding questions about the ''ECTS credit system'', the ''calculation'' of the required 60 ECTS, ''modules/courses counted as CS'' by IAS selection committee. Please use this [[Required Documents: Example structure table|example]] to provide evidence of your 60 ECTS credits or more.

Filename: 7_60ECTStable_BWNumber

=='''8. BSc certificates and diploma supplement'''==

* If you have finished your degree, please submit a copy of your degree certificate.

* You can apply if you have finished 5 out of 6 semesters and can evidence 150 ECTS credits (or comparable) of your first degree. At the point of your application, at least 60 ECTS in computer science must be evident. In order to prove that you are going to complete your degree soon, you must provide the official transcript of records showing the amount of already acquired credits or credit hours and the number of minimum credits or credit hours required for completion. The final transcript and graduation certificate have to be handed in for enrolment if you are admitted.

* Diploma Supplement: In any case provide a description of your degree - it is an official document issued by most universities.
** The degree's grading system
** The standard amount of semesters required for completion of your degree
** The description of how many weeks of in-class time with a lecturer present you have per semester
** The description of how your credit systems works, e.g. 1 cp is worth 30 hours of in-class time with lecturer present meaning 2 hours a week for 15 weeks...

Filename: 8_certificate_BWNumber

=='''9. Your grade'''==
In regards to your overall average grade (preliminary) or final grade, please provide a document with your (preliminary) final grade calculated by your university, even if only 5 of 6 or 7 of 8 semesters of the studies have been completed so far. Your grade should be in the grading system your university provides and with which you can provide the grading system. The grade needs to be in numbers, not letters. Make sure you send an official document attested by your university as the IAS selection committee does not accept self-calculated '''final''' grades. Nor does the IAS selection committee calculate final grades for you. If this information is listed in your transcript of records or degree certificate, then you do not need to provide an additional document.

Preliminary grade:
Some transcripts or universities do not provide a preliminary average grade: compute it on your own on a separate document and explain how you did it. If it is not the simple grade average of all grades in the transcript, please provide official proof of what your university or degree rules of computing final marks are.

Please note: If you fail to provide proof of your grade or preliminary grade and grading scale the grade you are assigned will be the worst possible grade - a grade of 9.9 in selection procedures. This means that applications without a grade will rank behind the last applicant who had provided a grade. This is also true if you state a different grade/grading scale in the table and cover-letter than in your transcript or when the selection committee controls your computed grade.

=='''10. Grading scale'''==
The IAS selection committee needs detailed information about your degree's grading system (alternative names: grading scale/scheme of evaluation/grade classification/range of marks ...). We need this information for our [[Application:Selection criteria| selection process]]. As the IAS selection committee will evaluate and rank all applications, we need the grading scale of your university to make your average or final grade comparable to others. In a lot of cases, official transcripts of records display the university's grading system. Usually, this is a table with all the degree's grades and corresponding information like minimum passing grade and maximum, outstanding or excellent grade, etc. However, if this is not the case for your transcript of records, then please provide this information attested by your university.

Highlight the grading scale, minimum passing grade, and maximum grade in your official documents and state exactly on which page the relevant information can be found, e.g., "the grading scale can be found in the printed degree description page 4 Section 2.1.1 see highlighted information". The selection committee will not look through your documents if you do not provide help on where to find the right information. Please display exact information on your paper printout. You may provide a link to a lengthy document if you only printed out parts of a lengthy document so that we can control it. The selection committee will not follow links or translate websites to search for information. You need to provide relevant information in the paper application.

Please note: If you fail to provide proof of your grade or preliminary grade and grading scale you will be assigned the worst possible grade - a grade of 9.9 in selection procedures. This means that applications without a grade or grading scale will rank behind the last applicant who has provided a grade. This is also true if you state a different grade/grading scale in the table and cover-letter than in your transcript/official documents or when the selection committee controls your grade computation.

=='''11. Evidence that your university and degree is recognized in Germany'''==
Admission to a Master's degree program at a German university requires an undergraduate degree. This must have been obtained from a recognized higher education institution. The degree also must be equivalent to at least a three year Bachelor that was attained in Germany. It is a prerequisite for an application for the master course "IAS" that your university degree is recognized as equivalent to a Bachelor's degree obtained in Germany.

===How to provide proof that your university is recognized in Germany?===

The selection committee's advice: print out the anabin database entry for proof. It is cost-free and fast:
* Use the database anabin and print out the information about your university
* Your university needs to be recognized with H+
* More information here: [[Desired Documents:Anabin|Anabin]]

If you have difficulties handling anabin, you may use the fee-based service, called Uni-Assist:
* This is the official recommendation of the Universität Hamburg is that you use the fee-based service Uni-Assist (but you don't need to if you provide the anabin printout)
* Request this service around 1 of December - otherwise Uni-Assist might not answer you in time
* More information about [[FAQ:UniAssist| Uni-Assist]]
* Only use Uni-assist if you do not want to look up your University in the database Anabin

Some countries have to get a German authorities endorsement anyway for visa or application- you may hand this in as additional proof:

An endorsement of recognition from German authorities, including information about the type of higher education entrance eligibility and, if applicable, for a particular subject. The Universität Hamburg accepts the following types of endorsement of recognition:

* APS certificates from the academic review offices of Beijing, Ulaanbaatar, and Hanoi

Please note: For the application to the Master program IAS - it is enough to send in your information from Anabin.

If you cannot find information on whether your university is recognized in Germany, the selection committee has to decide case by case whether your degree sounds eligible or not. Usually, your degree does not qualify.

=Sending applications via email is possible from now on until 31 March:=

Because of the corona-virus pandemic, the IAS Team has decided to allow sending an application document via email instead of postal mail. Everything else stays the same.

!Important: You still have to provide a complete application as described above, following all 1-12 steps -meaning sending up to 12 documents in one pdf as you would have done via postal mail. This also includes filling-in the STiNE online form, see 2. under required documents.

Prepare your application as described on the website and the wiki.

'''For sending your application pdf, follow exactly those steps:'''

* in only one pdf document including all your documents 1-12.
* filename of pdf = Final_IASApplication_YourFullname_Your_BW-number
* Use the order of documents in your pdf as presented here 1.-12 when compiling the document.
* attach not more than 9 MB
* until 31 March
* Email - subject [Final IAS Application] [Your Full name, Your BW-number] (The emails will be sorted automatically)
* only use: ias-team@informatik.uni-hamburg.de
* start your Email text with "Dear IAS-Team, this is my final application to the Master IAS. I have registered in STiNE. This is my BW-Number. Please consider the attached application document as my final application to the IAS study program.....

Everything else stays exactly the same as it is described on this website and wiki except the postal mailing part. Please note, we still do not inform you about missing documents or incomplete applications.

For evaluating the application we will only consider the information provided in this one email: Email - subject [Final IAS Application] [Your Full name, Your BW-number] + Email text starting with "Dear IAS-Team, this is my final application to the Master IAS. I have registered in STiNE. My BW-Number is. Please consider the attached application document as my final application to the IAS study program.....

==I have sent my paper application already + I received an email confirmation by the IAS Team that it has arrived ==
Then you do not need to do anything.

==I have sent my paper application already + I did not receive email confirmation until 13 March 2020 ==
Please do send your application via email considering the steps above. Due to the corona-virus, the IAS Team and many other people at the university will be working from home. That means nobody will get the postal mail.
Please state that your application is on the way and send the application via email again.

==I have not sent my paper application yet==
Please, send it via email. Please state in the email text that you have not sent a paper application

== Order for the pdf application==
Please, put the documents in this order and produce one pdf (and make sure that they are not attached to one another (Please do not use staples, paper clips, folders, etc.):)

# Cover Sheet
# Signed Online Form STiNE
# CV
# Motivation Letter
# Language Test Score
# Transcript
# Self-made table
# Bachelor Certificate + Diploma Supplement
# Grade
# Grading scale
# Anabin print out
# everything else

Please highlight important information in your documents, e.g. grading scale, grade, "H+" in the anabin printout, finishing date ...

Please check carefully if you have sent all the required documents in due time. The deadline is the 31 of March (No postal mail arrives on Saturdays and Sundays at the university). Faxes are not accepted. We do not inform you of missing documents or late applications. Your application is considered incomplete if one or more of the required documents are not received before the deadline via email or if your STiNE form is not submitted online. As a result, your application will not take part in the selection process. There will be no reconsideration of your application. Also note, that we do not inform you about received emails or postal mail (letters, parcels, envelopes) – Please check with your postal mail provider if you like an acknowledgment.

One final note from the selection committee: We like a neat, well-structured, precise, and complete application. Think for yourself. Show that you can be a responsible, well-organized student, and follow basic instructions.
The selection committee and the IAS team consist of professors, lecturers, advisors, Post-docs who will also teach you once you are accepted.

= Additional Documents =
Generally, all possible documents that support your application (especially as evidence for the arguments used in your motivation letter) can be included and will be taken into account in the selection process. Please only include documents that are relevant to your application. The selection of documents already shows your ability to distinguish between relevant and irrelevant content and a large amount of randomly added certificates or documents may have a negative effect on your ranking.

==Desired documents==

* Documents that add to the evidence needed for the requirements, e.g. additional proofs of language proficiency or higher education courses with computer science content, letter of recommendation
* Evidence for research or professional and/or international experience relevant to IAS studies.
* International experience, e.g. a study exchange, shows your ability to adapt to different learning and living environments and should be listed and described as part of our CV.
* The same holds for professional experience that may show your ability to work in a computer science context.
* Training courses or extensive experience showing a deep understanding of computer science concepts. This will be taken into account for general suitability for the very specific Master program IAS.

== Suitable additions ==
* GRE test or other academic tests showing your ability to study in higher education. Such tests are not required but may be taken into account if provided and if they add to the general story of the application.
* Certificates of contests and competitions can be added if relevant. Please carefully decide whether the certificate can add any additional value to your application.

== Undesired documents ==
* Full module handbooks. To show that you fulfill the requirement of the sufficient 60 ETCS credits, you have to send the self-made and structured table. Please don't send full module handbooks as the IAS admission team will not have the time to search for core CS courses in those handbooks for you.
* Certificates that don't add additional information or are not relevant at all. More is not always better since it may show that you are not able to decide what is relevant for the subject and what is not. Select the certificates that best show your abilities.

==Do all the documents have to be sent as certified/attested copies?==
No, not for the application at the Department of Informatics - IAS. You can send the required application documents as simple copies. But please be aware that once you have been sent an ''letter of acceptance'' by the CampusCenter (central administration), you have to send certified/attested copies of your language certificate, your university entrance qualification (e.g. high school certificate), and your bachelor's degree certificate to prove the authenticity of those documents together with the matriculation form '''within 14 days''' to the "Team for Application and Admission" (Ger: ''Team Bewerbung und Zulassung'') at the CampusCenter of the Universität Hamburg. Therefore, we highly recommend preparing certified/attested copies of all the relevant documents upfront.
The central administration team (CampusCenter Team for your enrolment, located at the city center) and the IAS Team (for your application and later your studies, located at the Department of Informatics, Hamburg Stellingen) are two very distinct teams and have nothing to do with the task of the other.

More FAQ

* [[FAQ: Q&A| Frequently Asked Questions about the application]]

Application:Required documents

2020-03-13T13:05:52Z

Apeters1: /* Application via email possible from now on until 31 March: */

'''Due to the coronavirus pandemic, applications via email are now possible and kindly asked for – see email application for more information.'''

=List of all required documents for application=
In order to apply for the 2-year Master of Science program Intelligent Adaptive Systems, you need to send a paper application to the IAS Team at the Department of Informatics, Universität Hamburg. The IAS team is a team of IAS professors, researchers, lecturers, and academic advisors. The IAS Team and the selection committee will only read complete applications that meet the formal requirements. These applications will be ranked according to the selection criteria.

In order to apply successfully please follow these instructions:

The deadline is on the 31st of March. Faxes and e-mails are not accepted. The IAS selection committee does not inform you of missing documents or late applications. Your application is considered incomplete if one or more of the required documents are not received before the deadline (via postal mail) and/or if your STiNE online application form is not submitted online. As a result, your application will not take part in the selection process. You can not submit missing documents after the expiration of the application deadline. There will be no reconsideration.

The documents 'do not'' have to be sent as certified/attested copies when applying. Do '''not''' send original certificates since the IAS selection committee will not send any documents back to you. However, please note that in case your application is successful, you will need to send attested/certified copies to the University via postal mail ''within 2 weeks'', so be prepared. You will receive a notification around 15 May about whether you are accepted or not. Official English and German translations of documents are accepted.

Please read the explanations of what documents you have to send and follow the links for more information.

=='''1. Cover-letter-form''' ==
* Please fill in the cover-letter form (with a pdf viewer/reader).
* Then print out the form. In case you are having any problems filling out the form digitally you can also print out the form and fill it in by hand (readable!).
* Send the printed form as the first page of your application via postal mail.
* Link to the cover-letter-form: [[Cover-letter-form|cover-letter-form]]
* Filename: 1_coverletter_BWNumber

== '''2. The University's general online form (STiNE)'''==
The Universität Hamburg requires you to fill out a general and university-wide online form on their student platform called STiNE. The only purpose of this form is to register with the central administration. Nothing else. It is your way to tell the University that you might apply.
* While registering you will receive a BW - Number (Application Number). Please state this number in your cover letter.
* Submit, print and '''sign''' the STiNE online form and enclose the form with your paper application.
* Only within the application period (15 February - 31 March), the online application form can be accessed through the STiNE portal: https://www.stine.uni-hamburg.de. Sorry, some parts of the STiNE online form are in German and therefore rather tricky.
* As a service to IAS applicants, the IAS-Team has prepared a wiki entry: [[online application form|Online form STiNE]].
* For further questions about STiNE please ask the technical support of STiNE. STiNE is a part of the central administration - not the IAS Team's platform, see [https://www.stine.uni-hamburg.de/scripts/mgrqispi.dll?APPNAME=CampusNet&PRGNAME=EXTERNALPAGES&ARGUMENTS=-N000000000000002,-N000339,-A100101e#furtherquestions STiNE support].

After filling out the STiNE online form, '''click submit''', then '''print''' out the summary at the end (German: ''Druckansicht''). This print-out has to be '''signed'''. This submitted, printed, and signed STiNE form is one of the required documents which you have to send via postal mail to the Department of Informatics.

Please note: do not click "Freemover". Freemover is the wrong application.

Please, note that the STiNE online form is just the general, uni-wide application form for central administration reasons only. You still need to send your paper application to the address below. With the complete paper application, you apply to the Department of Informatics for a place in the IAS program.

Use the address displayed here or on the master's website. Do not use the address displayed in STiNE.

Filename: 2_Stine_BWNumber

==''' 3. Curriculum Vitae'''==
The CV (table version) should include information on your academic and professional career and whether you have previous international experience. Please list specific information on your background that is relevant for IAS such as projects on AI or Robotics. Please, '''provide evidence''' of such projects through acquired certificates. Project descriptions and outlines on their CS content are especially important if you want the achieved credits to count for the 60 ECTS in computer science.
Please add your average/overall grade (can be preliminary) and your grading scale to your cv, next to the information of your degree, and provide official evidence for that information.

Filename: 3_cv_BWNumber

== '''4. Letter of Motivation'''==
This is the most important document since it accounts for 40% of your ranking score. It has to be written by yourself and in English. You should not exceed the maximum length of 1.5 pages.
In your letter of motivation, you should explain your motivation to study in this particular program. Your letter of motivation should answer the following questions:
* Why are you interested in the field of "Intelligent Adaptive Systems" and what parts of it are most interesting and why?
* Why is this program especially suited to complement the knowledge you already have?
* Why did you choose to study this program at Universität Hamburg?
* How does this program fit your academic and professional future goals?
* Read the selection criteria and the curriculum IAS so that you know what else might be important to write about.

The selection committee will give high ratings to letters which show that you have made a deliberate choice to study IAS and can justify your decision well, while also explaining how studying IAS will bring you closer to your desired goals. The board is looking for students that show high motivation and have a good chance of finishing the program with a high impact on the student's life. Your ability to present a well-connected chain of arguments is a major ability the board is looking for.

Things that affect the rating adversely are, amongst many, generic letters that are written for multiple applications, letters that are written in bad English or do not follow a good structure. The selection committee wants to read something relevant and precise about you.

Filename: 4_Motivation_BWNumber

== '''5. Proof(s) of English language proficiency'''==
Please see [[Application:Formal requirements| formal requirements]] for details on the required language certificates and further information.

Proof of English language proficiency by
CEFR/TELC: At least Level B2 in all testing categories (listening, reading, speaking, writing), better C1
IELTS: 6.5 + B2
TOEFL: IBT 90, PBT 575, CBT 230
Cambridge: CAE or CPE

Filename: 5_English_BWNumber

==''' 6. Transcript of Records'''==
Please see '''[[Application:Formal requirements| formal requirements]]''' for detailed information on the requirements for your transcript of records.

Filename: 6_transcript_BWNumber

== '''7. Self-made structured table of all core computer science courses'''==
As a formal requirement, you need to evidence 60 ECTS in core computer science courses. To do so, please provide your transcript and a self-made table listing all your core computer science courses you have completed. Please, also refer to the listed information under [[Application:Formal requirements| formal requirements]] regarding questions about the ''ECTS credit system'', the ''calculation'' of the required 60 ECTS, ''modules/courses counted as CS'' by IAS selection committee. Please use this [[Required Documents: Example structure table|example]] to provide evidence of your 60 ECTS credits or more.

Filename: 7_60ECTStable_BWNumber

=='''8. BSc certificates and diploma supplement'''==

* If you have finished your degree, please submit a copy of your degree certificate.

* You can apply if you have finished 5 out of 6 semesters and can evidence 150 ECTS credits (or comparable) of your first degree. At the point of your application, at least 60 ECTS in computer science must be evident. In order to prove that you are going to complete your degree soon, you must provide the official transcript of records showing the amount of already acquired credits or credit hours and the number of minimum credits or credit hours required for completion. The final transcript and graduation certificate have to be handed in for enrolment if you are admitted.

* Diploma Supplement: In any case provide a description of your degree - it is an official document issued by most universities.
** The degree's grading system
** The standard amount of semesters required for completion of your degree
** The description of how many weeks of in-class time with a lecturer present you have per semester
** The description of how your credit systems works, e.g. 1 cp is worth 30 hours of in-class time with lecturer present meaning 2 hours a week for 15 weeks...

Filename: 8_certificate_BWNumber

=='''9. Your grade'''==
In regards to your overall average grade (preliminary) or final grade, please provide a document with your (preliminary) final grade calculated by your university, even if only 5 of 6 or 7 of 8 semesters of the studies have been completed so far. Your grade should be in the grading system your university provides and with which you can provide the grading system. The grade needs to be in numbers, not letters. Make sure you send an official document attested by your university as the IAS selection committee does not accept self-calculated '''final''' grades. Nor does the IAS selection committee calculate final grades for you. If this information is listed in your transcript of records or degree certificate, then you do not need to provide an additional document.

Preliminary grade:
Some transcripts or universities do not provide a preliminary average grade: compute it on your own on a separate document and explain how you did it. If it is not the simple grade average of all grades in the transcript, please provide official proof of what your university or degree rules of computing final marks are.

Please note: If you fail to provide proof of your grade or preliminary grade and grading scale the grade you are assigned will be the worst possible grade - a grade of 9.9 in selection procedures. This means that applications without a grade will rank behind the last applicant who had provided a grade. This is also true if you state a different grade/grading scale in the table and cover-letter than in your transcript or when the selection committee controls your computed grade.

=='''10. Grading scale'''==
The IAS selection committee needs detailed information about your degree's grading system (alternative names: grading scale/scheme of evaluation/grade classification/range of marks ...). We need this information for our [[Application:Selection criteria| selection process]]. As the IAS selection committee will evaluate and rank all applications, we need the grading scale of your university to make your average or final grade comparable to others. In a lot of cases, official transcripts of records display the university's grading system. Usually, this is a table with all the degree's grades and corresponding information like minimum passing grade and maximum, outstanding or excellent grade, etc. However, if this is not the case for your transcript of records, then please provide this information attested by your university.

Highlight the grading scale, minimum passing grade, and maximum grade in your official documents and state exactly on which page the relevant information can be found, e.g., "the grading scale can be found in the printed degree description page 4 Section 2.1.1 see highlighted information". The selection committee will not look through your documents if you do not provide help on where to find the right information. Please display exact information on your paper printout. You may provide a link to a lengthy document if you only printed out parts of a lengthy document so that we can control it. The selection committee will not follow links or translate websites to search for information. You need to provide relevant information in the paper application.

Please note: If you fail to provide proof of your grade or preliminary grade and grading scale you will be assigned the worst possible grade - a grade of 9.9 in selection procedures. This means that applications without a grade or grading scale will rank behind the last applicant who has provided a grade. This is also true if you state a different grade/grading scale in the table and cover-letter than in your transcript/official documents or when the selection committee controls your grade computation.

=='''11. Evidence that your university and degree is recognized in Germany'''==
Admission to a Master's degree program at a German university requires an undergraduate degree. This must have been obtained from a recognized higher education institution. The degree also must be equivalent to at least a three year Bachelor that was attained in Germany. It is a prerequisite for an application for the master course "IAS" that your university degree is recognized as equivalent to a Bachelor's degree obtained in Germany.

===How to provide proof that your university is recognized in Germany?===

The selection committee's advice: print out the anabin database entry for proof. It is cost-free and fast:
* Use the database anabin and print out the information about your university
* Your university needs to be recognized with H+
* More information here: [[Desired Documents:Anabin|Anabin]]

If you have difficulties handling anabin, you may use the fee-based service, called Uni-Assist:
* This is the official recommendation of the Universität Hamburg is that you use the fee-based service Uni-Assist (but you don't need to if you provide the anabin printout)
* Request this service around 1 of December - otherwise Uni-Assist might not answer you in time
* More information about [[FAQ:UniAssist| Uni-Assist]]
* Only use Uni-assist if you do not want to look up your University in the database Anabin

Some countries have to get a German authorities endorsement anyway for visa or application- you may hand this in as additional proof:

An endorsement of recognition from German authorities, including information about the type of higher education entrance eligibility and, if applicable, for a particular subject. The Universität Hamburg accepts the following types of endorsement of recognition:

* APS certificates from the academic review offices of Beijing, Ulaanbaatar, and Hanoi

Please note: For the application to the Master program IAS - it is enough to send in your information from Anabin.

If you cannot find information on whether your university is recognized in Germany, the selection committee has to decide case by case whether your degree sounds eligible or not. Usually, your degree does not qualify.

=Sending applications via email is possible from now on until 31 March:=

Because of the corona-virus pandemic, the IAS Team has decided to allow sending an application document via email instead of postal mail.

!Important: You still have to provide a complete application as described above, following all 1-12 steps -meaning sending up to 12 documents in one pdf as you would have done via postal mail. This also includes filling-in the STiNE online form, see 2. under required documents.

Prepare your application as described on the website and the wiki.

'''For sending your application pdf, follow exactly those steps:'''

* in only one pdf document including all your documents 1-12.
* filename of pdf = Final_IASApplication_YourFullname_Your_BW-number
* Use the order of documents in your pdf as presented here 1.-12 when compiling the document.
not more than 9 MB
until 31 March
use only this Email - subject [Final IAS Application] [Your Full name, Your BW-number] (The emails will be sorted automatically)
only use: ias-team@informatik.uni-hamburg.de
start your Email text with "Dear IAS-Team, this is my final application to the Master IAS. I have registered in STiNE. This is my BW-Number. Please consider the attached application document as my final application to the IAS study program.....

Everything else stays exactly the same as it is described on this website and wiki except the postal mailing part. Please note, we still do not inform you about missing documents or incomplete applications.

For evaluating the application we will only consider the information provided in this one email: Email - subject [Final IAS Application] [Your Full name, Your BW-number] + Email text starting with "Dear IAS-Team, this is my final application to the Master IAS. I have registered in STiNE. My BW-Number is. Please consider the attached application document as my final application to the IAS study program.....

'''Because of the corona-virus pandemic, the IAS Team has decided to allow applications via email.'''

Send the application as described on the website and this wiki and follow '''exactly''' those steps:

* in '''only''' one pdf document with all your documents included: only use this pdf name =FinalIASApplication_YourFullname_YourBW-number
* or zip file with '''all''' of documents: zip file name = FinalIASApplication_YourFullname_YourBW-number, documents names= 1_coverletter_BWnumber, 2_STiNE_BWnumber, 3_CV_BWnumber, 4_Motivation_BWnumber ....(see sections for names)

* not more than 9 MB
* until 31 March
* use only this Email - subject '''[Final IAS Application] [Your Full name, Your BW-number]''' (The emails will be sorted automatically)
* only use: ias-team@informatik.uni-hamburg.de
* start your Email text with "'''Dear IAS-Team, this is my final application''' to the Master IAS. Please consider the attached application ....."
* Use the order of documents presented here 1.-11. when sending the application.

Everything else stays exactly the same as it is described in this wiki and website except the postal mailing part. Please note, even though now you should apply via email, we still do not inform you about missing documents or incomplete applications. '''For evaluating the application we will only consider the information provided in this one email: Email - subject ''[Final IAS Application] [Your Full name, Your BW-number]'' + Email text starting with ''"Dear IAS-Team, this is my final application to the Master IAS. Please consider the attached pdf application'' ....." '''

==I have sent my paper application already + I received an email confirmation by the IAS Team that it has arrived ==
Then you do not need to do anything.

==I have sent my paper application already + I did not receive email confirmation until 13 March 2020 ==
Please do send your application via email considering the steps above. Due to the corona-virus, the IAS Team and many other people at the university will be working from home. That means nobody will get the postal mail.
Please state that your application is on the way and send the application via email again.

==I have not sent my paper application yet==
Please, send it via email. Please state in the email text that you have not sent a paper application

== Order for the pdf application==
Please, put the documents in this order and produce one pdf (and make sure that they are not attached to one another (Please do not use staples, paper clips, folders, etc.):)

# Cover Sheet
# Signed Online Form STiNE
# CV
# Motivation Letter
# Language Test Score
# Transcript
# Self-made table
# Bachelor Certificate + Diploma Supplement
# Grade
# Grading scale
# Anabin print out
# everything else

Please highlight important information in your documents, e.g. grading scale, grade, "H+" in the anabin printout, finishing date ...

Please check carefully if you have sent all the required documents in due time. The deadline is the 31 of March (No postal mail arrives on Saturdays and Sundays at the university). Faxes are not accepted. We do not inform you of missing documents or late applications. Your application is considered incomplete if one or more of the required documents are not received before the deadline via email or if your STiNE form is not submitted online. As a result, your application will not take part in the selection process. There will be no reconsideration of your application. Also note, that we do not inform you about received emails or postal mail (letters, parcels, envelopes) – Please check with your postal mail provider if you like an acknowledgment.

One final note from the selection committee: We like a neat, well-structured, precise, and complete application. Think for yourself. Show that you can be a responsible, well-organized student, and follow basic instructions.
The selection committee and the IAS team consist of professors, lecturers, advisors, Post-docs who will also teach you once you are accepted.

= Additional Documents =
Generally, all possible documents that support your application (especially as evidence for the arguments used in your motivation letter) can be included and will be taken into account in the selection process. Please only include documents that are relevant to your application. The selection of documents already shows your ability to distinguish between relevant and irrelevant content and a large amount of randomly added certificates or documents may have a negative effect on your ranking.

==Desired documents==

* Documents that add to the evidence needed for the requirements, e.g. additional proofs of language proficiency or higher education courses with computer science content, letter of recommendation
* Evidence for research or professional and/or international experience relevant to IAS studies.
* International experience, e.g. a study exchange, shows your ability to adapt to different learning and living environments and should be listed and described as part of our CV.
* The same holds for professional experience that may show your ability to work in a computer science context.
* Training courses or extensive experience showing a deep understanding of computer science concepts. This will be taken into account for general suitability for the very specific Master program IAS.

== Suitable additions ==
* GRE test or other academic tests showing your ability to study in higher education. Such tests are not required but may be taken into account if provided and if they add to the general story of the application.
* Certificates of contests and competitions can be added if relevant. Please carefully decide whether the certificate can add any additional value to your application.

== Undesired documents ==
* Full module handbooks. To show that you fulfill the requirement of the sufficient 60 ETCS credits, you have to send the self-made and structured table. Please don't send full module handbooks as the IAS admission team will not have the time to search for core CS courses in those handbooks for you.
* Certificates that don't add additional information or are not relevant at all. More is not always better since it may show that you are not able to decide what is relevant for the subject and what is not. Select the certificates that best show your abilities.

==Do all the documents have to be sent as certified/attested copies?==
No, not for the application at the Department of Informatics - IAS. You can send the required application documents as simple copies. But please be aware that once you have been sent an ''letter of acceptance'' by the CampusCenter (central administration), you have to send certified/attested copies of your language certificate, your university entrance qualification (e.g. high school certificate), and your bachelor's degree certificate to prove the authenticity of those documents together with the matriculation form '''within 14 days''' to the "Team for Application and Admission" (Ger: ''Team Bewerbung und Zulassung'') at the CampusCenter of the Universität Hamburg. Therefore, we highly recommend preparing certified/attested copies of all the relevant documents upfront.
The central administration team (CampusCenter Team for your enrolment, located at the city center) and the IAS Team (for your application and later your studies, located at the Department of Informatics, Hamburg Stellingen) are two very distinct teams and have nothing to do with the task of the other.

More FAQ

* [[FAQ: Q&A| Frequently Asked Questions about the application]]

Application:Required documents

2020-03-13T10:17:06Z

Apeters1: /* 8. BSc certificates and diploma supplement */

'''Due to the coronavirus pandemic, applications via email are now possible and kindly asked for – see email application for more information.'''

=List of all required documents for application=
In order to apply for the 2-year Master of Science program Intelligent Adaptive Systems, you need to send a paper application to the IAS Team at the Department of Informatics, Universität Hamburg. The IAS team is a team of IAS professors, researchers, lecturers, and academic advisors. The IAS Team and the selection committee will only read complete applications that meet the formal requirements. These applications will be ranked according to the selection criteria.

In order to apply successfully please follow exactly these instructions:

The deadline is on the 31st of March. Faxes and e-mails are not accepted. The IAS selection committee does not inform you of missing documents or late applications. Your application is considered incomplete if one or more of the required documents are not received before the deadline (via postal mail) and/or if your STiNE online application form is not submitted online. As a result, your application will not take part in the selection process. You can not submit missing documents after the expiration of the application deadline, there will be no reconsideration.

The documents 'do not'' have to be sent as certified/attested copies when applying. You should '''not''' send original certificates since the IAS selection committee will not send anything back. However, please note that in case your application is successful, you will need to send attested/certified copies to the University via postal mail ''within 2 weeks'', so be prepared. The notification whether you are accepted or not is send around 15 of May. Official English and German translation of documents are accepted.

Please read the explanations of what documents you have to send and follow the links to more information.

=='''1. Cover-letter-form''' ==
* Please fill in the cover-letter form (with a pdf viewer/reader).
* Then print the form. In case you are having any problems with filling in the form digitally you can also print the form and fill it in by hand (readable!).
* Send the printed form via postal mail as the first page of your application.
* Link to the cover-letter-form: [[Cover-letter-form|cover-letter-form]]
* Filename: 1_coverletter_BWNumber

== '''2. The University's general online form (STiNE)'''==
The Universität Hamburg requires you to fill out a general and university-wide online form on their student platform called STiNE. The only purpose of this form is to register with the central administration. Nothing else. It is the way to tell the University that you might apply.
* While registering you will receive a BW - Number (Application Number). Please state this number in your cover letter.
* Submit, print and '''sign''' the STiNE online form and enclose the form with your paper application.
* Only within the application period (15 February - 31 March), the online application form can be accessed through the STiNE portal: https://www.stine.uni-hamburg.de. Sorry, some parts of the STiNE online form are in German and therefore rather tricky.
* As a service to IAS applicants, the IAS-Team has prepared a wiki entry: [[online application form|Online form STiNE]].
*For further questions about STiNE please ask the technical support of STiNE. STiNE is a part of the central administration - not the IAS Team's platform, see [https://www.stine.uni-hamburg.de/scripts/mgrqispi.dll?APPNAME=CampusNet&PRGNAME=EXTERNALPAGES&ARGUMENTS=-N000000000000002,-N000339,-A100101e#furtherquestions STiNE support].

After filling out the STiNE online form, '''click submit''', and then, '''print''' out the summary at the end (Ger: ''Druckansicht''). This print-out has to be '''signed'''. This submitted, printed, and signed STiNE form is one of the required documents which you have to send via postal mail to the Department of Informatics.

Please, note do not click "Freemover", that is the wrong application.

Please, note that the STiNE online form is just the general, uni-wide application form for central administration reasons only. You still need to send your paper application to the address below. With the complete paper application, you apply to the Department of Informatics for a place in the IAS program.

Use the address displayed here or websit not in STiNE.

Filename: 2_Stine_BWNumber

==''' 3. Curriculum Vitae'''==
The CV (table version) should include information on your academic and professional career and if you have international experience. It should specifically list information on your background relevant for IAS such as projects on AI or Robotics. Please, '''provide evidence''' of such projects through acquired certificates. Project descriptions and outlines on their CS content are especially important if the achieved credits should be counted for the 60 ECTS in computer science.
Please, add your average/overall grade (can be preliminary) and your grading scale to your cv next to the information of your degree and provide official evidence for that information.

Filename: 3_cv_BWNumber

== '''4. Letter of Motivation'''==
This is the most important document since it accounts for 40% of your ranking score. It has to be written by yourself in the English language. There is a maximum of 1.5 pages that you should not exceed.
In this letter, you should explain your motivation to study especially this program. The text should answer the following questions:
* Why are you interested in the field "Intelligent Adaptive Systems" or what parts are most interesting and why?
* Why is this program especially suited to complement the knowledge you already have?
* Why did you choose to study this program at Universität Hamburg?
* How does this program fit into your academic and professional future goals?
* Read the selection criteria and the curriculum IAS - so you know what else might be important to write about.

The selection committee will give high ratings to those letters that show that the student has made a deliberate choice to study IAS and can justify their decision well while also explaining how studying IAS will bring the student closer to the desired goal. The board is looking for students that show high motivation and have a good chance of finishing the program with a high impact on the student's life. The ability to present a well-argued and connected chain of argument is a major ability the board is looking for.

Things that affect the rating adversely are, amongst many, generic letters that are written for multiple applications, letters that are written in bad English or do not follow a good structure.

The selection committee does not want to read about the history of informatics, the selection committee wants to read something relevant and precise about you.

Filename: 4_Motivation_BWNumber

== '''5. Proof(s) of English language proficiency'''==
Please see [[Application:Formal requirements| formal requirements]] for details on the required language certificates and further information.

Proof of English language proficiency by
CEFR/TELC: At least Level B2 in all testing categories (listening, reading, speaking, writing) better C1
IELTS: 6.5 + B2
TOEFL: IBT 90, PBT 575, CBT 230
Cambridge: CAE or CPE

Filename: 5_English_BWNumber

==''' 6. Transcript of Records'''==
Please see '''[[Application:Formal requirements| formal requirements]]''' for detailed information on the requirements for your transcript of records.

Filename: 6_transcript_BWNumber

== '''7. Self-made structured table of all core computer science courses'''==
As a formal requirement you need to evidence 60 ECTS in core computer science courses. To do so, please provide your transcript and a self-made table listing all your core computer science courses you have completed. Please, also refer to the listed information under [[Application:Formal requirements| formal requirements]] regarding questions about the ''ECTS credit system'', the ''calculation'' of the required 60 ECTS, ''modules/courses counted as CS'' by IAS selection committee. Please use this [[Required Documents: Example structure table|example]] to provide your evidence of your 60 ECTS credits or more.

Filename: 7_60ECTStable_BWNumber

=='''8. BSc certificates and diploma supplement'''==

* If you have finished your degree send a copy of your degree certificate.

* You can also apply if you have finished 5/6 semesters and can evidence 150 ECTS credits (or comparable) of your first degree and at the point of application at least 60 ECTS in computer science must be evident. In order to estimate that you are going to finish you must provide the official transcript of records showing the amount of already acquired credits or credit hours and the number of minimum credits or credit hours required for completion. The final transcript and graduation certificate have to be handed in for enrolment if you are admitted.

* Diploma Supplement: In any case provide a description of your degree - it is an official document issued by most universities.
** The degree's grading system
** The standard amount of semesters required for completion of your degree
** The description of how many weeks per semester of in-class time with a lecturer present
** The description of how your credit systems works, e.g. 1 cp is worth 30 hours of in-class time with lecturer present meaning 2 hours a week for 15 weeks...

Filename: 8_certificate_BWNumber

=='''9. Your grade'''==
In regards to your overall average grade (preliminary) or final grade, please provide a document with your (preliminary) final grade calculated by your university, even if only 5/6 or 7/8 semesters of the studies have been completed. Your grade should be in the grading system your university provides and with which you can provide the grading system. The grade needs to be in numbers, not letters. Make sure you send an official document attested by your university as the IAS selection committee does not accept self-calculated '''final''' grades nor does the IAS selection committee calculate final grades for you. If this information is listed in your transcript of records or degree certificate, then you don't need to provide this extra document.

Preliminary grade:
Some transcripts or universities do not provide a preliminary average grade: compute it on your own on an extra document and tell us how you did it. If it is not the simple grade average of all grades in the transcript, please provide extra official proof of how your university or degree rules are to compute it.

Please note: If you fail to provide proof of your grade or preliminary grade and grading scale - The grade you are assigned will be the worst possible grade - a grade of 9.9 in selection procedures. This means that applications without a grade will rank behind the last applicant who had provided a grade. This is also true if you state a different grade / grading scale in the table and cover-letter than in your transcript or when the selection committee controls your computation.

=='''10. Grading scale'''==
IAS selection committee needs detailed information on your degree's grading system (alternative names: grading scale/scheme of evaluation/grade classification/range of marks ...) as it is important in our [[Application:Selection criteria| selection process]]. As the IAS selection committee will evaluate and rank all applications, we need the grading scale of your university to make your average or final grade comparable to others. In a lot of cases, official transcripts of records display the university's grading system. Usually, this is a table with all the degree's grades and corresponding information like minimum passing grade and maximum, outstanding or excellent grade, etc. However, if this is not the case for your transcript of records, then please provide this information attested by your university.

Highlight the grading scale, minimum passing grade, and maximum grade in your official documents and state exactly on which page the relevant information can be found, e.g., "the grading scale can be found in the printed degree description page 4 Section 2.1.1 see highlighted information". The selection committee will not look through documents if no help is provided where to find the right information. Please display exact information on paper printout. You may provide a link to a lengthy document if you only printed out parts of a lengthy document for control reasons. The selection committee will not follow links nor translate websites to search for information if no information is provided in paper.

Please note: If you fail to provide proof of your grade or preliminary grade and grading scale - The grade you are assigned will be the worst possible grade - a grade of 9.9 in selection procedures. This means that applications without a grade or grading scale will rank behind the last applicant who had provided a grade. This is also true if you state a different grade / grading scale in the table and cover-letter than in your transcript/official documents or when the selection committee controls your computation.

=='''11. Evidence that your university and degree is recognized in Germany'''==
Admission to a Master degree program at a German university requires an undergraduate degree. This must have been obtained from a recognized higher education institution. The degree also must be equivalent to at least a three year Bachelor that was attained in Germany. It is a prerequisite for an application for the master course "IAS" that your university degree is recognized as equivalent to a Bachelor's degree obtained in Germany.

===How to provide proof that your university is recognized in Germany?===

The selection committee's advice: print out the anabin database entry for proof. It is cost-free and fast:
* Use the database anabin and print out the information about your university
* Your university needs to be recognized with H+
* More information here: [[Desired Documents:Anabin|Anabin]]

If you have difficulties handling anabin, you may use the fee-based service, called Uni-Assist:
* This is the official recommendation of the Universität Hamburg is that you use the fee-based service Uni-Assist (but you don't need to if you provide the anabin printout)
* Request this service around 1 of December - otherwise Uni-Assist might not answer you in time
* More information about [[FAQ:UniAssist| Uni-Assist]]
* Only use Uni-assist if you do not want to look up your University in the database Anabin

Some countries have to get a German authorities endorsement anyway for visa or application- you may hand this in as additional proof:

An endorsement of recognition from German authorities, including information about the type of higher education entrance eligibility and, if applicable, for a particular subject. The Universität Hamburg accepts the following types of endorsement of recognition:

* APS certificates from the academic review offices of Beijing, Ulaanbaatar, and Hanoi

Please note: For the application to the Master program IAS - it is enough to send in your information from Anabin.

If you cannot find information on whether your university is recognized in Germany, the selection committee has to decide case by case whether your degree sounds eligible or not. Usually, your degree does not qualify.

=Application via email possible from now on until 31 March:=

'''Because of the corona-virus pandemic, the IAS Team has decided to allow applications via email.'''

Send the application as described on the website and this wiki and follow '''exactly''' those steps:

* in '''only''' one pdf document with all your documents included: only use this pdf name =FinalIASApplication_YourFullname_YourBW-number
* or zip file with '''all''' of documents: zip file name = FinalIASApplication_YourFullname_YourBW-number, documents names= 1_coverletter_BWnumber, 2_STiNE_BWnumber, 3_CV_BWnumber, 4_Motivation_BWnumber ....(see sections for names)

* not more than 9 MB
* until 31 March
* use only this Email - subject '''[Final IAS Application] [Your Full name, Your BW-number]''' (The emails will be sorted automatically)
* only use: ias-team@informatik.uni-hamburg.de
* start your Email text with "'''Dear IAS-Team, this is my final application''' to the Master IAS. Please consider the attached application ....."
* Use the order of documents presented here 1.-11. when sending the application.

Everything else stays exactly the same as it is described in this wiki and website except the postal mailing part. Please note, even though now you should apply via email, we still do not inform you about missing documents or incomplete applications. '''For evaluating the application we will only consider the information provided in this one email: Email - subject ''[Final IAS Application] [Your Full name, Your BW-number]'' + Email text starting with ''"Dear IAS-Team, this is my final application to the Master IAS. Please consider the attached pdf application'' ....." '''

==I have sent my paper application already + I received an email confirmation by the IAS Team that it has arrived ==
Then you do not need to do anything.

==I have sent my paper application already + I did not receive email confirmation until 13 March 2020 ==
Please do send your application via email considering the steps above. Due to the corona-virus the IAS Team and many other people at the university will be working from home. That means nobody will get the postal mail.
Please state that your application is on the way and send the application via email again.

==I have not sent my paper application yet==
Please, send it via email. Please state in the email text that you have not sent a paper application

== Order for the pdf application==
Please, put the documents in this order and produce one pdf (and make sure that they are not attached to one another (Please do not use staplers, paper clips, folders, etc.):)

# Cover Sheet
# Signed Online Form STiNE
# CV
# Motivation Letter
# Language Test Score
# Transcript
# Self-made table
# Bachelor Certificate + Diploma Supplement
# Grade
# Grading scale
# Anabin print out
# everything else

Please highlight important information in your documents, e.g. grading scale, grade, "H+" in the anabin printout, finishing date ...

Please check carefully if you have sent all the required documents in due time. The deadline is the 31 of March (No postal mail arrives on Saturdays and Sundays at the university). Faxes are not accepted. We do not inform you of missing documents or late applications. Your application is considered incomplete if one or more of the required documents are not received before the deadline via email or if your STiNE form is not submitted online. As a result, your application will not take part in the selection process. There will be no reconsideration of your application. Also note, that we do not inform you about received emails or postal mail (letters, parcels, envelopes) – Please check with your postal mail provider if you like an acknowledgment.

One final note from the selection committee: We like a neat, well-structured, precise, and complete application. Think for yourself. Show that you can be a responsible, well-organized student, and follow basic instructions.
The selection committee and the IAS team consist of professors, lecturers, advisors, Post-docs who will also teach you once you are accepted.

= Additional Documents =
Generally, all possible documents that support your application (especially as evidence for the arguments used in your motivation letter) can be included and will be taken into account in the selection process. Please include only documents that are relevant for this application. The selection of documents already shows your ability to distinguish between relevant and irrelevant content and a large amount of radomly added certificates or documents may have a negative effect on your ranking.

==Desired documents==

* Documents that add to the evidence needed for the requirements, e.g. additional proofs of language proficiency or higher education courses with computer science content, letter of recommendation
* Evidence for research or professional and/or international experience relevant to IAS studies.
* International experience, e.g. a study exchange, shows your ability to adapt to different learning and living environments and should be listed and described as part of our CV.
* The same holds for professional experience that may show your ability to work in a computer science context.
* Training courses or extensive experience that shows deep understanding of computer science concepts. This will be taken into account for general suitability for the very specific Master program IAS.

== Suitable additions ==
* GRE test or other academic tests showing your ability to study in higher education. Such tests are not required but may be taken into account if provided and if they add to the general story of the application.
* Certificates of contests and competitions can be added if relevant. Please carefully decide whether the certificate can add any additional value to your application.

== Undesired documents ==
* Full module handbooks. To show that you fulfill the requirement of the sufficient 60 ETCS credits, you have to send the self-made and structured table. Please don't send full module handbooks as the IAS admission team will not have the time to search for core CS courses in those handbooks for you.
* Certificates that don't add additional information or are not relevant at all. More is not always better since it may show that you are not able to decide what is relevant for the subject and what is not. Select the certificates that best show your abilities.

==Do all the documents have to be sent as certified/attested copies?==
No, not for the application at the Department of Informatics - IAS. You can send the required application documents as simple copies. But please be aware that once you have been sent an ''letter of acceptance'' by the CampusCenter (central administration), you have to send certified/attested copies of your language certificate, your university entrance qualification (e.g. high school certificate), and your bachelor's degree certificate to prove the authenticity of those documents together with the matriculation form '''within 14 days''' to the "Team for Application and Admission" (Ger: ''Team Bewerbung und Zulassung'') at the CampusCenter of the Universität Hamburg. Therefore, we highly recommend preparing certified/attested copies of all the relevant documents upfront.
The central administration team (CampusCenter Team for your enrolment, located at the city center) and the IAS Team (for your application and later your studies, located at the Department of Informatics, Hamburg Stellingen) are two very distinct teams and have nothing to do with the task of the other.

More FAQ

* [[FAQ: Q&A| Frequently Asked Questions about the application]]

Application:Required documents

2020-03-13T10:16:22Z

Apeters1: /* 7. Self-made structured table of all core computer science courses */

'''Due to the coronavirus pandemic, applications via email are now possible and kindly asked for – see email application for more information.'''

=List of all required documents for application=
In order to apply for the 2-year Master of Science program Intelligent Adaptive Systems, you need to send a paper application to the IAS Team at the Department of Informatics, Universität Hamburg. The IAS team is a team of IAS professors, researchers, lecturers, and academic advisors. The IAS Team and the selection committee will only read complete applications that meet the formal requirements. These applications will be ranked according to the selection criteria.

In order to apply successfully please follow exactly these instructions:

The deadline is on the 31st of March. Faxes and e-mails are not accepted. The IAS selection committee does not inform you of missing documents or late applications. Your application is considered incomplete if one or more of the required documents are not received before the deadline (via postal mail) and/or if your STiNE online application form is not submitted online. As a result, your application will not take part in the selection process. You can not submit missing documents after the expiration of the application deadline, there will be no reconsideration.

The documents 'do not'' have to be sent as certified/attested copies when applying. You should '''not''' send original certificates since the IAS selection committee will not send anything back. However, please note that in case your application is successful, you will need to send attested/certified copies to the University via postal mail ''within 2 weeks'', so be prepared. The notification whether you are accepted or not is send around 15 of May. Official English and German translation of documents are accepted.

Please read the explanations of what documents you have to send and follow the links to more information.

=='''1. Cover-letter-form''' ==
* Please fill in the cover-letter form (with a pdf viewer/reader).
* Then print the form. In case you are having any problems with filling in the form digitally you can also print the form and fill it in by hand (readable!).
* Send the printed form via postal mail as the first page of your application.
* Link to the cover-letter-form: [[Cover-letter-form|cover-letter-form]]
* Filename: 1_coverletter_BWNumber

== '''2. The University's general online form (STiNE)'''==
The Universität Hamburg requires you to fill out a general and university-wide online form on their student platform called STiNE. The only purpose of this form is to register with the central administration. Nothing else. It is the way to tell the University that you might apply.
* While registering you will receive a BW - Number (Application Number). Please state this number in your cover letter.
* Submit, print and '''sign''' the STiNE online form and enclose the form with your paper application.
* Only within the application period (15 February - 31 March), the online application form can be accessed through the STiNE portal: https://www.stine.uni-hamburg.de. Sorry, some parts of the STiNE online form are in German and therefore rather tricky.
* As a service to IAS applicants, the IAS-Team has prepared a wiki entry: [[online application form|Online form STiNE]].
*For further questions about STiNE please ask the technical support of STiNE. STiNE is a part of the central administration - not the IAS Team's platform, see [https://www.stine.uni-hamburg.de/scripts/mgrqispi.dll?APPNAME=CampusNet&PRGNAME=EXTERNALPAGES&ARGUMENTS=-N000000000000002,-N000339,-A100101e#furtherquestions STiNE support].

After filling out the STiNE online form, '''click submit''', and then, '''print''' out the summary at the end (Ger: ''Druckansicht''). This print-out has to be '''signed'''. This submitted, printed, and signed STiNE form is one of the required documents which you have to send via postal mail to the Department of Informatics.

Please, note do not click "Freemover", that is the wrong application.

Please, note that the STiNE online form is just the general, uni-wide application form for central administration reasons only. You still need to send your paper application to the address below. With the complete paper application, you apply to the Department of Informatics for a place in the IAS program.

Use the address displayed here or websit not in STiNE.

Filename: 2_Stine_BWNumber

==''' 3. Curriculum Vitae'''==
The CV (table version) should include information on your academic and professional career and if you have international experience. It should specifically list information on your background relevant for IAS such as projects on AI or Robotics. Please, '''provide evidence''' of such projects through acquired certificates. Project descriptions and outlines on their CS content are especially important if the achieved credits should be counted for the 60 ECTS in computer science.
Please, add your average/overall grade (can be preliminary) and your grading scale to your cv next to the information of your degree and provide official evidence for that information.

Filename: 3_cv_BWNumber

== '''4. Letter of Motivation'''==
This is the most important document since it accounts for 40% of your ranking score. It has to be written by yourself in the English language. There is a maximum of 1.5 pages that you should not exceed.
In this letter, you should explain your motivation to study especially this program. The text should answer the following questions:
* Why are you interested in the field "Intelligent Adaptive Systems" or what parts are most interesting and why?
* Why is this program especially suited to complement the knowledge you already have?
* Why did you choose to study this program at Universität Hamburg?
* How does this program fit into your academic and professional future goals?
* Read the selection criteria and the curriculum IAS - so you know what else might be important to write about.

The selection committee will give high ratings to those letters that show that the student has made a deliberate choice to study IAS and can justify their decision well while also explaining how studying IAS will bring the student closer to the desired goal. The board is looking for students that show high motivation and have a good chance of finishing the program with a high impact on the student's life. The ability to present a well-argued and connected chain of argument is a major ability the board is looking for.

Things that affect the rating adversely are, amongst many, generic letters that are written for multiple applications, letters that are written in bad English or do not follow a good structure.

The selection committee does not want to read about the history of informatics, the selection committee wants to read something relevant and precise about you.

Filename: 4_Motivation_BWNumber

== '''5. Proof(s) of English language proficiency'''==
Please see [[Application:Formal requirements| formal requirements]] for details on the required language certificates and further information.

Proof of English language proficiency by
CEFR/TELC: At least Level B2 in all testing categories (listening, reading, speaking, writing) better C1
IELTS: 6.5 + B2
TOEFL: IBT 90, PBT 575, CBT 230
Cambridge: CAE or CPE

Filename: 5_English_BWNumber

==''' 6. Transcript of Records'''==
Please see '''[[Application:Formal requirements| formal requirements]]''' for detailed information on the requirements for your transcript of records.

Filename: 6_transcript_BWNumber

== '''7. Self-made structured table of all core computer science courses'''==
As a formal requirement you need to evidence 60 ECTS in core computer science courses. To do so, please provide your transcript and a self-made table listing all your core computer science courses you have completed. Please, also refer to the listed information under [[Application:Formal requirements| formal requirements]] regarding questions about the ''ECTS credit system'', the ''calculation'' of the required 60 ECTS, ''modules/courses counted as CS'' by IAS selection committee. Please use this [[Required Documents: Example structure table|example]] to provide your evidence of your 60 ECTS credits or more.

Filename: 7_60ECTStable_BWNumber

=='''8. BSc certificates and diploma supplement'''==

* If you have finished your degree send a copy of your degree certificate.

* You can also apply if you have finished 5/6 semesters and can evidence 150 ECTS credits (or comparable) of your first degree and at the point of application at least 60 ECTS in computer science must be evident. In order to estimate that you are going to finish you must provide the official transcript of records showing the amount of already acquired credits or credit hours and the number of minimum credits or credit hours required for completion. The final transcript and graduation certificate have to be handed in for enrolment if you are admitted.

* Diploma Supplement: In any case provide a description of your degree - it is an official document issued by most universities.
** The degree's grading system
** The standard amount of semesters required for completion of your degree
** The description of how many weeks per semester of in-class time with a lecturer present
** The description of how your credit systems works, e.g. 1 cp is worth 30 hours of in-class time with lecturer present meaning 2 hours a week for 15 weeks...

=='''9. Your grade'''==
In regards to your overall average grade (preliminary) or final grade, please provide a document with your (preliminary) final grade calculated by your university, even if only 5/6 or 7/8 semesters of the studies have been completed. Your grade should be in the grading system your university provides and with which you can provide the grading system. The grade needs to be in numbers, not letters. Make sure you send an official document attested by your university as the IAS selection committee does not accept self-calculated '''final''' grades nor does the IAS selection committee calculate final grades for you. If this information is listed in your transcript of records or degree certificate, then you don't need to provide this extra document.

Preliminary grade:
Some transcripts or universities do not provide a preliminary average grade: compute it on your own on an extra document and tell us how you did it. If it is not the simple grade average of all grades in the transcript, please provide extra official proof of how your university or degree rules are to compute it.

Please note: If you fail to provide proof of your grade or preliminary grade and grading scale - The grade you are assigned will be the worst possible grade - a grade of 9.9 in selection procedures. This means that applications without a grade will rank behind the last applicant who had provided a grade. This is also true if you state a different grade / grading scale in the table and cover-letter than in your transcript or when the selection committee controls your computation.

=='''10. Grading scale'''==
IAS selection committee needs detailed information on your degree's grading system (alternative names: grading scale/scheme of evaluation/grade classification/range of marks ...) as it is important in our [[Application:Selection criteria| selection process]]. As the IAS selection committee will evaluate and rank all applications, we need the grading scale of your university to make your average or final grade comparable to others. In a lot of cases, official transcripts of records display the university's grading system. Usually, this is a table with all the degree's grades and corresponding information like minimum passing grade and maximum, outstanding or excellent grade, etc. However, if this is not the case for your transcript of records, then please provide this information attested by your university.

Highlight the grading scale, minimum passing grade, and maximum grade in your official documents and state exactly on which page the relevant information can be found, e.g., "the grading scale can be found in the printed degree description page 4 Section 2.1.1 see highlighted information". The selection committee will not look through documents if no help is provided where to find the right information. Please display exact information on paper printout. You may provide a link to a lengthy document if you only printed out parts of a lengthy document for control reasons. The selection committee will not follow links nor translate websites to search for information if no information is provided in paper.

Please note: If you fail to provide proof of your grade or preliminary grade and grading scale - The grade you are assigned will be the worst possible grade - a grade of 9.9 in selection procedures. This means that applications without a grade or grading scale will rank behind the last applicant who had provided a grade. This is also true if you state a different grade / grading scale in the table and cover-letter than in your transcript/official documents or when the selection committee controls your computation.

=='''11. Evidence that your university and degree is recognized in Germany'''==
Admission to a Master degree program at a German university requires an undergraduate degree. This must have been obtained from a recognized higher education institution. The degree also must be equivalent to at least a three year Bachelor that was attained in Germany. It is a prerequisite for an application for the master course "IAS" that your university degree is recognized as equivalent to a Bachelor's degree obtained in Germany.

===How to provide proof that your university is recognized in Germany?===

The selection committee's advice: print out the anabin database entry for proof. It is cost-free and fast:
* Use the database anabin and print out the information about your university
* Your university needs to be recognized with H+
* More information here: [[Desired Documents:Anabin|Anabin]]

If you have difficulties handling anabin, you may use the fee-based service, called Uni-Assist:
* This is the official recommendation of the Universität Hamburg is that you use the fee-based service Uni-Assist (but you don't need to if you provide the anabin printout)
* Request this service around 1 of December - otherwise Uni-Assist might not answer you in time
* More information about [[FAQ:UniAssist| Uni-Assist]]
* Only use Uni-assist if you do not want to look up your University in the database Anabin

Some countries have to get a German authorities endorsement anyway for visa or application- you may hand this in as additional proof:

An endorsement of recognition from German authorities, including information about the type of higher education entrance eligibility and, if applicable, for a particular subject. The Universität Hamburg accepts the following types of endorsement of recognition:

* APS certificates from the academic review offices of Beijing, Ulaanbaatar, and Hanoi

Please note: For the application to the Master program IAS - it is enough to send in your information from Anabin.

If you cannot find information on whether your university is recognized in Germany, the selection committee has to decide case by case whether your degree sounds eligible or not. Usually, your degree does not qualify.

=Application via email possible from now on until 31 March:=

'''Because of the corona-virus pandemic, the IAS Team has decided to allow applications via email.'''

Send the application as described on the website and this wiki and follow '''exactly''' those steps:

* in '''only''' one pdf document with all your documents included: only use this pdf name =FinalIASApplication_YourFullname_YourBW-number
* or zip file with '''all''' of documents: zip file name = FinalIASApplication_YourFullname_YourBW-number, documents names= 1_coverletter_BWnumber, 2_STiNE_BWnumber, 3_CV_BWnumber, 4_Motivation_BWnumber ....(see sections for names)

* not more than 9 MB
* until 31 March
* use only this Email - subject '''[Final IAS Application] [Your Full name, Your BW-number]''' (The emails will be sorted automatically)
* only use: ias-team@informatik.uni-hamburg.de
* start your Email text with "'''Dear IAS-Team, this is my final application''' to the Master IAS. Please consider the attached application ....."
* Use the order of documents presented here 1.-11. when sending the application.

Everything else stays exactly the same as it is described in this wiki and website except the postal mailing part. Please note, even though now you should apply via email, we still do not inform you about missing documents or incomplete applications. '''For evaluating the application we will only consider the information provided in this one email: Email - subject ''[Final IAS Application] [Your Full name, Your BW-number]'' + Email text starting with ''"Dear IAS-Team, this is my final application to the Master IAS. Please consider the attached pdf application'' ....." '''

==I have sent my paper application already + I received an email confirmation by the IAS Team that it has arrived ==
Then you do not need to do anything.

==I have sent my paper application already + I did not receive email confirmation until 13 March 2020 ==
Please do send your application via email considering the steps above. Due to the corona-virus the IAS Team and many other people at the university will be working from home. That means nobody will get the postal mail.
Please state that your application is on the way and send the application via email again.

==I have not sent my paper application yet==
Please, send it via email. Please state in the email text that you have not sent a paper application

== Order for the pdf application==
Please, put the documents in this order and produce one pdf (and make sure that they are not attached to one another (Please do not use staplers, paper clips, folders, etc.):)

# Cover Sheet
# Signed Online Form STiNE
# CV
# Motivation Letter
# Language Test Score
# Transcript
# Self-made table
# Bachelor Certificate + Diploma Supplement
# Grade
# Grading scale
# Anabin print out
# everything else

Please highlight important information in your documents, e.g. grading scale, grade, "H+" in the anabin printout, finishing date ...

Please check carefully if you have sent all the required documents in due time. The deadline is the 31 of March (No postal mail arrives on Saturdays and Sundays at the university). Faxes are not accepted. We do not inform you of missing documents or late applications. Your application is considered incomplete if one or more of the required documents are not received before the deadline via email or if your STiNE form is not submitted online. As a result, your application will not take part in the selection process. There will be no reconsideration of your application. Also note, that we do not inform you about received emails or postal mail (letters, parcels, envelopes) – Please check with your postal mail provider if you like an acknowledgment.

One final note from the selection committee: We like a neat, well-structured, precise, and complete application. Think for yourself. Show that you can be a responsible, well-organized student, and follow basic instructions.
The selection committee and the IAS team consist of professors, lecturers, advisors, Post-docs who will also teach you once you are accepted.

= Additional Documents =
Generally, all possible documents that support your application (especially as evidence for the arguments used in your motivation letter) can be included and will be taken into account in the selection process. Please include only documents that are relevant for this application. The selection of documents already shows your ability to distinguish between relevant and irrelevant content and a large amount of radomly added certificates or documents may have a negative effect on your ranking.

==Desired documents==

* Documents that add to the evidence needed for the requirements, e.g. additional proofs of language proficiency or higher education courses with computer science content, letter of recommendation
* Evidence for research or professional and/or international experience relevant to IAS studies.
* International experience, e.g. a study exchange, shows your ability to adapt to different learning and living environments and should be listed and described as part of our CV.
* The same holds for professional experience that may show your ability to work in a computer science context.
* Training courses or extensive experience that shows deep understanding of computer science concepts. This will be taken into account for general suitability for the very specific Master program IAS.

== Suitable additions ==
* GRE test or other academic tests showing your ability to study in higher education. Such tests are not required but may be taken into account if provided and if they add to the general story of the application.
* Certificates of contests and competitions can be added if relevant. Please carefully decide whether the certificate can add any additional value to your application.

== Undesired documents ==
* Full module handbooks. To show that you fulfill the requirement of the sufficient 60 ETCS credits, you have to send the self-made and structured table. Please don't send full module handbooks as the IAS admission team will not have the time to search for core CS courses in those handbooks for you.
* Certificates that don't add additional information or are not relevant at all. More is not always better since it may show that you are not able to decide what is relevant for the subject and what is not. Select the certificates that best show your abilities.

==Do all the documents have to be sent as certified/attested copies?==
No, not for the application at the Department of Informatics - IAS. You can send the required application documents as simple copies. But please be aware that once you have been sent an ''letter of acceptance'' by the CampusCenter (central administration), you have to send certified/attested copies of your language certificate, your university entrance qualification (e.g. high school certificate), and your bachelor's degree certificate to prove the authenticity of those documents together with the matriculation form '''within 14 days''' to the "Team for Application and Admission" (Ger: ''Team Bewerbung und Zulassung'') at the CampusCenter of the Universität Hamburg. Therefore, we highly recommend preparing certified/attested copies of all the relevant documents upfront.
The central administration team (CampusCenter Team for your enrolment, located at the city center) and the IAS Team (for your application and later your studies, located at the Department of Informatics, Hamburg Stellingen) are two very distinct teams and have nothing to do with the task of the other.

More FAQ

* [[FAQ: Q&A| Frequently Asked Questions about the application]]

Application:Required documents

2020-03-13T10:15:54Z

Apeters1: /* 6. Transcript of Records */

'''Due to the coronavirus pandemic, applications via email are now possible and kindly asked for – see email application for more information.'''

=List of all required documents for application=
In order to apply for the 2-year Master of Science program Intelligent Adaptive Systems, you need to send a paper application to the IAS Team at the Department of Informatics, Universität Hamburg. The IAS team is a team of IAS professors, researchers, lecturers, and academic advisors. The IAS Team and the selection committee will only read complete applications that meet the formal requirements. These applications will be ranked according to the selection criteria.

In order to apply successfully please follow exactly these instructions:

The deadline is on the 31st of March. Faxes and e-mails are not accepted. The IAS selection committee does not inform you of missing documents or late applications. Your application is considered incomplete if one or more of the required documents are not received before the deadline (via postal mail) and/or if your STiNE online application form is not submitted online. As a result, your application will not take part in the selection process. You can not submit missing documents after the expiration of the application deadline, there will be no reconsideration.

The documents 'do not'' have to be sent as certified/attested copies when applying. You should '''not''' send original certificates since the IAS selection committee will not send anything back. However, please note that in case your application is successful, you will need to send attested/certified copies to the University via postal mail ''within 2 weeks'', so be prepared. The notification whether you are accepted or not is send around 15 of May. Official English and German translation of documents are accepted.

Please read the explanations of what documents you have to send and follow the links to more information.

=='''1. Cover-letter-form''' ==
* Please fill in the cover-letter form (with a pdf viewer/reader).
* Then print the form. In case you are having any problems with filling in the form digitally you can also print the form and fill it in by hand (readable!).
* Send the printed form via postal mail as the first page of your application.
* Link to the cover-letter-form: [[Cover-letter-form|cover-letter-form]]
* Filename: 1_coverletter_BWNumber

== '''2. The University's general online form (STiNE)'''==
The Universität Hamburg requires you to fill out a general and university-wide online form on their student platform called STiNE. The only purpose of this form is to register with the central administration. Nothing else. It is the way to tell the University that you might apply.
* While registering you will receive a BW - Number (Application Number). Please state this number in your cover letter.
* Submit, print and '''sign''' the STiNE online form and enclose the form with your paper application.
* Only within the application period (15 February - 31 March), the online application form can be accessed through the STiNE portal: https://www.stine.uni-hamburg.de. Sorry, some parts of the STiNE online form are in German and therefore rather tricky.
* As a service to IAS applicants, the IAS-Team has prepared a wiki entry: [[online application form|Online form STiNE]].
*For further questions about STiNE please ask the technical support of STiNE. STiNE is a part of the central administration - not the IAS Team's platform, see [https://www.stine.uni-hamburg.de/scripts/mgrqispi.dll?APPNAME=CampusNet&PRGNAME=EXTERNALPAGES&ARGUMENTS=-N000000000000002,-N000339,-A100101e#furtherquestions STiNE support].

After filling out the STiNE online form, '''click submit''', and then, '''print''' out the summary at the end (Ger: ''Druckansicht''). This print-out has to be '''signed'''. This submitted, printed, and signed STiNE form is one of the required documents which you have to send via postal mail to the Department of Informatics.

Please, note do not click "Freemover", that is the wrong application.

Please, note that the STiNE online form is just the general, uni-wide application form for central administration reasons only. You still need to send your paper application to the address below. With the complete paper application, you apply to the Department of Informatics for a place in the IAS program.

Use the address displayed here or websit not in STiNE.

Filename: 2_Stine_BWNumber

==''' 3. Curriculum Vitae'''==
The CV (table version) should include information on your academic and professional career and if you have international experience. It should specifically list information on your background relevant for IAS such as projects on AI or Robotics. Please, '''provide evidence''' of such projects through acquired certificates. Project descriptions and outlines on their CS content are especially important if the achieved credits should be counted for the 60 ECTS in computer science.
Please, add your average/overall grade (can be preliminary) and your grading scale to your cv next to the information of your degree and provide official evidence for that information.

Filename: 3_cv_BWNumber

== '''4. Letter of Motivation'''==
This is the most important document since it accounts for 40% of your ranking score. It has to be written by yourself in the English language. There is a maximum of 1.5 pages that you should not exceed.
In this letter, you should explain your motivation to study especially this program. The text should answer the following questions:
* Why are you interested in the field "Intelligent Adaptive Systems" or what parts are most interesting and why?
* Why is this program especially suited to complement the knowledge you already have?
* Why did you choose to study this program at Universität Hamburg?
* How does this program fit into your academic and professional future goals?
* Read the selection criteria and the curriculum IAS - so you know what else might be important to write about.

The selection committee will give high ratings to those letters that show that the student has made a deliberate choice to study IAS and can justify their decision well while also explaining how studying IAS will bring the student closer to the desired goal. The board is looking for students that show high motivation and have a good chance of finishing the program with a high impact on the student's life. The ability to present a well-argued and connected chain of argument is a major ability the board is looking for.

Things that affect the rating adversely are, amongst many, generic letters that are written for multiple applications, letters that are written in bad English or do not follow a good structure.

The selection committee does not want to read about the history of informatics, the selection committee wants to read something relevant and precise about you.

Filename: 4_Motivation_BWNumber

== '''5. Proof(s) of English language proficiency'''==
Please see [[Application:Formal requirements| formal requirements]] for details on the required language certificates and further information.

Proof of English language proficiency by
CEFR/TELC: At least Level B2 in all testing categories (listening, reading, speaking, writing) better C1
IELTS: 6.5 + B2
TOEFL: IBT 90, PBT 575, CBT 230
Cambridge: CAE or CPE

Filename: 5_English_BWNumber

==''' 6. Transcript of Records'''==
Please see '''[[Application:Formal requirements| formal requirements]]''' for detailed information on the requirements for your transcript of records.

Filename: 6_transcript_BWNumber

== '''7. Self-made structured table of all core computer science courses'''==
As a formal requirement you need to evidence 60 ECTS in core computer science courses. To do so, please provide your transcript and a self-made table listing all your core computer science courses you have completed. Please, also refer to the listed information under [[Application:Formal requirements| formal requirements]] regarding questions about the ''ECTS credit system'', the ''calculation'' of the required 60 ECTS, ''modules/courses counted as CS'' by IAS selection committee. Please use this [[Required Documents: Example structure table|example]] to provide your evidence of your 60 ECTS credits or more.

=='''8. BSc certificates and diploma supplement'''==

* If you have finished your degree send a copy of your degree certificate.

* You can also apply if you have finished 5/6 semesters and can evidence 150 ECTS credits (or comparable) of your first degree and at the point of application at least 60 ECTS in computer science must be evident. In order to estimate that you are going to finish you must provide the official transcript of records showing the amount of already acquired credits or credit hours and the number of minimum credits or credit hours required for completion. The final transcript and graduation certificate have to be handed in for enrolment if you are admitted.

* Diploma Supplement: In any case provide a description of your degree - it is an official document issued by most universities.
** The degree's grading system
** The standard amount of semesters required for completion of your degree
** The description of how many weeks per semester of in-class time with a lecturer present
** The description of how your credit systems works, e.g. 1 cp is worth 30 hours of in-class time with lecturer present meaning 2 hours a week for 15 weeks...

=='''9. Your grade'''==
In regards to your overall average grade (preliminary) or final grade, please provide a document with your (preliminary) final grade calculated by your university, even if only 5/6 or 7/8 semesters of the studies have been completed. Your grade should be in the grading system your university provides and with which you can provide the grading system. The grade needs to be in numbers, not letters. Make sure you send an official document attested by your university as the IAS selection committee does not accept self-calculated '''final''' grades nor does the IAS selection committee calculate final grades for you. If this information is listed in your transcript of records or degree certificate, then you don't need to provide this extra document.

Preliminary grade:
Some transcripts or universities do not provide a preliminary average grade: compute it on your own on an extra document and tell us how you did it. If it is not the simple grade average of all grades in the transcript, please provide extra official proof of how your university or degree rules are to compute it.

Please note: If you fail to provide proof of your grade or preliminary grade and grading scale - The grade you are assigned will be the worst possible grade - a grade of 9.9 in selection procedures. This means that applications without a grade will rank behind the last applicant who had provided a grade. This is also true if you state a different grade / grading scale in the table and cover-letter than in your transcript or when the selection committee controls your computation.

=='''10. Grading scale'''==
IAS selection committee needs detailed information on your degree's grading system (alternative names: grading scale/scheme of evaluation/grade classification/range of marks ...) as it is important in our [[Application:Selection criteria| selection process]]. As the IAS selection committee will evaluate and rank all applications, we need the grading scale of your university to make your average or final grade comparable to others. In a lot of cases, official transcripts of records display the university's grading system. Usually, this is a table with all the degree's grades and corresponding information like minimum passing grade and maximum, outstanding or excellent grade, etc. However, if this is not the case for your transcript of records, then please provide this information attested by your university.

Highlight the grading scale, minimum passing grade, and maximum grade in your official documents and state exactly on which page the relevant information can be found, e.g., "the grading scale can be found in the printed degree description page 4 Section 2.1.1 see highlighted information". The selection committee will not look through documents if no help is provided where to find the right information. Please display exact information on paper printout. You may provide a link to a lengthy document if you only printed out parts of a lengthy document for control reasons. The selection committee will not follow links nor translate websites to search for information if no information is provided in paper.

Please note: If you fail to provide proof of your grade or preliminary grade and grading scale - The grade you are assigned will be the worst possible grade - a grade of 9.9 in selection procedures. This means that applications without a grade or grading scale will rank behind the last applicant who had provided a grade. This is also true if you state a different grade / grading scale in the table and cover-letter than in your transcript/official documents or when the selection committee controls your computation.

=='''11. Evidence that your university and degree is recognized in Germany'''==
Admission to a Master degree program at a German university requires an undergraduate degree. This must have been obtained from a recognized higher education institution. The degree also must be equivalent to at least a three year Bachelor that was attained in Germany. It is a prerequisite for an application for the master course "IAS" that your university degree is recognized as equivalent to a Bachelor's degree obtained in Germany.

===How to provide proof that your university is recognized in Germany?===

The selection committee's advice: print out the anabin database entry for proof. It is cost-free and fast:
* Use the database anabin and print out the information about your university
* Your university needs to be recognized with H+
* More information here: [[Desired Documents:Anabin|Anabin]]

If you have difficulties handling anabin, you may use the fee-based service, called Uni-Assist:
* This is the official recommendation of the Universität Hamburg is that you use the fee-based service Uni-Assist (but you don't need to if you provide the anabin printout)
* Request this service around 1 of December - otherwise Uni-Assist might not answer you in time
* More information about [[FAQ:UniAssist| Uni-Assist]]
* Only use Uni-assist if you do not want to look up your University in the database Anabin

Some countries have to get a German authorities endorsement anyway for visa or application- you may hand this in as additional proof:

An endorsement of recognition from German authorities, including information about the type of higher education entrance eligibility and, if applicable, for a particular subject. The Universität Hamburg accepts the following types of endorsement of recognition:

* APS certificates from the academic review offices of Beijing, Ulaanbaatar, and Hanoi

Please note: For the application to the Master program IAS - it is enough to send in your information from Anabin.

If you cannot find information on whether your university is recognized in Germany, the selection committee has to decide case by case whether your degree sounds eligible or not. Usually, your degree does not qualify.

=Application via email possible from now on until 31 March:=

'''Because of the corona-virus pandemic, the IAS Team has decided to allow applications via email.'''

Send the application as described on the website and this wiki and follow '''exactly''' those steps:

* in '''only''' one pdf document with all your documents included: only use this pdf name =FinalIASApplication_YourFullname_YourBW-number
* or zip file with '''all''' of documents: zip file name = FinalIASApplication_YourFullname_YourBW-number, documents names= 1_coverletter_BWnumber, 2_STiNE_BWnumber, 3_CV_BWnumber, 4_Motivation_BWnumber ....(see sections for names)

* not more than 9 MB
* until 31 March
* use only this Email - subject '''[Final IAS Application] [Your Full name, Your BW-number]''' (The emails will be sorted automatically)
* only use: ias-team@informatik.uni-hamburg.de
* start your Email text with "'''Dear IAS-Team, this is my final application''' to the Master IAS. Please consider the attached application ....."
* Use the order of documents presented here 1.-11. when sending the application.

Everything else stays exactly the same as it is described in this wiki and website except the postal mailing part. Please note, even though now you should apply via email, we still do not inform you about missing documents or incomplete applications. '''For evaluating the application we will only consider the information provided in this one email: Email - subject ''[Final IAS Application] [Your Full name, Your BW-number]'' + Email text starting with ''"Dear IAS-Team, this is my final application to the Master IAS. Please consider the attached pdf application'' ....." '''

==I have sent my paper application already + I received an email confirmation by the IAS Team that it has arrived ==
Then you do not need to do anything.

==I have sent my paper application already + I did not receive email confirmation until 13 March 2020 ==
Please do send your application via email considering the steps above. Due to the corona-virus the IAS Team and many other people at the university will be working from home. That means nobody will get the postal mail.
Please state that your application is on the way and send the application via email again.

==I have not sent my paper application yet==
Please, send it via email. Please state in the email text that you have not sent a paper application

== Order for the pdf application==
Please, put the documents in this order and produce one pdf (and make sure that they are not attached to one another (Please do not use staplers, paper clips, folders, etc.):)

# Cover Sheet
# Signed Online Form STiNE
# CV
# Motivation Letter
# Language Test Score
# Transcript
# Self-made table
# Bachelor Certificate + Diploma Supplement
# Grade
# Grading scale
# Anabin print out
# everything else

Please highlight important information in your documents, e.g. grading scale, grade, "H+" in the anabin printout, finishing date ...

Please check carefully if you have sent all the required documents in due time. The deadline is the 31 of March (No postal mail arrives on Saturdays and Sundays at the university). Faxes are not accepted. We do not inform you of missing documents or late applications. Your application is considered incomplete if one or more of the required documents are not received before the deadline via email or if your STiNE form is not submitted online. As a result, your application will not take part in the selection process. There will be no reconsideration of your application. Also note, that we do not inform you about received emails or postal mail (letters, parcels, envelopes) – Please check with your postal mail provider if you like an acknowledgment.

One final note from the selection committee: We like a neat, well-structured, precise, and complete application. Think for yourself. Show that you can be a responsible, well-organized student, and follow basic instructions.
The selection committee and the IAS team consist of professors, lecturers, advisors, Post-docs who will also teach you once you are accepted.

= Additional Documents =
Generally, all possible documents that support your application (especially as evidence for the arguments used in your motivation letter) can be included and will be taken into account in the selection process. Please include only documents that are relevant for this application. The selection of documents already shows your ability to distinguish between relevant and irrelevant content and a large amount of radomly added certificates or documents may have a negative effect on your ranking.

==Desired documents==

* Documents that add to the evidence needed for the requirements, e.g. additional proofs of language proficiency or higher education courses with computer science content, letter of recommendation
* Evidence for research or professional and/or international experience relevant to IAS studies.
* International experience, e.g. a study exchange, shows your ability to adapt to different learning and living environments and should be listed and described as part of our CV.
* The same holds for professional experience that may show your ability to work in a computer science context.
* Training courses or extensive experience that shows deep understanding of computer science concepts. This will be taken into account for general suitability for the very specific Master program IAS.

== Suitable additions ==
* GRE test or other academic tests showing your ability to study in higher education. Such tests are not required but may be taken into account if provided and if they add to the general story of the application.
* Certificates of contests and competitions can be added if relevant. Please carefully decide whether the certificate can add any additional value to your application.

== Undesired documents ==
* Full module handbooks. To show that you fulfill the requirement of the sufficient 60 ETCS credits, you have to send the self-made and structured table. Please don't send full module handbooks as the IAS admission team will not have the time to search for core CS courses in those handbooks for you.
* Certificates that don't add additional information or are not relevant at all. More is not always better since it may show that you are not able to decide what is relevant for the subject and what is not. Select the certificates that best show your abilities.

==Do all the documents have to be sent as certified/attested copies?==
No, not for the application at the Department of Informatics - IAS. You can send the required application documents as simple copies. But please be aware that once you have been sent an ''letter of acceptance'' by the CampusCenter (central administration), you have to send certified/attested copies of your language certificate, your university entrance qualification (e.g. high school certificate), and your bachelor's degree certificate to prove the authenticity of those documents together with the matriculation form '''within 14 days''' to the "Team for Application and Admission" (Ger: ''Team Bewerbung und Zulassung'') at the CampusCenter of the Universität Hamburg. Therefore, we highly recommend preparing certified/attested copies of all the relevant documents upfront.
The central administration team (CampusCenter Team for your enrolment, located at the city center) and the IAS Team (for your application and later your studies, located at the Department of Informatics, Hamburg Stellingen) are two very distinct teams and have nothing to do with the task of the other.

More FAQ

* [[FAQ: Q&A| Frequently Asked Questions about the application]]

Application:Required documents

2020-03-13T10:15:30Z

Apeters1: /* 5. Proof(s) of English language proficiency */

'''Due to the coronavirus pandemic, applications via email are now possible and kindly asked for – see email application for more information.'''

=List of all required documents for application=
In order to apply for the 2-year Master of Science program Intelligent Adaptive Systems, you need to send a paper application to the IAS Team at the Department of Informatics, Universität Hamburg. The IAS team is a team of IAS professors, researchers, lecturers, and academic advisors. The IAS Team and the selection committee will only read complete applications that meet the formal requirements. These applications will be ranked according to the selection criteria.

In order to apply successfully please follow exactly these instructions:

The deadline is on the 31st of March. Faxes and e-mails are not accepted. The IAS selection committee does not inform you of missing documents or late applications. Your application is considered incomplete if one or more of the required documents are not received before the deadline (via postal mail) and/or if your STiNE online application form is not submitted online. As a result, your application will not take part in the selection process. You can not submit missing documents after the expiration of the application deadline, there will be no reconsideration.

The documents 'do not'' have to be sent as certified/attested copies when applying. You should '''not''' send original certificates since the IAS selection committee will not send anything back. However, please note that in case your application is successful, you will need to send attested/certified copies to the University via postal mail ''within 2 weeks'', so be prepared. The notification whether you are accepted or not is send around 15 of May. Official English and German translation of documents are accepted.

Please read the explanations of what documents you have to send and follow the links to more information.

=='''1. Cover-letter-form''' ==
* Please fill in the cover-letter form (with a pdf viewer/reader).
* Then print the form. In case you are having any problems with filling in the form digitally you can also print the form and fill it in by hand (readable!).
* Send the printed form via postal mail as the first page of your application.
* Link to the cover-letter-form: [[Cover-letter-form|cover-letter-form]]
* Filename: 1_coverletter_BWNumber

== '''2. The University's general online form (STiNE)'''==
The Universität Hamburg requires you to fill out a general and university-wide online form on their student platform called STiNE. The only purpose of this form is to register with the central administration. Nothing else. It is the way to tell the University that you might apply.
* While registering you will receive a BW - Number (Application Number). Please state this number in your cover letter.
* Submit, print and '''sign''' the STiNE online form and enclose the form with your paper application.
* Only within the application period (15 February - 31 March), the online application form can be accessed through the STiNE portal: https://www.stine.uni-hamburg.de. Sorry, some parts of the STiNE online form are in German and therefore rather tricky.
* As a service to IAS applicants, the IAS-Team has prepared a wiki entry: [[online application form|Online form STiNE]].
*For further questions about STiNE please ask the technical support of STiNE. STiNE is a part of the central administration - not the IAS Team's platform, see [https://www.stine.uni-hamburg.de/scripts/mgrqispi.dll?APPNAME=CampusNet&PRGNAME=EXTERNALPAGES&ARGUMENTS=-N000000000000002,-N000339,-A100101e#furtherquestions STiNE support].

After filling out the STiNE online form, '''click submit''', and then, '''print''' out the summary at the end (Ger: ''Druckansicht''). This print-out has to be '''signed'''. This submitted, printed, and signed STiNE form is one of the required documents which you have to send via postal mail to the Department of Informatics.

Please, note do not click "Freemover", that is the wrong application.

Please, note that the STiNE online form is just the general, uni-wide application form for central administration reasons only. You still need to send your paper application to the address below. With the complete paper application, you apply to the Department of Informatics for a place in the IAS program.

Use the address displayed here or websit not in STiNE.

Filename: 2_Stine_BWNumber

==''' 3. Curriculum Vitae'''==
The CV (table version) should include information on your academic and professional career and if you have international experience. It should specifically list information on your background relevant for IAS such as projects on AI or Robotics. Please, '''provide evidence''' of such projects through acquired certificates. Project descriptions and outlines on their CS content are especially important if the achieved credits should be counted for the 60 ECTS in computer science.
Please, add your average/overall grade (can be preliminary) and your grading scale to your cv next to the information of your degree and provide official evidence for that information.

Filename: 3_cv_BWNumber

== '''4. Letter of Motivation'''==
This is the most important document since it accounts for 40% of your ranking score. It has to be written by yourself in the English language. There is a maximum of 1.5 pages that you should not exceed.
In this letter, you should explain your motivation to study especially this program. The text should answer the following questions:
* Why are you interested in the field "Intelligent Adaptive Systems" or what parts are most interesting and why?
* Why is this program especially suited to complement the knowledge you already have?
* Why did you choose to study this program at Universität Hamburg?
* How does this program fit into your academic and professional future goals?
* Read the selection criteria and the curriculum IAS - so you know what else might be important to write about.

The selection committee will give high ratings to those letters that show that the student has made a deliberate choice to study IAS and can justify their decision well while also explaining how studying IAS will bring the student closer to the desired goal. The board is looking for students that show high motivation and have a good chance of finishing the program with a high impact on the student's life. The ability to present a well-argued and connected chain of argument is a major ability the board is looking for.

Things that affect the rating adversely are, amongst many, generic letters that are written for multiple applications, letters that are written in bad English or do not follow a good structure.

The selection committee does not want to read about the history of informatics, the selection committee wants to read something relevant and precise about you.

Filename: 4_Motivation_BWNumber

== '''5. Proof(s) of English language proficiency'''==
Please see [[Application:Formal requirements| formal requirements]] for details on the required language certificates and further information.

Proof of English language proficiency by
CEFR/TELC: At least Level B2 in all testing categories (listening, reading, speaking, writing) better C1
IELTS: 6.5 + B2
TOEFL: IBT 90, PBT 575, CBT 230
Cambridge: CAE or CPE

Filename: 5_English_BWNumber

==''' 6. Transcript of Records'''==
Please see '''[[Application:Formal requirements| formal requirements]]''' for detailed information on the requirements for your transcript of records.

== '''7. Self-made structured table of all core computer science courses'''==
As a formal requirement you need to evidence 60 ECTS in core computer science courses. To do so, please provide your transcript and a self-made table listing all your core computer science courses you have completed. Please, also refer to the listed information under [[Application:Formal requirements| formal requirements]] regarding questions about the ''ECTS credit system'', the ''calculation'' of the required 60 ECTS, ''modules/courses counted as CS'' by IAS selection committee. Please use this [[Required Documents: Example structure table|example]] to provide your evidence of your 60 ECTS credits or more.

=='''8. BSc certificates and diploma supplement'''==

* If you have finished your degree send a copy of your degree certificate.

* You can also apply if you have finished 5/6 semesters and can evidence 150 ECTS credits (or comparable) of your first degree and at the point of application at least 60 ECTS in computer science must be evident. In order to estimate that you are going to finish you must provide the official transcript of records showing the amount of already acquired credits or credit hours and the number of minimum credits or credit hours required for completion. The final transcript and graduation certificate have to be handed in for enrolment if you are admitted.

* Diploma Supplement: In any case provide a description of your degree - it is an official document issued by most universities.
** The degree's grading system
** The standard amount of semesters required for completion of your degree
** The description of how many weeks per semester of in-class time with a lecturer present
** The description of how your credit systems works, e.g. 1 cp is worth 30 hours of in-class time with lecturer present meaning 2 hours a week for 15 weeks...

=='''9. Your grade'''==
In regards to your overall average grade (preliminary) or final grade, please provide a document with your (preliminary) final grade calculated by your university, even if only 5/6 or 7/8 semesters of the studies have been completed. Your grade should be in the grading system your university provides and with which you can provide the grading system. The grade needs to be in numbers, not letters. Make sure you send an official document attested by your university as the IAS selection committee does not accept self-calculated '''final''' grades nor does the IAS selection committee calculate final grades for you. If this information is listed in your transcript of records or degree certificate, then you don't need to provide this extra document.

Preliminary grade:
Some transcripts or universities do not provide a preliminary average grade: compute it on your own on an extra document and tell us how you did it. If it is not the simple grade average of all grades in the transcript, please provide extra official proof of how your university or degree rules are to compute it.

Please note: If you fail to provide proof of your grade or preliminary grade and grading scale - The grade you are assigned will be the worst possible grade - a grade of 9.9 in selection procedures. This means that applications without a grade will rank behind the last applicant who had provided a grade. This is also true if you state a different grade / grading scale in the table and cover-letter than in your transcript or when the selection committee controls your computation.

=='''10. Grading scale'''==
IAS selection committee needs detailed information on your degree's grading system (alternative names: grading scale/scheme of evaluation/grade classification/range of marks ...) as it is important in our [[Application:Selection criteria| selection process]]. As the IAS selection committee will evaluate and rank all applications, we need the grading scale of your university to make your average or final grade comparable to others. In a lot of cases, official transcripts of records display the university's grading system. Usually, this is a table with all the degree's grades and corresponding information like minimum passing grade and maximum, outstanding or excellent grade, etc. However, if this is not the case for your transcript of records, then please provide this information attested by your university.

Highlight the grading scale, minimum passing grade, and maximum grade in your official documents and state exactly on which page the relevant information can be found, e.g., "the grading scale can be found in the printed degree description page 4 Section 2.1.1 see highlighted information". The selection committee will not look through documents if no help is provided where to find the right information. Please display exact information on paper printout. You may provide a link to a lengthy document if you only printed out parts of a lengthy document for control reasons. The selection committee will not follow links nor translate websites to search for information if no information is provided in paper.

Please note: If you fail to provide proof of your grade or preliminary grade and grading scale - The grade you are assigned will be the worst possible grade - a grade of 9.9 in selection procedures. This means that applications without a grade or grading scale will rank behind the last applicant who had provided a grade. This is also true if you state a different grade / grading scale in the table and cover-letter than in your transcript/official documents or when the selection committee controls your computation.

=='''11. Evidence that your university and degree is recognized in Germany'''==
Admission to a Master degree program at a German university requires an undergraduate degree. This must have been obtained from a recognized higher education institution. The degree also must be equivalent to at least a three year Bachelor that was attained in Germany. It is a prerequisite for an application for the master course "IAS" that your university degree is recognized as equivalent to a Bachelor's degree obtained in Germany.

===How to provide proof that your university is recognized in Germany?===

The selection committee's advice: print out the anabin database entry for proof. It is cost-free and fast:
* Use the database anabin and print out the information about your university
* Your university needs to be recognized with H+
* More information here: [[Desired Documents:Anabin|Anabin]]

If you have difficulties handling anabin, you may use the fee-based service, called Uni-Assist:
* This is the official recommendation of the Universität Hamburg is that you use the fee-based service Uni-Assist (but you don't need to if you provide the anabin printout)
* Request this service around 1 of December - otherwise Uni-Assist might not answer you in time
* More information about [[FAQ:UniAssist| Uni-Assist]]
* Only use Uni-assist if you do not want to look up your University in the database Anabin

Some countries have to get a German authorities endorsement anyway for visa or application- you may hand this in as additional proof:

An endorsement of recognition from German authorities, including information about the type of higher education entrance eligibility and, if applicable, for a particular subject. The Universität Hamburg accepts the following types of endorsement of recognition:

* APS certificates from the academic review offices of Beijing, Ulaanbaatar, and Hanoi

Please note: For the application to the Master program IAS - it is enough to send in your information from Anabin.

If you cannot find information on whether your university is recognized in Germany, the selection committee has to decide case by case whether your degree sounds eligible or not. Usually, your degree does not qualify.

=Application via email possible from now on until 31 March:=

'''Because of the corona-virus pandemic, the IAS Team has decided to allow applications via email.'''

Send the application as described on the website and this wiki and follow '''exactly''' those steps:

* in '''only''' one pdf document with all your documents included: only use this pdf name =FinalIASApplication_YourFullname_YourBW-number
* or zip file with '''all''' of documents: zip file name = FinalIASApplication_YourFullname_YourBW-number, documents names= 1_coverletter_BWnumber, 2_STiNE_BWnumber, 3_CV_BWnumber, 4_Motivation_BWnumber ....(see sections for names)

* not more than 9 MB
* until 31 March
* use only this Email - subject '''[Final IAS Application] [Your Full name, Your BW-number]''' (The emails will be sorted automatically)
* only use: ias-team@informatik.uni-hamburg.de
* start your Email text with "'''Dear IAS-Team, this is my final application''' to the Master IAS. Please consider the attached application ....."
* Use the order of documents presented here 1.-11. when sending the application.

Everything else stays exactly the same as it is described in this wiki and website except the postal mailing part. Please note, even though now you should apply via email, we still do not inform you about missing documents or incomplete applications. '''For evaluating the application we will only consider the information provided in this one email: Email - subject ''[Final IAS Application] [Your Full name, Your BW-number]'' + Email text starting with ''"Dear IAS-Team, this is my final application to the Master IAS. Please consider the attached pdf application'' ....." '''

==I have sent my paper application already + I received an email confirmation by the IAS Team that it has arrived ==
Then you do not need to do anything.

==I have sent my paper application already + I did not receive email confirmation until 13 March 2020 ==
Please do send your application via email considering the steps above. Due to the corona-virus the IAS Team and many other people at the university will be working from home. That means nobody will get the postal mail.
Please state that your application is on the way and send the application via email again.

==I have not sent my paper application yet==
Please, send it via email. Please state in the email text that you have not sent a paper application

== Order for the pdf application==
Please, put the documents in this order and produce one pdf (and make sure that they are not attached to one another (Please do not use staplers, paper clips, folders, etc.):)

# Cover Sheet
# Signed Online Form STiNE
# CV
# Motivation Letter
# Language Test Score
# Transcript
# Self-made table
# Bachelor Certificate + Diploma Supplement
# Grade
# Grading scale
# Anabin print out
# everything else

Please highlight important information in your documents, e.g. grading scale, grade, "H+" in the anabin printout, finishing date ...

Please check carefully if you have sent all the required documents in due time. The deadline is the 31 of March (No postal mail arrives on Saturdays and Sundays at the university). Faxes are not accepted. We do not inform you of missing documents or late applications. Your application is considered incomplete if one or more of the required documents are not received before the deadline via email or if your STiNE form is not submitted online. As a result, your application will not take part in the selection process. There will be no reconsideration of your application. Also note, that we do not inform you about received emails or postal mail (letters, parcels, envelopes) – Please check with your postal mail provider if you like an acknowledgment.

One final note from the selection committee: We like a neat, well-structured, precise, and complete application. Think for yourself. Show that you can be a responsible, well-organized student, and follow basic instructions.
The selection committee and the IAS team consist of professors, lecturers, advisors, Post-docs who will also teach you once you are accepted.

= Additional Documents =
Generally, all possible documents that support your application (especially as evidence for the arguments used in your motivation letter) can be included and will be taken into account in the selection process. Please include only documents that are relevant for this application. The selection of documents already shows your ability to distinguish between relevant and irrelevant content and a large amount of radomly added certificates or documents may have a negative effect on your ranking.

==Desired documents==

* Documents that add to the evidence needed for the requirements, e.g. additional proofs of language proficiency or higher education courses with computer science content, letter of recommendation
* Evidence for research or professional and/or international experience relevant to IAS studies.
* International experience, e.g. a study exchange, shows your ability to adapt to different learning and living environments and should be listed and described as part of our CV.
* The same holds for professional experience that may show your ability to work in a computer science context.
* Training courses or extensive experience that shows deep understanding of computer science concepts. This will be taken into account for general suitability for the very specific Master program IAS.

== Suitable additions ==
* GRE test or other academic tests showing your ability to study in higher education. Such tests are not required but may be taken into account if provided and if they add to the general story of the application.
* Certificates of contests and competitions can be added if relevant. Please carefully decide whether the certificate can add any additional value to your application.

== Undesired documents ==
* Full module handbooks. To show that you fulfill the requirement of the sufficient 60 ETCS credits, you have to send the self-made and structured table. Please don't send full module handbooks as the IAS admission team will not have the time to search for core CS courses in those handbooks for you.
* Certificates that don't add additional information or are not relevant at all. More is not always better since it may show that you are not able to decide what is relevant for the subject and what is not. Select the certificates that best show your abilities.

==Do all the documents have to be sent as certified/attested copies?==
No, not for the application at the Department of Informatics - IAS. You can send the required application documents as simple copies. But please be aware that once you have been sent an ''letter of acceptance'' by the CampusCenter (central administration), you have to send certified/attested copies of your language certificate, your university entrance qualification (e.g. high school certificate), and your bachelor's degree certificate to prove the authenticity of those documents together with the matriculation form '''within 14 days''' to the "Team for Application and Admission" (Ger: ''Team Bewerbung und Zulassung'') at the CampusCenter of the Universität Hamburg. Therefore, we highly recommend preparing certified/attested copies of all the relevant documents upfront.
The central administration team (CampusCenter Team for your enrolment, located at the city center) and the IAS Team (for your application and later your studies, located at the Department of Informatics, Hamburg Stellingen) are two very distinct teams and have nothing to do with the task of the other.

More FAQ

* [[FAQ: Q&A| Frequently Asked Questions about the application]]

Application:Required documents

2020-03-13T10:14:55Z

Apeters1: /* 4. Letter of Motivation */

'''Due to the coronavirus pandemic, applications via email are now possible and kindly asked for – see email application for more information.'''

=List of all required documents for application=
In order to apply for the 2-year Master of Science program Intelligent Adaptive Systems, you need to send a paper application to the IAS Team at the Department of Informatics, Universität Hamburg. The IAS team is a team of IAS professors, researchers, lecturers, and academic advisors. The IAS Team and the selection committee will only read complete applications that meet the formal requirements. These applications will be ranked according to the selection criteria.

In order to apply successfully please follow exactly these instructions:

The deadline is on the 31st of March. Faxes and e-mails are not accepted. The IAS selection committee does not inform you of missing documents or late applications. Your application is considered incomplete if one or more of the required documents are not received before the deadline (via postal mail) and/or if your STiNE online application form is not submitted online. As a result, your application will not take part in the selection process. You can not submit missing documents after the expiration of the application deadline, there will be no reconsideration.

The documents 'do not'' have to be sent as certified/attested copies when applying. You should '''not''' send original certificates since the IAS selection committee will not send anything back. However, please note that in case your application is successful, you will need to send attested/certified copies to the University via postal mail ''within 2 weeks'', so be prepared. The notification whether you are accepted or not is send around 15 of May. Official English and German translation of documents are accepted.

Please read the explanations of what documents you have to send and follow the links to more information.

=='''1. Cover-letter-form''' ==
* Please fill in the cover-letter form (with a pdf viewer/reader).
* Then print the form. In case you are having any problems with filling in the form digitally you can also print the form and fill it in by hand (readable!).
* Send the printed form via postal mail as the first page of your application.
* Link to the cover-letter-form: [[Cover-letter-form|cover-letter-form]]
* Filename: 1_coverletter_BWNumber

== '''2. The University's general online form (STiNE)'''==
The Universität Hamburg requires you to fill out a general and university-wide online form on their student platform called STiNE. The only purpose of this form is to register with the central administration. Nothing else. It is the way to tell the University that you might apply.
* While registering you will receive a BW - Number (Application Number). Please state this number in your cover letter.
* Submit, print and '''sign''' the STiNE online form and enclose the form with your paper application.
* Only within the application period (15 February - 31 March), the online application form can be accessed through the STiNE portal: https://www.stine.uni-hamburg.de. Sorry, some parts of the STiNE online form are in German and therefore rather tricky.
* As a service to IAS applicants, the IAS-Team has prepared a wiki entry: [[online application form|Online form STiNE]].
*For further questions about STiNE please ask the technical support of STiNE. STiNE is a part of the central administration - not the IAS Team's platform, see [https://www.stine.uni-hamburg.de/scripts/mgrqispi.dll?APPNAME=CampusNet&PRGNAME=EXTERNALPAGES&ARGUMENTS=-N000000000000002,-N000339,-A100101e#furtherquestions STiNE support].

After filling out the STiNE online form, '''click submit''', and then, '''print''' out the summary at the end (Ger: ''Druckansicht''). This print-out has to be '''signed'''. This submitted, printed, and signed STiNE form is one of the required documents which you have to send via postal mail to the Department of Informatics.

Please, note do not click "Freemover", that is the wrong application.

Please, note that the STiNE online form is just the general, uni-wide application form for central administration reasons only. You still need to send your paper application to the address below. With the complete paper application, you apply to the Department of Informatics for a place in the IAS program.

Use the address displayed here or websit not in STiNE.

Filename: 2_Stine_BWNumber

==''' 3. Curriculum Vitae'''==
The CV (table version) should include information on your academic and professional career and if you have international experience. It should specifically list information on your background relevant for IAS such as projects on AI or Robotics. Please, '''provide evidence''' of such projects through acquired certificates. Project descriptions and outlines on their CS content are especially important if the achieved credits should be counted for the 60 ECTS in computer science.
Please, add your average/overall grade (can be preliminary) and your grading scale to your cv next to the information of your degree and provide official evidence for that information.

Filename: 3_cv_BWNumber

== '''4. Letter of Motivation'''==
This is the most important document since it accounts for 40% of your ranking score. It has to be written by yourself in the English language. There is a maximum of 1.5 pages that you should not exceed.
In this letter, you should explain your motivation to study especially this program. The text should answer the following questions:
* Why are you interested in the field "Intelligent Adaptive Systems" or what parts are most interesting and why?
* Why is this program especially suited to complement the knowledge you already have?
* Why did you choose to study this program at Universität Hamburg?
* How does this program fit into your academic and professional future goals?
* Read the selection criteria and the curriculum IAS - so you know what else might be important to write about.

The selection committee will give high ratings to those letters that show that the student has made a deliberate choice to study IAS and can justify their decision well while also explaining how studying IAS will bring the student closer to the desired goal. The board is looking for students that show high motivation and have a good chance of finishing the program with a high impact on the student's life. The ability to present a well-argued and connected chain of argument is a major ability the board is looking for.

Things that affect the rating adversely are, amongst many, generic letters that are written for multiple applications, letters that are written in bad English or do not follow a good structure.

The selection committee does not want to read about the history of informatics, the selection committee wants to read something relevant and precise about you.

Filename: 4_Motivation_BWNumber

== '''5. Proof(s) of English language proficiency'''==
Please see [[Application:Formal requirements| formal requirements]] for details on the required language certificates and further information.

Proof of English language proficiency by
CEFR/TELC: At least Level B2 in all testing categories (listening, reading, speaking, writing) better C1
IELTS: 6.5 + B2
TOEFL: IBT 90, PBT 575, CBT 230
Cambridge: CAE or CPE

==''' 6. Transcript of Records'''==
Please see '''[[Application:Formal requirements| formal requirements]]''' for detailed information on the requirements for your transcript of records.

== '''7. Self-made structured table of all core computer science courses'''==
As a formal requirement you need to evidence 60 ECTS in core computer science courses. To do so, please provide your transcript and a self-made table listing all your core computer science courses you have completed. Please, also refer to the listed information under [[Application:Formal requirements| formal requirements]] regarding questions about the ''ECTS credit system'', the ''calculation'' of the required 60 ECTS, ''modules/courses counted as CS'' by IAS selection committee. Please use this [[Required Documents: Example structure table|example]] to provide your evidence of your 60 ECTS credits or more.

=='''8. BSc certificates and diploma supplement'''==

* If you have finished your degree send a copy of your degree certificate.

* You can also apply if you have finished 5/6 semesters and can evidence 150 ECTS credits (or comparable) of your first degree and at the point of application at least 60 ECTS in computer science must be evident. In order to estimate that you are going to finish you must provide the official transcript of records showing the amount of already acquired credits or credit hours and the number of minimum credits or credit hours required for completion. The final transcript and graduation certificate have to be handed in for enrolment if you are admitted.

* Diploma Supplement: In any case provide a description of your degree - it is an official document issued by most universities.
** The degree's grading system
** The standard amount of semesters required for completion of your degree
** The description of how many weeks per semester of in-class time with a lecturer present
** The description of how your credit systems works, e.g. 1 cp is worth 30 hours of in-class time with lecturer present meaning 2 hours a week for 15 weeks...

=='''9. Your grade'''==
In regards to your overall average grade (preliminary) or final grade, please provide a document with your (preliminary) final grade calculated by your university, even if only 5/6 or 7/8 semesters of the studies have been completed. Your grade should be in the grading system your university provides and with which you can provide the grading system. The grade needs to be in numbers, not letters. Make sure you send an official document attested by your university as the IAS selection committee does not accept self-calculated '''final''' grades nor does the IAS selection committee calculate final grades for you. If this information is listed in your transcript of records or degree certificate, then you don't need to provide this extra document.

Preliminary grade:
Some transcripts or universities do not provide a preliminary average grade: compute it on your own on an extra document and tell us how you did it. If it is not the simple grade average of all grades in the transcript, please provide extra official proof of how your university or degree rules are to compute it.

Please note: If you fail to provide proof of your grade or preliminary grade and grading scale - The grade you are assigned will be the worst possible grade - a grade of 9.9 in selection procedures. This means that applications without a grade will rank behind the last applicant who had provided a grade. This is also true if you state a different grade / grading scale in the table and cover-letter than in your transcript or when the selection committee controls your computation.

=='''10. Grading scale'''==
IAS selection committee needs detailed information on your degree's grading system (alternative names: grading scale/scheme of evaluation/grade classification/range of marks ...) as it is important in our [[Application:Selection criteria| selection process]]. As the IAS selection committee will evaluate and rank all applications, we need the grading scale of your university to make your average or final grade comparable to others. In a lot of cases, official transcripts of records display the university's grading system. Usually, this is a table with all the degree's grades and corresponding information like minimum passing grade and maximum, outstanding or excellent grade, etc. However, if this is not the case for your transcript of records, then please provide this information attested by your university.

Highlight the grading scale, minimum passing grade, and maximum grade in your official documents and state exactly on which page the relevant information can be found, e.g., "the grading scale can be found in the printed degree description page 4 Section 2.1.1 see highlighted information". The selection committee will not look through documents if no help is provided where to find the right information. Please display exact information on paper printout. You may provide a link to a lengthy document if you only printed out parts of a lengthy document for control reasons. The selection committee will not follow links nor translate websites to search for information if no information is provided in paper.

Please note: If you fail to provide proof of your grade or preliminary grade and grading scale - The grade you are assigned will be the worst possible grade - a grade of 9.9 in selection procedures. This means that applications without a grade or grading scale will rank behind the last applicant who had provided a grade. This is also true if you state a different grade / grading scale in the table and cover-letter than in your transcript/official documents or when the selection committee controls your computation.

=='''11. Evidence that your university and degree is recognized in Germany'''==
Admission to a Master degree program at a German university requires an undergraduate degree. This must have been obtained from a recognized higher education institution. The degree also must be equivalent to at least a three year Bachelor that was attained in Germany. It is a prerequisite for an application for the master course "IAS" that your university degree is recognized as equivalent to a Bachelor's degree obtained in Germany.

===How to provide proof that your university is recognized in Germany?===

The selection committee's advice: print out the anabin database entry for proof. It is cost-free and fast:
* Use the database anabin and print out the information about your university
* Your university needs to be recognized with H+
* More information here: [[Desired Documents:Anabin|Anabin]]

If you have difficulties handling anabin, you may use the fee-based service, called Uni-Assist:
* This is the official recommendation of the Universität Hamburg is that you use the fee-based service Uni-Assist (but you don't need to if you provide the anabin printout)
* Request this service around 1 of December - otherwise Uni-Assist might not answer you in time
* More information about [[FAQ:UniAssist| Uni-Assist]]
* Only use Uni-assist if you do not want to look up your University in the database Anabin

Some countries have to get a German authorities endorsement anyway for visa or application- you may hand this in as additional proof:

An endorsement of recognition from German authorities, including information about the type of higher education entrance eligibility and, if applicable, for a particular subject. The Universität Hamburg accepts the following types of endorsement of recognition:

* APS certificates from the academic review offices of Beijing, Ulaanbaatar, and Hanoi

Please note: For the application to the Master program IAS - it is enough to send in your information from Anabin.

If you cannot find information on whether your university is recognized in Germany, the selection committee has to decide case by case whether your degree sounds eligible or not. Usually, your degree does not qualify.

=Application via email possible from now on until 31 March:=

'''Because of the corona-virus pandemic, the IAS Team has decided to allow applications via email.'''

Send the application as described on the website and this wiki and follow '''exactly''' those steps:

* in '''only''' one pdf document with all your documents included: only use this pdf name =FinalIASApplication_YourFullname_YourBW-number
* or zip file with '''all''' of documents: zip file name = FinalIASApplication_YourFullname_YourBW-number, documents names= 1_coverletter_BWnumber, 2_STiNE_BWnumber, 3_CV_BWnumber, 4_Motivation_BWnumber ....(see sections for names)

* not more than 9 MB
* until 31 March
* use only this Email - subject '''[Final IAS Application] [Your Full name, Your BW-number]''' (The emails will be sorted automatically)
* only use: ias-team@informatik.uni-hamburg.de
* start your Email text with "'''Dear IAS-Team, this is my final application''' to the Master IAS. Please consider the attached application ....."
* Use the order of documents presented here 1.-11. when sending the application.

Everything else stays exactly the same as it is described in this wiki and website except the postal mailing part. Please note, even though now you should apply via email, we still do not inform you about missing documents or incomplete applications. '''For evaluating the application we will only consider the information provided in this one email: Email - subject ''[Final IAS Application] [Your Full name, Your BW-number]'' + Email text starting with ''"Dear IAS-Team, this is my final application to the Master IAS. Please consider the attached pdf application'' ....." '''

==I have sent my paper application already + I received an email confirmation by the IAS Team that it has arrived ==
Then you do not need to do anything.

==I have sent my paper application already + I did not receive email confirmation until 13 March 2020 ==
Please do send your application via email considering the steps above. Due to the corona-virus the IAS Team and many other people at the university will be working from home. That means nobody will get the postal mail.
Please state that your application is on the way and send the application via email again.

==I have not sent my paper application yet==
Please, send it via email. Please state in the email text that you have not sent a paper application

== Order for the pdf application==
Please, put the documents in this order and produce one pdf (and make sure that they are not attached to one another (Please do not use staplers, paper clips, folders, etc.):)

# Cover Sheet
# Signed Online Form STiNE
# CV
# Motivation Letter
# Language Test Score
# Transcript
# Self-made table
# Bachelor Certificate + Diploma Supplement
# Grade
# Grading scale
# Anabin print out
# everything else

Please highlight important information in your documents, e.g. grading scale, grade, "H+" in the anabin printout, finishing date ...

Please check carefully if you have sent all the required documents in due time. The deadline is the 31 of March (No postal mail arrives on Saturdays and Sundays at the university). Faxes are not accepted. We do not inform you of missing documents or late applications. Your application is considered incomplete if one or more of the required documents are not received before the deadline via email or if your STiNE form is not submitted online. As a result, your application will not take part in the selection process. There will be no reconsideration of your application. Also note, that we do not inform you about received emails or postal mail (letters, parcels, envelopes) – Please check with your postal mail provider if you like an acknowledgment.

One final note from the selection committee: We like a neat, well-structured, precise, and complete application. Think for yourself. Show that you can be a responsible, well-organized student, and follow basic instructions.
The selection committee and the IAS team consist of professors, lecturers, advisors, Post-docs who will also teach you once you are accepted.

= Additional Documents =
Generally, all possible documents that support your application (especially as evidence for the arguments used in your motivation letter) can be included and will be taken into account in the selection process. Please include only documents that are relevant for this application. The selection of documents already shows your ability to distinguish between relevant and irrelevant content and a large amount of radomly added certificates or documents may have a negative effect on your ranking.

==Desired documents==

* Documents that add to the evidence needed for the requirements, e.g. additional proofs of language proficiency or higher education courses with computer science content, letter of recommendation
* Evidence for research or professional and/or international experience relevant to IAS studies.
* International experience, e.g. a study exchange, shows your ability to adapt to different learning and living environments and should be listed and described as part of our CV.
* The same holds for professional experience that may show your ability to work in a computer science context.
* Training courses or extensive experience that shows deep understanding of computer science concepts. This will be taken into account for general suitability for the very specific Master program IAS.

== Suitable additions ==
* GRE test or other academic tests showing your ability to study in higher education. Such tests are not required but may be taken into account if provided and if they add to the general story of the application.
* Certificates of contests and competitions can be added if relevant. Please carefully decide whether the certificate can add any additional value to your application.

== Undesired documents ==
* Full module handbooks. To show that you fulfill the requirement of the sufficient 60 ETCS credits, you have to send the self-made and structured table. Please don't send full module handbooks as the IAS admission team will not have the time to search for core CS courses in those handbooks for you.
* Certificates that don't add additional information or are not relevant at all. More is not always better since it may show that you are not able to decide what is relevant for the subject and what is not. Select the certificates that best show your abilities.

==Do all the documents have to be sent as certified/attested copies?==
No, not for the application at the Department of Informatics - IAS. You can send the required application documents as simple copies. But please be aware that once you have been sent an ''letter of acceptance'' by the CampusCenter (central administration), you have to send certified/attested copies of your language certificate, your university entrance qualification (e.g. high school certificate), and your bachelor's degree certificate to prove the authenticity of those documents together with the matriculation form '''within 14 days''' to the "Team for Application and Admission" (Ger: ''Team Bewerbung und Zulassung'') at the CampusCenter of the Universität Hamburg. Therefore, we highly recommend preparing certified/attested copies of all the relevant documents upfront.
The central administration team (CampusCenter Team for your enrolment, located at the city center) and the IAS Team (for your application and later your studies, located at the Department of Informatics, Hamburg Stellingen) are two very distinct teams and have nothing to do with the task of the other.

More FAQ

* [[FAQ: Q&A| Frequently Asked Questions about the application]]

Application:Required documents

2020-03-13T10:14:16Z

Apeters1: /* Application via email possible from now on until 31 March: */

'''Due to the coronavirus pandemic, applications via email are now possible and kindly asked for – see email application for more information.'''

=List of all required documents for application=
In order to apply for the 2-year Master of Science program Intelligent Adaptive Systems, you need to send a paper application to the IAS Team at the Department of Informatics, Universität Hamburg. The IAS team is a team of IAS professors, researchers, lecturers, and academic advisors. The IAS Team and the selection committee will only read complete applications that meet the formal requirements. These applications will be ranked according to the selection criteria.

In order to apply successfully please follow exactly these instructions:

The deadline is on the 31st of March. Faxes and e-mails are not accepted. The IAS selection committee does not inform you of missing documents or late applications. Your application is considered incomplete if one or more of the required documents are not received before the deadline (via postal mail) and/or if your STiNE online application form is not submitted online. As a result, your application will not take part in the selection process. You can not submit missing documents after the expiration of the application deadline, there will be no reconsideration.

The documents 'do not'' have to be sent as certified/attested copies when applying. You should '''not''' send original certificates since the IAS selection committee will not send anything back. However, please note that in case your application is successful, you will need to send attested/certified copies to the University via postal mail ''within 2 weeks'', so be prepared. The notification whether you are accepted or not is send around 15 of May. Official English and German translation of documents are accepted.

Please read the explanations of what documents you have to send and follow the links to more information.

=='''1. Cover-letter-form''' ==
* Please fill in the cover-letter form (with a pdf viewer/reader).
* Then print the form. In case you are having any problems with filling in the form digitally you can also print the form and fill it in by hand (readable!).
* Send the printed form via postal mail as the first page of your application.
* Link to the cover-letter-form: [[Cover-letter-form|cover-letter-form]]
* Filename: 1_coverletter_BWNumber

== '''2. The University's general online form (STiNE)'''==
The Universität Hamburg requires you to fill out a general and university-wide online form on their student platform called STiNE. The only purpose of this form is to register with the central administration. Nothing else. It is the way to tell the University that you might apply.
* While registering you will receive a BW - Number (Application Number). Please state this number in your cover letter.
* Submit, print and '''sign''' the STiNE online form and enclose the form with your paper application.
* Only within the application period (15 February - 31 March), the online application form can be accessed through the STiNE portal: https://www.stine.uni-hamburg.de. Sorry, some parts of the STiNE online form are in German and therefore rather tricky.
* As a service to IAS applicants, the IAS-Team has prepared a wiki entry: [[online application form|Online form STiNE]].
*For further questions about STiNE please ask the technical support of STiNE. STiNE is a part of the central administration - not the IAS Team's platform, see [https://www.stine.uni-hamburg.de/scripts/mgrqispi.dll?APPNAME=CampusNet&PRGNAME=EXTERNALPAGES&ARGUMENTS=-N000000000000002,-N000339,-A100101e#furtherquestions STiNE support].

After filling out the STiNE online form, '''click submit''', and then, '''print''' out the summary at the end (Ger: ''Druckansicht''). This print-out has to be '''signed'''. This submitted, printed, and signed STiNE form is one of the required documents which you have to send via postal mail to the Department of Informatics.

Please, note do not click "Freemover", that is the wrong application.

Please, note that the STiNE online form is just the general, uni-wide application form for central administration reasons only. You still need to send your paper application to the address below. With the complete paper application, you apply to the Department of Informatics for a place in the IAS program.

Use the address displayed here or websit not in STiNE.

Filename: 2_Stine_BWNumber

==''' 3. Curriculum Vitae'''==
The CV (table version) should include information on your academic and professional career and if you have international experience. It should specifically list information on your background relevant for IAS such as projects on AI or Robotics. Please, '''provide evidence''' of such projects through acquired certificates. Project descriptions and outlines on their CS content are especially important if the achieved credits should be counted for the 60 ECTS in computer science.
Please, add your average/overall grade (can be preliminary) and your grading scale to your cv next to the information of your degree and provide official evidence for that information.

Filename: 3_cv_BWNumber

== '''4. Letter of Motivation'''==
This is the most important document since it accounts for 40% of your ranking score. It has to be written by yourself in the English language. There is a maximum of 1.5 pages that you should not exceed.
In this letter, you should explain your motivation to study especially this program. The text should answer the following questions:
* Why are you interested in the field "Intelligent Adaptive Systems" or what parts are most interesting and why?
* Why is this program especially suited to complement the knowledge you already have?
* Why did you choose to study this program at Universität Hamburg?
* How does this program fit into your academic and professional future goals?
* Read the selection criteria and the curriculum IAS - so you know what else might be important to write about.

The selection committee will give high ratings to those letters that show that the student has made a deliberate choice to study IAS and can justify their decision well while also explaining how studying IAS will bring the student closer to the desired goal. The board is looking for students that show high motivation and have a good chance of finishing the program with a high impact on the student's life. The ability to present a well-argued and connected chain of argument is a major ability the board is looking for.

Things that affect the rating adversely are, amongst many, generic letters that are written for multiple applications, letters that are written in bad English or do not follow a good structure.

The selection committee does not want to read about the history of informatics, the selection committee wants to read something relevant and precise about you.

== '''5. Proof(s) of English language proficiency'''==
Please see [[Application:Formal requirements| formal requirements]] for details on the required language certificates and further information.

Proof of English language proficiency by
CEFR/TELC: At least Level B2 in all testing categories (listening, reading, speaking, writing) better C1
IELTS: 6.5 + B2
TOEFL: IBT 90, PBT 575, CBT 230
Cambridge: CAE or CPE

==''' 6. Transcript of Records'''==
Please see '''[[Application:Formal requirements| formal requirements]]''' for detailed information on the requirements for your transcript of records.

== '''7. Self-made structured table of all core computer science courses'''==
As a formal requirement you need to evidence 60 ECTS in core computer science courses. To do so, please provide your transcript and a self-made table listing all your core computer science courses you have completed. Please, also refer to the listed information under [[Application:Formal requirements| formal requirements]] regarding questions about the ''ECTS credit system'', the ''calculation'' of the required 60 ECTS, ''modules/courses counted as CS'' by IAS selection committee. Please use this [[Required Documents: Example structure table|example]] to provide your evidence of your 60 ECTS credits or more.

=='''8. BSc certificates and diploma supplement'''==

* If you have finished your degree send a copy of your degree certificate.

* You can also apply if you have finished 5/6 semesters and can evidence 150 ECTS credits (or comparable) of your first degree and at the point of application at least 60 ECTS in computer science must be evident. In order to estimate that you are going to finish you must provide the official transcript of records showing the amount of already acquired credits or credit hours and the number of minimum credits or credit hours required for completion. The final transcript and graduation certificate have to be handed in for enrolment if you are admitted.

* Diploma Supplement: In any case provide a description of your degree - it is an official document issued by most universities.
** The degree's grading system
** The standard amount of semesters required for completion of your degree
** The description of how many weeks per semester of in-class time with a lecturer present
** The description of how your credit systems works, e.g. 1 cp is worth 30 hours of in-class time with lecturer present meaning 2 hours a week for 15 weeks...

=='''9. Your grade'''==
In regards to your overall average grade (preliminary) or final grade, please provide a document with your (preliminary) final grade calculated by your university, even if only 5/6 or 7/8 semesters of the studies have been completed. Your grade should be in the grading system your university provides and with which you can provide the grading system. The grade needs to be in numbers, not letters. Make sure you send an official document attested by your university as the IAS selection committee does not accept self-calculated '''final''' grades nor does the IAS selection committee calculate final grades for you. If this information is listed in your transcript of records or degree certificate, then you don't need to provide this extra document.

Preliminary grade:
Some transcripts or universities do not provide a preliminary average grade: compute it on your own on an extra document and tell us how you did it. If it is not the simple grade average of all grades in the transcript, please provide extra official proof of how your university or degree rules are to compute it.

Please note: If you fail to provide proof of your grade or preliminary grade and grading scale - The grade you are assigned will be the worst possible grade - a grade of 9.9 in selection procedures. This means that applications without a grade will rank behind the last applicant who had provided a grade. This is also true if you state a different grade / grading scale in the table and cover-letter than in your transcript or when the selection committee controls your computation.

=='''10. Grading scale'''==
IAS selection committee needs detailed information on your degree's grading system (alternative names: grading scale/scheme of evaluation/grade classification/range of marks ...) as it is important in our [[Application:Selection criteria| selection process]]. As the IAS selection committee will evaluate and rank all applications, we need the grading scale of your university to make your average or final grade comparable to others. In a lot of cases, official transcripts of records display the university's grading system. Usually, this is a table with all the degree's grades and corresponding information like minimum passing grade and maximum, outstanding or excellent grade, etc. However, if this is not the case for your transcript of records, then please provide this information attested by your university.

Highlight the grading scale, minimum passing grade, and maximum grade in your official documents and state exactly on which page the relevant information can be found, e.g., "the grading scale can be found in the printed degree description page 4 Section 2.1.1 see highlighted information". The selection committee will not look through documents if no help is provided where to find the right information. Please display exact information on paper printout. You may provide a link to a lengthy document if you only printed out parts of a lengthy document for control reasons. The selection committee will not follow links nor translate websites to search for information if no information is provided in paper.

Please note: If you fail to provide proof of your grade or preliminary grade and grading scale - The grade you are assigned will be the worst possible grade - a grade of 9.9 in selection procedures. This means that applications without a grade or grading scale will rank behind the last applicant who had provided a grade. This is also true if you state a different grade / grading scale in the table and cover-letter than in your transcript/official documents or when the selection committee controls your computation.

=='''11. Evidence that your university and degree is recognized in Germany'''==
Admission to a Master degree program at a German university requires an undergraduate degree. This must have been obtained from a recognized higher education institution. The degree also must be equivalent to at least a three year Bachelor that was attained in Germany. It is a prerequisite for an application for the master course "IAS" that your university degree is recognized as equivalent to a Bachelor's degree obtained in Germany.

===How to provide proof that your university is recognized in Germany?===

The selection committee's advice: print out the anabin database entry for proof. It is cost-free and fast:
* Use the database anabin and print out the information about your university
* Your university needs to be recognized with H+
* More information here: [[Desired Documents:Anabin|Anabin]]

If you have difficulties handling anabin, you may use the fee-based service, called Uni-Assist:
* This is the official recommendation of the Universität Hamburg is that you use the fee-based service Uni-Assist (but you don't need to if you provide the anabin printout)
* Request this service around 1 of December - otherwise Uni-Assist might not answer you in time
* More information about [[FAQ:UniAssist| Uni-Assist]]
* Only use Uni-assist if you do not want to look up your University in the database Anabin

Some countries have to get a German authorities endorsement anyway for visa or application- you may hand this in as additional proof:

An endorsement of recognition from German authorities, including information about the type of higher education entrance eligibility and, if applicable, for a particular subject. The Universität Hamburg accepts the following types of endorsement of recognition:

* APS certificates from the academic review offices of Beijing, Ulaanbaatar, and Hanoi

Please note: For the application to the Master program IAS - it is enough to send in your information from Anabin.

If you cannot find information on whether your university is recognized in Germany, the selection committee has to decide case by case whether your degree sounds eligible or not. Usually, your degree does not qualify.

=Application via email possible from now on until 31 March:=

'''Because of the corona-virus pandemic, the IAS Team has decided to allow applications via email.'''

Send the application as described on the website and this wiki and follow '''exactly''' those steps:

* in '''only''' one pdf document with all your documents included: only use this pdf name =FinalIASApplication_YourFullname_YourBW-number
* or zip file with '''all''' of documents: zip file name = FinalIASApplication_YourFullname_YourBW-number, documents names= 1_coverletter_BWnumber, 2_STiNE_BWnumber, 3_CV_BWnumber, 4_Motivation_BWnumber ....(see sections for names)

* not more than 9 MB
* until 31 March
* use only this Email - subject '''[Final IAS Application] [Your Full name, Your BW-number]''' (The emails will be sorted automatically)
* only use: ias-team@informatik.uni-hamburg.de
* start your Email text with "'''Dear IAS-Team, this is my final application''' to the Master IAS. Please consider the attached application ....."
* Use the order of documents presented here 1.-11. when sending the application.

Everything else stays exactly the same as it is described in this wiki and website except the postal mailing part. Please note, even though now you should apply via email, we still do not inform you about missing documents or incomplete applications. '''For evaluating the application we will only consider the information provided in this one email: Email - subject ''[Final IAS Application] [Your Full name, Your BW-number]'' + Email text starting with ''"Dear IAS-Team, this is my final application to the Master IAS. Please consider the attached pdf application'' ....." '''

==I have sent my paper application already + I received an email confirmation by the IAS Team that it has arrived ==
Then you do not need to do anything.

==I have sent my paper application already + I did not receive email confirmation until 13 March 2020 ==
Please do send your application via email considering the steps above. Due to the corona-virus the IAS Team and many other people at the university will be working from home. That means nobody will get the postal mail.
Please state that your application is on the way and send the application via email again.

==I have not sent my paper application yet==
Please, send it via email. Please state in the email text that you have not sent a paper application

== Order for the pdf application==
Please, put the documents in this order and produce one pdf (and make sure that they are not attached to one another (Please do not use staplers, paper clips, folders, etc.):)

# Cover Sheet
# Signed Online Form STiNE
# CV
# Motivation Letter
# Language Test Score
# Transcript
# Self-made table
# Bachelor Certificate + Diploma Supplement
# Grade
# Grading scale
# Anabin print out
# everything else

Please highlight important information in your documents, e.g. grading scale, grade, "H+" in the anabin printout, finishing date ...

Please check carefully if you have sent all the required documents in due time. The deadline is the 31 of March (No postal mail arrives on Saturdays and Sundays at the university). Faxes are not accepted. We do not inform you of missing documents or late applications. Your application is considered incomplete if one or more of the required documents are not received before the deadline via email or if your STiNE form is not submitted online. As a result, your application will not take part in the selection process. There will be no reconsideration of your application. Also note, that we do not inform you about received emails or postal mail (letters, parcels, envelopes) – Please check with your postal mail provider if you like an acknowledgment.

One final note from the selection committee: We like a neat, well-structured, precise, and complete application. Think for yourself. Show that you can be a responsible, well-organized student, and follow basic instructions.
The selection committee and the IAS team consist of professors, lecturers, advisors, Post-docs who will also teach you once you are accepted.

= Additional Documents =
Generally, all possible documents that support your application (especially as evidence for the arguments used in your motivation letter) can be included and will be taken into account in the selection process. Please include only documents that are relevant for this application. The selection of documents already shows your ability to distinguish between relevant and irrelevant content and a large amount of radomly added certificates or documents may have a negative effect on your ranking.

==Desired documents==

* Documents that add to the evidence needed for the requirements, e.g. additional proofs of language proficiency or higher education courses with computer science content, letter of recommendation
* Evidence for research or professional and/or international experience relevant to IAS studies.
* International experience, e.g. a study exchange, shows your ability to adapt to different learning and living environments and should be listed and described as part of our CV.
* The same holds for professional experience that may show your ability to work in a computer science context.
* Training courses or extensive experience that shows deep understanding of computer science concepts. This will be taken into account for general suitability for the very specific Master program IAS.

== Suitable additions ==
* GRE test or other academic tests showing your ability to study in higher education. Such tests are not required but may be taken into account if provided and if they add to the general story of the application.
* Certificates of contests and competitions can be added if relevant. Please carefully decide whether the certificate can add any additional value to your application.

== Undesired documents ==
* Full module handbooks. To show that you fulfill the requirement of the sufficient 60 ETCS credits, you have to send the self-made and structured table. Please don't send full module handbooks as the IAS admission team will not have the time to search for core CS courses in those handbooks for you.
* Certificates that don't add additional information or are not relevant at all. More is not always better since it may show that you are not able to decide what is relevant for the subject and what is not. Select the certificates that best show your abilities.

==Do all the documents have to be sent as certified/attested copies?==
No, not for the application at the Department of Informatics - IAS. You can send the required application documents as simple copies. But please be aware that once you have been sent an ''letter of acceptance'' by the CampusCenter (central administration), you have to send certified/attested copies of your language certificate, your university entrance qualification (e.g. high school certificate), and your bachelor's degree certificate to prove the authenticity of those documents together with the matriculation form '''within 14 days''' to the "Team for Application and Admission" (Ger: ''Team Bewerbung und Zulassung'') at the CampusCenter of the Universität Hamburg. Therefore, we highly recommend preparing certified/attested copies of all the relevant documents upfront.
The central administration team (CampusCenter Team for your enrolment, located at the city center) and the IAS Team (for your application and later your studies, located at the Department of Informatics, Hamburg Stellingen) are two very distinct teams and have nothing to do with the task of the other.

More FAQ

* [[FAQ: Q&A| Frequently Asked Questions about the application]]

Application:Required documents

2020-03-13T10:12:50Z

Apeters1: /* 3. Curriculum Vitae */

'''Due to the coronavirus pandemic, applications via email are now possible and kindly asked for – see email application for more information.'''

=List of all required documents for application=
In order to apply for the 2-year Master of Science program Intelligent Adaptive Systems, you need to send a paper application to the IAS Team at the Department of Informatics, Universität Hamburg. The IAS team is a team of IAS professors, researchers, lecturers, and academic advisors. The IAS Team and the selection committee will only read complete applications that meet the formal requirements. These applications will be ranked according to the selection criteria.

In order to apply successfully please follow exactly these instructions:

The deadline is on the 31st of March. Faxes and e-mails are not accepted. The IAS selection committee does not inform you of missing documents or late applications. Your application is considered incomplete if one or more of the required documents are not received before the deadline (via postal mail) and/or if your STiNE online application form is not submitted online. As a result, your application will not take part in the selection process. You can not submit missing documents after the expiration of the application deadline, there will be no reconsideration.

The documents 'do not'' have to be sent as certified/attested copies when applying. You should '''not''' send original certificates since the IAS selection committee will not send anything back. However, please note that in case your application is successful, you will need to send attested/certified copies to the University via postal mail ''within 2 weeks'', so be prepared. The notification whether you are accepted or not is send around 15 of May. Official English and German translation of documents are accepted.

Please read the explanations of what documents you have to send and follow the links to more information.

=='''1. Cover-letter-form''' ==
* Please fill in the cover-letter form (with a pdf viewer/reader).
* Then print the form. In case you are having any problems with filling in the form digitally you can also print the form and fill it in by hand (readable!).
* Send the printed form via postal mail as the first page of your application.
* Link to the cover-letter-form: [[Cover-letter-form|cover-letter-form]]
* Filename: 1_coverletter_BWNumber

== '''2. The University's general online form (STiNE)'''==
The Universität Hamburg requires you to fill out a general and university-wide online form on their student platform called STiNE. The only purpose of this form is to register with the central administration. Nothing else. It is the way to tell the University that you might apply.
* While registering you will receive a BW - Number (Application Number). Please state this number in your cover letter.
* Submit, print and '''sign''' the STiNE online form and enclose the form with your paper application.
* Only within the application period (15 February - 31 March), the online application form can be accessed through the STiNE portal: https://www.stine.uni-hamburg.de. Sorry, some parts of the STiNE online form are in German and therefore rather tricky.
* As a service to IAS applicants, the IAS-Team has prepared a wiki entry: [[online application form|Online form STiNE]].
*For further questions about STiNE please ask the technical support of STiNE. STiNE is a part of the central administration - not the IAS Team's platform, see [https://www.stine.uni-hamburg.de/scripts/mgrqispi.dll?APPNAME=CampusNet&PRGNAME=EXTERNALPAGES&ARGUMENTS=-N000000000000002,-N000339,-A100101e#furtherquestions STiNE support].

After filling out the STiNE online form, '''click submit''', and then, '''print''' out the summary at the end (Ger: ''Druckansicht''). This print-out has to be '''signed'''. This submitted, printed, and signed STiNE form is one of the required documents which you have to send via postal mail to the Department of Informatics.

Please, note do not click "Freemover", that is the wrong application.

Please, note that the STiNE online form is just the general, uni-wide application form for central administration reasons only. You still need to send your paper application to the address below. With the complete paper application, you apply to the Department of Informatics for a place in the IAS program.

Use the address displayed here or websit not in STiNE.

Filename: 2_Stine_BWNumber

==''' 3. Curriculum Vitae'''==
The CV (table version) should include information on your academic and professional career and if you have international experience. It should specifically list information on your background relevant for IAS such as projects on AI or Robotics. Please, '''provide evidence''' of such projects through acquired certificates. Project descriptions and outlines on their CS content are especially important if the achieved credits should be counted for the 60 ECTS in computer science.
Please, add your average/overall grade (can be preliminary) and your grading scale to your cv next to the information of your degree and provide official evidence for that information.

Filename: 3_cv_BWNumber

== '''4. Letter of Motivation'''==
This is the most important document since it accounts for 40% of your ranking score. It has to be written by yourself in the English language. There is a maximum of 1.5 pages that you should not exceed.
In this letter, you should explain your motivation to study especially this program. The text should answer the following questions:
* Why are you interested in the field "Intelligent Adaptive Systems" or what parts are most interesting and why?
* Why is this program especially suited to complement the knowledge you already have?
* Why did you choose to study this program at Universität Hamburg?
* How does this program fit into your academic and professional future goals?
* Read the selection criteria and the curriculum IAS - so you know what else might be important to write about.

The selection committee will give high ratings to those letters that show that the student has made a deliberate choice to study IAS and can justify their decision well while also explaining how studying IAS will bring the student closer to the desired goal. The board is looking for students that show high motivation and have a good chance of finishing the program with a high impact on the student's life. The ability to present a well-argued and connected chain of argument is a major ability the board is looking for.

Things that affect the rating adversely are, amongst many, generic letters that are written for multiple applications, letters that are written in bad English or do not follow a good structure.

The selection committee does not want to read about the history of informatics, the selection committee wants to read something relevant and precise about you.

== '''5. Proof(s) of English language proficiency'''==
Please see [[Application:Formal requirements| formal requirements]] for details on the required language certificates and further information.

Proof of English language proficiency by
CEFR/TELC: At least Level B2 in all testing categories (listening, reading, speaking, writing) better C1
IELTS: 6.5 + B2
TOEFL: IBT 90, PBT 575, CBT 230
Cambridge: CAE or CPE

==''' 6. Transcript of Records'''==
Please see '''[[Application:Formal requirements| formal requirements]]''' for detailed information on the requirements for your transcript of records.

== '''7. Self-made structured table of all core computer science courses'''==
As a formal requirement you need to evidence 60 ECTS in core computer science courses. To do so, please provide your transcript and a self-made table listing all your core computer science courses you have completed. Please, also refer to the listed information under [[Application:Formal requirements| formal requirements]] regarding questions about the ''ECTS credit system'', the ''calculation'' of the required 60 ECTS, ''modules/courses counted as CS'' by IAS selection committee. Please use this [[Required Documents: Example structure table|example]] to provide your evidence of your 60 ECTS credits or more.

=='''8. BSc certificates and diploma supplement'''==

* If you have finished your degree send a copy of your degree certificate.

* You can also apply if you have finished 5/6 semesters and can evidence 150 ECTS credits (or comparable) of your first degree and at the point of application at least 60 ECTS in computer science must be evident. In order to estimate that you are going to finish you must provide the official transcript of records showing the amount of already acquired credits or credit hours and the number of minimum credits or credit hours required for completion. The final transcript and graduation certificate have to be handed in for enrolment if you are admitted.

* Diploma Supplement: In any case provide a description of your degree - it is an official document issued by most universities.
** The degree's grading system
** The standard amount of semesters required for completion of your degree
** The description of how many weeks per semester of in-class time with a lecturer present
** The description of how your credit systems works, e.g. 1 cp is worth 30 hours of in-class time with lecturer present meaning 2 hours a week for 15 weeks...

=='''9. Your grade'''==
In regards to your overall average grade (preliminary) or final grade, please provide a document with your (preliminary) final grade calculated by your university, even if only 5/6 or 7/8 semesters of the studies have been completed. Your grade should be in the grading system your university provides and with which you can provide the grading system. The grade needs to be in numbers, not letters. Make sure you send an official document attested by your university as the IAS selection committee does not accept self-calculated '''final''' grades nor does the IAS selection committee calculate final grades for you. If this information is listed in your transcript of records or degree certificate, then you don't need to provide this extra document.

Preliminary grade:
Some transcripts or universities do not provide a preliminary average grade: compute it on your own on an extra document and tell us how you did it. If it is not the simple grade average of all grades in the transcript, please provide extra official proof of how your university or degree rules are to compute it.

Please note: If you fail to provide proof of your grade or preliminary grade and grading scale - The grade you are assigned will be the worst possible grade - a grade of 9.9 in selection procedures. This means that applications without a grade will rank behind the last applicant who had provided a grade. This is also true if you state a different grade / grading scale in the table and cover-letter than in your transcript or when the selection committee controls your computation.

=='''10. Grading scale'''==
IAS selection committee needs detailed information on your degree's grading system (alternative names: grading scale/scheme of evaluation/grade classification/range of marks ...) as it is important in our [[Application:Selection criteria| selection process]]. As the IAS selection committee will evaluate and rank all applications, we need the grading scale of your university to make your average or final grade comparable to others. In a lot of cases, official transcripts of records display the university's grading system. Usually, this is a table with all the degree's grades and corresponding information like minimum passing grade and maximum, outstanding or excellent grade, etc. However, if this is not the case for your transcript of records, then please provide this information attested by your university.

Highlight the grading scale, minimum passing grade, and maximum grade in your official documents and state exactly on which page the relevant information can be found, e.g., "the grading scale can be found in the printed degree description page 4 Section 2.1.1 see highlighted information". The selection committee will not look through documents if no help is provided where to find the right information. Please display exact information on paper printout. You may provide a link to a lengthy document if you only printed out parts of a lengthy document for control reasons. The selection committee will not follow links nor translate websites to search for information if no information is provided in paper.

Please note: If you fail to provide proof of your grade or preliminary grade and grading scale - The grade you are assigned will be the worst possible grade - a grade of 9.9 in selection procedures. This means that applications without a grade or grading scale will rank behind the last applicant who had provided a grade. This is also true if you state a different grade / grading scale in the table and cover-letter than in your transcript/official documents or when the selection committee controls your computation.

=='''11. Evidence that your university and degree is recognized in Germany'''==
Admission to a Master degree program at a German university requires an undergraduate degree. This must have been obtained from a recognized higher education institution. The degree also must be equivalent to at least a three year Bachelor that was attained in Germany. It is a prerequisite for an application for the master course "IAS" that your university degree is recognized as equivalent to a Bachelor's degree obtained in Germany.

===How to provide proof that your university is recognized in Germany?===

The selection committee's advice: print out the anabin database entry for proof. It is cost-free and fast:
* Use the database anabin and print out the information about your university
* Your university needs to be recognized with H+
* More information here: [[Desired Documents:Anabin|Anabin]]

If you have difficulties handling anabin, you may use the fee-based service, called Uni-Assist:
* This is the official recommendation of the Universität Hamburg is that you use the fee-based service Uni-Assist (but you don't need to if you provide the anabin printout)
* Request this service around 1 of December - otherwise Uni-Assist might not answer you in time
* More information about [[FAQ:UniAssist| Uni-Assist]]
* Only use Uni-assist if you do not want to look up your University in the database Anabin

Some countries have to get a German authorities endorsement anyway for visa or application- you may hand this in as additional proof:

An endorsement of recognition from German authorities, including information about the type of higher education entrance eligibility and, if applicable, for a particular subject. The Universität Hamburg accepts the following types of endorsement of recognition:

* APS certificates from the academic review offices of Beijing, Ulaanbaatar, and Hanoi

Please note: For the application to the Master program IAS - it is enough to send in your information from Anabin.

If you cannot find information on whether your university is recognized in Germany, the selection committee has to decide case by case whether your degree sounds eligible or not. Usually, your degree does not qualify.

=Application via email possible from now on until 31 March:=

'''Because of the corona-virus pandemic, the IAS Team has decided to allow applications via email.'''

Send the application as described on the website and this wiki and follow '''exactly''' those steps:

* in '''only''' one pdf document with all your documents included: only use this pdf name =FinalIASApplication_YourFullname_YourBW-number
* or zip file with '''all''' of documents: zip file name = FinalIASApplication_YourFullname_YourBW-number, documents names= 1_coverletter, 2_STiNE, 3_CV, 4_Motivation ....

* not more than 9 MB
* until 31 March
* use only this Email - subject '''[Final IAS Application] [Your Full name, Your BW-number]''' (The emails will be sorted automatically)
* only use: ias-team@informatik.uni-hamburg.de
* start your Email text with "'''Dear IAS-Team, this is my final application''' to the Master IAS. Please consider the attached application ....."
* Use the order of documents presented here 1.-11. when sending the application.

Everything else stays exactly the same as it is described in this wiki and website except the postal mailing part. Please note, even though now you should apply via email, we still do not inform you about missing documents or incomplete applications. '''For evaluating the application we will only consider the information provided in this one email: Email - subject ''[Final IAS Application] [Your Full name, Your BW-number]'' + Email text starting with ''"Dear IAS-Team, this is my final application to the Master IAS. Please consider the attached pdf application'' ....." '''

==I have sent my paper application already + I received an email confirmation by the IAS Team that it has arrived ==
Then you do not need to do anything.

==I have sent my paper application already + I did not receive email confirmation until 13 March 2020 ==
Please do send your application via email considering the steps above. Due to the corona-virus the IAS Team and many other people at the university will be working from home. That means nobody will get the postal mail.
Please state that your application is on the way and send the application via email again.

==I have not sent my paper application yet==
Please, send it via email. Please state in the email text that you have not sent a paper application

== Order for the pdf application==
Please, put the documents in this order and produce one pdf (and make sure that they are not attached to one another (Please do not use staplers, paper clips, folders, etc.):)

# Cover Sheet
# Signed Online Form STiNE
# CV
# Motivation Letter
# Language Test Score
# Transcript
# Self-made table
# Bachelor Certificate + Diploma Supplement
# Grade
# Grading scale
# Anabin print out
# everything else

Please highlight important information in your documents, e.g. grading scale, grade, "H+" in the anabin printout, finishing date ...

Please check carefully if you have sent all the required documents in due time. The deadline is the 31 of March (No postal mail arrives on Saturdays and Sundays at the university). Faxes are not accepted. We do not inform you of missing documents or late applications. Your application is considered incomplete if one or more of the required documents are not received before the deadline via email or if your STiNE form is not submitted online. As a result, your application will not take part in the selection process. There will be no reconsideration of your application. Also note, that we do not inform you about received emails or postal mail (letters, parcels, envelopes) – Please check with your postal mail provider if you like an acknowledgment.

One final note from the selection committee: We like a neat, well-structured, precise, and complete application. Think for yourself. Show that you can be a responsible, well-organized student, and follow basic instructions.
The selection committee and the IAS team consist of professors, lecturers, advisors, Post-docs who will also teach you once you are accepted.

= Additional Documents =
Generally, all possible documents that support your application (especially as evidence for the arguments used in your motivation letter) can be included and will be taken into account in the selection process. Please include only documents that are relevant for this application. The selection of documents already shows your ability to distinguish between relevant and irrelevant content and a large amount of radomly added certificates or documents may have a negative effect on your ranking.

==Desired documents==

* Documents that add to the evidence needed for the requirements, e.g. additional proofs of language proficiency or higher education courses with computer science content, letter of recommendation
* Evidence for research or professional and/or international experience relevant to IAS studies.
* International experience, e.g. a study exchange, shows your ability to adapt to different learning and living environments and should be listed and described as part of our CV.
* The same holds for professional experience that may show your ability to work in a computer science context.
* Training courses or extensive experience that shows deep understanding of computer science concepts. This will be taken into account for general suitability for the very specific Master program IAS.

== Suitable additions ==
* GRE test or other academic tests showing your ability to study in higher education. Such tests are not required but may be taken into account if provided and if they add to the general story of the application.
* Certificates of contests and competitions can be added if relevant. Please carefully decide whether the certificate can add any additional value to your application.

== Undesired documents ==
* Full module handbooks. To show that you fulfill the requirement of the sufficient 60 ETCS credits, you have to send the self-made and structured table. Please don't send full module handbooks as the IAS admission team will not have the time to search for core CS courses in those handbooks for you.
* Certificates that don't add additional information or are not relevant at all. More is not always better since it may show that you are not able to decide what is relevant for the subject and what is not. Select the certificates that best show your abilities.

==Do all the documents have to be sent as certified/attested copies?==
No, not for the application at the Department of Informatics - IAS. You can send the required application documents as simple copies. But please be aware that once you have been sent an ''letter of acceptance'' by the CampusCenter (central administration), you have to send certified/attested copies of your language certificate, your university entrance qualification (e.g. high school certificate), and your bachelor's degree certificate to prove the authenticity of those documents together with the matriculation form '''within 14 days''' to the "Team for Application and Admission" (Ger: ''Team Bewerbung und Zulassung'') at the CampusCenter of the Universität Hamburg. Therefore, we highly recommend preparing certified/attested copies of all the relevant documents upfront.
The central administration team (CampusCenter Team for your enrolment, located at the city center) and the IAS Team (for your application and later your studies, located at the Department of Informatics, Hamburg Stellingen) are two very distinct teams and have nothing to do with the task of the other.

More FAQ

* [[FAQ: Q&A| Frequently Asked Questions about the application]]

Application:Required documents

2020-03-13T10:12:29Z

Apeters1: /* 2. The University's general online form (STiNE) */

'''Due to the coronavirus pandemic, applications via email are now possible and kindly asked for – see email application for more information.'''

=List of all required documents for application=
In order to apply for the 2-year Master of Science program Intelligent Adaptive Systems, you need to send a paper application to the IAS Team at the Department of Informatics, Universität Hamburg. The IAS team is a team of IAS professors, researchers, lecturers, and academic advisors. The IAS Team and the selection committee will only read complete applications that meet the formal requirements. These applications will be ranked according to the selection criteria.

In order to apply successfully please follow exactly these instructions:

The deadline is on the 31st of March. Faxes and e-mails are not accepted. The IAS selection committee does not inform you of missing documents or late applications. Your application is considered incomplete if one or more of the required documents are not received before the deadline (via postal mail) and/or if your STiNE online application form is not submitted online. As a result, your application will not take part in the selection process. You can not submit missing documents after the expiration of the application deadline, there will be no reconsideration.

The documents 'do not'' have to be sent as certified/attested copies when applying. You should '''not''' send original certificates since the IAS selection committee will not send anything back. However, please note that in case your application is successful, you will need to send attested/certified copies to the University via postal mail ''within 2 weeks'', so be prepared. The notification whether you are accepted or not is send around 15 of May. Official English and German translation of documents are accepted.

Please read the explanations of what documents you have to send and follow the links to more information.

=='''1. Cover-letter-form''' ==
* Please fill in the cover-letter form (with a pdf viewer/reader).
* Then print the form. In case you are having any problems with filling in the form digitally you can also print the form and fill it in by hand (readable!).
* Send the printed form via postal mail as the first page of your application.
* Link to the cover-letter-form: [[Cover-letter-form|cover-letter-form]]
* Filename: 1_coverletter_BWNumber

== '''2. The University's general online form (STiNE)'''==
The Universität Hamburg requires you to fill out a general and university-wide online form on their student platform called STiNE. The only purpose of this form is to register with the central administration. Nothing else. It is the way to tell the University that you might apply.
* While registering you will receive a BW - Number (Application Number). Please state this number in your cover letter.
* Submit, print and '''sign''' the STiNE online form and enclose the form with your paper application.
* Only within the application period (15 February - 31 March), the online application form can be accessed through the STiNE portal: https://www.stine.uni-hamburg.de. Sorry, some parts of the STiNE online form are in German and therefore rather tricky.
* As a service to IAS applicants, the IAS-Team has prepared a wiki entry: [[online application form|Online form STiNE]].
*For further questions about STiNE please ask the technical support of STiNE. STiNE is a part of the central administration - not the IAS Team's platform, see [https://www.stine.uni-hamburg.de/scripts/mgrqispi.dll?APPNAME=CampusNet&PRGNAME=EXTERNALPAGES&ARGUMENTS=-N000000000000002,-N000339,-A100101e#furtherquestions STiNE support].

After filling out the STiNE online form, '''click submit''', and then, '''print''' out the summary at the end (Ger: ''Druckansicht''). This print-out has to be '''signed'''. This submitted, printed, and signed STiNE form is one of the required documents which you have to send via postal mail to the Department of Informatics.

Please, note do not click "Freemover", that is the wrong application.

Please, note that the STiNE online form is just the general, uni-wide application form for central administration reasons only. You still need to send your paper application to the address below. With the complete paper application, you apply to the Department of Informatics for a place in the IAS program.

Use the address displayed here or websit not in STiNE.

Filename: 2_Stine_BWNumber

==''' 3. Curriculum Vitae'''==
The CV (table version) should include information on your academic and professional career and if you have international experience. It should specifically list information on your background relevant for IAS such as projects on AI or Robotics. Please, '''provide evidence''' of such projects through acquired certificates. Project descriptions and outlines on their CS content are especially important if the achieved credits should be counted for the 60 ECTS in computer science.
Please, add your average/overall grade (can be preliminary) and your grading scale to your cv next to the information of your degree and provide official evidence for that information.

== '''4. Letter of Motivation'''==
This is the most important document since it accounts for 40% of your ranking score. It has to be written by yourself in the English language. There is a maximum of 1.5 pages that you should not exceed.
In this letter, you should explain your motivation to study especially this program. The text should answer the following questions:
* Why are you interested in the field "Intelligent Adaptive Systems" or what parts are most interesting and why?
* Why is this program especially suited to complement the knowledge you already have?
* Why did you choose to study this program at Universität Hamburg?
* How does this program fit into your academic and professional future goals?
* Read the selection criteria and the curriculum IAS - so you know what else might be important to write about.

The selection committee will give high ratings to those letters that show that the student has made a deliberate choice to study IAS and can justify their decision well while also explaining how studying IAS will bring the student closer to the desired goal. The board is looking for students that show high motivation and have a good chance of finishing the program with a high impact on the student's life. The ability to present a well-argued and connected chain of argument is a major ability the board is looking for.

Things that affect the rating adversely are, amongst many, generic letters that are written for multiple applications, letters that are written in bad English or do not follow a good structure.

The selection committee does not want to read about the history of informatics, the selection committee wants to read something relevant and precise about you.

== '''5. Proof(s) of English language proficiency'''==
Please see [[Application:Formal requirements| formal requirements]] for details on the required language certificates and further information.

Proof of English language proficiency by
CEFR/TELC: At least Level B2 in all testing categories (listening, reading, speaking, writing) better C1
IELTS: 6.5 + B2
TOEFL: IBT 90, PBT 575, CBT 230
Cambridge: CAE or CPE

==''' 6. Transcript of Records'''==
Please see '''[[Application:Formal requirements| formal requirements]]''' for detailed information on the requirements for your transcript of records.

== '''7. Self-made structured table of all core computer science courses'''==
As a formal requirement you need to evidence 60 ECTS in core computer science courses. To do so, please provide your transcript and a self-made table listing all your core computer science courses you have completed. Please, also refer to the listed information under [[Application:Formal requirements| formal requirements]] regarding questions about the ''ECTS credit system'', the ''calculation'' of the required 60 ECTS, ''modules/courses counted as CS'' by IAS selection committee. Please use this [[Required Documents: Example structure table|example]] to provide your evidence of your 60 ECTS credits or more.

=='''8. BSc certificates and diploma supplement'''==

* If you have finished your degree send a copy of your degree certificate.

* You can also apply if you have finished 5/6 semesters and can evidence 150 ECTS credits (or comparable) of your first degree and at the point of application at least 60 ECTS in computer science must be evident. In order to estimate that you are going to finish you must provide the official transcript of records showing the amount of already acquired credits or credit hours and the number of minimum credits or credit hours required for completion. The final transcript and graduation certificate have to be handed in for enrolment if you are admitted.

* Diploma Supplement: In any case provide a description of your degree - it is an official document issued by most universities.
** The degree's grading system
** The standard amount of semesters required for completion of your degree
** The description of how many weeks per semester of in-class time with a lecturer present
** The description of how your credit systems works, e.g. 1 cp is worth 30 hours of in-class time with lecturer present meaning 2 hours a week for 15 weeks...

=='''9. Your grade'''==
In regards to your overall average grade (preliminary) or final grade, please provide a document with your (preliminary) final grade calculated by your university, even if only 5/6 or 7/8 semesters of the studies have been completed. Your grade should be in the grading system your university provides and with which you can provide the grading system. The grade needs to be in numbers, not letters. Make sure you send an official document attested by your university as the IAS selection committee does not accept self-calculated '''final''' grades nor does the IAS selection committee calculate final grades for you. If this information is listed in your transcript of records or degree certificate, then you don't need to provide this extra document.

Preliminary grade:
Some transcripts or universities do not provide a preliminary average grade: compute it on your own on an extra document and tell us how you did it. If it is not the simple grade average of all grades in the transcript, please provide extra official proof of how your university or degree rules are to compute it.

Please note: If you fail to provide proof of your grade or preliminary grade and grading scale - The grade you are assigned will be the worst possible grade - a grade of 9.9 in selection procedures. This means that applications without a grade will rank behind the last applicant who had provided a grade. This is also true if you state a different grade / grading scale in the table and cover-letter than in your transcript or when the selection committee controls your computation.

=='''10. Grading scale'''==
IAS selection committee needs detailed information on your degree's grading system (alternative names: grading scale/scheme of evaluation/grade classification/range of marks ...) as it is important in our [[Application:Selection criteria| selection process]]. As the IAS selection committee will evaluate and rank all applications, we need the grading scale of your university to make your average or final grade comparable to others. In a lot of cases, official transcripts of records display the university's grading system. Usually, this is a table with all the degree's grades and corresponding information like minimum passing grade and maximum, outstanding or excellent grade, etc. However, if this is not the case for your transcript of records, then please provide this information attested by your university.

Highlight the grading scale, minimum passing grade, and maximum grade in your official documents and state exactly on which page the relevant information can be found, e.g., "the grading scale can be found in the printed degree description page 4 Section 2.1.1 see highlighted information". The selection committee will not look through documents if no help is provided where to find the right information. Please display exact information on paper printout. You may provide a link to a lengthy document if you only printed out parts of a lengthy document for control reasons. The selection committee will not follow links nor translate websites to search for information if no information is provided in paper.

Please note: If you fail to provide proof of your grade or preliminary grade and grading scale - The grade you are assigned will be the worst possible grade - a grade of 9.9 in selection procedures. This means that applications without a grade or grading scale will rank behind the last applicant who had provided a grade. This is also true if you state a different grade / grading scale in the table and cover-letter than in your transcript/official documents or when the selection committee controls your computation.

=='''11. Evidence that your university and degree is recognized in Germany'''==
Admission to a Master degree program at a German university requires an undergraduate degree. This must have been obtained from a recognized higher education institution. The degree also must be equivalent to at least a three year Bachelor that was attained in Germany. It is a prerequisite for an application for the master course "IAS" that your university degree is recognized as equivalent to a Bachelor's degree obtained in Germany.

===How to provide proof that your university is recognized in Germany?===

The selection committee's advice: print out the anabin database entry for proof. It is cost-free and fast:
* Use the database anabin and print out the information about your university
* Your university needs to be recognized with H+
* More information here: [[Desired Documents:Anabin|Anabin]]

If you have difficulties handling anabin, you may use the fee-based service, called Uni-Assist:
* This is the official recommendation of the Universität Hamburg is that you use the fee-based service Uni-Assist (but you don't need to if you provide the anabin printout)
* Request this service around 1 of December - otherwise Uni-Assist might not answer you in time
* More information about [[FAQ:UniAssist| Uni-Assist]]
* Only use Uni-assist if you do not want to look up your University in the database Anabin

Some countries have to get a German authorities endorsement anyway for visa or application- you may hand this in as additional proof:

An endorsement of recognition from German authorities, including information about the type of higher education entrance eligibility and, if applicable, for a particular subject. The Universität Hamburg accepts the following types of endorsement of recognition:

* APS certificates from the academic review offices of Beijing, Ulaanbaatar, and Hanoi

Please note: For the application to the Master program IAS - it is enough to send in your information from Anabin.

If you cannot find information on whether your university is recognized in Germany, the selection committee has to decide case by case whether your degree sounds eligible or not. Usually, your degree does not qualify.

=Application via email possible from now on until 31 March:=

'''Because of the corona-virus pandemic, the IAS Team has decided to allow applications via email.'''

Send the application as described on the website and this wiki and follow '''exactly''' those steps:

* in '''only''' one pdf document with all your documents included: only use this pdf name =FinalIASApplication_YourFullname_YourBW-number
* or zip file with '''all''' of documents: zip file name = FinalIASApplication_YourFullname_YourBW-number, documents names= 1_coverletter, 2_STiNE, 3_CV, 4_Motivation ....

* not more than 9 MB
* until 31 March
* use only this Email - subject '''[Final IAS Application] [Your Full name, Your BW-number]''' (The emails will be sorted automatically)
* only use: ias-team@informatik.uni-hamburg.de
* start your Email text with "'''Dear IAS-Team, this is my final application''' to the Master IAS. Please consider the attached application ....."
* Use the order of documents presented here 1.-11. when sending the application.

Everything else stays exactly the same as it is described in this wiki and website except the postal mailing part. Please note, even though now you should apply via email, we still do not inform you about missing documents or incomplete applications. '''For evaluating the application we will only consider the information provided in this one email: Email - subject ''[Final IAS Application] [Your Full name, Your BW-number]'' + Email text starting with ''"Dear IAS-Team, this is my final application to the Master IAS. Please consider the attached pdf application'' ....." '''

==I have sent my paper application already + I received an email confirmation by the IAS Team that it has arrived ==
Then you do not need to do anything.

==I have sent my paper application already + I did not receive email confirmation until 13 March 2020 ==
Please do send your application via email considering the steps above. Due to the corona-virus the IAS Team and many other people at the university will be working from home. That means nobody will get the postal mail.
Please state that your application is on the way and send the application via email again.

==I have not sent my paper application yet==
Please, send it via email. Please state in the email text that you have not sent a paper application

== Order for the pdf application==
Please, put the documents in this order and produce one pdf (and make sure that they are not attached to one another (Please do not use staplers, paper clips, folders, etc.):)

# Cover Sheet
# Signed Online Form STiNE
# CV
# Motivation Letter
# Language Test Score
# Transcript
# Self-made table
# Bachelor Certificate + Diploma Supplement
# Grade
# Grading scale
# Anabin print out
# everything else

Please highlight important information in your documents, e.g. grading scale, grade, "H+" in the anabin printout, finishing date ...

Please check carefully if you have sent all the required documents in due time. The deadline is the 31 of March (No postal mail arrives on Saturdays and Sundays at the university). Faxes are not accepted. We do not inform you of missing documents or late applications. Your application is considered incomplete if one or more of the required documents are not received before the deadline via email or if your STiNE form is not submitted online. As a result, your application will not take part in the selection process. There will be no reconsideration of your application. Also note, that we do not inform you about received emails or postal mail (letters, parcels, envelopes) – Please check with your postal mail provider if you like an acknowledgment.

One final note from the selection committee: We like a neat, well-structured, precise, and complete application. Think for yourself. Show that you can be a responsible, well-organized student, and follow basic instructions.
The selection committee and the IAS team consist of professors, lecturers, advisors, Post-docs who will also teach you once you are accepted.

= Additional Documents =
Generally, all possible documents that support your application (especially as evidence for the arguments used in your motivation letter) can be included and will be taken into account in the selection process. Please include only documents that are relevant for this application. The selection of documents already shows your ability to distinguish between relevant and irrelevant content and a large amount of radomly added certificates or documents may have a negative effect on your ranking.

==Desired documents==

* Documents that add to the evidence needed for the requirements, e.g. additional proofs of language proficiency or higher education courses with computer science content, letter of recommendation
* Evidence for research or professional and/or international experience relevant to IAS studies.
* International experience, e.g. a study exchange, shows your ability to adapt to different learning and living environments and should be listed and described as part of our CV.
* The same holds for professional experience that may show your ability to work in a computer science context.
* Training courses or extensive experience that shows deep understanding of computer science concepts. This will be taken into account for general suitability for the very specific Master program IAS.

== Suitable additions ==
* GRE test or other academic tests showing your ability to study in higher education. Such tests are not required but may be taken into account if provided and if they add to the general story of the application.
* Certificates of contests and competitions can be added if relevant. Please carefully decide whether the certificate can add any additional value to your application.

== Undesired documents ==
* Full module handbooks. To show that you fulfill the requirement of the sufficient 60 ETCS credits, you have to send the self-made and structured table. Please don't send full module handbooks as the IAS admission team will not have the time to search for core CS courses in those handbooks for you.
* Certificates that don't add additional information or are not relevant at all. More is not always better since it may show that you are not able to decide what is relevant for the subject and what is not. Select the certificates that best show your abilities.

==Do all the documents have to be sent as certified/attested copies?==
No, not for the application at the Department of Informatics - IAS. You can send the required application documents as simple copies. But please be aware that once you have been sent an ''letter of acceptance'' by the CampusCenter (central administration), you have to send certified/attested copies of your language certificate, your university entrance qualification (e.g. high school certificate), and your bachelor's degree certificate to prove the authenticity of those documents together with the matriculation form '''within 14 days''' to the "Team for Application and Admission" (Ger: ''Team Bewerbung und Zulassung'') at the CampusCenter of the Universität Hamburg. Therefore, we highly recommend preparing certified/attested copies of all the relevant documents upfront.
The central administration team (CampusCenter Team for your enrolment, located at the city center) and the IAS Team (for your application and later your studies, located at the Department of Informatics, Hamburg Stellingen) are two very distinct teams and have nothing to do with the task of the other.

More FAQ

* [[FAQ: Q&A| Frequently Asked Questions about the application]]

Application:Required documents

2020-03-13T10:12:09Z

Apeters1: /* 1. Cover-letter-form */

'''Due to the coronavirus pandemic, applications via email are now possible and kindly asked for – see email application for more information.'''

=List of all required documents for application=
In order to apply for the 2-year Master of Science program Intelligent Adaptive Systems, you need to send a paper application to the IAS Team at the Department of Informatics, Universität Hamburg. The IAS team is a team of IAS professors, researchers, lecturers, and academic advisors. The IAS Team and the selection committee will only read complete applications that meet the formal requirements. These applications will be ranked according to the selection criteria.

In order to apply successfully please follow exactly these instructions:

The deadline is on the 31st of March. Faxes and e-mails are not accepted. The IAS selection committee does not inform you of missing documents or late applications. Your application is considered incomplete if one or more of the required documents are not received before the deadline (via postal mail) and/or if your STiNE online application form is not submitted online. As a result, your application will not take part in the selection process. You can not submit missing documents after the expiration of the application deadline, there will be no reconsideration.

The documents 'do not'' have to be sent as certified/attested copies when applying. You should '''not''' send original certificates since the IAS selection committee will not send anything back. However, please note that in case your application is successful, you will need to send attested/certified copies to the University via postal mail ''within 2 weeks'', so be prepared. The notification whether you are accepted or not is send around 15 of May. Official English and German translation of documents are accepted.

Please read the explanations of what documents you have to send and follow the links to more information.

=='''1. Cover-letter-form''' ==
* Please fill in the cover-letter form (with a pdf viewer/reader).
* Then print the form. In case you are having any problems with filling in the form digitally you can also print the form and fill it in by hand (readable!).
* Send the printed form via postal mail as the first page of your application.
* Link to the cover-letter-form: [[Cover-letter-form|cover-letter-form]]
* Filename: 1_coverletter_BWNumber

== '''2. The University's general online form (STiNE)'''==
The Universität Hamburg requires you to fill out a general and university-wide online form on their student platform called STiNE. The only purpose of this form is to register with the central administration. Nothing else. It is the way to tell the University that you might apply.
* While registering you will receive a BW - Number (Application Number). Please state this number in your cover letter.
* Submit, print and '''sign''' the STiNE online form and enclose the form with your paper application.
* Only within the application period (15 February - 31 March), the online application form can be accessed through the STiNE portal: https://www.stine.uni-hamburg.de. Sorry, some parts of the STiNE online form are in German and therefore rather tricky.
* As a service to IAS applicants, the IAS-Team has prepared a wiki entry: [[online application form|Online form STiNE]].
*For further questions about STiNE please ask the technical support of STiNE. STiNE is a part of the central administration - not the IAS Team's platform, see [https://www.stine.uni-hamburg.de/scripts/mgrqispi.dll?APPNAME=CampusNet&PRGNAME=EXTERNALPAGES&ARGUMENTS=-N000000000000002,-N000339,-A100101e#furtherquestions STiNE support].

After filling out the STiNE online form, '''click submit''', and then, '''print''' out the summary at the end (Ger: ''Druckansicht''). This print-out has to be '''signed'''. This submitted, printed, and signed STiNE form is one of the required documents which you have to send via postal mail to the Department of Informatics.

Please, note do not click "Freemover", that is the wrong application.

Please, note that the STiNE online form is just the general, uni-wide application form for central administration reasons only. You still need to send your paper application to the address below. With the complete paper application, you apply to the Department of Informatics for a place in the IAS program.

Use the address displayed here or websit not in STiNE.

==''' 3. Curriculum Vitae'''==
The CV (table version) should include information on your academic and professional career and if you have international experience. It should specifically list information on your background relevant for IAS such as projects on AI or Robotics. Please, '''provide evidence''' of such projects through acquired certificates. Project descriptions and outlines on their CS content are especially important if the achieved credits should be counted for the 60 ECTS in computer science.
Please, add your average/overall grade (can be preliminary) and your grading scale to your cv next to the information of your degree and provide official evidence for that information.

== '''4. Letter of Motivation'''==
This is the most important document since it accounts for 40% of your ranking score. It has to be written by yourself in the English language. There is a maximum of 1.5 pages that you should not exceed.
In this letter, you should explain your motivation to study especially this program. The text should answer the following questions:
* Why are you interested in the field "Intelligent Adaptive Systems" or what parts are most interesting and why?
* Why is this program especially suited to complement the knowledge you already have?
* Why did you choose to study this program at Universität Hamburg?
* How does this program fit into your academic and professional future goals?
* Read the selection criteria and the curriculum IAS - so you know what else might be important to write about.

The selection committee will give high ratings to those letters that show that the student has made a deliberate choice to study IAS and can justify their decision well while also explaining how studying IAS will bring the student closer to the desired goal. The board is looking for students that show high motivation and have a good chance of finishing the program with a high impact on the student's life. The ability to present a well-argued and connected chain of argument is a major ability the board is looking for.

Things that affect the rating adversely are, amongst many, generic letters that are written for multiple applications, letters that are written in bad English or do not follow a good structure.

The selection committee does not want to read about the history of informatics, the selection committee wants to read something relevant and precise about you.

== '''5. Proof(s) of English language proficiency'''==
Please see [[Application:Formal requirements| formal requirements]] for details on the required language certificates and further information.

Proof of English language proficiency by
CEFR/TELC: At least Level B2 in all testing categories (listening, reading, speaking, writing) better C1
IELTS: 6.5 + B2
TOEFL: IBT 90, PBT 575, CBT 230
Cambridge: CAE or CPE

==''' 6. Transcript of Records'''==
Please see '''[[Application:Formal requirements| formal requirements]]''' for detailed information on the requirements for your transcript of records.

== '''7. Self-made structured table of all core computer science courses'''==
As a formal requirement you need to evidence 60 ECTS in core computer science courses. To do so, please provide your transcript and a self-made table listing all your core computer science courses you have completed. Please, also refer to the listed information under [[Application:Formal requirements| formal requirements]] regarding questions about the ''ECTS credit system'', the ''calculation'' of the required 60 ECTS, ''modules/courses counted as CS'' by IAS selection committee. Please use this [[Required Documents: Example structure table|example]] to provide your evidence of your 60 ECTS credits or more.

=='''8. BSc certificates and diploma supplement'''==

* If you have finished your degree send a copy of your degree certificate.

* You can also apply if you have finished 5/6 semesters and can evidence 150 ECTS credits (or comparable) of your first degree and at the point of application at least 60 ECTS in computer science must be evident. In order to estimate that you are going to finish you must provide the official transcript of records showing the amount of already acquired credits or credit hours and the number of minimum credits or credit hours required for completion. The final transcript and graduation certificate have to be handed in for enrolment if you are admitted.

* Diploma Supplement: In any case provide a description of your degree - it is an official document issued by most universities.
** The degree's grading system
** The standard amount of semesters required for completion of your degree
** The description of how many weeks per semester of in-class time with a lecturer present
** The description of how your credit systems works, e.g. 1 cp is worth 30 hours of in-class time with lecturer present meaning 2 hours a week for 15 weeks...

=='''9. Your grade'''==
In regards to your overall average grade (preliminary) or final grade, please provide a document with your (preliminary) final grade calculated by your university, even if only 5/6 or 7/8 semesters of the studies have been completed. Your grade should be in the grading system your university provides and with which you can provide the grading system. The grade needs to be in numbers, not letters. Make sure you send an official document attested by your university as the IAS selection committee does not accept self-calculated '''final''' grades nor does the IAS selection committee calculate final grades for you. If this information is listed in your transcript of records or degree certificate, then you don't need to provide this extra document.

Preliminary grade:
Some transcripts or universities do not provide a preliminary average grade: compute it on your own on an extra document and tell us how you did it. If it is not the simple grade average of all grades in the transcript, please provide extra official proof of how your university or degree rules are to compute it.

Please note: If you fail to provide proof of your grade or preliminary grade and grading scale - The grade you are assigned will be the worst possible grade - a grade of 9.9 in selection procedures. This means that applications without a grade will rank behind the last applicant who had provided a grade. This is also true if you state a different grade / grading scale in the table and cover-letter than in your transcript or when the selection committee controls your computation.

=='''10. Grading scale'''==
IAS selection committee needs detailed information on your degree's grading system (alternative names: grading scale/scheme of evaluation/grade classification/range of marks ...) as it is important in our [[Application:Selection criteria| selection process]]. As the IAS selection committee will evaluate and rank all applications, we need the grading scale of your university to make your average or final grade comparable to others. In a lot of cases, official transcripts of records display the university's grading system. Usually, this is a table with all the degree's grades and corresponding information like minimum passing grade and maximum, outstanding or excellent grade, etc. However, if this is not the case for your transcript of records, then please provide this information attested by your university.

Highlight the grading scale, minimum passing grade, and maximum grade in your official documents and state exactly on which page the relevant information can be found, e.g., "the grading scale can be found in the printed degree description page 4 Section 2.1.1 see highlighted information". The selection committee will not look through documents if no help is provided where to find the right information. Please display exact information on paper printout. You may provide a link to a lengthy document if you only printed out parts of a lengthy document for control reasons. The selection committee will not follow links nor translate websites to search for information if no information is provided in paper.

Please note: If you fail to provide proof of your grade or preliminary grade and grading scale - The grade you are assigned will be the worst possible grade - a grade of 9.9 in selection procedures. This means that applications without a grade or grading scale will rank behind the last applicant who had provided a grade. This is also true if you state a different grade / grading scale in the table and cover-letter than in your transcript/official documents or when the selection committee controls your computation.

=='''11. Evidence that your university and degree is recognized in Germany'''==
Admission to a Master degree program at a German university requires an undergraduate degree. This must have been obtained from a recognized higher education institution. The degree also must be equivalent to at least a three year Bachelor that was attained in Germany. It is a prerequisite for an application for the master course "IAS" that your university degree is recognized as equivalent to a Bachelor's degree obtained in Germany.

===How to provide proof that your university is recognized in Germany?===

The selection committee's advice: print out the anabin database entry for proof. It is cost-free and fast:
* Use the database anabin and print out the information about your university
* Your university needs to be recognized with H+
* More information here: [[Desired Documents:Anabin|Anabin]]

If you have difficulties handling anabin, you may use the fee-based service, called Uni-Assist:
* This is the official recommendation of the Universität Hamburg is that you use the fee-based service Uni-Assist (but you don't need to if you provide the anabin printout)
* Request this service around 1 of December - otherwise Uni-Assist might not answer you in time
* More information about [[FAQ:UniAssist| Uni-Assist]]
* Only use Uni-assist if you do not want to look up your University in the database Anabin

Some countries have to get a German authorities endorsement anyway for visa or application- you may hand this in as additional proof:

An endorsement of recognition from German authorities, including information about the type of higher education entrance eligibility and, if applicable, for a particular subject. The Universität Hamburg accepts the following types of endorsement of recognition:

* APS certificates from the academic review offices of Beijing, Ulaanbaatar, and Hanoi

Please note: For the application to the Master program IAS - it is enough to send in your information from Anabin.

If you cannot find information on whether your university is recognized in Germany, the selection committee has to decide case by case whether your degree sounds eligible or not. Usually, your degree does not qualify.

=Application via email possible from now on until 31 March:=

'''Because of the corona-virus pandemic, the IAS Team has decided to allow applications via email.'''

Send the application as described on the website and this wiki and follow '''exactly''' those steps:

* in '''only''' one pdf document with all your documents included: only use this pdf name =FinalIASApplication_YourFullname_YourBW-number
* or zip file with '''all''' of documents: zip file name = FinalIASApplication_YourFullname_YourBW-number, documents names= 1_coverletter, 2_STiNE, 3_CV, 4_Motivation ....

* not more than 9 MB
* until 31 March
* use only this Email - subject '''[Final IAS Application] [Your Full name, Your BW-number]''' (The emails will be sorted automatically)
* only use: ias-team@informatik.uni-hamburg.de
* start your Email text with "'''Dear IAS-Team, this is my final application''' to the Master IAS. Please consider the attached application ....."
* Use the order of documents presented here 1.-11. when sending the application.

Everything else stays exactly the same as it is described in this wiki and website except the postal mailing part. Please note, even though now you should apply via email, we still do not inform you about missing documents or incomplete applications. '''For evaluating the application we will only consider the information provided in this one email: Email - subject ''[Final IAS Application] [Your Full name, Your BW-number]'' + Email text starting with ''"Dear IAS-Team, this is my final application to the Master IAS. Please consider the attached pdf application'' ....." '''

==I have sent my paper application already + I received an email confirmation by the IAS Team that it has arrived ==
Then you do not need to do anything.

==I have sent my paper application already + I did not receive email confirmation until 13 March 2020 ==
Please do send your application via email considering the steps above. Due to the corona-virus the IAS Team and many other people at the university will be working from home. That means nobody will get the postal mail.
Please state that your application is on the way and send the application via email again.

==I have not sent my paper application yet==
Please, send it via email. Please state in the email text that you have not sent a paper application

== Order for the pdf application==
Please, put the documents in this order and produce one pdf (and make sure that they are not attached to one another (Please do not use staplers, paper clips, folders, etc.):)

# Cover Sheet
# Signed Online Form STiNE
# CV
# Motivation Letter
# Language Test Score
# Transcript
# Self-made table
# Bachelor Certificate + Diploma Supplement
# Grade
# Grading scale
# Anabin print out
# everything else

Please highlight important information in your documents, e.g. grading scale, grade, "H+" in the anabin printout, finishing date ...

Please check carefully if you have sent all the required documents in due time. The deadline is the 31 of March (No postal mail arrives on Saturdays and Sundays at the university). Faxes are not accepted. We do not inform you of missing documents or late applications. Your application is considered incomplete if one or more of the required documents are not received before the deadline via email or if your STiNE form is not submitted online. As a result, your application will not take part in the selection process. There will be no reconsideration of your application. Also note, that we do not inform you about received emails or postal mail (letters, parcels, envelopes) – Please check with your postal mail provider if you like an acknowledgment.

One final note from the selection committee: We like a neat, well-structured, precise, and complete application. Think for yourself. Show that you can be a responsible, well-organized student, and follow basic instructions.
The selection committee and the IAS team consist of professors, lecturers, advisors, Post-docs who will also teach you once you are accepted.

= Additional Documents =
Generally, all possible documents that support your application (especially as evidence for the arguments used in your motivation letter) can be included and will be taken into account in the selection process. Please include only documents that are relevant for this application. The selection of documents already shows your ability to distinguish between relevant and irrelevant content and a large amount of radomly added certificates or documents may have a negative effect on your ranking.

==Desired documents==

* Documents that add to the evidence needed for the requirements, e.g. additional proofs of language proficiency or higher education courses with computer science content, letter of recommendation
* Evidence for research or professional and/or international experience relevant to IAS studies.
* International experience, e.g. a study exchange, shows your ability to adapt to different learning and living environments and should be listed and described as part of our CV.
* The same holds for professional experience that may show your ability to work in a computer science context.
* Training courses or extensive experience that shows deep understanding of computer science concepts. This will be taken into account for general suitability for the very specific Master program IAS.

== Suitable additions ==
* GRE test or other academic tests showing your ability to study in higher education. Such tests are not required but may be taken into account if provided and if they add to the general story of the application.
* Certificates of contests and competitions can be added if relevant. Please carefully decide whether the certificate can add any additional value to your application.

== Undesired documents ==
* Full module handbooks. To show that you fulfill the requirement of the sufficient 60 ETCS credits, you have to send the self-made and structured table. Please don't send full module handbooks as the IAS admission team will not have the time to search for core CS courses in those handbooks for you.
* Certificates that don't add additional information or are not relevant at all. More is not always better since it may show that you are not able to decide what is relevant for the subject and what is not. Select the certificates that best show your abilities.

==Do all the documents have to be sent as certified/attested copies?==
No, not for the application at the Department of Informatics - IAS. You can send the required application documents as simple copies. But please be aware that once you have been sent an ''letter of acceptance'' by the CampusCenter (central administration), you have to send certified/attested copies of your language certificate, your university entrance qualification (e.g. high school certificate), and your bachelor's degree certificate to prove the authenticity of those documents together with the matriculation form '''within 14 days''' to the "Team for Application and Admission" (Ger: ''Team Bewerbung und Zulassung'') at the CampusCenter of the Universität Hamburg. Therefore, we highly recommend preparing certified/attested copies of all the relevant documents upfront.
The central administration team (CampusCenter Team for your enrolment, located at the city center) and the IAS Team (for your application and later your studies, located at the Department of Informatics, Hamburg Stellingen) are two very distinct teams and have nothing to do with the task of the other.

More FAQ

* [[FAQ: Q&A| Frequently Asked Questions about the application]]

Application:Required documents

2020-03-13T10:09:49Z

Apeters1: /* Application via email possible from now on until 31 March: */

'''Due to the coronavirus pandemic, applications via email are now possible and kindly asked for – see email application for more information.'''

=List of all required documents for application=
In order to apply for the 2-year Master of Science program Intelligent Adaptive Systems, you need to send a paper application to the IAS Team at the Department of Informatics, Universität Hamburg. The IAS team is a team of IAS professors, researchers, lecturers, and academic advisors. The IAS Team and the selection committee will only read complete applications that meet the formal requirements. These applications will be ranked according to the selection criteria.

In order to apply successfully please follow exactly these instructions:

The deadline is on the 31st of March. Faxes and e-mails are not accepted. The IAS selection committee does not inform you of missing documents or late applications. Your application is considered incomplete if one or more of the required documents are not received before the deadline (via postal mail) and/or if your STiNE online application form is not submitted online. As a result, your application will not take part in the selection process. You can not submit missing documents after the expiration of the application deadline, there will be no reconsideration.

The documents 'do not'' have to be sent as certified/attested copies when applying. You should '''not''' send original certificates since the IAS selection committee will not send anything back. However, please note that in case your application is successful, you will need to send attested/certified copies to the University via postal mail ''within 2 weeks'', so be prepared. The notification whether you are accepted or not is send around 15 of May. Official English and German translation of documents are accepted.

Please read the explanations of what documents you have to send and follow the links to more information.

=='''1. Cover-letter-form''' ==
* Please fill in the cover-letter form (with a pdf viewer/reader).
* Then print the form. In case you are having any problems with filling in the form digitally you can also print the form and fill it in by hand (readable!).
* Send the printed form via postal mail as the first page of your application.
* Link to the cover-letter-form: [[Cover-letter-form|cover-letter-form]]

== '''2. The University's general online form (STiNE)'''==
The Universität Hamburg requires you to fill out a general and university-wide online form on their student platform called STiNE. The only purpose of this form is to register with the central administration. Nothing else. It is the way to tell the University that you might apply.
* While registering you will receive a BW - Number (Application Number). Please state this number in your cover letter.
* Submit, print and '''sign''' the STiNE online form and enclose the form with your paper application.
* Only within the application period (15 February - 31 March), the online application form can be accessed through the STiNE portal: https://www.stine.uni-hamburg.de. Sorry, some parts of the STiNE online form are in German and therefore rather tricky.
* As a service to IAS applicants, the IAS-Team has prepared a wiki entry: [[online application form|Online form STiNE]].
*For further questions about STiNE please ask the technical support of STiNE. STiNE is a part of the central administration - not the IAS Team's platform, see [https://www.stine.uni-hamburg.de/scripts/mgrqispi.dll?APPNAME=CampusNet&PRGNAME=EXTERNALPAGES&ARGUMENTS=-N000000000000002,-N000339,-A100101e#furtherquestions STiNE support].

After filling out the STiNE online form, '''click submit''', and then, '''print''' out the summary at the end (Ger: ''Druckansicht''). This print-out has to be '''signed'''. This submitted, printed, and signed STiNE form is one of the required documents which you have to send via postal mail to the Department of Informatics.

Please, note do not click "Freemover", that is the wrong application.

Please, note that the STiNE online form is just the general, uni-wide application form for central administration reasons only. You still need to send your paper application to the address below. With the complete paper application, you apply to the Department of Informatics for a place in the IAS program.

Use the address displayed here or websit not in STiNE.

==''' 3. Curriculum Vitae'''==
The CV (table version) should include information on your academic and professional career and if you have international experience. It should specifically list information on your background relevant for IAS such as projects on AI or Robotics. Please, '''provide evidence''' of such projects through acquired certificates. Project descriptions and outlines on their CS content are especially important if the achieved credits should be counted for the 60 ECTS in computer science.
Please, add your average/overall grade (can be preliminary) and your grading scale to your cv next to the information of your degree and provide official evidence for that information.

== '''4. Letter of Motivation'''==
This is the most important document since it accounts for 40% of your ranking score. It has to be written by yourself in the English language. There is a maximum of 1.5 pages that you should not exceed.
In this letter, you should explain your motivation to study especially this program. The text should answer the following questions:
* Why are you interested in the field "Intelligent Adaptive Systems" or what parts are most interesting and why?
* Why is this program especially suited to complement the knowledge you already have?
* Why did you choose to study this program at Universität Hamburg?
* How does this program fit into your academic and professional future goals?
* Read the selection criteria and the curriculum IAS - so you know what else might be important to write about.

The selection committee will give high ratings to those letters that show that the student has made a deliberate choice to study IAS and can justify their decision well while also explaining how studying IAS will bring the student closer to the desired goal. The board is looking for students that show high motivation and have a good chance of finishing the program with a high impact on the student's life. The ability to present a well-argued and connected chain of argument is a major ability the board is looking for.

Things that affect the rating adversely are, amongst many, generic letters that are written for multiple applications, letters that are written in bad English or do not follow a good structure.

The selection committee does not want to read about the history of informatics, the selection committee wants to read something relevant and precise about you.

== '''5. Proof(s) of English language proficiency'''==
Please see [[Application:Formal requirements| formal requirements]] for details on the required language certificates and further information.

Proof of English language proficiency by
CEFR/TELC: At least Level B2 in all testing categories (listening, reading, speaking, writing) better C1
IELTS: 6.5 + B2
TOEFL: IBT 90, PBT 575, CBT 230
Cambridge: CAE or CPE

==''' 6. Transcript of Records'''==
Please see '''[[Application:Formal requirements| formal requirements]]''' for detailed information on the requirements for your transcript of records.

== '''7. Self-made structured table of all core computer science courses'''==
As a formal requirement you need to evidence 60 ECTS in core computer science courses. To do so, please provide your transcript and a self-made table listing all your core computer science courses you have completed. Please, also refer to the listed information under [[Application:Formal requirements| formal requirements]] regarding questions about the ''ECTS credit system'', the ''calculation'' of the required 60 ECTS, ''modules/courses counted as CS'' by IAS selection committee. Please use this [[Required Documents: Example structure table|example]] to provide your evidence of your 60 ECTS credits or more.

=='''8. BSc certificates and diploma supplement'''==

* If you have finished your degree send a copy of your degree certificate.

* You can also apply if you have finished 5/6 semesters and can evidence 150 ECTS credits (or comparable) of your first degree and at the point of application at least 60 ECTS in computer science must be evident. In order to estimate that you are going to finish you must provide the official transcript of records showing the amount of already acquired credits or credit hours and the number of minimum credits or credit hours required for completion. The final transcript and graduation certificate have to be handed in for enrolment if you are admitted.

* Diploma Supplement: In any case provide a description of your degree - it is an official document issued by most universities.
** The degree's grading system
** The standard amount of semesters required for completion of your degree
** The description of how many weeks per semester of in-class time with a lecturer present
** The description of how your credit systems works, e.g. 1 cp is worth 30 hours of in-class time with lecturer present meaning 2 hours a week for 15 weeks...

=='''9. Your grade'''==
In regards to your overall average grade (preliminary) or final grade, please provide a document with your (preliminary) final grade calculated by your university, even if only 5/6 or 7/8 semesters of the studies have been completed. Your grade should be in the grading system your university provides and with which you can provide the grading system. The grade needs to be in numbers, not letters. Make sure you send an official document attested by your university as the IAS selection committee does not accept self-calculated '''final''' grades nor does the IAS selection committee calculate final grades for you. If this information is listed in your transcript of records or degree certificate, then you don't need to provide this extra document.

Preliminary grade:
Some transcripts or universities do not provide a preliminary average grade: compute it on your own on an extra document and tell us how you did it. If it is not the simple grade average of all grades in the transcript, please provide extra official proof of how your university or degree rules are to compute it.

Please note: If you fail to provide proof of your grade or preliminary grade and grading scale - The grade you are assigned will be the worst possible grade - a grade of 9.9 in selection procedures. This means that applications without a grade will rank behind the last applicant who had provided a grade. This is also true if you state a different grade / grading scale in the table and cover-letter than in your transcript or when the selection committee controls your computation.

=='''10. Grading scale'''==
IAS selection committee needs detailed information on your degree's grading system (alternative names: grading scale/scheme of evaluation/grade classification/range of marks ...) as it is important in our [[Application:Selection criteria| selection process]]. As the IAS selection committee will evaluate and rank all applications, we need the grading scale of your university to make your average or final grade comparable to others. In a lot of cases, official transcripts of records display the university's grading system. Usually, this is a table with all the degree's grades and corresponding information like minimum passing grade and maximum, outstanding or excellent grade, etc. However, if this is not the case for your transcript of records, then please provide this information attested by your university.

Highlight the grading scale, minimum passing grade, and maximum grade in your official documents and state exactly on which page the relevant information can be found, e.g., "the grading scale can be found in the printed degree description page 4 Section 2.1.1 see highlighted information". The selection committee will not look through documents if no help is provided where to find the right information. Please display exact information on paper printout. You may provide a link to a lengthy document if you only printed out parts of a lengthy document for control reasons. The selection committee will not follow links nor translate websites to search for information if no information is provided in paper.

Please note: If you fail to provide proof of your grade or preliminary grade and grading scale - The grade you are assigned will be the worst possible grade - a grade of 9.9 in selection procedures. This means that applications without a grade or grading scale will rank behind the last applicant who had provided a grade. This is also true if you state a different grade / grading scale in the table and cover-letter than in your transcript/official documents or when the selection committee controls your computation.

=='''11. Evidence that your university and degree is recognized in Germany'''==
Admission to a Master degree program at a German university requires an undergraduate degree. This must have been obtained from a recognized higher education institution. The degree also must be equivalent to at least a three year Bachelor that was attained in Germany. It is a prerequisite for an application for the master course "IAS" that your university degree is recognized as equivalent to a Bachelor's degree obtained in Germany.

===How to provide proof that your university is recognized in Germany?===

The selection committee's advice: print out the anabin database entry for proof. It is cost-free and fast:
* Use the database anabin and print out the information about your university
* Your university needs to be recognized with H+
* More information here: [[Desired Documents:Anabin|Anabin]]

If you have difficulties handling anabin, you may use the fee-based service, called Uni-Assist:
* This is the official recommendation of the Universität Hamburg is that you use the fee-based service Uni-Assist (but you don't need to if you provide the anabin printout)
* Request this service around 1 of December - otherwise Uni-Assist might not answer you in time
* More information about [[FAQ:UniAssist| Uni-Assist]]
* Only use Uni-assist if you do not want to look up your University in the database Anabin

Some countries have to get a German authorities endorsement anyway for visa or application- you may hand this in as additional proof:

An endorsement of recognition from German authorities, including information about the type of higher education entrance eligibility and, if applicable, for a particular subject. The Universität Hamburg accepts the following types of endorsement of recognition:

* APS certificates from the academic review offices of Beijing, Ulaanbaatar, and Hanoi

Please note: For the application to the Master program IAS - it is enough to send in your information from Anabin.

If you cannot find information on whether your university is recognized in Germany, the selection committee has to decide case by case whether your degree sounds eligible or not. Usually, your degree does not qualify.

=Application via email possible from now on until 31 March:=

'''Because of the corona-virus pandemic, the IAS Team has decided to allow applications via email.'''

Send the application as described on the website and this wiki and follow '''exactly''' those steps:

* in '''only''' one pdf document with all your documents included: only use this pdf name =FinalIASApplication_YourFullname_YourBW-number
* or zip file with '''all''' of documents: zip file name = FinalIASApplication_YourFullname_YourBW-number, documents names= 1_coverletter, 2_STiNE, 3_CV, 4_Motivation ....

* not more than 9 MB
* until 31 March
* use only this Email - subject '''[Final IAS Application] [Your Full name, Your BW-number]''' (The emails will be sorted automatically)
* only use: ias-team@informatik.uni-hamburg.de
* start your Email text with "'''Dear IAS-Team, this is my final application''' to the Master IAS. Please consider the attached application ....."
* Use the order of documents presented here 1.-11. when sending the application.

Everything else stays exactly the same as it is described in this wiki and website except the postal mailing part. Please note, even though now you should apply via email, we still do not inform you about missing documents or incomplete applications. '''For evaluating the application we will only consider the information provided in this one email: Email - subject ''[Final IAS Application] [Your Full name, Your BW-number]'' + Email text starting with ''"Dear IAS-Team, this is my final application to the Master IAS. Please consider the attached pdf application'' ....." '''

==I have sent my paper application already + I received an email confirmation by the IAS Team that it has arrived ==
Then you do not need to do anything.

==I have sent my paper application already + I did not receive email confirmation until 13 March 2020 ==
Please do send your application via email considering the steps above. Due to the corona-virus the IAS Team and many other people at the university will be working from home. That means nobody will get the postal mail.
Please state that your application is on the way and send the application via email again.

==I have not sent my paper application yet==
Please, send it via email. Please state in the email text that you have not sent a paper application

== Order for the pdf application==
Please, put the documents in this order and produce one pdf (and make sure that they are not attached to one another (Please do not use staplers, paper clips, folders, etc.):)

# Cover Sheet
# Signed Online Form STiNE
# CV
# Motivation Letter
# Language Test Score
# Transcript
# Self-made table
# Bachelor Certificate + Diploma Supplement
# Grade
# Grading scale
# Anabin print out
# everything else

Please highlight important information in your documents, e.g. grading scale, grade, "H+" in the anabin printout, finishing date ...

Please check carefully if you have sent all the required documents in due time. The deadline is the 31 of March (No postal mail arrives on Saturdays and Sundays at the university). Faxes are not accepted. We do not inform you of missing documents or late applications. Your application is considered incomplete if one or more of the required documents are not received before the deadline via email or if your STiNE form is not submitted online. As a result, your application will not take part in the selection process. There will be no reconsideration of your application. Also note, that we do not inform you about received emails or postal mail (letters, parcels, envelopes) – Please check with your postal mail provider if you like an acknowledgment.

One final note from the selection committee: We like a neat, well-structured, precise, and complete application. Think for yourself. Show that you can be a responsible, well-organized student, and follow basic instructions.
The selection committee and the IAS team consist of professors, lecturers, advisors, Post-docs who will also teach you once you are accepted.

= Additional Documents =
Generally, all possible documents that support your application (especially as evidence for the arguments used in your motivation letter) can be included and will be taken into account in the selection process. Please include only documents that are relevant for this application. The selection of documents already shows your ability to distinguish between relevant and irrelevant content and a large amount of radomly added certificates or documents may have a negative effect on your ranking.

==Desired documents==

* Documents that add to the evidence needed for the requirements, e.g. additional proofs of language proficiency or higher education courses with computer science content, letter of recommendation
* Evidence for research or professional and/or international experience relevant to IAS studies.
* International experience, e.g. a study exchange, shows your ability to adapt to different learning and living environments and should be listed and described as part of our CV.
* The same holds for professional experience that may show your ability to work in a computer science context.
* Training courses or extensive experience that shows deep understanding of computer science concepts. This will be taken into account for general suitability for the very specific Master program IAS.

== Suitable additions ==
* GRE test or other academic tests showing your ability to study in higher education. Such tests are not required but may be taken into account if provided and if they add to the general story of the application.
* Certificates of contests and competitions can be added if relevant. Please carefully decide whether the certificate can add any additional value to your application.

== Undesired documents ==
* Full module handbooks. To show that you fulfill the requirement of the sufficient 60 ETCS credits, you have to send the self-made and structured table. Please don't send full module handbooks as the IAS admission team will not have the time to search for core CS courses in those handbooks for you.
* Certificates that don't add additional information or are not relevant at all. More is not always better since it may show that you are not able to decide what is relevant for the subject and what is not. Select the certificates that best show your abilities.

==Do all the documents have to be sent as certified/attested copies?==
No, not for the application at the Department of Informatics - IAS. You can send the required application documents as simple copies. But please be aware that once you have been sent an ''letter of acceptance'' by the CampusCenter (central administration), you have to send certified/attested copies of your language certificate, your university entrance qualification (e.g. high school certificate), and your bachelor's degree certificate to prove the authenticity of those documents together with the matriculation form '''within 14 days''' to the "Team for Application and Admission" (Ger: ''Team Bewerbung und Zulassung'') at the CampusCenter of the Universität Hamburg. Therefore, we highly recommend preparing certified/attested copies of all the relevant documents upfront.
The central administration team (CampusCenter Team for your enrolment, located at the city center) and the IAS Team (for your application and later your studies, located at the Department of Informatics, Hamburg Stellingen) are two very distinct teams and have nothing to do with the task of the other.

More FAQ

* [[FAQ: Q&A| Frequently Asked Questions about the application]]

Application:Required documents

2020-03-13T10:09:23Z

Apeters1: /* Application via email possible from now on until 31 March: */

'''Due to the coronavirus pandemic, applications via email are now possible and kindly asked for – see email application for more information.'''

=List of all required documents for application=
In order to apply for the 2-year Master of Science program Intelligent Adaptive Systems, you need to send a paper application to the IAS Team at the Department of Informatics, Universität Hamburg. The IAS team is a team of IAS professors, researchers, lecturers, and academic advisors. The IAS Team and the selection committee will only read complete applications that meet the formal requirements. These applications will be ranked according to the selection criteria.

In order to apply successfully please follow exactly these instructions:

The deadline is on the 31st of March. Faxes and e-mails are not accepted. The IAS selection committee does not inform you of missing documents or late applications. Your application is considered incomplete if one or more of the required documents are not received before the deadline (via postal mail) and/or if your STiNE online application form is not submitted online. As a result, your application will not take part in the selection process. You can not submit missing documents after the expiration of the application deadline, there will be no reconsideration.

The documents 'do not'' have to be sent as certified/attested copies when applying. You should '''not''' send original certificates since the IAS selection committee will not send anything back. However, please note that in case your application is successful, you will need to send attested/certified copies to the University via postal mail ''within 2 weeks'', so be prepared. The notification whether you are accepted or not is send around 15 of May. Official English and German translation of documents are accepted.

Please read the explanations of what documents you have to send and follow the links to more information.

=='''1. Cover-letter-form''' ==
* Please fill in the cover-letter form (with a pdf viewer/reader).
* Then print the form. In case you are having any problems with filling in the form digitally you can also print the form and fill it in by hand (readable!).
* Send the printed form via postal mail as the first page of your application.
* Link to the cover-letter-form: [[Cover-letter-form|cover-letter-form]]

== '''2. The University's general online form (STiNE)'''==
The Universität Hamburg requires you to fill out a general and university-wide online form on their student platform called STiNE. The only purpose of this form is to register with the central administration. Nothing else. It is the way to tell the University that you might apply.
* While registering you will receive a BW - Number (Application Number). Please state this number in your cover letter.
* Submit, print and '''sign''' the STiNE online form and enclose the form with your paper application.
* Only within the application period (15 February - 31 March), the online application form can be accessed through the STiNE portal: https://www.stine.uni-hamburg.de. Sorry, some parts of the STiNE online form are in German and therefore rather tricky.
* As a service to IAS applicants, the IAS-Team has prepared a wiki entry: [[online application form|Online form STiNE]].
*For further questions about STiNE please ask the technical support of STiNE. STiNE is a part of the central administration - not the IAS Team's platform, see [https://www.stine.uni-hamburg.de/scripts/mgrqispi.dll?APPNAME=CampusNet&PRGNAME=EXTERNALPAGES&ARGUMENTS=-N000000000000002,-N000339,-A100101e#furtherquestions STiNE support].

After filling out the STiNE online form, '''click submit''', and then, '''print''' out the summary at the end (Ger: ''Druckansicht''). This print-out has to be '''signed'''. This submitted, printed, and signed STiNE form is one of the required documents which you have to send via postal mail to the Department of Informatics.

Please, note do not click "Freemover", that is the wrong application.

Please, note that the STiNE online form is just the general, uni-wide application form for central administration reasons only. You still need to send your paper application to the address below. With the complete paper application, you apply to the Department of Informatics for a place in the IAS program.

Use the address displayed here or websit not in STiNE.

==''' 3. Curriculum Vitae'''==
The CV (table version) should include information on your academic and professional career and if you have international experience. It should specifically list information on your background relevant for IAS such as projects on AI or Robotics. Please, '''provide evidence''' of such projects through acquired certificates. Project descriptions and outlines on their CS content are especially important if the achieved credits should be counted for the 60 ECTS in computer science.
Please, add your average/overall grade (can be preliminary) and your grading scale to your cv next to the information of your degree and provide official evidence for that information.

== '''4. Letter of Motivation'''==
This is the most important document since it accounts for 40% of your ranking score. It has to be written by yourself in the English language. There is a maximum of 1.5 pages that you should not exceed.
In this letter, you should explain your motivation to study especially this program. The text should answer the following questions:
* Why are you interested in the field "Intelligent Adaptive Systems" or what parts are most interesting and why?
* Why is this program especially suited to complement the knowledge you already have?
* Why did you choose to study this program at Universität Hamburg?
* How does this program fit into your academic and professional future goals?
* Read the selection criteria and the curriculum IAS - so you know what else might be important to write about.

The selection committee will give high ratings to those letters that show that the student has made a deliberate choice to study IAS and can justify their decision well while also explaining how studying IAS will bring the student closer to the desired goal. The board is looking for students that show high motivation and have a good chance of finishing the program with a high impact on the student's life. The ability to present a well-argued and connected chain of argument is a major ability the board is looking for.

Things that affect the rating adversely are, amongst many, generic letters that are written for multiple applications, letters that are written in bad English or do not follow a good structure.

The selection committee does not want to read about the history of informatics, the selection committee wants to read something relevant and precise about you.

== '''5. Proof(s) of English language proficiency'''==
Please see [[Application:Formal requirements| formal requirements]] for details on the required language certificates and further information.

Proof of English language proficiency by
CEFR/TELC: At least Level B2 in all testing categories (listening, reading, speaking, writing) better C1
IELTS: 6.5 + B2
TOEFL: IBT 90, PBT 575, CBT 230
Cambridge: CAE or CPE

==''' 6. Transcript of Records'''==
Please see '''[[Application:Formal requirements| formal requirements]]''' for detailed information on the requirements for your transcript of records.

== '''7. Self-made structured table of all core computer science courses'''==
As a formal requirement you need to evidence 60 ECTS in core computer science courses. To do so, please provide your transcript and a self-made table listing all your core computer science courses you have completed. Please, also refer to the listed information under [[Application:Formal requirements| formal requirements]] regarding questions about the ''ECTS credit system'', the ''calculation'' of the required 60 ECTS, ''modules/courses counted as CS'' by IAS selection committee. Please use this [[Required Documents: Example structure table|example]] to provide your evidence of your 60 ECTS credits or more.

=='''8. BSc certificates and diploma supplement'''==

* If you have finished your degree send a copy of your degree certificate.

* You can also apply if you have finished 5/6 semesters and can evidence 150 ECTS credits (or comparable) of your first degree and at the point of application at least 60 ECTS in computer science must be evident. In order to estimate that you are going to finish you must provide the official transcript of records showing the amount of already acquired credits or credit hours and the number of minimum credits or credit hours required for completion. The final transcript and graduation certificate have to be handed in for enrolment if you are admitted.

* Diploma Supplement: In any case provide a description of your degree - it is an official document issued by most universities.
** The degree's grading system
** The standard amount of semesters required for completion of your degree
** The description of how many weeks per semester of in-class time with a lecturer present
** The description of how your credit systems works, e.g. 1 cp is worth 30 hours of in-class time with lecturer present meaning 2 hours a week for 15 weeks...

=='''9. Your grade'''==
In regards to your overall average grade (preliminary) or final grade, please provide a document with your (preliminary) final grade calculated by your university, even if only 5/6 or 7/8 semesters of the studies have been completed. Your grade should be in the grading system your university provides and with which you can provide the grading system. The grade needs to be in numbers, not letters. Make sure you send an official document attested by your university as the IAS selection committee does not accept self-calculated '''final''' grades nor does the IAS selection committee calculate final grades for you. If this information is listed in your transcript of records or degree certificate, then you don't need to provide this extra document.

Preliminary grade:
Some transcripts or universities do not provide a preliminary average grade: compute it on your own on an extra document and tell us how you did it. If it is not the simple grade average of all grades in the transcript, please provide extra official proof of how your university or degree rules are to compute it.

Please note: If you fail to provide proof of your grade or preliminary grade and grading scale - The grade you are assigned will be the worst possible grade - a grade of 9.9 in selection procedures. This means that applications without a grade will rank behind the last applicant who had provided a grade. This is also true if you state a different grade / grading scale in the table and cover-letter than in your transcript or when the selection committee controls your computation.

=='''10. Grading scale'''==
IAS selection committee needs detailed information on your degree's grading system (alternative names: grading scale/scheme of evaluation/grade classification/range of marks ...) as it is important in our [[Application:Selection criteria| selection process]]. As the IAS selection committee will evaluate and rank all applications, we need the grading scale of your university to make your average or final grade comparable to others. In a lot of cases, official transcripts of records display the university's grading system. Usually, this is a table with all the degree's grades and corresponding information like minimum passing grade and maximum, outstanding or excellent grade, etc. However, if this is not the case for your transcript of records, then please provide this information attested by your university.

Highlight the grading scale, minimum passing grade, and maximum grade in your official documents and state exactly on which page the relevant information can be found, e.g., "the grading scale can be found in the printed degree description page 4 Section 2.1.1 see highlighted information". The selection committee will not look through documents if no help is provided where to find the right information. Please display exact information on paper printout. You may provide a link to a lengthy document if you only printed out parts of a lengthy document for control reasons. The selection committee will not follow links nor translate websites to search for information if no information is provided in paper.

Please note: If you fail to provide proof of your grade or preliminary grade and grading scale - The grade you are assigned will be the worst possible grade - a grade of 9.9 in selection procedures. This means that applications without a grade or grading scale will rank behind the last applicant who had provided a grade. This is also true if you state a different grade / grading scale in the table and cover-letter than in your transcript/official documents or when the selection committee controls your computation.

=='''11. Evidence that your university and degree is recognized in Germany'''==
Admission to a Master degree program at a German university requires an undergraduate degree. This must have been obtained from a recognized higher education institution. The degree also must be equivalent to at least a three year Bachelor that was attained in Germany. It is a prerequisite for an application for the master course "IAS" that your university degree is recognized as equivalent to a Bachelor's degree obtained in Germany.

===How to provide proof that your university is recognized in Germany?===

The selection committee's advice: print out the anabin database entry for proof. It is cost-free and fast:
* Use the database anabin and print out the information about your university
* Your university needs to be recognized with H+
* More information here: [[Desired Documents:Anabin|Anabin]]

If you have difficulties handling anabin, you may use the fee-based service, called Uni-Assist:
* This is the official recommendation of the Universität Hamburg is that you use the fee-based service Uni-Assist (but you don't need to if you provide the anabin printout)
* Request this service around 1 of December - otherwise Uni-Assist might not answer you in time
* More information about [[FAQ:UniAssist| Uni-Assist]]
* Only use Uni-assist if you do not want to look up your University in the database Anabin

Some countries have to get a German authorities endorsement anyway for visa or application- you may hand this in as additional proof:

An endorsement of recognition from German authorities, including information about the type of higher education entrance eligibility and, if applicable, for a particular subject. The Universität Hamburg accepts the following types of endorsement of recognition:

* APS certificates from the academic review offices of Beijing, Ulaanbaatar, and Hanoi

Please note: For the application to the Master program IAS - it is enough to send in your information from Anabin.

If you cannot find information on whether your university is recognized in Germany, the selection committee has to decide case by case whether your degree sounds eligible or not. Usually, your degree does not qualify.

=Application via email possible from now on until 31 March:=

'''Because of the corona-virus pandemic, the IAS Team has decided to allow applications via email.'''

Send the application as described on the website and this wiki and follow '''exactly''' those steps:

* in '''only''' one pdf document with all your documents included: only use this pdf name =FinalIASApplication_YourFullname_YourBW-number
* or zip file with '''all''' of documents zip file name = FinalIASApplication_YourFullname_YourBW-number, documents names= 1_coverletter, 2_STiNE, 3_CV, 4_Motivation ....

* not more than 9 MB
* until 31 March
* use only this Email - subject '''[Final IAS Application] [Your Full name, Your BW-number]''' (The emails will be sorted automatically)
* only use: ias-team@informatik.uni-hamburg.de
* start your Email text with "'''Dear IAS-Team, this is my final application''' to the Master IAS. Please consider the attached application ....."
* Use the order of documents presented here 1.-11. when sending the application.

Everything else stays exactly the same as it is described in this wiki and website except the postal mailing part. Please note, even though now you should apply via email, we still do not inform you about missing documents or incomplete applications. '''For evaluating the application we will only consider the information provided in this one email: Email - subject ''[Final IAS Application] [Your Full name, Your BW-number]'' + Email text starting with ''"Dear IAS-Team, this is my final application to the Master IAS. Please consider the attached pdf application'' ....." '''

==I have sent my paper application already + I received an email confirmation by the IAS Team that it has arrived ==
Then you do not need to do anything.

==I have sent my paper application already + I did not receive email confirmation until 13 March 2020 ==
Please do send your application via email considering the steps above. Due to the corona-virus the IAS Team and many other people at the university will be working from home. That means nobody will get the postal mail.
Please state that your application is on the way and send the application via email again.

==I have not sent my paper application yet==
Please, send it via email. Please state in the email text that you have not sent a paper application

== Order for the pdf application==
Please, put the documents in this order and produce one pdf (and make sure that they are not attached to one another (Please do not use staplers, paper clips, folders, etc.):)

# Cover Sheet
# Signed Online Form STiNE
# CV
# Motivation Letter
# Language Test Score
# Transcript
# Self-made table
# Bachelor Certificate + Diploma Supplement
# Grade
# Grading scale
# Anabin print out
# everything else

Please highlight important information in your documents, e.g. grading scale, grade, "H+" in the anabin printout, finishing date ...

Please check carefully if you have sent all the required documents in due time. The deadline is the 31 of March (No postal mail arrives on Saturdays and Sundays at the university). Faxes are not accepted. We do not inform you of missing documents or late applications. Your application is considered incomplete if one or more of the required documents are not received before the deadline via email or if your STiNE form is not submitted online. As a result, your application will not take part in the selection process. There will be no reconsideration of your application. Also note, that we do not inform you about received emails or postal mail (letters, parcels, envelopes) – Please check with your postal mail provider if you like an acknowledgment.

One final note from the selection committee: We like a neat, well-structured, precise, and complete application. Think for yourself. Show that you can be a responsible, well-organized student, and follow basic instructions.
The selection committee and the IAS team consist of professors, lecturers, advisors, Post-docs who will also teach you once you are accepted.

= Additional Documents =
Generally, all possible documents that support your application (especially as evidence for the arguments used in your motivation letter) can be included and will be taken into account in the selection process. Please include only documents that are relevant for this application. The selection of documents already shows your ability to distinguish between relevant and irrelevant content and a large amount of radomly added certificates or documents may have a negative effect on your ranking.

==Desired documents==

* Documents that add to the evidence needed for the requirements, e.g. additional proofs of language proficiency or higher education courses with computer science content, letter of recommendation
* Evidence for research or professional and/or international experience relevant to IAS studies.
* International experience, e.g. a study exchange, shows your ability to adapt to different learning and living environments and should be listed and described as part of our CV.
* The same holds for professional experience that may show your ability to work in a computer science context.
* Training courses or extensive experience that shows deep understanding of computer science concepts. This will be taken into account for general suitability for the very specific Master program IAS.

== Suitable additions ==
* GRE test or other academic tests showing your ability to study in higher education. Such tests are not required but may be taken into account if provided and if they add to the general story of the application.
* Certificates of contests and competitions can be added if relevant. Please carefully decide whether the certificate can add any additional value to your application.

== Undesired documents ==
* Full module handbooks. To show that you fulfill the requirement of the sufficient 60 ETCS credits, you have to send the self-made and structured table. Please don't send full module handbooks as the IAS admission team will not have the time to search for core CS courses in those handbooks for you.
* Certificates that don't add additional information or are not relevant at all. More is not always better since it may show that you are not able to decide what is relevant for the subject and what is not. Select the certificates that best show your abilities.

==Do all the documents have to be sent as certified/attested copies?==
No, not for the application at the Department of Informatics - IAS. You can send the required application documents as simple copies. But please be aware that once you have been sent an ''letter of acceptance'' by the CampusCenter (central administration), you have to send certified/attested copies of your language certificate, your university entrance qualification (e.g. high school certificate), and your bachelor's degree certificate to prove the authenticity of those documents together with the matriculation form '''within 14 days''' to the "Team for Application and Admission" (Ger: ''Team Bewerbung und Zulassung'') at the CampusCenter of the Universität Hamburg. Therefore, we highly recommend preparing certified/attested copies of all the relevant documents upfront.
The central administration team (CampusCenter Team for your enrolment, located at the city center) and the IAS Team (for your application and later your studies, located at the Department of Informatics, Hamburg Stellingen) are two very distinct teams and have nothing to do with the task of the other.

More FAQ

* [[FAQ: Q&A| Frequently Asked Questions about the application]]

Application:Required documents

2020-03-13T10:08:14Z

Apeters1: /* Application via email possible from now on until 31 March: */

'''Due to the coronavirus pandemic, applications via email are now possible and kindly asked for – see email application for more information.'''

=List of all required documents for application=
In order to apply for the 2-year Master of Science program Intelligent Adaptive Systems, you need to send a paper application to the IAS Team at the Department of Informatics, Universität Hamburg. The IAS team is a team of IAS professors, researchers, lecturers, and academic advisors. The IAS Team and the selection committee will only read complete applications that meet the formal requirements. These applications will be ranked according to the selection criteria.

In order to apply successfully please follow exactly these instructions:

The deadline is on the 31st of March. Faxes and e-mails are not accepted. The IAS selection committee does not inform you of missing documents or late applications. Your application is considered incomplete if one or more of the required documents are not received before the deadline (via postal mail) and/or if your STiNE online application form is not submitted online. As a result, your application will not take part in the selection process. You can not submit missing documents after the expiration of the application deadline, there will be no reconsideration.

The documents 'do not'' have to be sent as certified/attested copies when applying. You should '''not''' send original certificates since the IAS selection committee will not send anything back. However, please note that in case your application is successful, you will need to send attested/certified copies to the University via postal mail ''within 2 weeks'', so be prepared. The notification whether you are accepted or not is send around 15 of May. Official English and German translation of documents are accepted.

Please read the explanations of what documents you have to send and follow the links to more information.

=='''1. Cover-letter-form''' ==
* Please fill in the cover-letter form (with a pdf viewer/reader).
* Then print the form. In case you are having any problems with filling in the form digitally you can also print the form and fill it in by hand (readable!).
* Send the printed form via postal mail as the first page of your application.
* Link to the cover-letter-form: [[Cover-letter-form|cover-letter-form]]

== '''2. The University's general online form (STiNE)'''==
The Universität Hamburg requires you to fill out a general and university-wide online form on their student platform called STiNE. The only purpose of this form is to register with the central administration. Nothing else. It is the way to tell the University that you might apply.
* While registering you will receive a BW - Number (Application Number). Please state this number in your cover letter.
* Submit, print and '''sign''' the STiNE online form and enclose the form with your paper application.
* Only within the application period (15 February - 31 March), the online application form can be accessed through the STiNE portal: https://www.stine.uni-hamburg.de. Sorry, some parts of the STiNE online form are in German and therefore rather tricky.
* As a service to IAS applicants, the IAS-Team has prepared a wiki entry: [[online application form|Online form STiNE]].
*For further questions about STiNE please ask the technical support of STiNE. STiNE is a part of the central administration - not the IAS Team's platform, see [https://www.stine.uni-hamburg.de/scripts/mgrqispi.dll?APPNAME=CampusNet&PRGNAME=EXTERNALPAGES&ARGUMENTS=-N000000000000002,-N000339,-A100101e#furtherquestions STiNE support].

After filling out the STiNE online form, '''click submit''', and then, '''print''' out the summary at the end (Ger: ''Druckansicht''). This print-out has to be '''signed'''. This submitted, printed, and signed STiNE form is one of the required documents which you have to send via postal mail to the Department of Informatics.

Please, note do not click "Freemover", that is the wrong application.

Please, note that the STiNE online form is just the general, uni-wide application form for central administration reasons only. You still need to send your paper application to the address below. With the complete paper application, you apply to the Department of Informatics for a place in the IAS program.

Use the address displayed here or websit not in STiNE.

==''' 3. Curriculum Vitae'''==
The CV (table version) should include information on your academic and professional career and if you have international experience. It should specifically list information on your background relevant for IAS such as projects on AI or Robotics. Please, '''provide evidence''' of such projects through acquired certificates. Project descriptions and outlines on their CS content are especially important if the achieved credits should be counted for the 60 ECTS in computer science.
Please, add your average/overall grade (can be preliminary) and your grading scale to your cv next to the information of your degree and provide official evidence for that information.

== '''4. Letter of Motivation'''==
This is the most important document since it accounts for 40% of your ranking score. It has to be written by yourself in the English language. There is a maximum of 1.5 pages that you should not exceed.
In this letter, you should explain your motivation to study especially this program. The text should answer the following questions:
* Why are you interested in the field "Intelligent Adaptive Systems" or what parts are most interesting and why?
* Why is this program especially suited to complement the knowledge you already have?
* Why did you choose to study this program at Universität Hamburg?
* How does this program fit into your academic and professional future goals?
* Read the selection criteria and the curriculum IAS - so you know what else might be important to write about.

The selection committee will give high ratings to those letters that show that the student has made a deliberate choice to study IAS and can justify their decision well while also explaining how studying IAS will bring the student closer to the desired goal. The board is looking for students that show high motivation and have a good chance of finishing the program with a high impact on the student's life. The ability to present a well-argued and connected chain of argument is a major ability the board is looking for.

Things that affect the rating adversely are, amongst many, generic letters that are written for multiple applications, letters that are written in bad English or do not follow a good structure.

The selection committee does not want to read about the history of informatics, the selection committee wants to read something relevant and precise about you.

== '''5. Proof(s) of English language proficiency'''==
Please see [[Application:Formal requirements| formal requirements]] for details on the required language certificates and further information.

Proof of English language proficiency by
CEFR/TELC: At least Level B2 in all testing categories (listening, reading, speaking, writing) better C1
IELTS: 6.5 + B2
TOEFL: IBT 90, PBT 575, CBT 230
Cambridge: CAE or CPE

==''' 6. Transcript of Records'''==
Please see '''[[Application:Formal requirements| formal requirements]]''' for detailed information on the requirements for your transcript of records.

== '''7. Self-made structured table of all core computer science courses'''==
As a formal requirement you need to evidence 60 ECTS in core computer science courses. To do so, please provide your transcript and a self-made table listing all your core computer science courses you have completed. Please, also refer to the listed information under [[Application:Formal requirements| formal requirements]] regarding questions about the ''ECTS credit system'', the ''calculation'' of the required 60 ECTS, ''modules/courses counted as CS'' by IAS selection committee. Please use this [[Required Documents: Example structure table|example]] to provide your evidence of your 60 ECTS credits or more.

=='''8. BSc certificates and diploma supplement'''==

* If you have finished your degree send a copy of your degree certificate.

* You can also apply if you have finished 5/6 semesters and can evidence 150 ECTS credits (or comparable) of your first degree and at the point of application at least 60 ECTS in computer science must be evident. In order to estimate that you are going to finish you must provide the official transcript of records showing the amount of already acquired credits or credit hours and the number of minimum credits or credit hours required for completion. The final transcript and graduation certificate have to be handed in for enrolment if you are admitted.

* Diploma Supplement: In any case provide a description of your degree - it is an official document issued by most universities.
** The degree's grading system
** The standard amount of semesters required for completion of your degree
** The description of how many weeks per semester of in-class time with a lecturer present
** The description of how your credit systems works, e.g. 1 cp is worth 30 hours of in-class time with lecturer present meaning 2 hours a week for 15 weeks...

=='''9. Your grade'''==
In regards to your overall average grade (preliminary) or final grade, please provide a document with your (preliminary) final grade calculated by your university, even if only 5/6 or 7/8 semesters of the studies have been completed. Your grade should be in the grading system your university provides and with which you can provide the grading system. The grade needs to be in numbers, not letters. Make sure you send an official document attested by your university as the IAS selection committee does not accept self-calculated '''final''' grades nor does the IAS selection committee calculate final grades for you. If this information is listed in your transcript of records or degree certificate, then you don't need to provide this extra document.

Preliminary grade:
Some transcripts or universities do not provide a preliminary average grade: compute it on your own on an extra document and tell us how you did it. If it is not the simple grade average of all grades in the transcript, please provide extra official proof of how your university or degree rules are to compute it.

Please note: If you fail to provide proof of your grade or preliminary grade and grading scale - The grade you are assigned will be the worst possible grade - a grade of 9.9 in selection procedures. This means that applications without a grade will rank behind the last applicant who had provided a grade. This is also true if you state a different grade / grading scale in the table and cover-letter than in your transcript or when the selection committee controls your computation.

=='''10. Grading scale'''==
IAS selection committee needs detailed information on your degree's grading system (alternative names: grading scale/scheme of evaluation/grade classification/range of marks ...) as it is important in our [[Application:Selection criteria| selection process]]. As the IAS selection committee will evaluate and rank all applications, we need the grading scale of your university to make your average or final grade comparable to others. In a lot of cases, official transcripts of records display the university's grading system. Usually, this is a table with all the degree's grades and corresponding information like minimum passing grade and maximum, outstanding or excellent grade, etc. However, if this is not the case for your transcript of records, then please provide this information attested by your university.

Highlight the grading scale, minimum passing grade, and maximum grade in your official documents and state exactly on which page the relevant information can be found, e.g., "the grading scale can be found in the printed degree description page 4 Section 2.1.1 see highlighted information". The selection committee will not look through documents if no help is provided where to find the right information. Please display exact information on paper printout. You may provide a link to a lengthy document if you only printed out parts of a lengthy document for control reasons. The selection committee will not follow links nor translate websites to search for information if no information is provided in paper.

Please note: If you fail to provide proof of your grade or preliminary grade and grading scale - The grade you are assigned will be the worst possible grade - a grade of 9.9 in selection procedures. This means that applications without a grade or grading scale will rank behind the last applicant who had provided a grade. This is also true if you state a different grade / grading scale in the table and cover-letter than in your transcript/official documents or when the selection committee controls your computation.

=='''11. Evidence that your university and degree is recognized in Germany'''==
Admission to a Master degree program at a German university requires an undergraduate degree. This must have been obtained from a recognized higher education institution. The degree also must be equivalent to at least a three year Bachelor that was attained in Germany. It is a prerequisite for an application for the master course "IAS" that your university degree is recognized as equivalent to a Bachelor's degree obtained in Germany.

===How to provide proof that your university is recognized in Germany?===

The selection committee's advice: print out the anabin database entry for proof. It is cost-free and fast:
* Use the database anabin and print out the information about your university
* Your university needs to be recognized with H+
* More information here: [[Desired Documents:Anabin|Anabin]]

If you have difficulties handling anabin, you may use the fee-based service, called Uni-Assist:
* This is the official recommendation of the Universität Hamburg is that you use the fee-based service Uni-Assist (but you don't need to if you provide the anabin printout)
* Request this service around 1 of December - otherwise Uni-Assist might not answer you in time
* More information about [[FAQ:UniAssist| Uni-Assist]]
* Only use Uni-assist if you do not want to look up your University in the database Anabin

Some countries have to get a German authorities endorsement anyway for visa or application- you may hand this in as additional proof:

An endorsement of recognition from German authorities, including information about the type of higher education entrance eligibility and, if applicable, for a particular subject. The Universität Hamburg accepts the following types of endorsement of recognition:

* APS certificates from the academic review offices of Beijing, Ulaanbaatar, and Hanoi

Please note: For the application to the Master program IAS - it is enough to send in your information from Anabin.

If you cannot find information on whether your university is recognized in Germany, the selection committee has to decide case by case whether your degree sounds eligible or not. Usually, your degree does not qualify.

=Application via email possible from now on until 31 March:=

'''Because of the corona-virus pandemic, the IAS Team has decided to allow applications via email.'''

Send the application as described on the website and this wiki and follow '''exactly''' those steps:

* in '''only''' one pdf document with all your documents included: only use this pdf name =FinalIASApplication_YourFullname_YourBW-number
* or zip file with '''all''' of documents zip file name = FinalIASApplication_YourFullname_YourBW-number, documents names= 1_coverletter, 2_STiNE, 3_

* not more than 9 MB
* until 31 March
* use only this Email - subject '''[Final IAS Application] [Your Full name, Your BW-number]''' (The emails will be sorted automatically)
* only use: ias-team@informatik.uni-hamburg.de
* start your Email text with "'''Dear IAS-Team, this is my final application''' to the Master IAS. Please consider the attached application ....."
* Use the order of documents presented here 1.-11. when sending the application.

Everything else stays exactly the same as it is described in this wiki and website except the postal mailing part. Please note, even though now you should apply via email, we still do not inform you about missing documents or incomplete applications. '''For evaluating the application we will only consider the information provided in this one email: Email - subject ''[Final IAS Application] [Your Full name, Your BW-number]'' + Email text starting with ''"Dear IAS-Team, this is my final application to the Master IAS. Please consider the attached pdf application'' ....." '''

==I have sent my paper application already + I received an email confirmation by the IAS Team that it has arrived ==
Then you do not need to do anything.

==I have sent my paper application already + I did not receive email confirmation until 13 March 2020 ==
Please do send your application via email considering the steps above. Due to the corona-virus the IAS Team and many other people at the university will be working from home. That means nobody will get the postal mail.
Please state that your application is on the way and send the application via email again.

==I have not sent my paper application yet==
Please, send it via email. Please state in the email text that you have not sent a paper application

== Order for the pdf application==
Please, put the documents in this order and produce one pdf (and make sure that they are not attached to one another (Please do not use staplers, paper clips, folders, etc.):)

# Cover Sheet
# Signed Online Form STiNE
# CV
# Motivation Letter
# Language Test Score
# Transcript
# Self-made table
# Bachelor Certificate + Diploma Supplement
# Grade
# Grading scale
# Anabin print out
# everything else

Please highlight important information in your documents, e.g. grading scale, grade, "H+" in the anabin printout, finishing date ...

Please check carefully if you have sent all the required documents in due time. The deadline is the 31 of March (No postal mail arrives on Saturdays and Sundays at the university). Faxes are not accepted. We do not inform you of missing documents or late applications. Your application is considered incomplete if one or more of the required documents are not received before the deadline via email or if your STiNE form is not submitted online. As a result, your application will not take part in the selection process. There will be no reconsideration of your application. Also note, that we do not inform you about received emails or postal mail (letters, parcels, envelopes) – Please check with your postal mail provider if you like an acknowledgment.

One final note from the selection committee: We like a neat, well-structured, precise, and complete application. Think for yourself. Show that you can be a responsible, well-organized student, and follow basic instructions.
The selection committee and the IAS team consist of professors, lecturers, advisors, Post-docs who will also teach you once you are accepted.

= Additional Documents =
Generally, all possible documents that support your application (especially as evidence for the arguments used in your motivation letter) can be included and will be taken into account in the selection process. Please include only documents that are relevant for this application. The selection of documents already shows your ability to distinguish between relevant and irrelevant content and a large amount of radomly added certificates or documents may have a negative effect on your ranking.

==Desired documents==

* Documents that add to the evidence needed for the requirements, e.g. additional proofs of language proficiency or higher education courses with computer science content, letter of recommendation
* Evidence for research or professional and/or international experience relevant to IAS studies.
* International experience, e.g. a study exchange, shows your ability to adapt to different learning and living environments and should be listed and described as part of our CV.
* The same holds for professional experience that may show your ability to work in a computer science context.
* Training courses or extensive experience that shows deep understanding of computer science concepts. This will be taken into account for general suitability for the very specific Master program IAS.

== Suitable additions ==
* GRE test or other academic tests showing your ability to study in higher education. Such tests are not required but may be taken into account if provided and if they add to the general story of the application.
* Certificates of contests and competitions can be added if relevant. Please carefully decide whether the certificate can add any additional value to your application.

== Undesired documents ==
* Full module handbooks. To show that you fulfill the requirement of the sufficient 60 ETCS credits, you have to send the self-made and structured table. Please don't send full module handbooks as the IAS admission team will not have the time to search for core CS courses in those handbooks for you.
* Certificates that don't add additional information or are not relevant at all. More is not always better since it may show that you are not able to decide what is relevant for the subject and what is not. Select the certificates that best show your abilities.

==Do all the documents have to be sent as certified/attested copies?==
No, not for the application at the Department of Informatics - IAS. You can send the required application documents as simple copies. But please be aware that once you have been sent an ''letter of acceptance'' by the CampusCenter (central administration), you have to send certified/attested copies of your language certificate, your university entrance qualification (e.g. high school certificate), and your bachelor's degree certificate to prove the authenticity of those documents together with the matriculation form '''within 14 days''' to the "Team for Application and Admission" (Ger: ''Team Bewerbung und Zulassung'') at the CampusCenter of the Universität Hamburg. Therefore, we highly recommend preparing certified/attested copies of all the relevant documents upfront.
The central administration team (CampusCenter Team for your enrolment, located at the city center) and the IAS Team (for your application and later your studies, located at the Department of Informatics, Hamburg Stellingen) are two very distinct teams and have nothing to do with the task of the other.

More FAQ

* [[FAQ: Q&A| Frequently Asked Questions about the application]]

Application:Required documents

2020-03-13T10:06:30Z

Apeters1: /* Application via email possible from now on until 31 March: */

'''Due to the coronavirus pandemic, applications via email are now possible and kindly asked for – see email application for more information.'''

=List of all required documents for application=
In order to apply for the 2-year Master of Science program Intelligent Adaptive Systems, you need to send a paper application to the IAS Team at the Department of Informatics, Universität Hamburg. The IAS team is a team of IAS professors, researchers, lecturers, and academic advisors. The IAS Team and the selection committee will only read complete applications that meet the formal requirements. These applications will be ranked according to the selection criteria.

In order to apply successfully please follow exactly these instructions:

The deadline is on the 31st of March. Faxes and e-mails are not accepted. The IAS selection committee does not inform you of missing documents or late applications. Your application is considered incomplete if one or more of the required documents are not received before the deadline (via postal mail) and/or if your STiNE online application form is not submitted online. As a result, your application will not take part in the selection process. You can not submit missing documents after the expiration of the application deadline, there will be no reconsideration.

The documents 'do not'' have to be sent as certified/attested copies when applying. You should '''not''' send original certificates since the IAS selection committee will not send anything back. However, please note that in case your application is successful, you will need to send attested/certified copies to the University via postal mail ''within 2 weeks'', so be prepared. The notification whether you are accepted or not is send around 15 of May. Official English and German translation of documents are accepted.

Please read the explanations of what documents you have to send and follow the links to more information.

=='''1. Cover-letter-form''' ==
* Please fill in the cover-letter form (with a pdf viewer/reader).
* Then print the form. In case you are having any problems with filling in the form digitally you can also print the form and fill it in by hand (readable!).
* Send the printed form via postal mail as the first page of your application.
* Link to the cover-letter-form: [[Cover-letter-form|cover-letter-form]]

== '''2. The University's general online form (STiNE)'''==
The Universität Hamburg requires you to fill out a general and university-wide online form on their student platform called STiNE. The only purpose of this form is to register with the central administration. Nothing else. It is the way to tell the University that you might apply.
* While registering you will receive a BW - Number (Application Number). Please state this number in your cover letter.
* Submit, print and '''sign''' the STiNE online form and enclose the form with your paper application.
* Only within the application period (15 February - 31 March), the online application form can be accessed through the STiNE portal: https://www.stine.uni-hamburg.de. Sorry, some parts of the STiNE online form are in German and therefore rather tricky.
* As a service to IAS applicants, the IAS-Team has prepared a wiki entry: [[online application form|Online form STiNE]].
*For further questions about STiNE please ask the technical support of STiNE. STiNE is a part of the central administration - not the IAS Team's platform, see [https://www.stine.uni-hamburg.de/scripts/mgrqispi.dll?APPNAME=CampusNet&PRGNAME=EXTERNALPAGES&ARGUMENTS=-N000000000000002,-N000339,-A100101e#furtherquestions STiNE support].

After filling out the STiNE online form, '''click submit''', and then, '''print''' out the summary at the end (Ger: ''Druckansicht''). This print-out has to be '''signed'''. This submitted, printed, and signed STiNE form is one of the required documents which you have to send via postal mail to the Department of Informatics.

Please, note do not click "Freemover", that is the wrong application.

Please, note that the STiNE online form is just the general, uni-wide application form for central administration reasons only. You still need to send your paper application to the address below. With the complete paper application, you apply to the Department of Informatics for a place in the IAS program.

Use the address displayed here or websit not in STiNE.

==''' 3. Curriculum Vitae'''==
The CV (table version) should include information on your academic and professional career and if you have international experience. It should specifically list information on your background relevant for IAS such as projects on AI or Robotics. Please, '''provide evidence''' of such projects through acquired certificates. Project descriptions and outlines on their CS content are especially important if the achieved credits should be counted for the 60 ECTS in computer science.
Please, add your average/overall grade (can be preliminary) and your grading scale to your cv next to the information of your degree and provide official evidence for that information.

== '''4. Letter of Motivation'''==
This is the most important document since it accounts for 40% of your ranking score. It has to be written by yourself in the English language. There is a maximum of 1.5 pages that you should not exceed.
In this letter, you should explain your motivation to study especially this program. The text should answer the following questions:
* Why are you interested in the field "Intelligent Adaptive Systems" or what parts are most interesting and why?
* Why is this program especially suited to complement the knowledge you already have?
* Why did you choose to study this program at Universität Hamburg?
* How does this program fit into your academic and professional future goals?
* Read the selection criteria and the curriculum IAS - so you know what else might be important to write about.

The selection committee will give high ratings to those letters that show that the student has made a deliberate choice to study IAS and can justify their decision well while also explaining how studying IAS will bring the student closer to the desired goal. The board is looking for students that show high motivation and have a good chance of finishing the program with a high impact on the student's life. The ability to present a well-argued and connected chain of argument is a major ability the board is looking for.

Things that affect the rating adversely are, amongst many, generic letters that are written for multiple applications, letters that are written in bad English or do not follow a good structure.

The selection committee does not want to read about the history of informatics, the selection committee wants to read something relevant and precise about you.

== '''5. Proof(s) of English language proficiency'''==
Please see [[Application:Formal requirements| formal requirements]] for details on the required language certificates and further information.

Proof of English language proficiency by
CEFR/TELC: At least Level B2 in all testing categories (listening, reading, speaking, writing) better C1
IELTS: 6.5 + B2
TOEFL: IBT 90, PBT 575, CBT 230
Cambridge: CAE or CPE

==''' 6. Transcript of Records'''==
Please see '''[[Application:Formal requirements| formal requirements]]''' for detailed information on the requirements for your transcript of records.

== '''7. Self-made structured table of all core computer science courses'''==
As a formal requirement you need to evidence 60 ECTS in core computer science courses. To do so, please provide your transcript and a self-made table listing all your core computer science courses you have completed. Please, also refer to the listed information under [[Application:Formal requirements| formal requirements]] regarding questions about the ''ECTS credit system'', the ''calculation'' of the required 60 ECTS, ''modules/courses counted as CS'' by IAS selection committee. Please use this [[Required Documents: Example structure table|example]] to provide your evidence of your 60 ECTS credits or more.

=='''8. BSc certificates and diploma supplement'''==

* If you have finished your degree send a copy of your degree certificate.

* You can also apply if you have finished 5/6 semesters and can evidence 150 ECTS credits (or comparable) of your first degree and at the point of application at least 60 ECTS in computer science must be evident. In order to estimate that you are going to finish you must provide the official transcript of records showing the amount of already acquired credits or credit hours and the number of minimum credits or credit hours required for completion. The final transcript and graduation certificate have to be handed in for enrolment if you are admitted.

* Diploma Supplement: In any case provide a description of your degree - it is an official document issued by most universities.
** The degree's grading system
** The standard amount of semesters required for completion of your degree
** The description of how many weeks per semester of in-class time with a lecturer present
** The description of how your credit systems works, e.g. 1 cp is worth 30 hours of in-class time with lecturer present meaning 2 hours a week for 15 weeks...

=='''9. Your grade'''==
In regards to your overall average grade (preliminary) or final grade, please provide a document with your (preliminary) final grade calculated by your university, even if only 5/6 or 7/8 semesters of the studies have been completed. Your grade should be in the grading system your university provides and with which you can provide the grading system. The grade needs to be in numbers, not letters. Make sure you send an official document attested by your university as the IAS selection committee does not accept self-calculated '''final''' grades nor does the IAS selection committee calculate final grades for you. If this information is listed in your transcript of records or degree certificate, then you don't need to provide this extra document.

Preliminary grade:
Some transcripts or universities do not provide a preliminary average grade: compute it on your own on an extra document and tell us how you did it. If it is not the simple grade average of all grades in the transcript, please provide extra official proof of how your university or degree rules are to compute it.

Please note: If you fail to provide proof of your grade or preliminary grade and grading scale - The grade you are assigned will be the worst possible grade - a grade of 9.9 in selection procedures. This means that applications without a grade will rank behind the last applicant who had provided a grade. This is also true if you state a different grade / grading scale in the table and cover-letter than in your transcript or when the selection committee controls your computation.

=='''10. Grading scale'''==
IAS selection committee needs detailed information on your degree's grading system (alternative names: grading scale/scheme of evaluation/grade classification/range of marks ...) as it is important in our [[Application:Selection criteria| selection process]]. As the IAS selection committee will evaluate and rank all applications, we need the grading scale of your university to make your average or final grade comparable to others. In a lot of cases, official transcripts of records display the university's grading system. Usually, this is a table with all the degree's grades and corresponding information like minimum passing grade and maximum, outstanding or excellent grade, etc. However, if this is not the case for your transcript of records, then please provide this information attested by your university.

Highlight the grading scale, minimum passing grade, and maximum grade in your official documents and state exactly on which page the relevant information can be found, e.g., "the grading scale can be found in the printed degree description page 4 Section 2.1.1 see highlighted information". The selection committee will not look through documents if no help is provided where to find the right information. Please display exact information on paper printout. You may provide a link to a lengthy document if you only printed out parts of a lengthy document for control reasons. The selection committee will not follow links nor translate websites to search for information if no information is provided in paper.

Please note: If you fail to provide proof of your grade or preliminary grade and grading scale - The grade you are assigned will be the worst possible grade - a grade of 9.9 in selection procedures. This means that applications without a grade or grading scale will rank behind the last applicant who had provided a grade. This is also true if you state a different grade / grading scale in the table and cover-letter than in your transcript/official documents or when the selection committee controls your computation.

=='''11. Evidence that your university and degree is recognized in Germany'''==
Admission to a Master degree program at a German university requires an undergraduate degree. This must have been obtained from a recognized higher education institution. The degree also must be equivalent to at least a three year Bachelor that was attained in Germany. It is a prerequisite for an application for the master course "IAS" that your university degree is recognized as equivalent to a Bachelor's degree obtained in Germany.

===How to provide proof that your university is recognized in Germany?===

The selection committee's advice: print out the anabin database entry for proof. It is cost-free and fast:
* Use the database anabin and print out the information about your university
* Your university needs to be recognized with H+
* More information here: [[Desired Documents:Anabin|Anabin]]

If you have difficulties handling anabin, you may use the fee-based service, called Uni-Assist:
* This is the official recommendation of the Universität Hamburg is that you use the fee-based service Uni-Assist (but you don't need to if you provide the anabin printout)
* Request this service around 1 of December - otherwise Uni-Assist might not answer you in time
* More information about [[FAQ:UniAssist| Uni-Assist]]
* Only use Uni-assist if you do not want to look up your University in the database Anabin

Some countries have to get a German authorities endorsement anyway for visa or application- you may hand this in as additional proof:

An endorsement of recognition from German authorities, including information about the type of higher education entrance eligibility and, if applicable, for a particular subject. The Universität Hamburg accepts the following types of endorsement of recognition:

* APS certificates from the academic review offices of Beijing, Ulaanbaatar, and Hanoi

Please note: For the application to the Master program IAS - it is enough to send in your information from Anabin.

If you cannot find information on whether your university is recognized in Germany, the selection committee has to decide case by case whether your degree sounds eligible or not. Usually, your degree does not qualify.

=Application via email possible from now on until 31 March:=

'''Because of the corona-virus pandemic, the IAS Team has decided to allow applications via email.'''

Send the application as described on the website and this wiki and follow '''exactly''' those steps:

* in '''only''' one pdf document with all your documents included + name=FinalIASApplication_YourFullname_YourBW-number
* or zip file with all of documents zip file name = FinalIASApplication_YourFullname_YourBW-number, documents names= 1_coverletter, 2_

* not more than 9 MB
* until 31 March
* use only this Email - subject '''[Final IAS Application] [Your Full name, Your BW-number]''' (The emails will be sorted automatically)
* only use: ias-team@informatik.uni-hamburg.de
* start your Email text with "'''Dear IAS-Team, this is my final application''' to the Master IAS. Please consider the attached application ....."
* Use the order of documents presented here 1.-11. when sending the application.

Everything else stays exactly the same as it is described in this wiki and website except the postal mailing part. Please note, even though now you should apply via email, we still do not inform you about missing documents or incomplete applications. '''For evaluating the application we will only consider the information provided in this one email: Email - subject ''[Final IAS Application] [Your Full name, Your BW-number]'' + Email text starting with ''"Dear IAS-Team, this is my final application to the Master IAS. Please consider the attached pdf application'' ....." '''

==I have sent my paper application already + I received an email confirmation by the IAS Team that it has arrived ==
Then you do not need to do anything.

==I have sent my paper application already + I did not receive email confirmation until 13 March 2020 ==
Please do send your application via email considering the steps above. Due to the corona-virus the IAS Team and many other people at the university will be working from home. That means nobody will get the postal mail.
Please state that your application is on the way and send the application via email again.

==I have not sent my paper application yet==
Please, send it via email. Please state in the email text that you have not sent a paper application

== Order for the pdf application==
Please, put the documents in this order and produce one pdf (and make sure that they are not attached to one another (Please do not use staplers, paper clips, folders, etc.):)

# Cover Sheet
# Signed Online Form STiNE
# CV
# Motivation Letter
# Language Test Score
# Transcript
# Self-made table
# Bachelor Certificate + Diploma Supplement
# Grade
# Grading scale
# Anabin print out
# everything else

Please highlight important information in your documents, e.g. grading scale, grade, "H+" in the anabin printout, finishing date ...

Please check carefully if you have sent all the required documents in due time. The deadline is the 31 of March (No postal mail arrives on Saturdays and Sundays at the university). Faxes are not accepted. We do not inform you of missing documents or late applications. Your application is considered incomplete if one or more of the required documents are not received before the deadline via email or if your STiNE form is not submitted online. As a result, your application will not take part in the selection process. There will be no reconsideration of your application. Also note, that we do not inform you about received emails or postal mail (letters, parcels, envelopes) – Please check with your postal mail provider if you like an acknowledgment.

One final note from the selection committee: We like a neat, well-structured, precise, and complete application. Think for yourself. Show that you can be a responsible, well-organized student, and follow basic instructions.
The selection committee and the IAS team consist of professors, lecturers, advisors, Post-docs who will also teach you once you are accepted.

= Additional Documents =
Generally, all possible documents that support your application (especially as evidence for the arguments used in your motivation letter) can be included and will be taken into account in the selection process. Please include only documents that are relevant for this application. The selection of documents already shows your ability to distinguish between relevant and irrelevant content and a large amount of radomly added certificates or documents may have a negative effect on your ranking.

==Desired documents==

* Documents that add to the evidence needed for the requirements, e.g. additional proofs of language proficiency or higher education courses with computer science content, letter of recommendation
* Evidence for research or professional and/or international experience relevant to IAS studies.
* International experience, e.g. a study exchange, shows your ability to adapt to different learning and living environments and should be listed and described as part of our CV.
* The same holds for professional experience that may show your ability to work in a computer science context.
* Training courses or extensive experience that shows deep understanding of computer science concepts. This will be taken into account for general suitability for the very specific Master program IAS.

== Suitable additions ==
* GRE test or other academic tests showing your ability to study in higher education. Such tests are not required but may be taken into account if provided and if they add to the general story of the application.
* Certificates of contests and competitions can be added if relevant. Please carefully decide whether the certificate can add any additional value to your application.

== Undesired documents ==
* Full module handbooks. To show that you fulfill the requirement of the sufficient 60 ETCS credits, you have to send the self-made and structured table. Please don't send full module handbooks as the IAS admission team will not have the time to search for core CS courses in those handbooks for you.
* Certificates that don't add additional information or are not relevant at all. More is not always better since it may show that you are not able to decide what is relevant for the subject and what is not. Select the certificates that best show your abilities.

==Do all the documents have to be sent as certified/attested copies?==
No, not for the application at the Department of Informatics - IAS. You can send the required application documents as simple copies. But please be aware that once you have been sent an ''letter of acceptance'' by the CampusCenter (central administration), you have to send certified/attested copies of your language certificate, your university entrance qualification (e.g. high school certificate), and your bachelor's degree certificate to prove the authenticity of those documents together with the matriculation form '''within 14 days''' to the "Team for Application and Admission" (Ger: ''Team Bewerbung und Zulassung'') at the CampusCenter of the Universität Hamburg. Therefore, we highly recommend preparing certified/attested copies of all the relevant documents upfront.
The central administration team (CampusCenter Team for your enrolment, located at the city center) and the IAS Team (for your application and later your studies, located at the Department of Informatics, Hamburg Stellingen) are two very distinct teams and have nothing to do with the task of the other.

More FAQ

* [[FAQ: Q&A| Frequently Asked Questions about the application]]

Application:Required documents

2020-03-13T09:36:44Z

Apeters1: /* Application via email possible from now on until 31 March: */

'''Due to the coronavirus pandemic, applications via email are now possible and kindly asked for – see email application for more information.'''

=List of all required documents for application=
In order to apply for the 2-year Master of Science program Intelligent Adaptive Systems, you need to send a paper application to the IAS Team at the Department of Informatics, Universität Hamburg. The IAS team is a team of IAS professors, researchers, lecturers, and academic advisors. The IAS Team and the selection committee will only read complete applications that meet the formal requirements. These applications will be ranked according to the selection criteria.

In order to apply successfully please follow exactly these instructions:

The deadline is on the 31st of March. Faxes and e-mails are not accepted. The IAS selection committee does not inform you of missing documents or late applications. Your application is considered incomplete if one or more of the required documents are not received before the deadline (via postal mail) and/or if your STiNE online application form is not submitted online. As a result, your application will not take part in the selection process. You can not submit missing documents after the expiration of the application deadline, there will be no reconsideration.

The documents 'do not'' have to be sent as certified/attested copies when applying. You should '''not''' send original certificates since the IAS selection committee will not send anything back. However, please note that in case your application is successful, you will need to send attested/certified copies to the University via postal mail ''within 2 weeks'', so be prepared. The notification whether you are accepted or not is send around 15 of May. Official English and German translation of documents are accepted.

Please read the explanations of what documents you have to send and follow the links to more information.

=='''1. Cover-letter-form''' ==
* Please fill in the cover-letter form (with a pdf viewer/reader).
* Then print the form. In case you are having any problems with filling in the form digitally you can also print the form and fill it in by hand (readable!).
* Send the printed form via postal mail as the first page of your application.
* Link to the cover-letter-form: [[Cover-letter-form|cover-letter-form]]

== '''2. The University's general online form (STiNE)'''==
The Universität Hamburg requires you to fill out a general and university-wide online form on their student platform called STiNE. The only purpose of this form is to register with the central administration. Nothing else. It is the way to tell the University that you might apply.
* While registering you will receive a BW - Number (Application Number). Please state this number in your cover letter.
* Submit, print and '''sign''' the STiNE online form and enclose the form with your paper application.
* Only within the application period (15 February - 31 March), the online application form can be accessed through the STiNE portal: https://www.stine.uni-hamburg.de. Sorry, some parts of the STiNE online form are in German and therefore rather tricky.
* As a service to IAS applicants, the IAS-Team has prepared a wiki entry: [[online application form|Online form STiNE]].
*For further questions about STiNE please ask the technical support of STiNE. STiNE is a part of the central administration - not the IAS Team's platform, see [https://www.stine.uni-hamburg.de/scripts/mgrqispi.dll?APPNAME=CampusNet&PRGNAME=EXTERNALPAGES&ARGUMENTS=-N000000000000002,-N000339,-A100101e#furtherquestions STiNE support].

After filling out the STiNE online form, '''click submit''', and then, '''print''' out the summary at the end (Ger: ''Druckansicht''). This print-out has to be '''signed'''. This submitted, printed, and signed STiNE form is one of the required documents which you have to send via postal mail to the Department of Informatics.

Please, note do not click "Freemover", that is the wrong application.

Please, note that the STiNE online form is just the general, uni-wide application form for central administration reasons only. You still need to send your paper application to the address below. With the complete paper application, you apply to the Department of Informatics for a place in the IAS program.

Use the address displayed here or websit not in STiNE.

==''' 3. Curriculum Vitae'''==
The CV (table version) should include information on your academic and professional career and if you have international experience. It should specifically list information on your background relevant for IAS such as projects on AI or Robotics. Please, '''provide evidence''' of such projects through acquired certificates. Project descriptions and outlines on their CS content are especially important if the achieved credits should be counted for the 60 ECTS in computer science.
Please, add your average/overall grade (can be preliminary) and your grading scale to your cv next to the information of your degree and provide official evidence for that information.

== '''4. Letter of Motivation'''==
This is the most important document since it accounts for 40% of your ranking score. It has to be written by yourself in the English language. There is a maximum of 1.5 pages that you should not exceed.
In this letter, you should explain your motivation to study especially this program. The text should answer the following questions:
* Why are you interested in the field "Intelligent Adaptive Systems" or what parts are most interesting and why?
* Why is this program especially suited to complement the knowledge you already have?
* Why did you choose to study this program at Universität Hamburg?
* How does this program fit into your academic and professional future goals?
* Read the selection criteria and the curriculum IAS - so you know what else might be important to write about.

The selection committee will give high ratings to those letters that show that the student has made a deliberate choice to study IAS and can justify their decision well while also explaining how studying IAS will bring the student closer to the desired goal. The board is looking for students that show high motivation and have a good chance of finishing the program with a high impact on the student's life. The ability to present a well-argued and connected chain of argument is a major ability the board is looking for.

Things that affect the rating adversely are, amongst many, generic letters that are written for multiple applications, letters that are written in bad English or do not follow a good structure.

The selection committee does not want to read about the history of informatics, the selection committee wants to read something relevant and precise about you.

== '''5. Proof(s) of English language proficiency'''==
Please see [[Application:Formal requirements| formal requirements]] for details on the required language certificates and further information.

Proof of English language proficiency by
CEFR/TELC: At least Level B2 in all testing categories (listening, reading, speaking, writing) better C1
IELTS: 6.5 + B2
TOEFL: IBT 90, PBT 575, CBT 230
Cambridge: CAE or CPE

==''' 6. Transcript of Records'''==
Please see '''[[Application:Formal requirements| formal requirements]]''' for detailed information on the requirements for your transcript of records.

== '''7. Self-made structured table of all core computer science courses'''==
As a formal requirement you need to evidence 60 ECTS in core computer science courses. To do so, please provide your transcript and a self-made table listing all your core computer science courses you have completed. Please, also refer to the listed information under [[Application:Formal requirements| formal requirements]] regarding questions about the ''ECTS credit system'', the ''calculation'' of the required 60 ECTS, ''modules/courses counted as CS'' by IAS selection committee. Please use this [[Required Documents: Example structure table|example]] to provide your evidence of your 60 ECTS credits or more.

=='''8. BSc certificates and diploma supplement'''==

* If you have finished your degree send a copy of your degree certificate.

* You can also apply if you have finished 5/6 semesters and can evidence 150 ECTS credits (or comparable) of your first degree and at the point of application at least 60 ECTS in computer science must be evident. In order to estimate that you are going to finish you must provide the official transcript of records showing the amount of already acquired credits or credit hours and the number of minimum credits or credit hours required for completion. The final transcript and graduation certificate have to be handed in for enrolment if you are admitted.

* Diploma Supplement: In any case provide a description of your degree - it is an official document issued by most universities.
** The degree's grading system
** The standard amount of semesters required for completion of your degree
** The description of how many weeks per semester of in-class time with a lecturer present
** The description of how your credit systems works, e.g. 1 cp is worth 30 hours of in-class time with lecturer present meaning 2 hours a week for 15 weeks...

=='''9. Your grade'''==
In regards to your overall average grade (preliminary) or final grade, please provide a document with your (preliminary) final grade calculated by your university, even if only 5/6 or 7/8 semesters of the studies have been completed. Your grade should be in the grading system your university provides and with which you can provide the grading system. The grade needs to be in numbers, not letters. Make sure you send an official document attested by your university as the IAS selection committee does not accept self-calculated '''final''' grades nor does the IAS selection committee calculate final grades for you. If this information is listed in your transcript of records or degree certificate, then you don't need to provide this extra document.

Preliminary grade:
Some transcripts or universities do not provide a preliminary average grade: compute it on your own on an extra document and tell us how you did it. If it is not the simple grade average of all grades in the transcript, please provide extra official proof of how your university or degree rules are to compute it.

Please note: If you fail to provide proof of your grade or preliminary grade and grading scale - The grade you are assigned will be the worst possible grade - a grade of 9.9 in selection procedures. This means that applications without a grade will rank behind the last applicant who had provided a grade. This is also true if you state a different grade / grading scale in the table and cover-letter than in your transcript or when the selection committee controls your computation.

=='''10. Grading scale'''==
IAS selection committee needs detailed information on your degree's grading system (alternative names: grading scale/scheme of evaluation/grade classification/range of marks ...) as it is important in our [[Application:Selection criteria| selection process]]. As the IAS selection committee will evaluate and rank all applications, we need the grading scale of your university to make your average or final grade comparable to others. In a lot of cases, official transcripts of records display the university's grading system. Usually, this is a table with all the degree's grades and corresponding information like minimum passing grade and maximum, outstanding or excellent grade, etc. However, if this is not the case for your transcript of records, then please provide this information attested by your university.

Highlight the grading scale, minimum passing grade, and maximum grade in your official documents and state exactly on which page the relevant information can be found, e.g., "the grading scale can be found in the printed degree description page 4 Section 2.1.1 see highlighted information". The selection committee will not look through documents if no help is provided where to find the right information. Please display exact information on paper printout. You may provide a link to a lengthy document if you only printed out parts of a lengthy document for control reasons. The selection committee will not follow links nor translate websites to search for information if no information is provided in paper.

Please note: If you fail to provide proof of your grade or preliminary grade and grading scale - The grade you are assigned will be the worst possible grade - a grade of 9.9 in selection procedures. This means that applications without a grade or grading scale will rank behind the last applicant who had provided a grade. This is also true if you state a different grade / grading scale in the table and cover-letter than in your transcript/official documents or when the selection committee controls your computation.

=='''11. Evidence that your university and degree is recognized in Germany'''==
Admission to a Master degree program at a German university requires an undergraduate degree. This must have been obtained from a recognized higher education institution. The degree also must be equivalent to at least a three year Bachelor that was attained in Germany. It is a prerequisite for an application for the master course "IAS" that your university degree is recognized as equivalent to a Bachelor's degree obtained in Germany.

===How to provide proof that your university is recognized in Germany?===

The selection committee's advice: print out the anabin database entry for proof. It is cost-free and fast:
* Use the database anabin and print out the information about your university
* Your university needs to be recognized with H+
* More information here: [[Desired Documents:Anabin|Anabin]]

If you have difficulties handling anabin, you may use the fee-based service, called Uni-Assist:
* This is the official recommendation of the Universität Hamburg is that you use the fee-based service Uni-Assist (but you don't need to if you provide the anabin printout)
* Request this service around 1 of December - otherwise Uni-Assist might not answer you in time
* More information about [[FAQ:UniAssist| Uni-Assist]]
* Only use Uni-assist if you do not want to look up your University in the database Anabin

Some countries have to get a German authorities endorsement anyway for visa or application- you may hand this in as additional proof:

An endorsement of recognition from German authorities, including information about the type of higher education entrance eligibility and, if applicable, for a particular subject. The Universität Hamburg accepts the following types of endorsement of recognition:

* APS certificates from the academic review offices of Beijing, Ulaanbaatar, and Hanoi

Please note: For the application to the Master program IAS - it is enough to send in your information from Anabin.

If you cannot find information on whether your university is recognized in Germany, the selection committee has to decide case by case whether your degree sounds eligible or not. Usually, your degree does not qualify.

=Application via email possible from now on until 31 March:=

'''Because of the corona-virus pandemic, the IAS Team has decided to allow applications via email.'''

Send the application as described on the website and this wiki and follow '''exactly''' those steps:

* in '''only''' 1 pdf - one pdf document with all your documents = only complete applications will be considered
* not more than 9 MB
* until 31 March
* use only this Email - subject '''[Final IAS Application] [Your Full name, Your BW-number]''' (The emails will be sorted automatically)
* only use: ias-team@informatik.uni-hamburg.de
* start your Email text with "'''Dear IAS-Team, this is my final application''' to the Master IAS. Please consider the attached application ....."
* Use the order of documents presented here 1.-11. when sending the application.

Everything else stays exactly the same as it is described in this wiki and website except the postal mailing part. Please note, even though now you should apply via email, we still do not inform you about missing documents or incomplete applications. '''For evaluating the application we will only consider the information provided in this one email: Email - subject ''[Final IAS Application] [Your Full name, Your BW-number]'' + Email text starting with ''"Dear IAS-Team, this is my final application to the Master IAS. Please consider the attached pdf application'' ....." '''

==I have sent my paper application already + I received an email confirmation by the IAS Team that it has arrived ==
Then you do not need to do anything.

==I have sent my paper application already + I did not receive email confirmation until 13 March 2020 ==
Please do send your application via email considering the steps above. Due to the corona-virus the IAS Team and many other people at the university will be working from home. That means nobody will get the postal mail.
Please state that your application is on the way and send the application via email again.

==I have not sent my paper application yet==
Please, send it via email. Please state in the email text that you have not sent a paper application

== Order for the pdf application==
Please, put the documents in this order and produce one pdf (and make sure that they are not attached to one another (Please do not use staplers, paper clips, folders, etc.):)

# Cover Sheet
# Signed Online Form STiNE
# CV
# Motivation Letter
# Language Test Score
# Transcript
# Self-made table
# Bachelor Certificate + Diploma Supplement
# Grade
# Grading scale
# Anabin print out
# everything else

Please highlight important information in your documents, e.g. grading scale, grade, "H+" in the anabin printout, finishing date ...

Please check carefully if you have sent all the required documents in due time. The deadline is the 31 of March (No postal mail arrives on Saturdays and Sundays at the university). Faxes are not accepted. We do not inform you of missing documents or late applications. Your application is considered incomplete if one or more of the required documents are not received before the deadline via email or if your STiNE form is not submitted online. As a result, your application will not take part in the selection process. There will be no reconsideration of your application. Also note, that we do not inform you about received emails or postal mail (letters, parcels, envelopes) – Please check with your postal mail provider if you like an acknowledgment.

One final note from the selection committee: We like a neat, well-structured, precise, and complete application. Think for yourself. Show that you can be a responsible, well-organized student, and follow basic instructions.
The selection committee and the IAS team consist of professors, lecturers, advisors, Post-docs who will also teach you once you are accepted.

= Additional Documents =
Generally, all possible documents that support your application (especially as evidence for the arguments used in your motivation letter) can be included and will be taken into account in the selection process. Please include only documents that are relevant for this application. The selection of documents already shows your ability to distinguish between relevant and irrelevant content and a large amount of radomly added certificates or documents may have a negative effect on your ranking.

==Desired documents==

* Documents that add to the evidence needed for the requirements, e.g. additional proofs of language proficiency or higher education courses with computer science content, letter of recommendation
* Evidence for research or professional and/or international experience relevant to IAS studies.
* International experience, e.g. a study exchange, shows your ability to adapt to different learning and living environments and should be listed and described as part of our CV.
* The same holds for professional experience that may show your ability to work in a computer science context.
* Training courses or extensive experience that shows deep understanding of computer science concepts. This will be taken into account for general suitability for the very specific Master program IAS.

== Suitable additions ==
* GRE test or other academic tests showing your ability to study in higher education. Such tests are not required but may be taken into account if provided and if they add to the general story of the application.
* Certificates of contests and competitions can be added if relevant. Please carefully decide whether the certificate can add any additional value to your application.

== Undesired documents ==
* Full module handbooks. To show that you fulfill the requirement of the sufficient 60 ETCS credits, you have to send the self-made and structured table. Please don't send full module handbooks as the IAS admission team will not have the time to search for core CS courses in those handbooks for you.
* Certificates that don't add additional information or are not relevant at all. More is not always better since it may show that you are not able to decide what is relevant for the subject and what is not. Select the certificates that best show your abilities.

==Do all the documents have to be sent as certified/attested copies?==
No, not for the application at the Department of Informatics - IAS. You can send the required application documents as simple copies. But please be aware that once you have been sent an ''letter of acceptance'' by the CampusCenter (central administration), you have to send certified/attested copies of your language certificate, your university entrance qualification (e.g. high school certificate), and your bachelor's degree certificate to prove the authenticity of those documents together with the matriculation form '''within 14 days''' to the "Team for Application and Admission" (Ger: ''Team Bewerbung und Zulassung'') at the CampusCenter of the Universität Hamburg. Therefore, we highly recommend preparing certified/attested copies of all the relevant documents upfront.
The central administration team (CampusCenter Team for your enrolment, located at the city center) and the IAS Team (for your application and later your studies, located at the Department of Informatics, Hamburg Stellingen) are two very distinct teams and have nothing to do with the task of the other.

More FAQ

* [[FAQ: Q&A| Frequently Asked Questions about the application]]

Application:Required documents

2020-03-13T09:36:02Z

Apeters1: /* Application via email possible from now on until 31 March: */

'''Due to the coronavirus pandemic, applications via email are now possible and kindly asked for – see email application for more information.'''

=List of all required documents for application=
In order to apply for the 2-year Master of Science program Intelligent Adaptive Systems, you need to send a paper application to the IAS Team at the Department of Informatics, Universität Hamburg. The IAS team is a team of IAS professors, researchers, lecturers, and academic advisors. The IAS Team and the selection committee will only read complete applications that meet the formal requirements. These applications will be ranked according to the selection criteria.

In order to apply successfully please follow exactly these instructions:

The deadline is on the 31st of March. Faxes and e-mails are not accepted. The IAS selection committee does not inform you of missing documents or late applications. Your application is considered incomplete if one or more of the required documents are not received before the deadline (via postal mail) and/or if your STiNE online application form is not submitted online. As a result, your application will not take part in the selection process. You can not submit missing documents after the expiration of the application deadline, there will be no reconsideration.

The documents 'do not'' have to be sent as certified/attested copies when applying. You should '''not''' send original certificates since the IAS selection committee will not send anything back. However, please note that in case your application is successful, you will need to send attested/certified copies to the University via postal mail ''within 2 weeks'', so be prepared. The notification whether you are accepted or not is send around 15 of May. Official English and German translation of documents are accepted.

Please read the explanations of what documents you have to send and follow the links to more information.

=='''1. Cover-letter-form''' ==
* Please fill in the cover-letter form (with a pdf viewer/reader).
* Then print the form. In case you are having any problems with filling in the form digitally you can also print the form and fill it in by hand (readable!).
* Send the printed form via postal mail as the first page of your application.
* Link to the cover-letter-form: [[Cover-letter-form|cover-letter-form]]

== '''2. The University's general online form (STiNE)'''==
The Universität Hamburg requires you to fill out a general and university-wide online form on their student platform called STiNE. The only purpose of this form is to register with the central administration. Nothing else. It is the way to tell the University that you might apply.
* While registering you will receive a BW - Number (Application Number). Please state this number in your cover letter.
* Submit, print and '''sign''' the STiNE online form and enclose the form with your paper application.
* Only within the application period (15 February - 31 March), the online application form can be accessed through the STiNE portal: https://www.stine.uni-hamburg.de. Sorry, some parts of the STiNE online form are in German and therefore rather tricky.
* As a service to IAS applicants, the IAS-Team has prepared a wiki entry: [[online application form|Online form STiNE]].
*For further questions about STiNE please ask the technical support of STiNE. STiNE is a part of the central administration - not the IAS Team's platform, see [https://www.stine.uni-hamburg.de/scripts/mgrqispi.dll?APPNAME=CampusNet&PRGNAME=EXTERNALPAGES&ARGUMENTS=-N000000000000002,-N000339,-A100101e#furtherquestions STiNE support].

After filling out the STiNE online form, '''click submit''', and then, '''print''' out the summary at the end (Ger: ''Druckansicht''). This print-out has to be '''signed'''. This submitted, printed, and signed STiNE form is one of the required documents which you have to send via postal mail to the Department of Informatics.

Please, note do not click "Freemover", that is the wrong application.

Please, note that the STiNE online form is just the general, uni-wide application form for central administration reasons only. You still need to send your paper application to the address below. With the complete paper application, you apply to the Department of Informatics for a place in the IAS program.

Use the address displayed here or websit not in STiNE.

==''' 3. Curriculum Vitae'''==
The CV (table version) should include information on your academic and professional career and if you have international experience. It should specifically list information on your background relevant for IAS such as projects on AI or Robotics. Please, '''provide evidence''' of such projects through acquired certificates. Project descriptions and outlines on their CS content are especially important if the achieved credits should be counted for the 60 ECTS in computer science.
Please, add your average/overall grade (can be preliminary) and your grading scale to your cv next to the information of your degree and provide official evidence for that information.

== '''4. Letter of Motivation'''==
This is the most important document since it accounts for 40% of your ranking score. It has to be written by yourself in the English language. There is a maximum of 1.5 pages that you should not exceed.
In this letter, you should explain your motivation to study especially this program. The text should answer the following questions:
* Why are you interested in the field "Intelligent Adaptive Systems" or what parts are most interesting and why?
* Why is this program especially suited to complement the knowledge you already have?
* Why did you choose to study this program at Universität Hamburg?
* How does this program fit into your academic and professional future goals?
* Read the selection criteria and the curriculum IAS - so you know what else might be important to write about.

The selection committee will give high ratings to those letters that show that the student has made a deliberate choice to study IAS and can justify their decision well while also explaining how studying IAS will bring the student closer to the desired goal. The board is looking for students that show high motivation and have a good chance of finishing the program with a high impact on the student's life. The ability to present a well-argued and connected chain of argument is a major ability the board is looking for.

Things that affect the rating adversely are, amongst many, generic letters that are written for multiple applications, letters that are written in bad English or do not follow a good structure.

The selection committee does not want to read about the history of informatics, the selection committee wants to read something relevant and precise about you.

== '''5. Proof(s) of English language proficiency'''==
Please see [[Application:Formal requirements| formal requirements]] for details on the required language certificates and further information.

Proof of English language proficiency by
CEFR/TELC: At least Level B2 in all testing categories (listening, reading, speaking, writing) better C1
IELTS: 6.5 + B2
TOEFL: IBT 90, PBT 575, CBT 230
Cambridge: CAE or CPE

==''' 6. Transcript of Records'''==
Please see '''[[Application:Formal requirements| formal requirements]]''' for detailed information on the requirements for your transcript of records.

== '''7. Self-made structured table of all core computer science courses'''==
As a formal requirement you need to evidence 60 ECTS in core computer science courses. To do so, please provide your transcript and a self-made table listing all your core computer science courses you have completed. Please, also refer to the listed information under [[Application:Formal requirements| formal requirements]] regarding questions about the ''ECTS credit system'', the ''calculation'' of the required 60 ECTS, ''modules/courses counted as CS'' by IAS selection committee. Please use this [[Required Documents: Example structure table|example]] to provide your evidence of your 60 ECTS credits or more.

=='''8. BSc certificates and diploma supplement'''==

* If you have finished your degree send a copy of your degree certificate.

* You can also apply if you have finished 5/6 semesters and can evidence 150 ECTS credits (or comparable) of your first degree and at the point of application at least 60 ECTS in computer science must be evident. In order to estimate that you are going to finish you must provide the official transcript of records showing the amount of already acquired credits or credit hours and the number of minimum credits or credit hours required for completion. The final transcript and graduation certificate have to be handed in for enrolment if you are admitted.

* Diploma Supplement: In any case provide a description of your degree - it is an official document issued by most universities.
** The degree's grading system
** The standard amount of semesters required for completion of your degree
** The description of how many weeks per semester of in-class time with a lecturer present
** The description of how your credit systems works, e.g. 1 cp is worth 30 hours of in-class time with lecturer present meaning 2 hours a week for 15 weeks...

=='''9. Your grade'''==
In regards to your overall average grade (preliminary) or final grade, please provide a document with your (preliminary) final grade calculated by your university, even if only 5/6 or 7/8 semesters of the studies have been completed. Your grade should be in the grading system your university provides and with which you can provide the grading system. The grade needs to be in numbers, not letters. Make sure you send an official document attested by your university as the IAS selection committee does not accept self-calculated '''final''' grades nor does the IAS selection committee calculate final grades for you. If this information is listed in your transcript of records or degree certificate, then you don't need to provide this extra document.

Preliminary grade:
Some transcripts or universities do not provide a preliminary average grade: compute it on your own on an extra document and tell us how you did it. If it is not the simple grade average of all grades in the transcript, please provide extra official proof of how your university or degree rules are to compute it.

Please note: If you fail to provide proof of your grade or preliminary grade and grading scale - The grade you are assigned will be the worst possible grade - a grade of 9.9 in selection procedures. This means that applications without a grade will rank behind the last applicant who had provided a grade. This is also true if you state a different grade / grading scale in the table and cover-letter than in your transcript or when the selection committee controls your computation.

=='''10. Grading scale'''==
IAS selection committee needs detailed information on your degree's grading system (alternative names: grading scale/scheme of evaluation/grade classification/range of marks ...) as it is important in our [[Application:Selection criteria| selection process]]. As the IAS selection committee will evaluate and rank all applications, we need the grading scale of your university to make your average or final grade comparable to others. In a lot of cases, official transcripts of records display the university's grading system. Usually, this is a table with all the degree's grades and corresponding information like minimum passing grade and maximum, outstanding or excellent grade, etc. However, if this is not the case for your transcript of records, then please provide this information attested by your university.

Highlight the grading scale, minimum passing grade, and maximum grade in your official documents and state exactly on which page the relevant information can be found, e.g., "the grading scale can be found in the printed degree description page 4 Section 2.1.1 see highlighted information". The selection committee will not look through documents if no help is provided where to find the right information. Please display exact information on paper printout. You may provide a link to a lengthy document if you only printed out parts of a lengthy document for control reasons. The selection committee will not follow links nor translate websites to search for information if no information is provided in paper.

Please note: If you fail to provide proof of your grade or preliminary grade and grading scale - The grade you are assigned will be the worst possible grade - a grade of 9.9 in selection procedures. This means that applications without a grade or grading scale will rank behind the last applicant who had provided a grade. This is also true if you state a different grade / grading scale in the table and cover-letter than in your transcript/official documents or when the selection committee controls your computation.

=='''11. Evidence that your university and degree is recognized in Germany'''==
Admission to a Master degree program at a German university requires an undergraduate degree. This must have been obtained from a recognized higher education institution. The degree also must be equivalent to at least a three year Bachelor that was attained in Germany. It is a prerequisite for an application for the master course "IAS" that your university degree is recognized as equivalent to a Bachelor's degree obtained in Germany.

===How to provide proof that your university is recognized in Germany?===

The selection committee's advice: print out the anabin database entry for proof. It is cost-free and fast:
* Use the database anabin and print out the information about your university
* Your university needs to be recognized with H+
* More information here: [[Desired Documents:Anabin|Anabin]]

If you have difficulties handling anabin, you may use the fee-based service, called Uni-Assist:
* This is the official recommendation of the Universität Hamburg is that you use the fee-based service Uni-Assist (but you don't need to if you provide the anabin printout)
* Request this service around 1 of December - otherwise Uni-Assist might not answer you in time
* More information about [[FAQ:UniAssist| Uni-Assist]]
* Only use Uni-assist if you do not want to look up your University in the database Anabin

Some countries have to get a German authorities endorsement anyway for visa or application- you may hand this in as additional proof:

An endorsement of recognition from German authorities, including information about the type of higher education entrance eligibility and, if applicable, for a particular subject. The Universität Hamburg accepts the following types of endorsement of recognition:

* APS certificates from the academic review offices of Beijing, Ulaanbaatar, and Hanoi

Please note: For the application to the Master program IAS - it is enough to send in your information from Anabin.

If you cannot find information on whether your university is recognized in Germany, the selection committee has to decide case by case whether your degree sounds eligible or not. Usually, your degree does not qualify.

=Application via email possible from now on until 31 March:=

'''Because of the corona-virus pandemic, the IAS Team has decided to allow applications via email.'''

Send the application as described on the website and this wiki and follow '''exactly''' those steps:

* in '''only''' 1 pdf - one pdf document with all your documents = only complete applications will be considered
* not more than 9 MB
* until 31 March
* use only this Email - subject '''[Final IAS Application] [Your Full name, Your BW-number]''' (The emails will be sorted automatically)
* only use: ias-team@informatik.uni-hamburg.de
* start your Email text with "'''Dear IAS-Team, this is my final application''' to the Master IAS. Please consider the attached application ....."
* Use the order of documents presented here 1.-11. when sending the application.

Everything else stays exactly the same as it is described in this wiki and website except the postal mailing part. Please note, even though now you should apply via email, we still do not inform you about missing documents or incomplete applications. '''For evaluating the application we will only consider the information provided in this one email: Email - subject '''[Final IAS Application] [Your Full name, Your BW-number]''' + Email text starting with "Dear IAS-Team, this is my final application to the Master IAS. Please consider the attached pdf application ....." '''

==I have sent my paper application already + I received an email confirmation by the IAS Team that it has arrived ==
Then you do not need to do anything.

==I have sent my paper application already + I did not receive email confirmation until 13 March 2020 ==
Please do send your application via email considering the steps above. Due to the corona-virus the IAS Team and many other people at the university will be working from home. That means nobody will get the postal mail.
Please state that your application is on the way and send the application via email again.

==I have not sent my paper application yet==
Please, send it via email. Please state in the email text that you have not sent a paper application

== Order for the pdf application==
Please, put the documents in this order and produce one pdf (and make sure that they are not attached to one another (Please do not use staplers, paper clips, folders, etc.):)

# Cover Sheet
# Signed Online Form STiNE
# CV
# Motivation Letter
# Language Test Score
# Transcript
# Self-made table
# Bachelor Certificate + Diploma Supplement
# Grade
# Grading scale
# Anabin print out
# everything else

Please highlight important information in your documents, e.g. grading scale, grade, "H+" in the anabin printout, finishing date ...

Please check carefully if you have sent all the required documents in due time. The deadline is the 31 of March (No postal mail arrives on Saturdays and Sundays at the university). Faxes are not accepted. We do not inform you of missing documents or late applications. Your application is considered incomplete if one or more of the required documents are not received before the deadline via email or if your STiNE form is not submitted online. As a result, your application will not take part in the selection process. There will be no reconsideration of your application. Also note, that we do not inform you about received emails or postal mail (letters, parcels, envelopes) – Please check with your postal mail provider if you like an acknowledgment.

One final note from the selection committee: We like a neat, well-structured, precise, and complete application. Think for yourself. Show that you can be a responsible, well-organized student, and follow basic instructions.
The selection committee and the IAS team consist of professors, lecturers, advisors, Post-docs who will also teach you once you are accepted.

= Additional Documents =
Generally, all possible documents that support your application (especially as evidence for the arguments used in your motivation letter) can be included and will be taken into account in the selection process. Please include only documents that are relevant for this application. The selection of documents already shows your ability to distinguish between relevant and irrelevant content and a large amount of radomly added certificates or documents may have a negative effect on your ranking.

==Desired documents==

* Documents that add to the evidence needed for the requirements, e.g. additional proofs of language proficiency or higher education courses with computer science content, letter of recommendation
* Evidence for research or professional and/or international experience relevant to IAS studies.
* International experience, e.g. a study exchange, shows your ability to adapt to different learning and living environments and should be listed and described as part of our CV.
* The same holds for professional experience that may show your ability to work in a computer science context.
* Training courses or extensive experience that shows deep understanding of computer science concepts. This will be taken into account for general suitability for the very specific Master program IAS.

== Suitable additions ==
* GRE test or other academic tests showing your ability to study in higher education. Such tests are not required but may be taken into account if provided and if they add to the general story of the application.
* Certificates of contests and competitions can be added if relevant. Please carefully decide whether the certificate can add any additional value to your application.

== Undesired documents ==
* Full module handbooks. To show that you fulfill the requirement of the sufficient 60 ETCS credits, you have to send the self-made and structured table. Please don't send full module handbooks as the IAS admission team will not have the time to search for core CS courses in those handbooks for you.
* Certificates that don't add additional information or are not relevant at all. More is not always better since it may show that you are not able to decide what is relevant for the subject and what is not. Select the certificates that best show your abilities.

==Do all the documents have to be sent as certified/attested copies?==
No, not for the application at the Department of Informatics - IAS. You can send the required application documents as simple copies. But please be aware that once you have been sent an ''letter of acceptance'' by the CampusCenter (central administration), you have to send certified/attested copies of your language certificate, your university entrance qualification (e.g. high school certificate), and your bachelor's degree certificate to prove the authenticity of those documents together with the matriculation form '''within 14 days''' to the "Team for Application and Admission" (Ger: ''Team Bewerbung und Zulassung'') at the CampusCenter of the Universität Hamburg. Therefore, we highly recommend preparing certified/attested copies of all the relevant documents upfront.
The central administration team (CampusCenter Team for your enrolment, located at the city center) and the IAS Team (for your application and later your studies, located at the Department of Informatics, Hamburg Stellingen) are two very distinct teams and have nothing to do with the task of the other.

More FAQ

* [[FAQ: Q&A| Frequently Asked Questions about the application]]

Application:Required documents

2020-03-13T09:35:16Z

Apeters1:

'''Due to the coronavirus pandemic, applications via email are now possible and kindly asked for – see email application for more information.'''

=List of all required documents for application=
In order to apply for the 2-year Master of Science program Intelligent Adaptive Systems, you need to send a paper application to the IAS Team at the Department of Informatics, Universität Hamburg. The IAS team is a team of IAS professors, researchers, lecturers, and academic advisors. The IAS Team and the selection committee will only read complete applications that meet the formal requirements. These applications will be ranked according to the selection criteria.

In order to apply successfully please follow exactly these instructions:

The deadline is on the 31st of March. Faxes and e-mails are not accepted. The IAS selection committee does not inform you of missing documents or late applications. Your application is considered incomplete if one or more of the required documents are not received before the deadline (via postal mail) and/or if your STiNE online application form is not submitted online. As a result, your application will not take part in the selection process. You can not submit missing documents after the expiration of the application deadline, there will be no reconsideration.

The documents 'do not'' have to be sent as certified/attested copies when applying. You should '''not''' send original certificates since the IAS selection committee will not send anything back. However, please note that in case your application is successful, you will need to send attested/certified copies to the University via postal mail ''within 2 weeks'', so be prepared. The notification whether you are accepted or not is send around 15 of May. Official English and German translation of documents are accepted.

Please read the explanations of what documents you have to send and follow the links to more information.

=='''1. Cover-letter-form''' ==
* Please fill in the cover-letter form (with a pdf viewer/reader).
* Then print the form. In case you are having any problems with filling in the form digitally you can also print the form and fill it in by hand (readable!).
* Send the printed form via postal mail as the first page of your application.
* Link to the cover-letter-form: [[Cover-letter-form|cover-letter-form]]

== '''2. The University's general online form (STiNE)'''==
The Universität Hamburg requires you to fill out a general and university-wide online form on their student platform called STiNE. The only purpose of this form is to register with the central administration. Nothing else. It is the way to tell the University that you might apply.
* While registering you will receive a BW - Number (Application Number). Please state this number in your cover letter.
* Submit, print and '''sign''' the STiNE online form and enclose the form with your paper application.
* Only within the application period (15 February - 31 March), the online application form can be accessed through the STiNE portal: https://www.stine.uni-hamburg.de. Sorry, some parts of the STiNE online form are in German and therefore rather tricky.
* As a service to IAS applicants, the IAS-Team has prepared a wiki entry: [[online application form|Online form STiNE]].
*For further questions about STiNE please ask the technical support of STiNE. STiNE is a part of the central administration - not the IAS Team's platform, see [https://www.stine.uni-hamburg.de/scripts/mgrqispi.dll?APPNAME=CampusNet&PRGNAME=EXTERNALPAGES&ARGUMENTS=-N000000000000002,-N000339,-A100101e#furtherquestions STiNE support].

After filling out the STiNE online form, '''click submit''', and then, '''print''' out the summary at the end (Ger: ''Druckansicht''). This print-out has to be '''signed'''. This submitted, printed, and signed STiNE form is one of the required documents which you have to send via postal mail to the Department of Informatics.

Please, note do not click "Freemover", that is the wrong application.

Please, note that the STiNE online form is just the general, uni-wide application form for central administration reasons only. You still need to send your paper application to the address below. With the complete paper application, you apply to the Department of Informatics for a place in the IAS program.

Use the address displayed here or websit not in STiNE.

==''' 3. Curriculum Vitae'''==
The CV (table version) should include information on your academic and professional career and if you have international experience. It should specifically list information on your background relevant for IAS such as projects on AI or Robotics. Please, '''provide evidence''' of such projects through acquired certificates. Project descriptions and outlines on their CS content are especially important if the achieved credits should be counted for the 60 ECTS in computer science.
Please, add your average/overall grade (can be preliminary) and your grading scale to your cv next to the information of your degree and provide official evidence for that information.

== '''4. Letter of Motivation'''==
This is the most important document since it accounts for 40% of your ranking score. It has to be written by yourself in the English language. There is a maximum of 1.5 pages that you should not exceed.
In this letter, you should explain your motivation to study especially this program. The text should answer the following questions:
* Why are you interested in the field "Intelligent Adaptive Systems" or what parts are most interesting and why?
* Why is this program especially suited to complement the knowledge you already have?
* Why did you choose to study this program at Universität Hamburg?
* How does this program fit into your academic and professional future goals?
* Read the selection criteria and the curriculum IAS - so you know what else might be important to write about.

The selection committee will give high ratings to those letters that show that the student has made a deliberate choice to study IAS and can justify their decision well while also explaining how studying IAS will bring the student closer to the desired goal. The board is looking for students that show high motivation and have a good chance of finishing the program with a high impact on the student's life. The ability to present a well-argued and connected chain of argument is a major ability the board is looking for.

Things that affect the rating adversely are, amongst many, generic letters that are written for multiple applications, letters that are written in bad English or do not follow a good structure.

The selection committee does not want to read about the history of informatics, the selection committee wants to read something relevant and precise about you.

== '''5. Proof(s) of English language proficiency'''==
Please see [[Application:Formal requirements| formal requirements]] for details on the required language certificates and further information.

Proof of English language proficiency by
CEFR/TELC: At least Level B2 in all testing categories (listening, reading, speaking, writing) better C1
IELTS: 6.5 + B2
TOEFL: IBT 90, PBT 575, CBT 230
Cambridge: CAE or CPE

==''' 6. Transcript of Records'''==
Please see '''[[Application:Formal requirements| formal requirements]]''' for detailed information on the requirements for your transcript of records.

== '''7. Self-made structured table of all core computer science courses'''==
As a formal requirement you need to evidence 60 ECTS in core computer science courses. To do so, please provide your transcript and a self-made table listing all your core computer science courses you have completed. Please, also refer to the listed information under [[Application:Formal requirements| formal requirements]] regarding questions about the ''ECTS credit system'', the ''calculation'' of the required 60 ECTS, ''modules/courses counted as CS'' by IAS selection committee. Please use this [[Required Documents: Example structure table|example]] to provide your evidence of your 60 ECTS credits or more.

=='''8. BSc certificates and diploma supplement'''==

* If you have finished your degree send a copy of your degree certificate.

* You can also apply if you have finished 5/6 semesters and can evidence 150 ECTS credits (or comparable) of your first degree and at the point of application at least 60 ECTS in computer science must be evident. In order to estimate that you are going to finish you must provide the official transcript of records showing the amount of already acquired credits or credit hours and the number of minimum credits or credit hours required for completion. The final transcript and graduation certificate have to be handed in for enrolment if you are admitted.

* Diploma Supplement: In any case provide a description of your degree - it is an official document issued by most universities.
** The degree's grading system
** The standard amount of semesters required for completion of your degree
** The description of how many weeks per semester of in-class time with a lecturer present
** The description of how your credit systems works, e.g. 1 cp is worth 30 hours of in-class time with lecturer present meaning 2 hours a week for 15 weeks...

=='''9. Your grade'''==
In regards to your overall average grade (preliminary) or final grade, please provide a document with your (preliminary) final grade calculated by your university, even if only 5/6 or 7/8 semesters of the studies have been completed. Your grade should be in the grading system your university provides and with which you can provide the grading system. The grade needs to be in numbers, not letters. Make sure you send an official document attested by your university as the IAS selection committee does not accept self-calculated '''final''' grades nor does the IAS selection committee calculate final grades for you. If this information is listed in your transcript of records or degree certificate, then you don't need to provide this extra document.

Preliminary grade:
Some transcripts or universities do not provide a preliminary average grade: compute it on your own on an extra document and tell us how you did it. If it is not the simple grade average of all grades in the transcript, please provide extra official proof of how your university or degree rules are to compute it.

Please note: If you fail to provide proof of your grade or preliminary grade and grading scale - The grade you are assigned will be the worst possible grade - a grade of 9.9 in selection procedures. This means that applications without a grade will rank behind the last applicant who had provided a grade. This is also true if you state a different grade / grading scale in the table and cover-letter than in your transcript or when the selection committee controls your computation.

=='''10. Grading scale'''==
IAS selection committee needs detailed information on your degree's grading system (alternative names: grading scale/scheme of evaluation/grade classification/range of marks ...) as it is important in our [[Application:Selection criteria| selection process]]. As the IAS selection committee will evaluate and rank all applications, we need the grading scale of your university to make your average or final grade comparable to others. In a lot of cases, official transcripts of records display the university's grading system. Usually, this is a table with all the degree's grades and corresponding information like minimum passing grade and maximum, outstanding or excellent grade, etc. However, if this is not the case for your transcript of records, then please provide this information attested by your university.

Highlight the grading scale, minimum passing grade, and maximum grade in your official documents and state exactly on which page the relevant information can be found, e.g., "the grading scale can be found in the printed degree description page 4 Section 2.1.1 see highlighted information". The selection committee will not look through documents if no help is provided where to find the right information. Please display exact information on paper printout. You may provide a link to a lengthy document if you only printed out parts of a lengthy document for control reasons. The selection committee will not follow links nor translate websites to search for information if no information is provided in paper.

Please note: If you fail to provide proof of your grade or preliminary grade and grading scale - The grade you are assigned will be the worst possible grade - a grade of 9.9 in selection procedures. This means that applications without a grade or grading scale will rank behind the last applicant who had provided a grade. This is also true if you state a different grade / grading scale in the table and cover-letter than in your transcript/official documents or when the selection committee controls your computation.

=='''11. Evidence that your university and degree is recognized in Germany'''==
Admission to a Master degree program at a German university requires an undergraduate degree. This must have been obtained from a recognized higher education institution. The degree also must be equivalent to at least a three year Bachelor that was attained in Germany. It is a prerequisite for an application for the master course "IAS" that your university degree is recognized as equivalent to a Bachelor's degree obtained in Germany.

===How to provide proof that your university is recognized in Germany?===

The selection committee's advice: print out the anabin database entry for proof. It is cost-free and fast:
* Use the database anabin and print out the information about your university
* Your university needs to be recognized with H+
* More information here: [[Desired Documents:Anabin|Anabin]]

If you have difficulties handling anabin, you may use the fee-based service, called Uni-Assist:
* This is the official recommendation of the Universität Hamburg is that you use the fee-based service Uni-Assist (but you don't need to if you provide the anabin printout)
* Request this service around 1 of December - otherwise Uni-Assist might not answer you in time
* More information about [[FAQ:UniAssist| Uni-Assist]]
* Only use Uni-assist if you do not want to look up your University in the database Anabin

Some countries have to get a German authorities endorsement anyway for visa or application- you may hand this in as additional proof:

An endorsement of recognition from German authorities, including information about the type of higher education entrance eligibility and, if applicable, for a particular subject. The Universität Hamburg accepts the following types of endorsement of recognition:

* APS certificates from the academic review offices of Beijing, Ulaanbaatar, and Hanoi

Please note: For the application to the Master program IAS - it is enough to send in your information from Anabin.

If you cannot find information on whether your university is recognized in Germany, the selection committee has to decide case by case whether your degree sounds eligible or not. Usually, your degree does not qualify.

=Application via email possible from now on until 31 March:=

'''Because of the corona-virus pandemic, the IAS Team has decided to allow applications via email.'''

Send the application as described on the website and this wiki and follow '''exactly''' those steps:

* in '''only''' 1 pdf - one pdf document with all your documents = only complete applications will be considered
* not more than 9 MB
* until 31 March
* use only this Email - subject '''[Final IAS Application] [Your Full name, Your BW-number]''' (The emails will be sorted automatically)
* only use: ias-team@informatik.uni-hamburg.de
* start your Email text with "Dear IAS-Team, this is my final application to the Master IAS. Please consider the attached application .....
* Use the order of documents presented here 1.-11. when sending the application.

Everything else stays exactly the same as it is described in this wiki and website except the postal mailing part. Please note, even though now you should apply via email, we still do not inform you about missing documents or incomplete applications. '''For evaluating the application we will only consider the information provided in this one email: Email - subject '''[Final IAS Application] [Your Full name, Your BW-number]''' + Email text starting with "Dear IAS-Team, this is my final application to the Master IAS. Please consider the attached pdf application ....." '''

==I have sent my paper application already + I received an email confirmation by the IAS Team that it has arrived ==
Then you do not need to do anything.

==I have sent my paper application already + I did not receive email confirmation until 13 March 2020 ==
Please do send your application via email considering the steps above. Due to the corona-virus the IAS Team and many other people at the university will be working from home. That means nobody will get the postal mail.
Please state that your application is on the way and send the application via email again.

==I have not sent my paper application yet==
Please, send it via email. Please state in the email text that you have not sent a paper application

== Order for the pdf application==
Please, put the documents in this order and produce one pdf (and make sure that they are not attached to one another (Please do not use staplers, paper clips, folders, etc.):)

# Cover Sheet
# Signed Online Form STiNE
# CV
# Motivation Letter
# Language Test Score
# Transcript
# Self-made table
# Bachelor Certificate + Diploma Supplement
# Grade
# Grading scale
# Anabin print out
# everything else

Please highlight important information in your documents, e.g. grading scale, grade, "H+" in the anabin printout, finishing date ...

Please check carefully if you have sent all the required documents in due time. The deadline is the 31 of March (No postal mail arrives on Saturdays and Sundays at the university). Faxes are not accepted. We do not inform you of missing documents or late applications. Your application is considered incomplete if one or more of the required documents are not received before the deadline via email or if your STiNE form is not submitted online. As a result, your application will not take part in the selection process. There will be no reconsideration of your application. Also note, that we do not inform you about received emails or postal mail (letters, parcels, envelopes) – Please check with your postal mail provider if you like an acknowledgment.

One final note from the selection committee: We like a neat, well-structured, precise, and complete application. Think for yourself. Show that you can be a responsible, well-organized student, and follow basic instructions.
The selection committee and the IAS team consist of professors, lecturers, advisors, Post-docs who will also teach you once you are accepted.

= Additional Documents =
Generally, all possible documents that support your application (especially as evidence for the arguments used in your motivation letter) can be included and will be taken into account in the selection process. Please include only documents that are relevant for this application. The selection of documents already shows your ability to distinguish between relevant and irrelevant content and a large amount of radomly added certificates or documents may have a negative effect on your ranking.

==Desired documents==

* Documents that add to the evidence needed for the requirements, e.g. additional proofs of language proficiency or higher education courses with computer science content, letter of recommendation
* Evidence for research or professional and/or international experience relevant to IAS studies.
* International experience, e.g. a study exchange, shows your ability to adapt to different learning and living environments and should be listed and described as part of our CV.
* The same holds for professional experience that may show your ability to work in a computer science context.
* Training courses or extensive experience that shows deep understanding of computer science concepts. This will be taken into account for general suitability for the very specific Master program IAS.

== Suitable additions ==
* GRE test or other academic tests showing your ability to study in higher education. Such tests are not required but may be taken into account if provided and if they add to the general story of the application.
* Certificates of contests and competitions can be added if relevant. Please carefully decide whether the certificate can add any additional value to your application.

== Undesired documents ==
* Full module handbooks. To show that you fulfill the requirement of the sufficient 60 ETCS credits, you have to send the self-made and structured table. Please don't send full module handbooks as the IAS admission team will not have the time to search for core CS courses in those handbooks for you.
* Certificates that don't add additional information or are not relevant at all. More is not always better since it may show that you are not able to decide what is relevant for the subject and what is not. Select the certificates that best show your abilities.

==Do all the documents have to be sent as certified/attested copies?==
No, not for the application at the Department of Informatics - IAS. You can send the required application documents as simple copies. But please be aware that once you have been sent an ''letter of acceptance'' by the CampusCenter (central administration), you have to send certified/attested copies of your language certificate, your university entrance qualification (e.g. high school certificate), and your bachelor's degree certificate to prove the authenticity of those documents together with the matriculation form '''within 14 days''' to the "Team for Application and Admission" (Ger: ''Team Bewerbung und Zulassung'') at the CampusCenter of the Universität Hamburg. Therefore, we highly recommend preparing certified/attested copies of all the relevant documents upfront.
The central administration team (CampusCenter Team for your enrolment, located at the city center) and the IAS Team (for your application and later your studies, located at the Department of Informatics, Hamburg Stellingen) are two very distinct teams and have nothing to do with the task of the other.

More FAQ

* [[FAQ: Q&A| Frequently Asked Questions about the application]]

Application:Main

2020-03-13T09:34:51Z

Apeters1:

'''Due to the coronavirus pandemic, applications via email are now possible and kindly asked for – see required documents for more information.'''
== Formal requirements ==

The '''[[Application:Formal requirements| formal requirements]]''' are the minimum qualifications required to enter the application process.

* 60 ECTS in core computer science subjects
* English Proficiency Test with minimum score

Please do not apply if you do not meet the formal requirements - Please refrain from asking if you can still apply if you do not meet the formal requirements by the 31 March. The answer is no.

==Required documents==
See '''[[Application:Required documents| required documents]]''' for details on the 11 documents you have to include in your paper application to IAS Team via postal mail.

==Selection criteria==
Here you will find the explanation of the '''[[Application:Selection criteria| selection criteria]]''' and the selection process of IAS selection committee.

==Statistics over the last years==

Each year, there are around 500 applicants and 20 free places, which are offered only to the top of applicants. Make your application worthwhile!

* Of those 500 applicants 100 do not send the application via postal mail or send the application to late.
* Of those 400 applicants 80 do not meet the formal requirements or miss to evidence them properly.
* Of those 320 applicants 20 do not send a complete application
As a result, only around 300 applicants enter the selection process and have a chance to be one of the top 20 students offered a spot on the program. That means you have around 300 applicants to compete with. Follow the instructions under required documents to send a complete application.

==What happens with my application after I've sent it?==
See the description of ''[[Admission Process | Admission Process, Dates, Explanations]]''

Main Page

2020-03-13T09:34:16Z

Apeters1:

'''Due to the coronavirus pandemic, applications via email are now possible and kindly asked for – see the application process for more information.'''
==Information for applicants for the M.Sc. Intelligent Adaptive Systems==

The contact for all questions regarding the M.Sc. IAS is the IAS Team which is managed by the academic advisor: ias-team@informatik.uni-hamburg.de.

The aim is to centralize currently dispersed information for (international) students and applicants at the department of informatics for the Master program Intelligent Adaptive Systems at Universität Hamburg, Germany.

'''IAS Program'''
* [[IAS:Main|Information about specific courses taught in IAS and regulations]]

'''Application'''
* [[Application:Main|The application process]]

'''Link collection for more information'''
* [[FAQ:Main|More information on health insurance, student life, and life in Hamburg, admission, rejection]]

==Asking questions about the application within the application period==
[[IAS Contact]]

Due to a very high number of applications - please read through the entire wiki and website yourself before you ask a question which you could have answered yourself very easily. The website and wiki hold enough and detailed information that applicants are able to apply with complete and well-prepared applications. However, if you have a question you may ask via email - citing the paragraph of the wiki or website that you did not understand. We try to answer emails for each applicant once within the application period.

==Translations==
Since some documents you receive from the central administration are unfortunately still in German - you can find translated information here in this wiki. Please be aware that most of the documents you receive in German are legal documents and are only legally binding in German. If you have specific questions, please ask ''ias-team@informatik.uni-hamburg.de''. Unfortunately, we currently can not guarantee that the translations are 100% correct.

Application:Required documents

2020-03-13T09:33:54Z

Apeters1:

'''Due to the coronavirus pandemic, applications via email are now possible and kindly asked for – see the application process for more information.'''

=List of all required documents for application=
In order to apply for the 2-year Master of Science program Intelligent Adaptive Systems, you need to send a paper application to the IAS Team at the Department of Informatics, Universität Hamburg. The IAS team is a team of IAS professors, researchers, lecturers, and academic advisors. The IAS Team and the selection committee will only read complete applications that meet the formal requirements. These applications will be ranked according to the selection criteria.

In order to apply successfully please follow exactly these instructions:

The deadline is on the 31st of March. Faxes and e-mails are not accepted. The IAS selection committee does not inform you of missing documents or late applications. Your application is considered incomplete if one or more of the required documents are not received before the deadline (via postal mail) and/or if your STiNE online application form is not submitted online. As a result, your application will not take part in the selection process. You can not submit missing documents after the expiration of the application deadline, there will be no reconsideration.

The documents 'do not'' have to be sent as certified/attested copies when applying. You should '''not''' send original certificates since the IAS selection committee will not send anything back. However, please note that in case your application is successful, you will need to send attested/certified copies to the University via postal mail ''within 2 weeks'', so be prepared. The notification whether you are accepted or not is send around 15 of May. Official English and German translation of documents are accepted.

Please read the explanations of what documents you have to send and follow the links to more information.

=='''1. Cover-letter-form''' ==
* Please fill in the cover-letter form (with a pdf viewer/reader).
* Then print the form. In case you are having any problems with filling in the form digitally you can also print the form and fill it in by hand (readable!).
* Send the printed form via postal mail as the first page of your application.
* Link to the cover-letter-form: [[Cover-letter-form|cover-letter-form]]

== '''2. The University's general online form (STiNE)'''==
The Universität Hamburg requires you to fill out a general and university-wide online form on their student platform called STiNE. The only purpose of this form is to register with the central administration. Nothing else. It is the way to tell the University that you might apply.
* While registering you will receive a BW - Number (Application Number). Please state this number in your cover letter.
* Submit, print and '''sign''' the STiNE online form and enclose the form with your paper application.
* Only within the application period (15 February - 31 March), the online application form can be accessed through the STiNE portal: https://www.stine.uni-hamburg.de. Sorry, some parts of the STiNE online form are in German and therefore rather tricky.
* As a service to IAS applicants, the IAS-Team has prepared a wiki entry: [[online application form|Online form STiNE]].
*For further questions about STiNE please ask the technical support of STiNE. STiNE is a part of the central administration - not the IAS Team's platform, see [https://www.stine.uni-hamburg.de/scripts/mgrqispi.dll?APPNAME=CampusNet&PRGNAME=EXTERNALPAGES&ARGUMENTS=-N000000000000002,-N000339,-A100101e#furtherquestions STiNE support].

After filling out the STiNE online form, '''click submit''', and then, '''print''' out the summary at the end (Ger: ''Druckansicht''). This print-out has to be '''signed'''. This submitted, printed, and signed STiNE form is one of the required documents which you have to send via postal mail to the Department of Informatics.

Please, note do not click "Freemover", that is the wrong application.

Please, note that the STiNE online form is just the general, uni-wide application form for central administration reasons only. You still need to send your paper application to the address below. With the complete paper application, you apply to the Department of Informatics for a place in the IAS program.

Use the address displayed here or websit not in STiNE.

==''' 3. Curriculum Vitae'''==
The CV (table version) should include information on your academic and professional career and if you have international experience. It should specifically list information on your background relevant for IAS such as projects on AI or Robotics. Please, '''provide evidence''' of such projects through acquired certificates. Project descriptions and outlines on their CS content are especially important if the achieved credits should be counted for the 60 ECTS in computer science.
Please, add your average/overall grade (can be preliminary) and your grading scale to your cv next to the information of your degree and provide official evidence for that information.

== '''4. Letter of Motivation'''==
This is the most important document since it accounts for 40% of your ranking score. It has to be written by yourself in the English language. There is a maximum of 1.5 pages that you should not exceed.
In this letter, you should explain your motivation to study especially this program. The text should answer the following questions:
* Why are you interested in the field "Intelligent Adaptive Systems" or what parts are most interesting and why?
* Why is this program especially suited to complement the knowledge you already have?
* Why did you choose to study this program at Universität Hamburg?
* How does this program fit into your academic and professional future goals?
* Read the selection criteria and the curriculum IAS - so you know what else might be important to write about.

The selection committee will give high ratings to those letters that show that the student has made a deliberate choice to study IAS and can justify their decision well while also explaining how studying IAS will bring the student closer to the desired goal. The board is looking for students that show high motivation and have a good chance of finishing the program with a high impact on the student's life. The ability to present a well-argued and connected chain of argument is a major ability the board is looking for.

Things that affect the rating adversely are, amongst many, generic letters that are written for multiple applications, letters that are written in bad English or do not follow a good structure.

The selection committee does not want to read about the history of informatics, the selection committee wants to read something relevant and precise about you.

== '''5. Proof(s) of English language proficiency'''==
Please see [[Application:Formal requirements| formal requirements]] for details on the required language certificates and further information.

Proof of English language proficiency by
CEFR/TELC: At least Level B2 in all testing categories (listening, reading, speaking, writing) better C1
IELTS: 6.5 + B2
TOEFL: IBT 90, PBT 575, CBT 230
Cambridge: CAE or CPE

==''' 6. Transcript of Records'''==
Please see '''[[Application:Formal requirements| formal requirements]]''' for detailed information on the requirements for your transcript of records.

== '''7. Self-made structured table of all core computer science courses'''==
As a formal requirement you need to evidence 60 ECTS in core computer science courses. To do so, please provide your transcript and a self-made table listing all your core computer science courses you have completed. Please, also refer to the listed information under [[Application:Formal requirements| formal requirements]] regarding questions about the ''ECTS credit system'', the ''calculation'' of the required 60 ECTS, ''modules/courses counted as CS'' by IAS selection committee. Please use this [[Required Documents: Example structure table|example]] to provide your evidence of your 60 ECTS credits or more.

=='''8. BSc certificates and diploma supplement'''==

* If you have finished your degree send a copy of your degree certificate.

* You can also apply if you have finished 5/6 semesters and can evidence 150 ECTS credits (or comparable) of your first degree and at the point of application at least 60 ECTS in computer science must be evident. In order to estimate that you are going to finish you must provide the official transcript of records showing the amount of already acquired credits or credit hours and the number of minimum credits or credit hours required for completion. The final transcript and graduation certificate have to be handed in for enrolment if you are admitted.

* Diploma Supplement: In any case provide a description of your degree - it is an official document issued by most universities.
** The degree's grading system
** The standard amount of semesters required for completion of your degree
** The description of how many weeks per semester of in-class time with a lecturer present
** The description of how your credit systems works, e.g. 1 cp is worth 30 hours of in-class time with lecturer present meaning 2 hours a week for 15 weeks...

=='''9. Your grade'''==
In regards to your overall average grade (preliminary) or final grade, please provide a document with your (preliminary) final grade calculated by your university, even if only 5/6 or 7/8 semesters of the studies have been completed. Your grade should be in the grading system your university provides and with which you can provide the grading system. The grade needs to be in numbers, not letters. Make sure you send an official document attested by your university as the IAS selection committee does not accept self-calculated '''final''' grades nor does the IAS selection committee calculate final grades for you. If this information is listed in your transcript of records or degree certificate, then you don't need to provide this extra document.

Preliminary grade:
Some transcripts or universities do not provide a preliminary average grade: compute it on your own on an extra document and tell us how you did it. If it is not the simple grade average of all grades in the transcript, please provide extra official proof of how your university or degree rules are to compute it.

Please note: If you fail to provide proof of your grade or preliminary grade and grading scale - The grade you are assigned will be the worst possible grade - a grade of 9.9 in selection procedures. This means that applications without a grade will rank behind the last applicant who had provided a grade. This is also true if you state a different grade / grading scale in the table and cover-letter than in your transcript or when the selection committee controls your computation.

=='''10. Grading scale'''==
IAS selection committee needs detailed information on your degree's grading system (alternative names: grading scale/scheme of evaluation/grade classification/range of marks ...) as it is important in our [[Application:Selection criteria| selection process]]. As the IAS selection committee will evaluate and rank all applications, we need the grading scale of your university to make your average or final grade comparable to others. In a lot of cases, official transcripts of records display the university's grading system. Usually, this is a table with all the degree's grades and corresponding information like minimum passing grade and maximum, outstanding or excellent grade, etc. However, if this is not the case for your transcript of records, then please provide this information attested by your university.

Highlight the grading scale, minimum passing grade, and maximum grade in your official documents and state exactly on which page the relevant information can be found, e.g., "the grading scale can be found in the printed degree description page 4 Section 2.1.1 see highlighted information". The selection committee will not look through documents if no help is provided where to find the right information. Please display exact information on paper printout. You may provide a link to a lengthy document if you only printed out parts of a lengthy document for control reasons. The selection committee will not follow links nor translate websites to search for information if no information is provided in paper.

Please note: If you fail to provide proof of your grade or preliminary grade and grading scale - The grade you are assigned will be the worst possible grade - a grade of 9.9 in selection procedures. This means that applications without a grade or grading scale will rank behind the last applicant who had provided a grade. This is also true if you state a different grade / grading scale in the table and cover-letter than in your transcript/official documents or when the selection committee controls your computation.

=='''11. Evidence that your university and degree is recognized in Germany'''==
Admission to a Master degree program at a German university requires an undergraduate degree. This must have been obtained from a recognized higher education institution. The degree also must be equivalent to at least a three year Bachelor that was attained in Germany. It is a prerequisite for an application for the master course "IAS" that your university degree is recognized as equivalent to a Bachelor's degree obtained in Germany.

===How to provide proof that your university is recognized in Germany?===

The selection committee's advice: print out the anabin database entry for proof. It is cost-free and fast:
* Use the database anabin and print out the information about your university
* Your university needs to be recognized with H+
* More information here: [[Desired Documents:Anabin|Anabin]]

If you have difficulties handling anabin, you may use the fee-based service, called Uni-Assist:
* This is the official recommendation of the Universität Hamburg is that you use the fee-based service Uni-Assist (but you don't need to if you provide the anabin printout)
* Request this service around 1 of December - otherwise Uni-Assist might not answer you in time
* More information about [[FAQ:UniAssist| Uni-Assist]]
* Only use Uni-assist if you do not want to look up your University in the database Anabin

Some countries have to get a German authorities endorsement anyway for visa or application- you may hand this in as additional proof:

An endorsement of recognition from German authorities, including information about the type of higher education entrance eligibility and, if applicable, for a particular subject. The Universität Hamburg accepts the following types of endorsement of recognition:

* APS certificates from the academic review offices of Beijing, Ulaanbaatar, and Hanoi

Please note: For the application to the Master program IAS - it is enough to send in your information from Anabin.

If you cannot find information on whether your university is recognized in Germany, the selection committee has to decide case by case whether your degree sounds eligible or not. Usually, your degree does not qualify.

=Application via email possible from now on until 31 March:=

'''Because of the corona-virus pandemic, the IAS Team has decided to allow applications via email.'''

Send the application as described on the website and this wiki and follow '''exactly''' those steps:

* in '''only''' 1 pdf - one pdf document with all your documents = only complete applications will be considered
* not more than 9 MB
* until 31 March
* use only this Email - subject '''[Final IAS Application] [Your Full name, Your BW-number]''' (The emails will be sorted automatically)
* only use: ias-team@informatik.uni-hamburg.de
* start your Email text with "Dear IAS-Team, this is my final application to the Master IAS. Please consider the attached application .....
* Use the order of documents presented here 1.-11. when sending the application.

Everything else stays exactly the same as it is described in this wiki and website except the postal mailing part. Please note, even though now you should apply via email, we still do not inform you about missing documents or incomplete applications. '''For evaluating the application we will only consider the information provided in this one email: Email - subject '''[Final IAS Application] [Your Full name, Your BW-number]''' + Email text starting with "Dear IAS-Team, this is my final application to the Master IAS. Please consider the attached pdf application ....." '''

==I have sent my paper application already + I received an email confirmation by the IAS Team that it has arrived ==
Then you do not need to do anything.

==I have sent my paper application already + I did not receive email confirmation until 13 March 2020 ==
Please do send your application via email considering the steps above. Due to the corona-virus the IAS Team and many other people at the university will be working from home. That means nobody will get the postal mail.
Please state that your application is on the way and send the application via email again.

==I have not sent my paper application yet==
Please, send it via email. Please state in the email text that you have not sent a paper application

== Order for the pdf application==
Please, put the documents in this order and produce one pdf (and make sure that they are not attached to one another (Please do not use staplers, paper clips, folders, etc.):)

# Cover Sheet
# Signed Online Form STiNE
# CV
# Motivation Letter
# Language Test Score
# Transcript
# Self-made table
# Bachelor Certificate + Diploma Supplement
# Grade
# Grading scale
# Anabin print out
# everything else

Please highlight important information in your documents, e.g. grading scale, grade, "H+" in the anabin printout, finishing date ...

Please check carefully if you have sent all the required documents in due time. The deadline is the 31 of March (No postal mail arrives on Saturdays and Sundays at the university). Faxes are not accepted. We do not inform you of missing documents or late applications. Your application is considered incomplete if one or more of the required documents are not received before the deadline via email or if your STiNE form is not submitted online. As a result, your application will not take part in the selection process. There will be no reconsideration of your application. Also note, that we do not inform you about received emails or postal mail (letters, parcels, envelopes) – Please check with your postal mail provider if you like an acknowledgment.

One final note from the selection committee: We like a neat, well-structured, precise, and complete application. Think for yourself. Show that you can be a responsible, well-organized student, and follow basic instructions.
The selection committee and the IAS team consist of professors, lecturers, advisors, Post-docs who will also teach you once you are accepted.

= Additional Documents =
Generally, all possible documents that support your application (especially as evidence for the arguments used in your motivation letter) can be included and will be taken into account in the selection process. Please include only documents that are relevant for this application. The selection of documents already shows your ability to distinguish between relevant and irrelevant content and a large amount of radomly added certificates or documents may have a negative effect on your ranking.

==Desired documents==

* Documents that add to the evidence needed for the requirements, e.g. additional proofs of language proficiency or higher education courses with computer science content, letter of recommendation
* Evidence for research or professional and/or international experience relevant to IAS studies.
* International experience, e.g. a study exchange, shows your ability to adapt to different learning and living environments and should be listed and described as part of our CV.
* The same holds for professional experience that may show your ability to work in a computer science context.
* Training courses or extensive experience that shows deep understanding of computer science concepts. This will be taken into account for general suitability for the very specific Master program IAS.

== Suitable additions ==
* GRE test or other academic tests showing your ability to study in higher education. Such tests are not required but may be taken into account if provided and if they add to the general story of the application.
* Certificates of contests and competitions can be added if relevant. Please carefully decide whether the certificate can add any additional value to your application.

== Undesired documents ==
* Full module handbooks. To show that you fulfill the requirement of the sufficient 60 ETCS credits, you have to send the self-made and structured table. Please don't send full module handbooks as the IAS admission team will not have the time to search for core CS courses in those handbooks for you.
* Certificates that don't add additional information or are not relevant at all. More is not always better since it may show that you are not able to decide what is relevant for the subject and what is not. Select the certificates that best show your abilities.

==Do all the documents have to be sent as certified/attested copies?==
No, not for the application at the Department of Informatics - IAS. You can send the required application documents as simple copies. But please be aware that once you have been sent an ''letter of acceptance'' by the CampusCenter (central administration), you have to send certified/attested copies of your language certificate, your university entrance qualification (e.g. high school certificate), and your bachelor's degree certificate to prove the authenticity of those documents together with the matriculation form '''within 14 days''' to the "Team for Application and Admission" (Ger: ''Team Bewerbung und Zulassung'') at the CampusCenter of the Universität Hamburg. Therefore, we highly recommend preparing certified/attested copies of all the relevant documents upfront.
The central administration team (CampusCenter Team for your enrolment, located at the city center) and the IAS Team (for your application and later your studies, located at the Department of Informatics, Hamburg Stellingen) are two very distinct teams and have nothing to do with the task of the other.

More FAQ

* [[FAQ: Q&A| Frequently Asked Questions about the application]]

Application:Required documents

2020-03-13T09:09:45Z

Apeters1: /* Application via email possible from now on until 31 March: */

=List of all required documents for application=
In order to apply for the 2-year Master of Science program Intelligent Adaptive Systems, you need to send a paper application to the IAS Team at the Department of Informatics, Universität Hamburg. The IAS team is a team of IAS professors, researchers, lecturers, and academic advisors. The IAS Team and the selection committee will only read complete applications that meet the formal requirements. These applications will be ranked according to the selection criteria.

In order to apply successfully please follow exactly these instructions:

The deadline is on the 31st of March. Faxes and e-mails are not accepted. The IAS selection committee does not inform you of missing documents or late applications. Your application is considered incomplete if one or more of the required documents are not received before the deadline (via postal mail) and/or if your STiNE online application form is not submitted online. As a result, your application will not take part in the selection process. You can not submit missing documents after the expiration of the application deadline, there will be no reconsideration.

The documents 'do not'' have to be sent as certified/attested copies when applying. You should '''not''' send original certificates since the IAS selection committee will not send anything back. However, please note that in case your application is successful, you will need to send attested/certified copies to the University via postal mail ''within 2 weeks'', so be prepared. The notification whether you are accepted or not is send around 15 of May. Official English and German translation of documents are accepted.

Please read the explanations of what documents you have to send and follow the links to more information.

=='''1. Cover-letter-form''' ==
* Please fill in the cover-letter form (with a pdf viewer/reader).
* Then print the form. In case you are having any problems with filling in the form digitally you can also print the form and fill it in by hand (readable!).
* Send the printed form via postal mail as the first page of your application.
* Link to the cover-letter-form: [[Cover-letter-form|cover-letter-form]]

== '''2. The University's general online form (STiNE)'''==
The Universität Hamburg requires you to fill out a general and university-wide online form on their student platform called STiNE. The only purpose of this form is to register with the central administration. Nothing else. It is the way to tell the University that you might apply.
* While registering you will receive a BW - Number (Application Number). Please state this number in your cover letter.
* Submit, print and '''sign''' the STiNE online form and enclose the form with your paper application.
* Only within the application period (15 February - 31 March), the online application form can be accessed through the STiNE portal: https://www.stine.uni-hamburg.de. Sorry, some parts of the STiNE online form are in German and therefore rather tricky.
* As a service to IAS applicants, the IAS-Team has prepared a wiki entry: [[online application form|Online form STiNE]].
*For further questions about STiNE please ask the technical support of STiNE. STiNE is a part of the central administration - not the IAS Team's platform, see [https://www.stine.uni-hamburg.de/scripts/mgrqispi.dll?APPNAME=CampusNet&PRGNAME=EXTERNALPAGES&ARGUMENTS=-N000000000000002,-N000339,-A100101e#furtherquestions STiNE support].

After filling out the STiNE online form, '''click submit''', and then, '''print''' out the summary at the end (Ger: ''Druckansicht''). This print-out has to be '''signed'''. This submitted, printed, and signed STiNE form is one of the required documents which you have to send via postal mail to the Department of Informatics.

Please, note do not click "Freemover", that is the wrong application.

Please, note that the STiNE online form is just the general, uni-wide application form for central administration reasons only. You still need to send your paper application to the address below. With the complete paper application, you apply to the Department of Informatics for a place in the IAS program.

Use the address displayed here or websit not in STiNE.

==''' 3. Curriculum Vitae'''==
The CV (table version) should include information on your academic and professional career and if you have international experience. It should specifically list information on your background relevant for IAS such as projects on AI or Robotics. Please, '''provide evidence''' of such projects through acquired certificates. Project descriptions and outlines on their CS content are especially important if the achieved credits should be counted for the 60 ECTS in computer science.
Please, add your average/overall grade (can be preliminary) and your grading scale to your cv next to the information of your degree and provide official evidence for that information.

== '''4. Letter of Motivation'''==
This is the most important document since it accounts for 40% of your ranking score. It has to be written by yourself in the English language. There is a maximum of 1.5 pages that you should not exceed.
In this letter, you should explain your motivation to study especially this program. The text should answer the following questions:
* Why are you interested in the field "Intelligent Adaptive Systems" or what parts are most interesting and why?
* Why is this program especially suited to complement the knowledge you already have?
* Why did you choose to study this program at Universität Hamburg?
* How does this program fit into your academic and professional future goals?
* Read the selection criteria and the curriculum IAS - so you know what else might be important to write about.

The selection committee will give high ratings to those letters that show that the student has made a deliberate choice to study IAS and can justify their decision well while also explaining how studying IAS will bring the student closer to the desired goal. The board is looking for students that show high motivation and have a good chance of finishing the program with a high impact on the student's life. The ability to present a well-argued and connected chain of argument is a major ability the board is looking for.

Things that affect the rating adversely are, amongst many, generic letters that are written for multiple applications, letters that are written in bad English or do not follow a good structure.

The selection committee does not want to read about the history of informatics, the selection committee wants to read something relevant and precise about you.

== '''5. Proof(s) of English language proficiency'''==
Please see [[Application:Formal requirements| formal requirements]] for details on the required language certificates and further information.

Proof of English language proficiency by
CEFR/TELC: At least Level B2 in all testing categories (listening, reading, speaking, writing) better C1
IELTS: 6.5 + B2
TOEFL: IBT 90, PBT 575, CBT 230
Cambridge: CAE or CPE

==''' 6. Transcript of Records'''==
Please see '''[[Application:Formal requirements| formal requirements]]''' for detailed information on the requirements for your transcript of records.

== '''7. Self-made structured table of all core computer science courses'''==
As a formal requirement you need to evidence 60 ECTS in core computer science courses. To do so, please provide your transcript and a self-made table listing all your core computer science courses you have completed. Please, also refer to the listed information under [[Application:Formal requirements| formal requirements]] regarding questions about the ''ECTS credit system'', the ''calculation'' of the required 60 ECTS, ''modules/courses counted as CS'' by IAS selection committee. Please use this [[Required Documents: Example structure table|example]] to provide your evidence of your 60 ECTS credits or more.

=='''8. BSc certificates and diploma supplement'''==

* If you have finished your degree send a copy of your degree certificate.

* You can also apply if you have finished 5/6 semesters and can evidence 150 ECTS credits (or comparable) of your first degree and at the point of application at least 60 ECTS in computer science must be evident. In order to estimate that you are going to finish you must provide the official transcript of records showing the amount of already acquired credits or credit hours and the number of minimum credits or credit hours required for completion. The final transcript and graduation certificate have to be handed in for enrolment if you are admitted.

* Diploma Supplement: In any case provide a description of your degree - it is an official document issued by most universities.
** The degree's grading system
** The standard amount of semesters required for completion of your degree
** The description of how many weeks per semester of in-class time with a lecturer present
** The description of how your credit systems works, e.g. 1 cp is worth 30 hours of in-class time with lecturer present meaning 2 hours a week for 15 weeks...

=='''9. Your grade'''==
In regards to your overall average grade (preliminary) or final grade, please provide a document with your (preliminary) final grade calculated by your university, even if only 5/6 or 7/8 semesters of the studies have been completed. Your grade should be in the grading system your university provides and with which you can provide the grading system. The grade needs to be in numbers, not letters. Make sure you send an official document attested by your university as the IAS selection committee does not accept self-calculated '''final''' grades nor does the IAS selection committee calculate final grades for you. If this information is listed in your transcript of records or degree certificate, then you don't need to provide this extra document.

Preliminary grade:
Some transcripts or universities do not provide a preliminary average grade: compute it on your own on an extra document and tell us how you did it. If it is not the simple grade average of all grades in the transcript, please provide extra official proof of how your university or degree rules are to compute it.

Please note: If you fail to provide proof of your grade or preliminary grade and grading scale - The grade you are assigned will be the worst possible grade - a grade of 9.9 in selection procedures. This means that applications without a grade will rank behind the last applicant who had provided a grade. This is also true if you state a different grade / grading scale in the table and cover-letter than in your transcript or when the selection committee controls your computation.

=='''10. Grading scale'''==
IAS selection committee needs detailed information on your degree's grading system (alternative names: grading scale/scheme of evaluation/grade classification/range of marks ...) as it is important in our [[Application:Selection criteria| selection process]]. As the IAS selection committee will evaluate and rank all applications, we need the grading scale of your university to make your average or final grade comparable to others. In a lot of cases, official transcripts of records display the university's grading system. Usually, this is a table with all the degree's grades and corresponding information like minimum passing grade and maximum, outstanding or excellent grade, etc. However, if this is not the case for your transcript of records, then please provide this information attested by your university.

Highlight the grading scale, minimum passing grade, and maximum grade in your official documents and state exactly on which page the relevant information can be found, e.g., "the grading scale can be found in the printed degree description page 4 Section 2.1.1 see highlighted information". The selection committee will not look through documents if no help is provided where to find the right information. Please display exact information on paper printout. You may provide a link to a lengthy document if you only printed out parts of a lengthy document for control reasons. The selection committee will not follow links nor translate websites to search for information if no information is provided in paper.

Please note: If you fail to provide proof of your grade or preliminary grade and grading scale - The grade you are assigned will be the worst possible grade - a grade of 9.9 in selection procedures. This means that applications without a grade or grading scale will rank behind the last applicant who had provided a grade. This is also true if you state a different grade / grading scale in the table and cover-letter than in your transcript/official documents or when the selection committee controls your computation.

=='''11. Evidence that your university and degree is recognized in Germany'''==
Admission to a Master degree program at a German university requires an undergraduate degree. This must have been obtained from a recognized higher education institution. The degree also must be equivalent to at least a three year Bachelor that was attained in Germany. It is a prerequisite for an application for the master course "IAS" that your university degree is recognized as equivalent to a Bachelor's degree obtained in Germany.

===How to provide proof that your university is recognized in Germany?===

The selection committee's advice: print out the anabin database entry for proof. It is cost-free and fast:
* Use the database anabin and print out the information about your university
* Your university needs to be recognized with H+
* More information here: [[Desired Documents:Anabin|Anabin]]

If you have difficulties handling anabin, you may use the fee-based service, called Uni-Assist:
* This is the official recommendation of the Universität Hamburg is that you use the fee-based service Uni-Assist (but you don't need to if you provide the anabin printout)
* Request this service around 1 of December - otherwise Uni-Assist might not answer you in time
* More information about [[FAQ:UniAssist| Uni-Assist]]
* Only use Uni-assist if you do not want to look up your University in the database Anabin

Some countries have to get a German authorities endorsement anyway for visa or application- you may hand this in as additional proof:

An endorsement of recognition from German authorities, including information about the type of higher education entrance eligibility and, if applicable, for a particular subject. The Universität Hamburg accepts the following types of endorsement of recognition:

* APS certificates from the academic review offices of Beijing, Ulaanbaatar, and Hanoi

Please note: For the application to the Master program IAS - it is enough to send in your information from Anabin.

If you cannot find information on whether your university is recognized in Germany, the selection committee has to decide case by case whether your degree sounds eligible or not. Usually, your degree does not qualify.

=Application via email possible from now on until 31 March:=

'''Because of the corona-virus pandemic, the IAS Team has decided to allow applications via email.'''

Send the application as described on the website and this wiki and follow '''exactly''' those steps:

* in '''only''' 1 pdf - one pdf document with all your documents = only complete applications will be considered
* not more than 9 MB
* until 31 March
* use only this Email - subject '''[Final IAS Application] [Your Full name, Your BW-number]''' (The emails will be sorted automatically)
* only use: ias-team@informatik.uni-hamburg.de
* start your Email text with "Dear IAS-Team, this is my final application to the Master IAS. Please consider the attached application .....
* Use the order of documents presented here 1.-11. when sending the application.

Everything else stays exactly the same as it is described in this wiki and website except the postal mailing part. Please note, even though now you should apply via email, we still do not inform you about missing documents or incomplete applications. '''For evaluating the application we will only consider the information provided in this one email: Email - subject '''[Final IAS Application] [Your Full name, Your BW-number]''' + Email text starting with "Dear IAS-Team, this is my final application to the Master IAS. Please consider the attached pdf application ....." '''

==I have sent my paper application already + I received an email confirmation by the IAS Team that it has arrived ==
Then you do not need to do anything.

==I have sent my paper application already + I did not receive email confirmation until 13 March 2020 ==
Please do send your application via email considering the steps above. Due to the corona-virus the IAS Team and many other people at the university will be working from home. That means nobody will get the postal mail.
Please state that your application is on the way and send the application via email again.

==I have not sent my paper application yet==
Please, send it via email. Please state in the email text that you have not sent a paper application

== Order for the pdf application==
Please, put the documents in this order and produce one pdf (and make sure that they are not attached to one another (Please do not use staplers, paper clips, folders, etc.):)

# Cover Sheet
# Signed Online Form STiNE
# CV
# Motivation Letter
# Language Test Score
# Transcript
# Self-made table
# Bachelor Certificate + Diploma Supplement
# Grade
# Grading scale
# Anabin print out
# everything else

Please highlight important information in your documents, e.g. grading scale, grade, "H+" in the anabin printout, finishing date ...

Please check carefully if you have sent all the required documents in due time. The deadline is the 31 of March (No postal mail arrives on Saturdays and Sundays at the university). Faxes are not accepted. We do not inform you of missing documents or late applications. Your application is considered incomplete if one or more of the required documents are not received before the deadline via email or if your STiNE form is not submitted online. As a result, your application will not take part in the selection process. There will be no reconsideration of your application. Also note, that we do not inform you about received emails or postal mail (letters, parcels, envelopes) – Please check with your postal mail provider if you like an acknowledgment.

One final note from the selection committee: We like a neat, well-structured, precise, and complete application. Think for yourself. Show that you can be a responsible, well-organized student, and follow basic instructions.
The selection committee and the IAS team consist of professors, lecturers, advisors, Post-docs who will also teach you once you are accepted.

= Additional Documents =
Generally, all possible documents that support your application (especially as evidence for the arguments used in your motivation letter) can be included and will be taken into account in the selection process. Please include only documents that are relevant for this application. The selection of documents already shows your ability to distinguish between relevant and irrelevant content and a large amount of radomly added certificates or documents may have a negative effect on your ranking.

==Desired documents==

* Documents that add to the evidence needed for the requirements, e.g. additional proofs of language proficiency or higher education courses with computer science content, letter of recommendation
* Evidence for research or professional and/or international experience relevant to IAS studies.
* International experience, e.g. a study exchange, shows your ability to adapt to different learning and living environments and should be listed and described as part of our CV.
* The same holds for professional experience that may show your ability to work in a computer science context.
* Training courses or extensive experience that shows deep understanding of computer science concepts. This will be taken into account for general suitability for the very specific Master program IAS.

== Suitable additions ==
* GRE test or other academic tests showing your ability to study in higher education. Such tests are not required but may be taken into account if provided and if they add to the general story of the application.
* Certificates of contests and competitions can be added if relevant. Please carefully decide whether the certificate can add any additional value to your application.

== Undesired documents ==
* Full module handbooks. To show that you fulfill the requirement of the sufficient 60 ETCS credits, you have to send the self-made and structured table. Please don't send full module handbooks as the IAS admission team will not have the time to search for core CS courses in those handbooks for you.
* Certificates that don't add additional information or are not relevant at all. More is not always better since it may show that you are not able to decide what is relevant for the subject and what is not. Select the certificates that best show your abilities.

==Do all the documents have to be sent as certified/attested copies?==
No, not for the application at the Department of Informatics - IAS. You can send the required application documents as simple copies. But please be aware that once you have been sent an ''letter of acceptance'' by the CampusCenter (central administration), you have to send certified/attested copies of your language certificate, your university entrance qualification (e.g. high school certificate), and your bachelor's degree certificate to prove the authenticity of those documents together with the matriculation form '''within 14 days''' to the "Team for Application and Admission" (Ger: ''Team Bewerbung und Zulassung'') at the CampusCenter of the Universität Hamburg. Therefore, we highly recommend preparing certified/attested copies of all the relevant documents upfront.
The central administration team (CampusCenter Team for your enrolment, located at the city center) and the IAS Team (for your application and later your studies, located at the Department of Informatics, Hamburg Stellingen) are two very distinct teams and have nothing to do with the task of the other.

More FAQ

* [[FAQ: Q&A| Frequently Asked Questions about the application]]

Application:Required documents

2020-03-13T09:08:42Z

Apeters1: /* 4. Letter of Motivation */

=List of all required documents for application=
In order to apply for the 2-year Master of Science program Intelligent Adaptive Systems, you need to send a paper application to the IAS Team at the Department of Informatics, Universität Hamburg. The IAS team is a team of IAS professors, researchers, lecturers, and academic advisors. The IAS Team and the selection committee will only read complete applications that meet the formal requirements. These applications will be ranked according to the selection criteria.

In order to apply successfully please follow exactly these instructions:

The deadline is on the 31st of March. Faxes and e-mails are not accepted. The IAS selection committee does not inform you of missing documents or late applications. Your application is considered incomplete if one or more of the required documents are not received before the deadline (via postal mail) and/or if your STiNE online application form is not submitted online. As a result, your application will not take part in the selection process. You can not submit missing documents after the expiration of the application deadline, there will be no reconsideration.

The documents 'do not'' have to be sent as certified/attested copies when applying. You should '''not''' send original certificates since the IAS selection committee will not send anything back. However, please note that in case your application is successful, you will need to send attested/certified copies to the University via postal mail ''within 2 weeks'', so be prepared. The notification whether you are accepted or not is send around 15 of May. Official English and German translation of documents are accepted.

Please read the explanations of what documents you have to send and follow the links to more information.

=='''1. Cover-letter-form''' ==
* Please fill in the cover-letter form (with a pdf viewer/reader).
* Then print the form. In case you are having any problems with filling in the form digitally you can also print the form and fill it in by hand (readable!).
* Send the printed form via postal mail as the first page of your application.
* Link to the cover-letter-form: [[Cover-letter-form|cover-letter-form]]

== '''2. The University's general online form (STiNE)'''==
The Universität Hamburg requires you to fill out a general and university-wide online form on their student platform called STiNE. The only purpose of this form is to register with the central administration. Nothing else. It is the way to tell the University that you might apply.
* While registering you will receive a BW - Number (Application Number). Please state this number in your cover letter.
* Submit, print and '''sign''' the STiNE online form and enclose the form with your paper application.
* Only within the application period (15 February - 31 March), the online application form can be accessed through the STiNE portal: https://www.stine.uni-hamburg.de. Sorry, some parts of the STiNE online form are in German and therefore rather tricky.
* As a service to IAS applicants, the IAS-Team has prepared a wiki entry: [[online application form|Online form STiNE]].
*For further questions about STiNE please ask the technical support of STiNE. STiNE is a part of the central administration - not the IAS Team's platform, see [https://www.stine.uni-hamburg.de/scripts/mgrqispi.dll?APPNAME=CampusNet&PRGNAME=EXTERNALPAGES&ARGUMENTS=-N000000000000002,-N000339,-A100101e#furtherquestions STiNE support].

After filling out the STiNE online form, '''click submit''', and then, '''print''' out the summary at the end (Ger: ''Druckansicht''). This print-out has to be '''signed'''. This submitted, printed, and signed STiNE form is one of the required documents which you have to send via postal mail to the Department of Informatics.

Please, note do not click "Freemover", that is the wrong application.

Please, note that the STiNE online form is just the general, uni-wide application form for central administration reasons only. You still need to send your paper application to the address below. With the complete paper application, you apply to the Department of Informatics for a place in the IAS program.

Use the address displayed here or websit not in STiNE.

==''' 3. Curriculum Vitae'''==
The CV (table version) should include information on your academic and professional career and if you have international experience. It should specifically list information on your background relevant for IAS such as projects on AI or Robotics. Please, '''provide evidence''' of such projects through acquired certificates. Project descriptions and outlines on their CS content are especially important if the achieved credits should be counted for the 60 ECTS in computer science.
Please, add your average/overall grade (can be preliminary) and your grading scale to your cv next to the information of your degree and provide official evidence for that information.

== '''4. Letter of Motivation'''==
This is the most important document since it accounts for 40% of your ranking score. It has to be written by yourself in the English language. There is a maximum of 1.5 pages that you should not exceed.
In this letter, you should explain your motivation to study especially this program. The text should answer the following questions:
* Why are you interested in the field "Intelligent Adaptive Systems" or what parts are most interesting and why?
* Why is this program especially suited to complement the knowledge you already have?
* Why did you choose to study this program at Universität Hamburg?
* How does this program fit into your academic and professional future goals?
* Read the selection criteria and the curriculum IAS - so you know what else might be important to write about.

The selection committee will give high ratings to those letters that show that the student has made a deliberate choice to study IAS and can justify their decision well while also explaining how studying IAS will bring the student closer to the desired goal. The board is looking for students that show high motivation and have a good chance of finishing the program with a high impact on the student's life. The ability to present a well-argued and connected chain of argument is a major ability the board is looking for.

Things that affect the rating adversely are, amongst many, generic letters that are written for multiple applications, letters that are written in bad English or do not follow a good structure.

The selection committee does not want to read about the history of informatics, the selection committee wants to read something relevant and precise about you.

== '''5. Proof(s) of English language proficiency'''==
Please see [[Application:Formal requirements| formal requirements]] for details on the required language certificates and further information.

Proof of English language proficiency by
CEFR/TELC: At least Level B2 in all testing categories (listening, reading, speaking, writing) better C1
IELTS: 6.5 + B2
TOEFL: IBT 90, PBT 575, CBT 230
Cambridge: CAE or CPE

==''' 6. Transcript of Records'''==
Please see '''[[Application:Formal requirements| formal requirements]]''' for detailed information on the requirements for your transcript of records.

== '''7. Self-made structured table of all core computer science courses'''==
As a formal requirement you need to evidence 60 ECTS in core computer science courses. To do so, please provide your transcript and a self-made table listing all your core computer science courses you have completed. Please, also refer to the listed information under [[Application:Formal requirements| formal requirements]] regarding questions about the ''ECTS credit system'', the ''calculation'' of the required 60 ECTS, ''modules/courses counted as CS'' by IAS selection committee. Please use this [[Required Documents: Example structure table|example]] to provide your evidence of your 60 ECTS credits or more.

=='''8. BSc certificates and diploma supplement'''==

* If you have finished your degree send a copy of your degree certificate.

* You can also apply if you have finished 5/6 semesters and can evidence 150 ECTS credits (or comparable) of your first degree and at the point of application at least 60 ECTS in computer science must be evident. In order to estimate that you are going to finish you must provide the official transcript of records showing the amount of already acquired credits or credit hours and the number of minimum credits or credit hours required for completion. The final transcript and graduation certificate have to be handed in for enrolment if you are admitted.

* Diploma Supplement: In any case provide a description of your degree - it is an official document issued by most universities.
** The degree's grading system
** The standard amount of semesters required for completion of your degree
** The description of how many weeks per semester of in-class time with a lecturer present
** The description of how your credit systems works, e.g. 1 cp is worth 30 hours of in-class time with lecturer present meaning 2 hours a week for 15 weeks...

=='''9. Your grade'''==
In regards to your overall average grade (preliminary) or final grade, please provide a document with your (preliminary) final grade calculated by your university, even if only 5/6 or 7/8 semesters of the studies have been completed. Your grade should be in the grading system your university provides and with which you can provide the grading system. The grade needs to be in numbers, not letters. Make sure you send an official document attested by your university as the IAS selection committee does not accept self-calculated '''final''' grades nor does the IAS selection committee calculate final grades for you. If this information is listed in your transcript of records or degree certificate, then you don't need to provide this extra document.

Preliminary grade:
Some transcripts or universities do not provide a preliminary average grade: compute it on your own on an extra document and tell us how you did it. If it is not the simple grade average of all grades in the transcript, please provide extra official proof of how your university or degree rules are to compute it.

Please note: If you fail to provide proof of your grade or preliminary grade and grading scale - The grade you are assigned will be the worst possible grade - a grade of 9.9 in selection procedures. This means that applications without a grade will rank behind the last applicant who had provided a grade. This is also true if you state a different grade / grading scale in the table and cover-letter than in your transcript or when the selection committee controls your computation.

=='''10. Grading scale'''==
IAS selection committee needs detailed information on your degree's grading system (alternative names: grading scale/scheme of evaluation/grade classification/range of marks ...) as it is important in our [[Application:Selection criteria| selection process]]. As the IAS selection committee will evaluate and rank all applications, we need the grading scale of your university to make your average or final grade comparable to others. In a lot of cases, official transcripts of records display the university's grading system. Usually, this is a table with all the degree's grades and corresponding information like minimum passing grade and maximum, outstanding or excellent grade, etc. However, if this is not the case for your transcript of records, then please provide this information attested by your university.

Highlight the grading scale, minimum passing grade, and maximum grade in your official documents and state exactly on which page the relevant information can be found, e.g., "the grading scale can be found in the printed degree description page 4 Section 2.1.1 see highlighted information". The selection committee will not look through documents if no help is provided where to find the right information. Please display exact information on paper printout. You may provide a link to a lengthy document if you only printed out parts of a lengthy document for control reasons. The selection committee will not follow links nor translate websites to search for information if no information is provided in paper.

Please note: If you fail to provide proof of your grade or preliminary grade and grading scale - The grade you are assigned will be the worst possible grade - a grade of 9.9 in selection procedures. This means that applications without a grade or grading scale will rank behind the last applicant who had provided a grade. This is also true if you state a different grade / grading scale in the table and cover-letter than in your transcript/official documents or when the selection committee controls your computation.

=='''11. Evidence that your university and degree is recognized in Germany'''==
Admission to a Master degree program at a German university requires an undergraduate degree. This must have been obtained from a recognized higher education institution. The degree also must be equivalent to at least a three year Bachelor that was attained in Germany. It is a prerequisite for an application for the master course "IAS" that your university degree is recognized as equivalent to a Bachelor's degree obtained in Germany.

===How to provide proof that your university is recognized in Germany?===

The selection committee's advice: print out the anabin database entry for proof. It is cost-free and fast:
* Use the database anabin and print out the information about your university
* Your university needs to be recognized with H+
* More information here: [[Desired Documents:Anabin|Anabin]]

If you have difficulties handling anabin, you may use the fee-based service, called Uni-Assist:
* This is the official recommendation of the Universität Hamburg is that you use the fee-based service Uni-Assist (but you don't need to if you provide the anabin printout)
* Request this service around 1 of December - otherwise Uni-Assist might not answer you in time
* More information about [[FAQ:UniAssist| Uni-Assist]]
* Only use Uni-assist if you do not want to look up your University in the database Anabin

Some countries have to get a German authorities endorsement anyway for visa or application- you may hand this in as additional proof:

An endorsement of recognition from German authorities, including information about the type of higher education entrance eligibility and, if applicable, for a particular subject. The Universität Hamburg accepts the following types of endorsement of recognition:

* APS certificates from the academic review offices of Beijing, Ulaanbaatar, and Hanoi

Please note: For the application to the Master program IAS - it is enough to send in your information from Anabin.

If you cannot find information on whether your university is recognized in Germany, the selection committee has to decide case by case whether your degree sounds eligible or not. Usually, your degree does not qualify.

=Application via email possible from now on until 31 March:=

'''Because of the corona-virus pandemic, the IAS Team has decided to allow applications via email.'''

Send the application as described exactly on the website and this wiki and follow '''exactly''' those steps:

* in '''only''' 1 pdf - one pdf document with all your documents = only complete applications will be considered
* not more than 9 MB
* until 31 March
* use only this Email - subject '''[Final IAS Application] [Your Full name, Your BW-number]''' (The emails will be sorted automatically)
* only use: ias-team@informatik.uni-hamburg.de
* start your Email text with "Dear IAS-Team, this is my final application to the Master IAS. Please consider the attached application .....
* Use the order of documents presented here 1.-11. when sending the application.

Everything else stays exactly the same as it is described in this wiki and website except the postal mailing part. Please note, even though now you should apply via email, we still do not inform you about missing documents or incomplete applications. '''For evaluating the application we will only consider the information provided in this one email: Email - subject '''[Final IAS Application] [Your Full name, Your BW-number]''' + Email text starting with "Dear IAS-Team, this is my final application to the Master IAS. Please consider the attached pdf application ....." '''

==I have sent my paper application already + I received an email confirmation by the IAS Team that it has arrived ==
Then you do not need to do anything.

==I have sent my paper application already + I did not receive email confirmation until 13 March 2020 ==
Please do send your application via email considering the steps above. Due to the corona-virus the IAS Team and many other people at the university will be working from home. That means nobody will get the postal mail.
Please state that your application is on the way and send the application via email again.

==I have not sent my paper application yet==
Please, send it via email. Please state in the email text that you have not sent a paper application

== Order for the pdf application==
Please, put the documents in this order and produce one pdf (and make sure that they are not attached to one another (Please do not use staplers, paper clips, folders, etc.):)

# Cover Sheet
# Signed Online Form STiNE
# CV
# Motivation Letter
# Language Test Score
# Transcript
# Self-made table
# Bachelor Certificate + Diploma Supplement
# Grade
# Grading scale
# Anabin print out
# everything else

Please highlight important information in your documents, e.g. grading scale, grade, "H+" in the anabin printout, finishing date ...

Please check carefully if you have sent all the required documents in due time. The deadline is the 31 of March (No postal mail arrives on Saturdays and Sundays at the university). Faxes are not accepted. We do not inform you of missing documents or late applications. Your application is considered incomplete if one or more of the required documents are not received before the deadline via email or if your STiNE form is not submitted online. As a result, your application will not take part in the selection process. There will be no reconsideration of your application. Also note, that we do not inform you about received emails or postal mail (letters, parcels, envelopes) – Please check with your postal mail provider if you like an acknowledgment.

One final note from the selection committee: We like a neat, well-structured, precise, and complete application. Think for yourself. Show that you can be a responsible, well-organized student, and follow basic instructions.
The selection committee and the IAS team consist of professors, lecturers, advisors, Post-docs who will also teach you once you are accepted.

= Additional Documents =
Generally, all possible documents that support your application (especially as evidence for the arguments used in your motivation letter) can be included and will be taken into account in the selection process. Please include only documents that are relevant for this application. The selection of documents already shows your ability to distinguish between relevant and irrelevant content and a large amount of radomly added certificates or documents may have a negative effect on your ranking.

==Desired documents==

* Documents that add to the evidence needed for the requirements, e.g. additional proofs of language proficiency or higher education courses with computer science content, letter of recommendation
* Evidence for research or professional and/or international experience relevant to IAS studies.
* International experience, e.g. a study exchange, shows your ability to adapt to different learning and living environments and should be listed and described as part of our CV.
* The same holds for professional experience that may show your ability to work in a computer science context.
* Training courses or extensive experience that shows deep understanding of computer science concepts. This will be taken into account for general suitability for the very specific Master program IAS.

== Suitable additions ==
* GRE test or other academic tests showing your ability to study in higher education. Such tests are not required but may be taken into account if provided and if they add to the general story of the application.
* Certificates of contests and competitions can be added if relevant. Please carefully decide whether the certificate can add any additional value to your application.

== Undesired documents ==
* Full module handbooks. To show that you fulfill the requirement of the sufficient 60 ETCS credits, you have to send the self-made and structured table. Please don't send full module handbooks as the IAS admission team will not have the time to search for core CS courses in those handbooks for you.
* Certificates that don't add additional information or are not relevant at all. More is not always better since it may show that you are not able to decide what is relevant for the subject and what is not. Select the certificates that best show your abilities.

==Do all the documents have to be sent as certified/attested copies?==
No, not for the application at the Department of Informatics - IAS. You can send the required application documents as simple copies. But please be aware that once you have been sent an ''letter of acceptance'' by the CampusCenter (central administration), you have to send certified/attested copies of your language certificate, your university entrance qualification (e.g. high school certificate), and your bachelor's degree certificate to prove the authenticity of those documents together with the matriculation form '''within 14 days''' to the "Team for Application and Admission" (Ger: ''Team Bewerbung und Zulassung'') at the CampusCenter of the Universität Hamburg. Therefore, we highly recommend preparing certified/attested copies of all the relevant documents upfront.
The central administration team (CampusCenter Team for your enrolment, located at the city center) and the IAS Team (for your application and later your studies, located at the Department of Informatics, Hamburg Stellingen) are two very distinct teams and have nothing to do with the task of the other.

More FAQ

* [[FAQ: Q&A| Frequently Asked Questions about the application]]

Application:Required documents

2020-03-13T09:06:50Z

Apeters1: /* Application via email possible from now on until 31 March: */

=List of all required documents for application=
In order to apply for the 2-year Master of Science program Intelligent Adaptive Systems, you need to send a paper application to the IAS Team at the Department of Informatics, Universität Hamburg. The IAS team is a team of IAS professors, researchers, lecturers, and academic advisors. The IAS Team and the selection committee will only read complete applications that meet the formal requirements. These applications will be ranked according to the selection criteria.

In order to apply successfully please follow exactly these instructions:

The deadline is on the 31st of March. Faxes and e-mails are not accepted. The IAS selection committee does not inform you of missing documents or late applications. Your application is considered incomplete if one or more of the required documents are not received before the deadline (via postal mail) and/or if your STiNE online application form is not submitted online. As a result, your application will not take part in the selection process. You can not submit missing documents after the expiration of the application deadline, there will be no reconsideration.

The documents 'do not'' have to be sent as certified/attested copies when applying. You should '''not''' send original certificates since the IAS selection committee will not send anything back. However, please note that in case your application is successful, you will need to send attested/certified copies to the University via postal mail ''within 2 weeks'', so be prepared. The notification whether you are accepted or not is send around 15 of May. Official English and German translation of documents are accepted.

Please read the explanations of what documents you have to send and follow the links to more information.

=='''1. Cover-letter-form''' ==
* Please fill in the cover-letter form (with a pdf viewer/reader).
* Then print the form. In case you are having any problems with filling in the form digitally you can also print the form and fill it in by hand (readable!).
* Send the printed form via postal mail as the first page of your application.
* Link to the cover-letter-form: [[Cover-letter-form|cover-letter-form]]

== '''2. The University's general online form (STiNE)'''==
The Universität Hamburg requires you to fill out a general and university-wide online form on their student platform called STiNE. The only purpose of this form is to register with the central administration. Nothing else. It is the way to tell the University that you might apply.
* While registering you will receive a BW - Number (Application Number). Please state this number in your cover letter.
* Submit, print and '''sign''' the STiNE online form and enclose the form with your paper application.
* Only within the application period (15 February - 31 March), the online application form can be accessed through the STiNE portal: https://www.stine.uni-hamburg.de. Sorry, some parts of the STiNE online form are in German and therefore rather tricky.
* As a service to IAS applicants, the IAS-Team has prepared a wiki entry: [[online application form|Online form STiNE]].
*For further questions about STiNE please ask the technical support of STiNE. STiNE is a part of the central administration - not the IAS Team's platform, see [https://www.stine.uni-hamburg.de/scripts/mgrqispi.dll?APPNAME=CampusNet&PRGNAME=EXTERNALPAGES&ARGUMENTS=-N000000000000002,-N000339,-A100101e#furtherquestions STiNE support].

After filling out the STiNE online form, '''click submit''', and then, '''print''' out the summary at the end (Ger: ''Druckansicht''). This print-out has to be '''signed'''. This submitted, printed, and signed STiNE form is one of the required documents which you have to send via postal mail to the Department of Informatics.

Please, note do not click "Freemover", that is the wrong application.

Please, note that the STiNE online form is just the general, uni-wide application form for central administration reasons only. You still need to send your paper application to the address below. With the complete paper application, you apply to the Department of Informatics for a place in the IAS program.

Use the address displayed here or websit not in STiNE.

==''' 3. Curriculum Vitae'''==
The CV (table version) should include information on your academic and professional career and if you have international experience. It should specifically list information on your background relevant for IAS such as projects on AI or Robotics. Please, '''provide evidence''' of such projects through acquired certificates. Project descriptions and outlines on their CS content are especially important if the achieved credits should be counted for the 60 ECTS in computer science.
Please, add your average/overall grade (can be preliminary) and your grading scale to your cv next to the information of your degree and provide official evidence for that information.

== '''4. Letter of Motivation'''==
This is the most important document since it accounts for 40% of your ranking score. It has to be written by yourself in the English language. There is a maximum of 1.5 pages that you should not exceed.
In this letter, you should explain your motivation to study especially this program. The text should answer the following questions:
* Why are you interested in the field "Intelligent Adaptive Systems" or what parts are most interesting and why?
* Why is this program especially suited to complement the knowledge you already have?
* Why did you choose to study this program at Universität Hamburg?
* How does this program fit into your academic and professional future goals

The selection committee will give high ratings to those letters that show that the student has made a deliberate choice to study IAS and can justify their decision well while also explaining how studying IAS will bring the student closer to the desired goal. The board is looking for students that show high motivation and have a good chance of finishing the program with a high impact on the student's life. The ability to present a well-argued and connected chain of argument is a major ability the board is looking for.

Things that affect the rating adversely are, amongst many, generic letters that are written for multiple applications, letters that are written in bad English or do not follow a good structure.

The selection committee does not want to read about the history of informatics, the selection committee wants to read something relevant and precise about you.

== '''5. Proof(s) of English language proficiency'''==
Please see [[Application:Formal requirements| formal requirements]] for details on the required language certificates and further information.

Proof of English language proficiency by
CEFR/TELC: At least Level B2 in all testing categories (listening, reading, speaking, writing) better C1
IELTS: 6.5 + B2
TOEFL: IBT 90, PBT 575, CBT 230
Cambridge: CAE or CPE

==''' 6. Transcript of Records'''==
Please see '''[[Application:Formal requirements| formal requirements]]''' for detailed information on the requirements for your transcript of records.

== '''7. Self-made structured table of all core computer science courses'''==
As a formal requirement you need to evidence 60 ECTS in core computer science courses. To do so, please provide your transcript and a self-made table listing all your core computer science courses you have completed. Please, also refer to the listed information under [[Application:Formal requirements| formal requirements]] regarding questions about the ''ECTS credit system'', the ''calculation'' of the required 60 ECTS, ''modules/courses counted as CS'' by IAS selection committee. Please use this [[Required Documents: Example structure table|example]] to provide your evidence of your 60 ECTS credits or more.

=='''8. BSc certificates and diploma supplement'''==

* If you have finished your degree send a copy of your degree certificate.

* You can also apply if you have finished 5/6 semesters and can evidence 150 ECTS credits (or comparable) of your first degree and at the point of application at least 60 ECTS in computer science must be evident. In order to estimate that you are going to finish you must provide the official transcript of records showing the amount of already acquired credits or credit hours and the number of minimum credits or credit hours required for completion. The final transcript and graduation certificate have to be handed in for enrolment if you are admitted.

* Diploma Supplement: In any case provide a description of your degree - it is an official document issued by most universities.
** The degree's grading system
** The standard amount of semesters required for completion of your degree
** The description of how many weeks per semester of in-class time with a lecturer present
** The description of how your credit systems works, e.g. 1 cp is worth 30 hours of in-class time with lecturer present meaning 2 hours a week for 15 weeks...

=='''9. Your grade'''==
In regards to your overall average grade (preliminary) or final grade, please provide a document with your (preliminary) final grade calculated by your university, even if only 5/6 or 7/8 semesters of the studies have been completed. Your grade should be in the grading system your university provides and with which you can provide the grading system. The grade needs to be in numbers, not letters. Make sure you send an official document attested by your university as the IAS selection committee does not accept self-calculated '''final''' grades nor does the IAS selection committee calculate final grades for you. If this information is listed in your transcript of records or degree certificate, then you don't need to provide this extra document.

Preliminary grade:
Some transcripts or universities do not provide a preliminary average grade: compute it on your own on an extra document and tell us how you did it. If it is not the simple grade average of all grades in the transcript, please provide extra official proof of how your university or degree rules are to compute it.

Please note: If you fail to provide proof of your grade or preliminary grade and grading scale - The grade you are assigned will be the worst possible grade - a grade of 9.9 in selection procedures. This means that applications without a grade will rank behind the last applicant who had provided a grade. This is also true if you state a different grade / grading scale in the table and cover-letter than in your transcript or when the selection committee controls your computation.

=='''10. Grading scale'''==
IAS selection committee needs detailed information on your degree's grading system (alternative names: grading scale/scheme of evaluation/grade classification/range of marks ...) as it is important in our [[Application:Selection criteria| selection process]]. As the IAS selection committee will evaluate and rank all applications, we need the grading scale of your university to make your average or final grade comparable to others. In a lot of cases, official transcripts of records display the university's grading system. Usually, this is a table with all the degree's grades and corresponding information like minimum passing grade and maximum, outstanding or excellent grade, etc. However, if this is not the case for your transcript of records, then please provide this information attested by your university.

Highlight the grading scale, minimum passing grade, and maximum grade in your official documents and state exactly on which page the relevant information can be found, e.g., "the grading scale can be found in the printed degree description page 4 Section 2.1.1 see highlighted information". The selection committee will not look through documents if no help is provided where to find the right information. Please display exact information on paper printout. You may provide a link to a lengthy document if you only printed out parts of a lengthy document for control reasons. The selection committee will not follow links nor translate websites to search for information if no information is provided in paper.

Please note: If you fail to provide proof of your grade or preliminary grade and grading scale - The grade you are assigned will be the worst possible grade - a grade of 9.9 in selection procedures. This means that applications without a grade or grading scale will rank behind the last applicant who had provided a grade. This is also true if you state a different grade / grading scale in the table and cover-letter than in your transcript/official documents or when the selection committee controls your computation.

=='''11. Evidence that your university and degree is recognized in Germany'''==
Admission to a Master degree program at a German university requires an undergraduate degree. This must have been obtained from a recognized higher education institution. The degree also must be equivalent to at least a three year Bachelor that was attained in Germany. It is a prerequisite for an application for the master course "IAS" that your university degree is recognized as equivalent to a Bachelor's degree obtained in Germany.

===How to provide proof that your university is recognized in Germany?===

The selection committee's advice: print out the anabin database entry for proof. It is cost-free and fast:
* Use the database anabin and print out the information about your university
* Your university needs to be recognized with H+
* More information here: [[Desired Documents:Anabin|Anabin]]

If you have difficulties handling anabin, you may use the fee-based service, called Uni-Assist:
* This is the official recommendation of the Universität Hamburg is that you use the fee-based service Uni-Assist (but you don't need to if you provide the anabin printout)
* Request this service around 1 of December - otherwise Uni-Assist might not answer you in time
* More information about [[FAQ:UniAssist| Uni-Assist]]
* Only use Uni-assist if you do not want to look up your University in the database Anabin

Some countries have to get a German authorities endorsement anyway for visa or application- you may hand this in as additional proof:

An endorsement of recognition from German authorities, including information about the type of higher education entrance eligibility and, if applicable, for a particular subject. The Universität Hamburg accepts the following types of endorsement of recognition:

* APS certificates from the academic review offices of Beijing, Ulaanbaatar, and Hanoi

Please note: For the application to the Master program IAS - it is enough to send in your information from Anabin.

If you cannot find information on whether your university is recognized in Germany, the selection committee has to decide case by case whether your degree sounds eligible or not. Usually, your degree does not qualify.

=Application via email possible from now on until 31 March:=

'''Because of the corona-virus pandemic, the IAS Team has decided to allow applications via email.'''

Send the application as described exactly on the website and this wiki and follow '''exactly''' those steps:

* in '''only''' 1 pdf - one pdf document with all your documents = only complete applications will be considered
* not more than 9 MB
* until 31 March
* use only this Email - subject '''[Final IAS Application] [Your Full name, Your BW-number]''' (The emails will be sorted automatically)
* only use: ias-team@informatik.uni-hamburg.de
* start your Email text with "Dear IAS-Team, this is my final application to the Master IAS. Please consider the attached application .....
* Use the order of documents presented here 1.-11. when sending the application.

Everything else stays exactly the same as it is described in this wiki and website except the postal mailing part. Please note, even though now you should apply via email, we still do not inform you about missing documents or incomplete applications. '''For evaluating the application we will only consider the information provided in this one email: Email - subject '''[Final IAS Application] [Your Full name, Your BW-number]''' + Email text starting with "Dear IAS-Team, this is my final application to the Master IAS. Please consider the attached pdf application ....." '''

==I have sent my paper application already + I received an email confirmation by the IAS Team that it has arrived ==
Then you do not need to do anything.

==I have sent my paper application already + I did not receive email confirmation until 13 March 2020 ==
Please do send your application via email considering the steps above. Due to the corona-virus the IAS Team and many other people at the university will be working from home. That means nobody will get the postal mail.
Please state that your application is on the way and send the application via email again.

==I have not sent my paper application yet==
Please, send it via email. Please state in the email text that you have not sent a paper application

== Order for the pdf application==
Please, put the documents in this order and produce one pdf (and make sure that they are not attached to one another (Please do not use staplers, paper clips, folders, etc.):)

# Cover Sheet
# Signed Online Form STiNE
# CV
# Motivation Letter
# Language Test Score
# Transcript
# Self-made table
# Bachelor Certificate + Diploma Supplement
# Grade
# Grading scale
# Anabin print out
# everything else

Please highlight important information in your documents, e.g. grading scale, grade, "H+" in the anabin printout, finishing date ...

Please check carefully if you have sent all the required documents in due time. The deadline is the 31 of March (No postal mail arrives on Saturdays and Sundays at the university). Faxes are not accepted. We do not inform you of missing documents or late applications. Your application is considered incomplete if one or more of the required documents are not received before the deadline via email or if your STiNE form is not submitted online. As a result, your application will not take part in the selection process. There will be no reconsideration of your application. Also note, that we do not inform you about received emails or postal mail (letters, parcels, envelopes) – Please check with your postal mail provider if you like an acknowledgment.

One final note from the selection committee: We like a neat, well-structured, precise, and complete application. Think for yourself. Show that you can be a responsible, well-organized student, and follow basic instructions.
The selection committee and the IAS team consist of professors, lecturers, advisors, Post-docs who will also teach you once you are accepted.

= Additional Documents =
Generally, all possible documents that support your application (especially as evidence for the arguments used in your motivation letter) can be included and will be taken into account in the selection process. Please include only documents that are relevant for this application. The selection of documents already shows your ability to distinguish between relevant and irrelevant content and a large amount of radomly added certificates or documents may have a negative effect on your ranking.

==Desired documents==

* Documents that add to the evidence needed for the requirements, e.g. additional proofs of language proficiency or higher education courses with computer science content, letter of recommendation
* Evidence for research or professional and/or international experience relevant to IAS studies.
* International experience, e.g. a study exchange, shows your ability to adapt to different learning and living environments and should be listed and described as part of our CV.
* The same holds for professional experience that may show your ability to work in a computer science context.
* Training courses or extensive experience that shows deep understanding of computer science concepts. This will be taken into account for general suitability for the very specific Master program IAS.

== Suitable additions ==
* GRE test or other academic tests showing your ability to study in higher education. Such tests are not required but may be taken into account if provided and if they add to the general story of the application.
* Certificates of contests and competitions can be added if relevant. Please carefully decide whether the certificate can add any additional value to your application.

== Undesired documents ==
* Full module handbooks. To show that you fulfill the requirement of the sufficient 60 ETCS credits, you have to send the self-made and structured table. Please don't send full module handbooks as the IAS admission team will not have the time to search for core CS courses in those handbooks for you.
* Certificates that don't add additional information or are not relevant at all. More is not always better since it may show that you are not able to decide what is relevant for the subject and what is not. Select the certificates that best show your abilities.

==Do all the documents have to be sent as certified/attested copies?==
No, not for the application at the Department of Informatics - IAS. You can send the required application documents as simple copies. But please be aware that once you have been sent an ''letter of acceptance'' by the CampusCenter (central administration), you have to send certified/attested copies of your language certificate, your university entrance qualification (e.g. high school certificate), and your bachelor's degree certificate to prove the authenticity of those documents together with the matriculation form '''within 14 days''' to the "Team for Application and Admission" (Ger: ''Team Bewerbung und Zulassung'') at the CampusCenter of the Universität Hamburg. Therefore, we highly recommend preparing certified/attested copies of all the relevant documents upfront.
The central administration team (CampusCenter Team for your enrolment, located at the city center) and the IAS Team (for your application and later your studies, located at the Department of Informatics, Hamburg Stellingen) are two very distinct teams and have nothing to do with the task of the other.

More FAQ

* [[FAQ: Q&A| Frequently Asked Questions about the application]]

Application:Required documents

2020-03-13T09:04:45Z

Apeters1: /* Order for the pdf application */

=List of all required documents for application=
In order to apply for the 2-year Master of Science program Intelligent Adaptive Systems, you need to send a paper application to the IAS Team at the Department of Informatics, Universität Hamburg. The IAS team is a team of IAS professors, researchers, lecturers, and academic advisors. The IAS Team and the selection committee will only read complete applications that meet the formal requirements. These applications will be ranked according to the selection criteria.

In order to apply successfully please follow exactly these instructions:

The deadline is on the 31st of March. Faxes and e-mails are not accepted. The IAS selection committee does not inform you of missing documents or late applications. Your application is considered incomplete if one or more of the required documents are not received before the deadline (via postal mail) and/or if your STiNE online application form is not submitted online. As a result, your application will not take part in the selection process. You can not submit missing documents after the expiration of the application deadline, there will be no reconsideration.

The documents 'do not'' have to be sent as certified/attested copies when applying. You should '''not''' send original certificates since the IAS selection committee will not send anything back. However, please note that in case your application is successful, you will need to send attested/certified copies to the University via postal mail ''within 2 weeks'', so be prepared. The notification whether you are accepted or not is send around 15 of May. Official English and German translation of documents are accepted.

Please read the explanations of what documents you have to send and follow the links to more information.

=='''1. Cover-letter-form''' ==
* Please fill in the cover-letter form (with a pdf viewer/reader).
* Then print the form. In case you are having any problems with filling in the form digitally you can also print the form and fill it in by hand (readable!).
* Send the printed form via postal mail as the first page of your application.
* Link to the cover-letter-form: [[Cover-letter-form|cover-letter-form]]

== '''2. The University's general online form (STiNE)'''==
The Universität Hamburg requires you to fill out a general and university-wide online form on their student platform called STiNE. The only purpose of this form is to register with the central administration. Nothing else. It is the way to tell the University that you might apply.
* While registering you will receive a BW - Number (Application Number). Please state this number in your cover letter.
* Submit, print and '''sign''' the STiNE online form and enclose the form with your paper application.
* Only within the application period (15 February - 31 March), the online application form can be accessed through the STiNE portal: https://www.stine.uni-hamburg.de. Sorry, some parts of the STiNE online form are in German and therefore rather tricky.
* As a service to IAS applicants, the IAS-Team has prepared a wiki entry: [[online application form|Online form STiNE]].
*For further questions about STiNE please ask the technical support of STiNE. STiNE is a part of the central administration - not the IAS Team's platform, see [https://www.stine.uni-hamburg.de/scripts/mgrqispi.dll?APPNAME=CampusNet&PRGNAME=EXTERNALPAGES&ARGUMENTS=-N000000000000002,-N000339,-A100101e#furtherquestions STiNE support].

After filling out the STiNE online form, '''click submit''', and then, '''print''' out the summary at the end (Ger: ''Druckansicht''). This print-out has to be '''signed'''. This submitted, printed, and signed STiNE form is one of the required documents which you have to send via postal mail to the Department of Informatics.

Please, note do not click "Freemover", that is the wrong application.

Please, note that the STiNE online form is just the general, uni-wide application form for central administration reasons only. You still need to send your paper application to the address below. With the complete paper application, you apply to the Department of Informatics for a place in the IAS program.

Use the address displayed here or websit not in STiNE.

==''' 3. Curriculum Vitae'''==
The CV (table version) should include information on your academic and professional career and if you have international experience. It should specifically list information on your background relevant for IAS such as projects on AI or Robotics. Please, '''provide evidence''' of such projects through acquired certificates. Project descriptions and outlines on their CS content are especially important if the achieved credits should be counted for the 60 ECTS in computer science.
Please, add your average/overall grade (can be preliminary) and your grading scale to your cv next to the information of your degree and provide official evidence for that information.

== '''4. Letter of Motivation'''==
This is the most important document since it accounts for 40% of your ranking score. It has to be written by yourself in the English language. There is a maximum of 1.5 pages that you should not exceed.
In this letter, you should explain your motivation to study especially this program. The text should answer the following questions:
* Why are you interested in the field "Intelligent Adaptive Systems" or what parts are most interesting and why?
* Why is this program especially suited to complement the knowledge you already have?
* Why did you choose to study this program at Universität Hamburg?
* How does this program fit into your academic and professional future goals

The selection committee will give high ratings to those letters that show that the student has made a deliberate choice to study IAS and can justify their decision well while also explaining how studying IAS will bring the student closer to the desired goal. The board is looking for students that show high motivation and have a good chance of finishing the program with a high impact on the student's life. The ability to present a well-argued and connected chain of argument is a major ability the board is looking for.

Things that affect the rating adversely are, amongst many, generic letters that are written for multiple applications, letters that are written in bad English or do not follow a good structure.

The selection committee does not want to read about the history of informatics, the selection committee wants to read something relevant and precise about you.

== '''5. Proof(s) of English language proficiency'''==
Please see [[Application:Formal requirements| formal requirements]] for details on the required language certificates and further information.

Proof of English language proficiency by
CEFR/TELC: At least Level B2 in all testing categories (listening, reading, speaking, writing) better C1
IELTS: 6.5 + B2
TOEFL: IBT 90, PBT 575, CBT 230
Cambridge: CAE or CPE

==''' 6. Transcript of Records'''==
Please see '''[[Application:Formal requirements| formal requirements]]''' for detailed information on the requirements for your transcript of records.

== '''7. Self-made structured table of all core computer science courses'''==
As a formal requirement you need to evidence 60 ECTS in core computer science courses. To do so, please provide your transcript and a self-made table listing all your core computer science courses you have completed. Please, also refer to the listed information under [[Application:Formal requirements| formal requirements]] regarding questions about the ''ECTS credit system'', the ''calculation'' of the required 60 ECTS, ''modules/courses counted as CS'' by IAS selection committee. Please use this [[Required Documents: Example structure table|example]] to provide your evidence of your 60 ECTS credits or more.

=='''8. BSc certificates and diploma supplement'''==

* If you have finished your degree send a copy of your degree certificate.

* You can also apply if you have finished 5/6 semesters and can evidence 150 ECTS credits (or comparable) of your first degree and at the point of application at least 60 ECTS in computer science must be evident. In order to estimate that you are going to finish you must provide the official transcript of records showing the amount of already acquired credits or credit hours and the number of minimum credits or credit hours required for completion. The final transcript and graduation certificate have to be handed in for enrolment if you are admitted.

* Diploma Supplement: In any case provide a description of your degree - it is an official document issued by most universities.
** The degree's grading system
** The standard amount of semesters required for completion of your degree
** The description of how many weeks per semester of in-class time with a lecturer present
** The description of how your credit systems works, e.g. 1 cp is worth 30 hours of in-class time with lecturer present meaning 2 hours a week for 15 weeks...

=='''9. Your grade'''==
In regards to your overall average grade (preliminary) or final grade, please provide a document with your (preliminary) final grade calculated by your university, even if only 5/6 or 7/8 semesters of the studies have been completed. Your grade should be in the grading system your university provides and with which you can provide the grading system. The grade needs to be in numbers, not letters. Make sure you send an official document attested by your university as the IAS selection committee does not accept self-calculated '''final''' grades nor does the IAS selection committee calculate final grades for you. If this information is listed in your transcript of records or degree certificate, then you don't need to provide this extra document.

Preliminary grade:
Some transcripts or universities do not provide a preliminary average grade: compute it on your own on an extra document and tell us how you did it. If it is not the simple grade average of all grades in the transcript, please provide extra official proof of how your university or degree rules are to compute it.

Please note: If you fail to provide proof of your grade or preliminary grade and grading scale - The grade you are assigned will be the worst possible grade - a grade of 9.9 in selection procedures. This means that applications without a grade will rank behind the last applicant who had provided a grade. This is also true if you state a different grade / grading scale in the table and cover-letter than in your transcript or when the selection committee controls your computation.

=='''10. Grading scale'''==
IAS selection committee needs detailed information on your degree's grading system (alternative names: grading scale/scheme of evaluation/grade classification/range of marks ...) as it is important in our [[Application:Selection criteria| selection process]]. As the IAS selection committee will evaluate and rank all applications, we need the grading scale of your university to make your average or final grade comparable to others. In a lot of cases, official transcripts of records display the university's grading system. Usually, this is a table with all the degree's grades and corresponding information like minimum passing grade and maximum, outstanding or excellent grade, etc. However, if this is not the case for your transcript of records, then please provide this information attested by your university.

Highlight the grading scale, minimum passing grade, and maximum grade in your official documents and state exactly on which page the relevant information can be found, e.g., "the grading scale can be found in the printed degree description page 4 Section 2.1.1 see highlighted information". The selection committee will not look through documents if no help is provided where to find the right information. Please display exact information on paper printout. You may provide a link to a lengthy document if you only printed out parts of a lengthy document for control reasons. The selection committee will not follow links nor translate websites to search for information if no information is provided in paper.

Please note: If you fail to provide proof of your grade or preliminary grade and grading scale - The grade you are assigned will be the worst possible grade - a grade of 9.9 in selection procedures. This means that applications without a grade or grading scale will rank behind the last applicant who had provided a grade. This is also true if you state a different grade / grading scale in the table and cover-letter than in your transcript/official documents or when the selection committee controls your computation.

=='''11. Evidence that your university and degree is recognized in Germany'''==
Admission to a Master degree program at a German university requires an undergraduate degree. This must have been obtained from a recognized higher education institution. The degree also must be equivalent to at least a three year Bachelor that was attained in Germany. It is a prerequisite for an application for the master course "IAS" that your university degree is recognized as equivalent to a Bachelor's degree obtained in Germany.

===How to provide proof that your university is recognized in Germany?===

The selection committee's advice: print out the anabin database entry for proof. It is cost-free and fast:
* Use the database anabin and print out the information about your university
* Your university needs to be recognized with H+
* More information here: [[Desired Documents:Anabin|Anabin]]

If you have difficulties handling anabin, you may use the fee-based service, called Uni-Assist:
* This is the official recommendation of the Universität Hamburg is that you use the fee-based service Uni-Assist (but you don't need to if you provide the anabin printout)
* Request this service around 1 of December - otherwise Uni-Assist might not answer you in time
* More information about [[FAQ:UniAssist| Uni-Assist]]
* Only use Uni-assist if you do not want to look up your University in the database Anabin

Some countries have to get a German authorities endorsement anyway for visa or application- you may hand this in as additional proof:

An endorsement of recognition from German authorities, including information about the type of higher education entrance eligibility and, if applicable, for a particular subject. The Universität Hamburg accepts the following types of endorsement of recognition:

* APS certificates from the academic review offices of Beijing, Ulaanbaatar, and Hanoi

Please note: For the application to the Master program IAS - it is enough to send in your information from Anabin.

If you cannot find information on whether your university is recognized in Germany, the selection committee has to decide case by case whether your degree sounds eligible or not. Usually, your degree does not qualify.

=Application via email possible from now on until 31 March:=

'''Because of the corona-virus pandemic, the IAS Team has decided to allow applications via email.'''

Send the application as described exactly on the website and this wiki and follow '''exactly''' those steps:

* in '''only''' 1 pdf - one pdf document with all your documents = only complete applications will be considered
* not more than 9 MB
* until 31 March
* use only this Email - subject '''[Final IAS Application] [Your Full name, Your BW-number]''' (The emails will be sorted automatically)
* only use: ias-team@informatik.uni-hamburg.de
* start your Email text with "Dear IAS-Team, this is my final application to the Master IAS. Please consider the attached application .....
* Use the order of documents presented here 1.-11. when sending the application.

Everything else stays exactly the same as it is described in this wiki and website except the postal mailing part. Please note, even though now you should apply via email, we still do not inform you about missing documents or incomplete applications. '''For evaluating the application we will only consider the information provided in this one email: Email - subject '''[Final IAS Application] [Your Full name, Your BW-number]''' + Email text starting with "Dear IAS-Team, this is my final application to the Master IAS. Please consider the attached pdf application ....." '''

==I have sent my paper application already + I received an email confirmation by the IAS Team that it has arrived ==
Then you do not need to do anything.

==I have sent my paper application already + I did not receive email confirmation until 13 March 2020 ==
Please do send your application via email considering the steps above. Due to the corona-virus the IAS Team and many other people at the university will be working from home. That means nobody will get the postal mail.
Please state that your application is on the way and send the application via email again.

==I have not sent my paper application yet==
Please, send it via email. Please state in the email text that you have not sent a paper application

== Order for the pdf application==
Please, put the documents in this order and produce one pdf (and make sure that they are not attached to one another (Please do not use staplers, paper clips, folders, etc.):)

# Cover Sheet
# Signed Online Form STiNE
# CV
# Motivation Letter
# Language Test Score
# Transcript
# Self-made table
# Bachelor Certificate + Diploma Supplement
# Grade
# Grading scale
# Anabin print out
# everything else

Please highlight important information in your documents, e.g. grading scale, grade, "H+" in the anabin printout, finishing date ...

Please check carefully if you have sent all the required documents in due time. The deadline is the 31 of March (No postal mail arrives on Saturdays and Sundays at the university). Faxes are not accepted. We do not inform you of missing documents or late applications. Your application is considered incomplete if one or more of the required documents are not received before the deadline via postal mail or if your STiNE online application form is not submitted online. As a result, your application will not take part in the selection process. There will be no reconsideration of your application. Also note, that we do not inform you about received postal mail (letters, parcels, envelopes) – Please check with your postal mail provider if you like an acknowledgment.

One final note from the selection committee: We like a neat, well-structured, precise, and complete application. Think for yourself. Show that you can be a responsible and well-organized student.
The selection committee and the IAS team consist of professors, lecturers, advisors, Post-docs who will also teach you once you are accepted.

= Additional Documents =
Generally, all possible documents that support your application (especially as evidence for the arguments used in your motivation letter) can be included and will be taken into account in the selection process. Please include only documents that are relevant for this application. The selection of documents already shows your ability to distinguish between relevant and irrelevant content and a large amount of radomly added certificates or documents may have a negative effect on your ranking.

==Desired documents==

* Documents that add to the evidence needed for the requirements, e.g. additional proofs of language proficiency or higher education courses with computer science content, letter of recommendation
* Evidence for research or professional and/or international experience relevant to IAS studies.
* International experience, e.g. a study exchange, shows your ability to adapt to different learning and living environments and should be listed and described as part of our CV.
* The same holds for professional experience that may show your ability to work in a computer science context.
* Training courses or extensive experience that shows deep understanding of computer science concepts. This will be taken into account for general suitability for the very specific Master program IAS.

== Suitable additions ==
* GRE test or other academic tests showing your ability to study in higher education. Such tests are not required but may be taken into account if provided and if they add to the general story of the application.
* Certificates of contests and competitions can be added if relevant. Please carefully decide whether the certificate can add any additional value to your application.

== Undesired documents ==
* Full module handbooks. To show that you fulfill the requirement of the sufficient 60 ETCS credits, you have to send the self-made and structured table. Please don't send full module handbooks as the IAS admission team will not have the time to search for core CS courses in those handbooks for you.
* Certificates that don't add additional information or are not relevant at all. More is not always better since it may show that you are not able to decide what is relevant for the subject and what is not. Select the certificates that best show your abilities.

==Do all the documents have to be sent as certified/attested copies?==
No, not for the application at the Department of Informatics - IAS. You can send the required application documents as simple copies. But please be aware that once you have been sent an ''letter of acceptance'' by the CampusCenter (central administration), you have to send certified/attested copies of your language certificate, your university entrance qualification (e.g. high school certificate), and your bachelor's degree certificate to prove the authenticity of those documents together with the matriculation form '''within 14 days''' to the "Team for Application and Admission" (Ger: ''Team Bewerbung und Zulassung'') at the CampusCenter of the Universität Hamburg. Therefore, we highly recommend preparing certified/attested copies of all the relevant documents upfront.
The central administration team (CampusCenter Team for your enrolment, located at the city center) and the IAS Team (for your application and later your studies, located at the Department of Informatics, Hamburg Stellingen) are two very distinct teams and have nothing to do with the task of the other.

More FAQ

* [[FAQ: Q&A| Frequently Asked Questions about the application]]

Application:Required documents

2020-03-13T09:04:10Z

Apeters1: /* I have not sent my paper application yet */

=List of all required documents for application=
In order to apply for the 2-year Master of Science program Intelligent Adaptive Systems, you need to send a paper application to the IAS Team at the Department of Informatics, Universität Hamburg. The IAS team is a team of IAS professors, researchers, lecturers, and academic advisors. The IAS Team and the selection committee will only read complete applications that meet the formal requirements. These applications will be ranked according to the selection criteria.

In order to apply successfully please follow exactly these instructions:

The deadline is on the 31st of March. Faxes and e-mails are not accepted. The IAS selection committee does not inform you of missing documents or late applications. Your application is considered incomplete if one or more of the required documents are not received before the deadline (via postal mail) and/or if your STiNE online application form is not submitted online. As a result, your application will not take part in the selection process. You can not submit missing documents after the expiration of the application deadline, there will be no reconsideration.

The documents 'do not'' have to be sent as certified/attested copies when applying. You should '''not''' send original certificates since the IAS selection committee will not send anything back. However, please note that in case your application is successful, you will need to send attested/certified copies to the University via postal mail ''within 2 weeks'', so be prepared. The notification whether you are accepted or not is send around 15 of May. Official English and German translation of documents are accepted.

Please read the explanations of what documents you have to send and follow the links to more information.

=='''1. Cover-letter-form''' ==
* Please fill in the cover-letter form (with a pdf viewer/reader).
* Then print the form. In case you are having any problems with filling in the form digitally you can also print the form and fill it in by hand (readable!).
* Send the printed form via postal mail as the first page of your application.
* Link to the cover-letter-form: [[Cover-letter-form|cover-letter-form]]

== '''2. The University's general online form (STiNE)'''==
The Universität Hamburg requires you to fill out a general and university-wide online form on their student platform called STiNE. The only purpose of this form is to register with the central administration. Nothing else. It is the way to tell the University that you might apply.
* While registering you will receive a BW - Number (Application Number). Please state this number in your cover letter.
* Submit, print and '''sign''' the STiNE online form and enclose the form with your paper application.
* Only within the application period (15 February - 31 March), the online application form can be accessed through the STiNE portal: https://www.stine.uni-hamburg.de. Sorry, some parts of the STiNE online form are in German and therefore rather tricky.
* As a service to IAS applicants, the IAS-Team has prepared a wiki entry: [[online application form|Online form STiNE]].
*For further questions about STiNE please ask the technical support of STiNE. STiNE is a part of the central administration - not the IAS Team's platform, see [https://www.stine.uni-hamburg.de/scripts/mgrqispi.dll?APPNAME=CampusNet&PRGNAME=EXTERNALPAGES&ARGUMENTS=-N000000000000002,-N000339,-A100101e#furtherquestions STiNE support].

After filling out the STiNE online form, '''click submit''', and then, '''print''' out the summary at the end (Ger: ''Druckansicht''). This print-out has to be '''signed'''. This submitted, printed, and signed STiNE form is one of the required documents which you have to send via postal mail to the Department of Informatics.

Please, note do not click "Freemover", that is the wrong application.

Please, note that the STiNE online form is just the general, uni-wide application form for central administration reasons only. You still need to send your paper application to the address below. With the complete paper application, you apply to the Department of Informatics for a place in the IAS program.

Use the address displayed here or websit not in STiNE.

==''' 3. Curriculum Vitae'''==
The CV (table version) should include information on your academic and professional career and if you have international experience. It should specifically list information on your background relevant for IAS such as projects on AI or Robotics. Please, '''provide evidence''' of such projects through acquired certificates. Project descriptions and outlines on their CS content are especially important if the achieved credits should be counted for the 60 ECTS in computer science.
Please, add your average/overall grade (can be preliminary) and your grading scale to your cv next to the information of your degree and provide official evidence for that information.

== '''4. Letter of Motivation'''==
This is the most important document since it accounts for 40% of your ranking score. It has to be written by yourself in the English language. There is a maximum of 1.5 pages that you should not exceed.
In this letter, you should explain your motivation to study especially this program. The text should answer the following questions:
* Why are you interested in the field "Intelligent Adaptive Systems" or what parts are most interesting and why?
* Why is this program especially suited to complement the knowledge you already have?
* Why did you choose to study this program at Universität Hamburg?
* How does this program fit into your academic and professional future goals

The selection committee will give high ratings to those letters that show that the student has made a deliberate choice to study IAS and can justify their decision well while also explaining how studying IAS will bring the student closer to the desired goal. The board is looking for students that show high motivation and have a good chance of finishing the program with a high impact on the student's life. The ability to present a well-argued and connected chain of argument is a major ability the board is looking for.

Things that affect the rating adversely are, amongst many, generic letters that are written for multiple applications, letters that are written in bad English or do not follow a good structure.

The selection committee does not want to read about the history of informatics, the selection committee wants to read something relevant and precise about you.

== '''5. Proof(s) of English language proficiency'''==
Please see [[Application:Formal requirements| formal requirements]] for details on the required language certificates and further information.

Proof of English language proficiency by
CEFR/TELC: At least Level B2 in all testing categories (listening, reading, speaking, writing) better C1
IELTS: 6.5 + B2
TOEFL: IBT 90, PBT 575, CBT 230
Cambridge: CAE or CPE

==''' 6. Transcript of Records'''==
Please see '''[[Application:Formal requirements| formal requirements]]''' for detailed information on the requirements for your transcript of records.

== '''7. Self-made structured table of all core computer science courses'''==
As a formal requirement you need to evidence 60 ECTS in core computer science courses. To do so, please provide your transcript and a self-made table listing all your core computer science courses you have completed. Please, also refer to the listed information under [[Application:Formal requirements| formal requirements]] regarding questions about the ''ECTS credit system'', the ''calculation'' of the required 60 ECTS, ''modules/courses counted as CS'' by IAS selection committee. Please use this [[Required Documents: Example structure table|example]] to provide your evidence of your 60 ECTS credits or more.

=='''8. BSc certificates and diploma supplement'''==

* If you have finished your degree send a copy of your degree certificate.

* You can also apply if you have finished 5/6 semesters and can evidence 150 ECTS credits (or comparable) of your first degree and at the point of application at least 60 ECTS in computer science must be evident. In order to estimate that you are going to finish you must provide the official transcript of records showing the amount of already acquired credits or credit hours and the number of minimum credits or credit hours required for completion. The final transcript and graduation certificate have to be handed in for enrolment if you are admitted.

* Diploma Supplement: In any case provide a description of your degree - it is an official document issued by most universities.
** The degree's grading system
** The standard amount of semesters required for completion of your degree
** The description of how many weeks per semester of in-class time with a lecturer present
** The description of how your credit systems works, e.g. 1 cp is worth 30 hours of in-class time with lecturer present meaning 2 hours a week for 15 weeks...

=='''9. Your grade'''==
In regards to your overall average grade (preliminary) or final grade, please provide a document with your (preliminary) final grade calculated by your university, even if only 5/6 or 7/8 semesters of the studies have been completed. Your grade should be in the grading system your university provides and with which you can provide the grading system. The grade needs to be in numbers, not letters. Make sure you send an official document attested by your university as the IAS selection committee does not accept self-calculated '''final''' grades nor does the IAS selection committee calculate final grades for you. If this information is listed in your transcript of records or degree certificate, then you don't need to provide this extra document.

Preliminary grade:
Some transcripts or universities do not provide a preliminary average grade: compute it on your own on an extra document and tell us how you did it. If it is not the simple grade average of all grades in the transcript, please provide extra official proof of how your university or degree rules are to compute it.

Please note: If you fail to provide proof of your grade or preliminary grade and grading scale - The grade you are assigned will be the worst possible grade - a grade of 9.9 in selection procedures. This means that applications without a grade will rank behind the last applicant who had provided a grade. This is also true if you state a different grade / grading scale in the table and cover-letter than in your transcript or when the selection committee controls your computation.

=='''10. Grading scale'''==
IAS selection committee needs detailed information on your degree's grading system (alternative names: grading scale/scheme of evaluation/grade classification/range of marks ...) as it is important in our [[Application:Selection criteria| selection process]]. As the IAS selection committee will evaluate and rank all applications, we need the grading scale of your university to make your average or final grade comparable to others. In a lot of cases, official transcripts of records display the university's grading system. Usually, this is a table with all the degree's grades and corresponding information like minimum passing grade and maximum, outstanding or excellent grade, etc. However, if this is not the case for your transcript of records, then please provide this information attested by your university.

Highlight the grading scale, minimum passing grade, and maximum grade in your official documents and state exactly on which page the relevant information can be found, e.g., "the grading scale can be found in the printed degree description page 4 Section 2.1.1 see highlighted information". The selection committee will not look through documents if no help is provided where to find the right information. Please display exact information on paper printout. You may provide a link to a lengthy document if you only printed out parts of a lengthy document for control reasons. The selection committee will not follow links nor translate websites to search for information if no information is provided in paper.

Please note: If you fail to provide proof of your grade or preliminary grade and grading scale - The grade you are assigned will be the worst possible grade - a grade of 9.9 in selection procedures. This means that applications without a grade or grading scale will rank behind the last applicant who had provided a grade. This is also true if you state a different grade / grading scale in the table and cover-letter than in your transcript/official documents or when the selection committee controls your computation.

=='''11. Evidence that your university and degree is recognized in Germany'''==
Admission to a Master degree program at a German university requires an undergraduate degree. This must have been obtained from a recognized higher education institution. The degree also must be equivalent to at least a three year Bachelor that was attained in Germany. It is a prerequisite for an application for the master course "IAS" that your university degree is recognized as equivalent to a Bachelor's degree obtained in Germany.

===How to provide proof that your university is recognized in Germany?===

The selection committee's advice: print out the anabin database entry for proof. It is cost-free and fast:
* Use the database anabin and print out the information about your university
* Your university needs to be recognized with H+
* More information here: [[Desired Documents:Anabin|Anabin]]

If you have difficulties handling anabin, you may use the fee-based service, called Uni-Assist:
* This is the official recommendation of the Universität Hamburg is that you use the fee-based service Uni-Assist (but you don't need to if you provide the anabin printout)
* Request this service around 1 of December - otherwise Uni-Assist might not answer you in time
* More information about [[FAQ:UniAssist| Uni-Assist]]
* Only use Uni-assist if you do not want to look up your University in the database Anabin

Some countries have to get a German authorities endorsement anyway for visa or application- you may hand this in as additional proof:

An endorsement of recognition from German authorities, including information about the type of higher education entrance eligibility and, if applicable, for a particular subject. The Universität Hamburg accepts the following types of endorsement of recognition:

* APS certificates from the academic review offices of Beijing, Ulaanbaatar, and Hanoi

Please note: For the application to the Master program IAS - it is enough to send in your information from Anabin.

If you cannot find information on whether your university is recognized in Germany, the selection committee has to decide case by case whether your degree sounds eligible or not. Usually, your degree does not qualify.

=Application via email possible from now on until 31 March:=

'''Because of the corona-virus pandemic, the IAS Team has decided to allow applications via email.'''

Send the application as described exactly on the website and this wiki and follow '''exactly''' those steps:

* in '''only''' 1 pdf - one pdf document with all your documents = only complete applications will be considered
* not more than 9 MB
* until 31 March
* use only this Email - subject '''[Final IAS Application] [Your Full name, Your BW-number]''' (The emails will be sorted automatically)
* only use: ias-team@informatik.uni-hamburg.de
* start your Email text with "Dear IAS-Team, this is my final application to the Master IAS. Please consider the attached application .....
* Use the order of documents presented here 1.-11. when sending the application.

Everything else stays exactly the same as it is described in this wiki and website except the postal mailing part. Please note, even though now you should apply via email, we still do not inform you about missing documents or incomplete applications. '''For evaluating the application we will only consider the information provided in this one email: Email - subject '''[Final IAS Application] [Your Full name, Your BW-number]''' + Email text starting with "Dear IAS-Team, this is my final application to the Master IAS. Please consider the attached pdf application ....." '''

==I have sent my paper application already + I received an email confirmation by the IAS Team that it has arrived ==
Then you do not need to do anything.

==I have sent my paper application already + I did not receive email confirmation until 13 March 2020 ==
Please do send your application via email considering the steps above. Due to the corona-virus the IAS Team and many other people at the university will be working from home. That means nobody will get the postal mail.
Please state that your application is on the way and send the application via email again.

==I have not sent my paper application yet==
Please, send it via email. Please state in the email text that you have not sent a paper application

== Order for the pdf application==
Please, put the documents in this order and produce one pdf (and make sure that they are not attached to one another (Please do not use staplers, paper clips, folders, etc.):)

# Cover Sheet
# Signed Online Form STiNE
# CV
# Motivation Letter
# Language Test Score
# Transcript
# Self-made table
# Bachelor Certificate + Diploma Supplement
# Grade
# Grading scale
# Anabin print out
# everything else

Please highlight important information in your documents, e.g. grading scale, grade, "H+" in the anabin printout, finishing date ...

Please check carefully if you have sent all the required documents in due time. The deadline is the 31 of March (No postal mail arrives on Saturdays and Sundays at the university). Faxes and e-mails are not accepted. We do not inform you of missing documents or late applications. Your application is considered incomplete if one or more of the required documents are not received before the deadline via postal mail or if your STiNE online application form is not submitted online. As a result, your application will not take part in the selection process. There will be no reconsideration of your application. Also note, that we do not inform you about received postal mail (letters, parcels, envelopes) – Please check with your postal mail provider if you like an acknowledgment.

One final note from the selection committee: We like a neat, well-structured, precise, and complete application. Think for yourself. Show that you can be a responsible and well-organized student.
The selection committee and the IAS team consist of professors, lecturers, advisors, Post-docs who will also teach you once you are accepted.

= Additional Documents =
Generally, all possible documents that support your application (especially as evidence for the arguments used in your motivation letter) can be included and will be taken into account in the selection process. Please include only documents that are relevant for this application. The selection of documents already shows your ability to distinguish between relevant and irrelevant content and a large amount of radomly added certificates or documents may have a negative effect on your ranking.

==Desired documents==

* Documents that add to the evidence needed for the requirements, e.g. additional proofs of language proficiency or higher education courses with computer science content, letter of recommendation
* Evidence for research or professional and/or international experience relevant to IAS studies.
* International experience, e.g. a study exchange, shows your ability to adapt to different learning and living environments and should be listed and described as part of our CV.
* The same holds for professional experience that may show your ability to work in a computer science context.
* Training courses or extensive experience that shows deep understanding of computer science concepts. This will be taken into account for general suitability for the very specific Master program IAS.

== Suitable additions ==
* GRE test or other academic tests showing your ability to study in higher education. Such tests are not required but may be taken into account if provided and if they add to the general story of the application.
* Certificates of contests and competitions can be added if relevant. Please carefully decide whether the certificate can add any additional value to your application.

== Undesired documents ==
* Full module handbooks. To show that you fulfill the requirement of the sufficient 60 ETCS credits, you have to send the self-made and structured table. Please don't send full module handbooks as the IAS admission team will not have the time to search for core CS courses in those handbooks for you.
* Certificates that don't add additional information or are not relevant at all. More is not always better since it may show that you are not able to decide what is relevant for the subject and what is not. Select the certificates that best show your abilities.

==Do all the documents have to be sent as certified/attested copies?==
No, not for the application at the Department of Informatics - IAS. You can send the required application documents as simple copies. But please be aware that once you have been sent an ''letter of acceptance'' by the CampusCenter (central administration), you have to send certified/attested copies of your language certificate, your university entrance qualification (e.g. high school certificate), and your bachelor's degree certificate to prove the authenticity of those documents together with the matriculation form '''within 14 days''' to the "Team for Application and Admission" (Ger: ''Team Bewerbung und Zulassung'') at the CampusCenter of the Universität Hamburg. Therefore, we highly recommend preparing certified/attested copies of all the relevant documents upfront.
The central administration team (CampusCenter Team for your enrolment, located at the city center) and the IAS Team (for your application and later your studies, located at the Department of Informatics, Hamburg Stellingen) are two very distinct teams and have nothing to do with the task of the other.

More FAQ

* [[FAQ: Q&A| Frequently Asked Questions about the application]]

Application:Required documents

2020-03-13T09:03:57Z

Apeters1: /* I have sent my paper application already + I did not receive email confirmation until 13 March 2020 */

=List of all required documents for application=
In order to apply for the 2-year Master of Science program Intelligent Adaptive Systems, you need to send a paper application to the IAS Team at the Department of Informatics, Universität Hamburg. The IAS team is a team of IAS professors, researchers, lecturers, and academic advisors. The IAS Team and the selection committee will only read complete applications that meet the formal requirements. These applications will be ranked according to the selection criteria.

In order to apply successfully please follow exactly these instructions:

The deadline is on the 31st of March. Faxes and e-mails are not accepted. The IAS selection committee does not inform you of missing documents or late applications. Your application is considered incomplete if one or more of the required documents are not received before the deadline (via postal mail) and/or if your STiNE online application form is not submitted online. As a result, your application will not take part in the selection process. You can not submit missing documents after the expiration of the application deadline, there will be no reconsideration.

The documents 'do not'' have to be sent as certified/attested copies when applying. You should '''not''' send original certificates since the IAS selection committee will not send anything back. However, please note that in case your application is successful, you will need to send attested/certified copies to the University via postal mail ''within 2 weeks'', so be prepared. The notification whether you are accepted or not is send around 15 of May. Official English and German translation of documents are accepted.

Please read the explanations of what documents you have to send and follow the links to more information.

=='''1. Cover-letter-form''' ==
* Please fill in the cover-letter form (with a pdf viewer/reader).
* Then print the form. In case you are having any problems with filling in the form digitally you can also print the form and fill it in by hand (readable!).
* Send the printed form via postal mail as the first page of your application.
* Link to the cover-letter-form: [[Cover-letter-form|cover-letter-form]]

== '''2. The University's general online form (STiNE)'''==
The Universität Hamburg requires you to fill out a general and university-wide online form on their student platform called STiNE. The only purpose of this form is to register with the central administration. Nothing else. It is the way to tell the University that you might apply.
* While registering you will receive a BW - Number (Application Number). Please state this number in your cover letter.
* Submit, print and '''sign''' the STiNE online form and enclose the form with your paper application.
* Only within the application period (15 February - 31 March), the online application form can be accessed through the STiNE portal: https://www.stine.uni-hamburg.de. Sorry, some parts of the STiNE online form are in German and therefore rather tricky.
* As a service to IAS applicants, the IAS-Team has prepared a wiki entry: [[online application form|Online form STiNE]].
*For further questions about STiNE please ask the technical support of STiNE. STiNE is a part of the central administration - not the IAS Team's platform, see [https://www.stine.uni-hamburg.de/scripts/mgrqispi.dll?APPNAME=CampusNet&PRGNAME=EXTERNALPAGES&ARGUMENTS=-N000000000000002,-N000339,-A100101e#furtherquestions STiNE support].

After filling out the STiNE online form, '''click submit''', and then, '''print''' out the summary at the end (Ger: ''Druckansicht''). This print-out has to be '''signed'''. This submitted, printed, and signed STiNE form is one of the required documents which you have to send via postal mail to the Department of Informatics.

Please, note do not click "Freemover", that is the wrong application.

Please, note that the STiNE online form is just the general, uni-wide application form for central administration reasons only. You still need to send your paper application to the address below. With the complete paper application, you apply to the Department of Informatics for a place in the IAS program.

Use the address displayed here or websit not in STiNE.

==''' 3. Curriculum Vitae'''==
The CV (table version) should include information on your academic and professional career and if you have international experience. It should specifically list information on your background relevant for IAS such as projects on AI or Robotics. Please, '''provide evidence''' of such projects through acquired certificates. Project descriptions and outlines on their CS content are especially important if the achieved credits should be counted for the 60 ECTS in computer science.
Please, add your average/overall grade (can be preliminary) and your grading scale to your cv next to the information of your degree and provide official evidence for that information.

== '''4. Letter of Motivation'''==
This is the most important document since it accounts for 40% of your ranking score. It has to be written by yourself in the English language. There is a maximum of 1.5 pages that you should not exceed.
In this letter, you should explain your motivation to study especially this program. The text should answer the following questions:
* Why are you interested in the field "Intelligent Adaptive Systems" or what parts are most interesting and why?
* Why is this program especially suited to complement the knowledge you already have?
* Why did you choose to study this program at Universität Hamburg?
* How does this program fit into your academic and professional future goals

The selection committee will give high ratings to those letters that show that the student has made a deliberate choice to study IAS and can justify their decision well while also explaining how studying IAS will bring the student closer to the desired goal. The board is looking for students that show high motivation and have a good chance of finishing the program with a high impact on the student's life. The ability to present a well-argued and connected chain of argument is a major ability the board is looking for.

Things that affect the rating adversely are, amongst many, generic letters that are written for multiple applications, letters that are written in bad English or do not follow a good structure.

The selection committee does not want to read about the history of informatics, the selection committee wants to read something relevant and precise about you.

== '''5. Proof(s) of English language proficiency'''==
Please see [[Application:Formal requirements| formal requirements]] for details on the required language certificates and further information.

Proof of English language proficiency by
CEFR/TELC: At least Level B2 in all testing categories (listening, reading, speaking, writing) better C1
IELTS: 6.5 + B2
TOEFL: IBT 90, PBT 575, CBT 230
Cambridge: CAE or CPE

==''' 6. Transcript of Records'''==
Please see '''[[Application:Formal requirements| formal requirements]]''' for detailed information on the requirements for your transcript of records.

== '''7. Self-made structured table of all core computer science courses'''==
As a formal requirement you need to evidence 60 ECTS in core computer science courses. To do so, please provide your transcript and a self-made table listing all your core computer science courses you have completed. Please, also refer to the listed information under [[Application:Formal requirements| formal requirements]] regarding questions about the ''ECTS credit system'', the ''calculation'' of the required 60 ECTS, ''modules/courses counted as CS'' by IAS selection committee. Please use this [[Required Documents: Example structure table|example]] to provide your evidence of your 60 ECTS credits or more.

=='''8. BSc certificates and diploma supplement'''==

* If you have finished your degree send a copy of your degree certificate.

* You can also apply if you have finished 5/6 semesters and can evidence 150 ECTS credits (or comparable) of your first degree and at the point of application at least 60 ECTS in computer science must be evident. In order to estimate that you are going to finish you must provide the official transcript of records showing the amount of already acquired credits or credit hours and the number of minimum credits or credit hours required for completion. The final transcript and graduation certificate have to be handed in for enrolment if you are admitted.

* Diploma Supplement: In any case provide a description of your degree - it is an official document issued by most universities.
** The degree's grading system
** The standard amount of semesters required for completion of your degree
** The description of how many weeks per semester of in-class time with a lecturer present
** The description of how your credit systems works, e.g. 1 cp is worth 30 hours of in-class time with lecturer present meaning 2 hours a week for 15 weeks...

=='''9. Your grade'''==
In regards to your overall average grade (preliminary) or final grade, please provide a document with your (preliminary) final grade calculated by your university, even if only 5/6 or 7/8 semesters of the studies have been completed. Your grade should be in the grading system your university provides and with which you can provide the grading system. The grade needs to be in numbers, not letters. Make sure you send an official document attested by your university as the IAS selection committee does not accept self-calculated '''final''' grades nor does the IAS selection committee calculate final grades for you. If this information is listed in your transcript of records or degree certificate, then you don't need to provide this extra document.

Preliminary grade:
Some transcripts or universities do not provide a preliminary average grade: compute it on your own on an extra document and tell us how you did it. If it is not the simple grade average of all grades in the transcript, please provide extra official proof of how your university or degree rules are to compute it.

Please note: If you fail to provide proof of your grade or preliminary grade and grading scale - The grade you are assigned will be the worst possible grade - a grade of 9.9 in selection procedures. This means that applications without a grade will rank behind the last applicant who had provided a grade. This is also true if you state a different grade / grading scale in the table and cover-letter than in your transcript or when the selection committee controls your computation.

=='''10. Grading scale'''==
IAS selection committee needs detailed information on your degree's grading system (alternative names: grading scale/scheme of evaluation/grade classification/range of marks ...) as it is important in our [[Application:Selection criteria| selection process]]. As the IAS selection committee will evaluate and rank all applications, we need the grading scale of your university to make your average or final grade comparable to others. In a lot of cases, official transcripts of records display the university's grading system. Usually, this is a table with all the degree's grades and corresponding information like minimum passing grade and maximum, outstanding or excellent grade, etc. However, if this is not the case for your transcript of records, then please provide this information attested by your university.

Highlight the grading scale, minimum passing grade, and maximum grade in your official documents and state exactly on which page the relevant information can be found, e.g., "the grading scale can be found in the printed degree description page 4 Section 2.1.1 see highlighted information". The selection committee will not look through documents if no help is provided where to find the right information. Please display exact information on paper printout. You may provide a link to a lengthy document if you only printed out parts of a lengthy document for control reasons. The selection committee will not follow links nor translate websites to search for information if no information is provided in paper.

Please note: If you fail to provide proof of your grade or preliminary grade and grading scale - The grade you are assigned will be the worst possible grade - a grade of 9.9 in selection procedures. This means that applications without a grade or grading scale will rank behind the last applicant who had provided a grade. This is also true if you state a different grade / grading scale in the table and cover-letter than in your transcript/official documents or when the selection committee controls your computation.

=='''11. Evidence that your university and degree is recognized in Germany'''==
Admission to a Master degree program at a German university requires an undergraduate degree. This must have been obtained from a recognized higher education institution. The degree also must be equivalent to at least a three year Bachelor that was attained in Germany. It is a prerequisite for an application for the master course "IAS" that your university degree is recognized as equivalent to a Bachelor's degree obtained in Germany.

===How to provide proof that your university is recognized in Germany?===

The selection committee's advice: print out the anabin database entry for proof. It is cost-free and fast:
* Use the database anabin and print out the information about your university
* Your university needs to be recognized with H+
* More information here: [[Desired Documents:Anabin|Anabin]]

If you have difficulties handling anabin, you may use the fee-based service, called Uni-Assist:
* This is the official recommendation of the Universität Hamburg is that you use the fee-based service Uni-Assist (but you don't need to if you provide the anabin printout)
* Request this service around 1 of December - otherwise Uni-Assist might not answer you in time
* More information about [[FAQ:UniAssist| Uni-Assist]]
* Only use Uni-assist if you do not want to look up your University in the database Anabin

Some countries have to get a German authorities endorsement anyway for visa or application- you may hand this in as additional proof:

An endorsement of recognition from German authorities, including information about the type of higher education entrance eligibility and, if applicable, for a particular subject. The Universität Hamburg accepts the following types of endorsement of recognition:

* APS certificates from the academic review offices of Beijing, Ulaanbaatar, and Hanoi

Please note: For the application to the Master program IAS - it is enough to send in your information from Anabin.

If you cannot find information on whether your university is recognized in Germany, the selection committee has to decide case by case whether your degree sounds eligible or not. Usually, your degree does not qualify.

=Application via email possible from now on until 31 March:=

'''Because of the corona-virus pandemic, the IAS Team has decided to allow applications via email.'''

Send the application as described exactly on the website and this wiki and follow '''exactly''' those steps:

* in '''only''' 1 pdf - one pdf document with all your documents = only complete applications will be considered
* not more than 9 MB
* until 31 March
* use only this Email - subject '''[Final IAS Application] [Your Full name, Your BW-number]''' (The emails will be sorted automatically)
* only use: ias-team@informatik.uni-hamburg.de
* start your Email text with "Dear IAS-Team, this is my final application to the Master IAS. Please consider the attached application .....
* Use the order of documents presented here 1.-11. when sending the application.

Everything else stays exactly the same as it is described in this wiki and website except the postal mailing part. Please note, even though now you should apply via email, we still do not inform you about missing documents or incomplete applications. '''For evaluating the application we will only consider the information provided in this one email: Email - subject '''[Final IAS Application] [Your Full name, Your BW-number]''' + Email text starting with "Dear IAS-Team, this is my final application to the Master IAS. Please consider the attached pdf application ....." '''

==I have sent my paper application already + I received an email confirmation by the IAS Team that it has arrived ==
Then you do not need to do anything.

==I have sent my paper application already + I did not receive email confirmation until 13 March 2020 ==
Please do send your application via email considering the steps above. Due to the corona-virus the IAS Team and many other people at the university will be working from home. That means nobody will get the postal mail.
Please state that your application is on the way and send the application via email again.

==I have not sent my paper application yet==
Please, sent it via email. Please state in the email text that you have not sent a paper application

== Order for the pdf application==
Please, put the documents in this order and produce one pdf (and make sure that they are not attached to one another (Please do not use staplers, paper clips, folders, etc.):)

# Cover Sheet
# Signed Online Form STiNE
# CV
# Motivation Letter
# Language Test Score
# Transcript
# Self-made table
# Bachelor Certificate + Diploma Supplement
# Grade
# Grading scale
# Anabin print out
# everything else

Please highlight important information in your documents, e.g. grading scale, grade, "H+" in the anabin printout, finishing date ...

Please check carefully if you have sent all the required documents in due time. The deadline is the 31 of March (No postal mail arrives on Saturdays and Sundays at the university). Faxes and e-mails are not accepted. We do not inform you of missing documents or late applications. Your application is considered incomplete if one or more of the required documents are not received before the deadline via postal mail or if your STiNE online application form is not submitted online. As a result, your application will not take part in the selection process. There will be no reconsideration of your application. Also note, that we do not inform you about received postal mail (letters, parcels, envelopes) – Please check with your postal mail provider if you like an acknowledgment.

One final note from the selection committee: We like a neat, well-structured, precise, and complete application. Think for yourself. Show that you can be a responsible and well-organized student.
The selection committee and the IAS team consist of professors, lecturers, advisors, Post-docs who will also teach you once you are accepted.

= Additional Documents =
Generally, all possible documents that support your application (especially as evidence for the arguments used in your motivation letter) can be included and will be taken into account in the selection process. Please include only documents that are relevant for this application. The selection of documents already shows your ability to distinguish between relevant and irrelevant content and a large amount of radomly added certificates or documents may have a negative effect on your ranking.

==Desired documents==

* Documents that add to the evidence needed for the requirements, e.g. additional proofs of language proficiency or higher education courses with computer science content, letter of recommendation
* Evidence for research or professional and/or international experience relevant to IAS studies.
* International experience, e.g. a study exchange, shows your ability to adapt to different learning and living environments and should be listed and described as part of our CV.
* The same holds for professional experience that may show your ability to work in a computer science context.
* Training courses or extensive experience that shows deep understanding of computer science concepts. This will be taken into account for general suitability for the very specific Master program IAS.

== Suitable additions ==
* GRE test or other academic tests showing your ability to study in higher education. Such tests are not required but may be taken into account if provided and if they add to the general story of the application.
* Certificates of contests and competitions can be added if relevant. Please carefully decide whether the certificate can add any additional value to your application.

== Undesired documents ==
* Full module handbooks. To show that you fulfill the requirement of the sufficient 60 ETCS credits, you have to send the self-made and structured table. Please don't send full module handbooks as the IAS admission team will not have the time to search for core CS courses in those handbooks for you.
* Certificates that don't add additional information or are not relevant at all. More is not always better since it may show that you are not able to decide what is relevant for the subject and what is not. Select the certificates that best show your abilities.

==Do all the documents have to be sent as certified/attested copies?==
No, not for the application at the Department of Informatics - IAS. You can send the required application documents as simple copies. But please be aware that once you have been sent an ''letter of acceptance'' by the CampusCenter (central administration), you have to send certified/attested copies of your language certificate, your university entrance qualification (e.g. high school certificate), and your bachelor's degree certificate to prove the authenticity of those documents together with the matriculation form '''within 14 days''' to the "Team for Application and Admission" (Ger: ''Team Bewerbung und Zulassung'') at the CampusCenter of the Universität Hamburg. Therefore, we highly recommend preparing certified/attested copies of all the relevant documents upfront.
The central administration team (CampusCenter Team for your enrolment, located at the city center) and the IAS Team (for your application and later your studies, located at the Department of Informatics, Hamburg Stellingen) are two very distinct teams and have nothing to do with the task of the other.

More FAQ

* [[FAQ: Q&A| Frequently Asked Questions about the application]]

Application:Required documents

2020-03-13T09:03:04Z

Apeters1: /* Application via email possible from now on until 31 March: */

=List of all required documents for application=
In order to apply for the 2-year Master of Science program Intelligent Adaptive Systems, you need to send a paper application to the IAS Team at the Department of Informatics, Universität Hamburg. The IAS team is a team of IAS professors, researchers, lecturers, and academic advisors. The IAS Team and the selection committee will only read complete applications that meet the formal requirements. These applications will be ranked according to the selection criteria.

In order to apply successfully please follow exactly these instructions:

The deadline is on the 31st of March. Faxes and e-mails are not accepted. The IAS selection committee does not inform you of missing documents or late applications. Your application is considered incomplete if one or more of the required documents are not received before the deadline (via postal mail) and/or if your STiNE online application form is not submitted online. As a result, your application will not take part in the selection process. You can not submit missing documents after the expiration of the application deadline, there will be no reconsideration.

The documents 'do not'' have to be sent as certified/attested copies when applying. You should '''not''' send original certificates since the IAS selection committee will not send anything back. However, please note that in case your application is successful, you will need to send attested/certified copies to the University via postal mail ''within 2 weeks'', so be prepared. The notification whether you are accepted or not is send around 15 of May. Official English and German translation of documents are accepted.

Please read the explanations of what documents you have to send and follow the links to more information.

=='''1. Cover-letter-form''' ==
* Please fill in the cover-letter form (with a pdf viewer/reader).
* Then print the form. In case you are having any problems with filling in the form digitally you can also print the form and fill it in by hand (readable!).
* Send the printed form via postal mail as the first page of your application.
* Link to the cover-letter-form: [[Cover-letter-form|cover-letter-form]]

== '''2. The University's general online form (STiNE)'''==
The Universität Hamburg requires you to fill out a general and university-wide online form on their student platform called STiNE. The only purpose of this form is to register with the central administration. Nothing else. It is the way to tell the University that you might apply.
* While registering you will receive a BW - Number (Application Number). Please state this number in your cover letter.
* Submit, print and '''sign''' the STiNE online form and enclose the form with your paper application.
* Only within the application period (15 February - 31 March), the online application form can be accessed through the STiNE portal: https://www.stine.uni-hamburg.de. Sorry, some parts of the STiNE online form are in German and therefore rather tricky.
* As a service to IAS applicants, the IAS-Team has prepared a wiki entry: [[online application form|Online form STiNE]].
*For further questions about STiNE please ask the technical support of STiNE. STiNE is a part of the central administration - not the IAS Team's platform, see [https://www.stine.uni-hamburg.de/scripts/mgrqispi.dll?APPNAME=CampusNet&PRGNAME=EXTERNALPAGES&ARGUMENTS=-N000000000000002,-N000339,-A100101e#furtherquestions STiNE support].

After filling out the STiNE online form, '''click submit''', and then, '''print''' out the summary at the end (Ger: ''Druckansicht''). This print-out has to be '''signed'''. This submitted, printed, and signed STiNE form is one of the required documents which you have to send via postal mail to the Department of Informatics.

Please, note do not click "Freemover", that is the wrong application.

Please, note that the STiNE online form is just the general, uni-wide application form for central administration reasons only. You still need to send your paper application to the address below. With the complete paper application, you apply to the Department of Informatics for a place in the IAS program.

Use the address displayed here or websit not in STiNE.

==''' 3. Curriculum Vitae'''==
The CV (table version) should include information on your academic and professional career and if you have international experience. It should specifically list information on your background relevant for IAS such as projects on AI or Robotics. Please, '''provide evidence''' of such projects through acquired certificates. Project descriptions and outlines on their CS content are especially important if the achieved credits should be counted for the 60 ECTS in computer science.
Please, add your average/overall grade (can be preliminary) and your grading scale to your cv next to the information of your degree and provide official evidence for that information.

== '''4. Letter of Motivation'''==
This is the most important document since it accounts for 40% of your ranking score. It has to be written by yourself in the English language. There is a maximum of 1.5 pages that you should not exceed.
In this letter, you should explain your motivation to study especially this program. The text should answer the following questions:
* Why are you interested in the field "Intelligent Adaptive Systems" or what parts are most interesting and why?
* Why is this program especially suited to complement the knowledge you already have?
* Why did you choose to study this program at Universität Hamburg?
* How does this program fit into your academic and professional future goals

The selection committee will give high ratings to those letters that show that the student has made a deliberate choice to study IAS and can justify their decision well while also explaining how studying IAS will bring the student closer to the desired goal. The board is looking for students that show high motivation and have a good chance of finishing the program with a high impact on the student's life. The ability to present a well-argued and connected chain of argument is a major ability the board is looking for.

Things that affect the rating adversely are, amongst many, generic letters that are written for multiple applications, letters that are written in bad English or do not follow a good structure.

The selection committee does not want to read about the history of informatics, the selection committee wants to read something relevant and precise about you.

== '''5. Proof(s) of English language proficiency'''==
Please see [[Application:Formal requirements| formal requirements]] for details on the required language certificates and further information.

Proof of English language proficiency by
CEFR/TELC: At least Level B2 in all testing categories (listening, reading, speaking, writing) better C1
IELTS: 6.5 + B2
TOEFL: IBT 90, PBT 575, CBT 230
Cambridge: CAE or CPE

==''' 6. Transcript of Records'''==
Please see '''[[Application:Formal requirements| formal requirements]]''' for detailed information on the requirements for your transcript of records.

== '''7. Self-made structured table of all core computer science courses'''==
As a formal requirement you need to evidence 60 ECTS in core computer science courses. To do so, please provide your transcript and a self-made table listing all your core computer science courses you have completed. Please, also refer to the listed information under [[Application:Formal requirements| formal requirements]] regarding questions about the ''ECTS credit system'', the ''calculation'' of the required 60 ECTS, ''modules/courses counted as CS'' by IAS selection committee. Please use this [[Required Documents: Example structure table|example]] to provide your evidence of your 60 ECTS credits or more.

=='''8. BSc certificates and diploma supplement'''==

* If you have finished your degree send a copy of your degree certificate.

* You can also apply if you have finished 5/6 semesters and can evidence 150 ECTS credits (or comparable) of your first degree and at the point of application at least 60 ECTS in computer science must be evident. In order to estimate that you are going to finish you must provide the official transcript of records showing the amount of already acquired credits or credit hours and the number of minimum credits or credit hours required for completion. The final transcript and graduation certificate have to be handed in for enrolment if you are admitted.

* Diploma Supplement: In any case provide a description of your degree - it is an official document issued by most universities.
** The degree's grading system
** The standard amount of semesters required for completion of your degree
** The description of how many weeks per semester of in-class time with a lecturer present
** The description of how your credit systems works, e.g. 1 cp is worth 30 hours of in-class time with lecturer present meaning 2 hours a week for 15 weeks...

=='''9. Your grade'''==
In regards to your overall average grade (preliminary) or final grade, please provide a document with your (preliminary) final grade calculated by your university, even if only 5/6 or 7/8 semesters of the studies have been completed. Your grade should be in the grading system your university provides and with which you can provide the grading system. The grade needs to be in numbers, not letters. Make sure you send an official document attested by your university as the IAS selection committee does not accept self-calculated '''final''' grades nor does the IAS selection committee calculate final grades for you. If this information is listed in your transcript of records or degree certificate, then you don't need to provide this extra document.

Preliminary grade:
Some transcripts or universities do not provide a preliminary average grade: compute it on your own on an extra document and tell us how you did it. If it is not the simple grade average of all grades in the transcript, please provide extra official proof of how your university or degree rules are to compute it.

Please note: If you fail to provide proof of your grade or preliminary grade and grading scale - The grade you are assigned will be the worst possible grade - a grade of 9.9 in selection procedures. This means that applications without a grade will rank behind the last applicant who had provided a grade. This is also true if you state a different grade / grading scale in the table and cover-letter than in your transcript or when the selection committee controls your computation.

=='''10. Grading scale'''==
IAS selection committee needs detailed information on your degree's grading system (alternative names: grading scale/scheme of evaluation/grade classification/range of marks ...) as it is important in our [[Application:Selection criteria| selection process]]. As the IAS selection committee will evaluate and rank all applications, we need the grading scale of your university to make your average or final grade comparable to others. In a lot of cases, official transcripts of records display the university's grading system. Usually, this is a table with all the degree's grades and corresponding information like minimum passing grade and maximum, outstanding or excellent grade, etc. However, if this is not the case for your transcript of records, then please provide this information attested by your university.

Highlight the grading scale, minimum passing grade, and maximum grade in your official documents and state exactly on which page the relevant information can be found, e.g., "the grading scale can be found in the printed degree description page 4 Section 2.1.1 see highlighted information". The selection committee will not look through documents if no help is provided where to find the right information. Please display exact information on paper printout. You may provide a link to a lengthy document if you only printed out parts of a lengthy document for control reasons. The selection committee will not follow links nor translate websites to search for information if no information is provided in paper.

Please note: If you fail to provide proof of your grade or preliminary grade and grading scale - The grade you are assigned will be the worst possible grade - a grade of 9.9 in selection procedures. This means that applications without a grade or grading scale will rank behind the last applicant who had provided a grade. This is also true if you state a different grade / grading scale in the table and cover-letter than in your transcript/official documents or when the selection committee controls your computation.

=='''11. Evidence that your university and degree is recognized in Germany'''==
Admission to a Master degree program at a German university requires an undergraduate degree. This must have been obtained from a recognized higher education institution. The degree also must be equivalent to at least a three year Bachelor that was attained in Germany. It is a prerequisite for an application for the master course "IAS" that your university degree is recognized as equivalent to a Bachelor's degree obtained in Germany.

===How to provide proof that your university is recognized in Germany?===

The selection committee's advice: print out the anabin database entry for proof. It is cost-free and fast:
* Use the database anabin and print out the information about your university
* Your university needs to be recognized with H+
* More information here: [[Desired Documents:Anabin|Anabin]]

If you have difficulties handling anabin, you may use the fee-based service, called Uni-Assist:
* This is the official recommendation of the Universität Hamburg is that you use the fee-based service Uni-Assist (but you don't need to if you provide the anabin printout)
* Request this service around 1 of December - otherwise Uni-Assist might not answer you in time
* More information about [[FAQ:UniAssist| Uni-Assist]]
* Only use Uni-assist if you do not want to look up your University in the database Anabin

Some countries have to get a German authorities endorsement anyway for visa or application- you may hand this in as additional proof:

An endorsement of recognition from German authorities, including information about the type of higher education entrance eligibility and, if applicable, for a particular subject. The Universität Hamburg accepts the following types of endorsement of recognition:

* APS certificates from the academic review offices of Beijing, Ulaanbaatar, and Hanoi

Please note: For the application to the Master program IAS - it is enough to send in your information from Anabin.

If you cannot find information on whether your university is recognized in Germany, the selection committee has to decide case by case whether your degree sounds eligible or not. Usually, your degree does not qualify.

=Application via email possible from now on until 31 March:=

'''Because of the corona-virus pandemic, the IAS Team has decided to allow applications via email.'''

Send the application as described exactly on the website and this wiki and follow '''exactly''' those steps:

* in '''only''' 1 pdf - one pdf document with all your documents = only complete applications will be considered
* not more than 9 MB
* until 31 March
* use only this Email - subject '''[Final IAS Application] [Your Full name, Your BW-number]''' (The emails will be sorted automatically)
* only use: ias-team@informatik.uni-hamburg.de
* start your Email text with "Dear IAS-Team, this is my final application to the Master IAS. Please consider the attached application .....
* Use the order of documents presented here 1.-11. when sending the application.

Everything else stays exactly the same as it is described in this wiki and website except the postal mailing part. Please note, even though now you should apply via email, we still do not inform you about missing documents or incomplete applications. '''For evaluating the application we will only consider the information provided in this one email: Email - subject '''[Final IAS Application] [Your Full name, Your BW-number]''' + Email text starting with "Dear IAS-Team, this is my final application to the Master IAS. Please consider the attached pdf application ....." '''

==I have sent my paper application already + I received an email confirmation by the IAS Team that it has arrived ==
Then you do not need to do anything.

==I have sent my paper application already + I did not receive email confirmation until 13 March 2020 ==
Please do send your application via email considering the steps above. Due to the corona-virus the IAS Team and many other people at the university will be working from home. That means nobody will get the postal mail.
Please state that your application is on the way.

==I have not sent my paper application yet==
Please, sent it via email. Please state in the email text that you have not sent a paper application

== Order for the pdf application==
Please, put the documents in this order and produce one pdf (and make sure that they are not attached to one another (Please do not use staplers, paper clips, folders, etc.):)

# Cover Sheet
# Signed Online Form STiNE
# CV
# Motivation Letter
# Language Test Score
# Transcript
# Self-made table
# Bachelor Certificate + Diploma Supplement
# Grade
# Grading scale
# Anabin print out
# everything else

Please highlight important information in your documents, e.g. grading scale, grade, "H+" in the anabin printout, finishing date ...

Please check carefully if you have sent all the required documents in due time. The deadline is the 31 of March (No postal mail arrives on Saturdays and Sundays at the university). Faxes and e-mails are not accepted. We do not inform you of missing documents or late applications. Your application is considered incomplete if one or more of the required documents are not received before the deadline via postal mail or if your STiNE online application form is not submitted online. As a result, your application will not take part in the selection process. There will be no reconsideration of your application. Also note, that we do not inform you about received postal mail (letters, parcels, envelopes) – Please check with your postal mail provider if you like an acknowledgment.

One final note from the selection committee: We like a neat, well-structured, precise, and complete application. Think for yourself. Show that you can be a responsible and well-organized student.
The selection committee and the IAS team consist of professors, lecturers, advisors, Post-docs who will also teach you once you are accepted.

= Additional Documents =
Generally, all possible documents that support your application (especially as evidence for the arguments used in your motivation letter) can be included and will be taken into account in the selection process. Please include only documents that are relevant for this application. The selection of documents already shows your ability to distinguish between relevant and irrelevant content and a large amount of radomly added certificates or documents may have a negative effect on your ranking.

==Desired documents==

* Documents that add to the evidence needed for the requirements, e.g. additional proofs of language proficiency or higher education courses with computer science content, letter of recommendation
* Evidence for research or professional and/or international experience relevant to IAS studies.
* International experience, e.g. a study exchange, shows your ability to adapt to different learning and living environments and should be listed and described as part of our CV.
* The same holds for professional experience that may show your ability to work in a computer science context.
* Training courses or extensive experience that shows deep understanding of computer science concepts. This will be taken into account for general suitability for the very specific Master program IAS.

== Suitable additions ==
* GRE test or other academic tests showing your ability to study in higher education. Such tests are not required but may be taken into account if provided and if they add to the general story of the application.
* Certificates of contests and competitions can be added if relevant. Please carefully decide whether the certificate can add any additional value to your application.

== Undesired documents ==
* Full module handbooks. To show that you fulfill the requirement of the sufficient 60 ETCS credits, you have to send the self-made and structured table. Please don't send full module handbooks as the IAS admission team will not have the time to search for core CS courses in those handbooks for you.
* Certificates that don't add additional information or are not relevant at all. More is not always better since it may show that you are not able to decide what is relevant for the subject and what is not. Select the certificates that best show your abilities.

==Do all the documents have to be sent as certified/attested copies?==
No, not for the application at the Department of Informatics - IAS. You can send the required application documents as simple copies. But please be aware that once you have been sent an ''letter of acceptance'' by the CampusCenter (central administration), you have to send certified/attested copies of your language certificate, your university entrance qualification (e.g. high school certificate), and your bachelor's degree certificate to prove the authenticity of those documents together with the matriculation form '''within 14 days''' to the "Team for Application and Admission" (Ger: ''Team Bewerbung und Zulassung'') at the CampusCenter of the Universität Hamburg. Therefore, we highly recommend preparing certified/attested copies of all the relevant documents upfront.
The central administration team (CampusCenter Team for your enrolment, located at the city center) and the IAS Team (for your application and later your studies, located at the Department of Informatics, Hamburg Stellingen) are two very distinct teams and have nothing to do with the task of the other.

More FAQ

* [[FAQ: Q&A| Frequently Asked Questions about the application]]

Application:Required documents

2020-03-13T09:02:34Z

Apeters1: /* Application via email possible from now on until 31 March: */

=List of all required documents for application=
In order to apply for the 2-year Master of Science program Intelligent Adaptive Systems, you need to send a paper application to the IAS Team at the Department of Informatics, Universität Hamburg. The IAS team is a team of IAS professors, researchers, lecturers, and academic advisors. The IAS Team and the selection committee will only read complete applications that meet the formal requirements. These applications will be ranked according to the selection criteria.

In order to apply successfully please follow exactly these instructions:

The deadline is on the 31st of March. Faxes and e-mails are not accepted. The IAS selection committee does not inform you of missing documents or late applications. Your application is considered incomplete if one or more of the required documents are not received before the deadline (via postal mail) and/or if your STiNE online application form is not submitted online. As a result, your application will not take part in the selection process. You can not submit missing documents after the expiration of the application deadline, there will be no reconsideration.

The documents 'do not'' have to be sent as certified/attested copies when applying. You should '''not''' send original certificates since the IAS selection committee will not send anything back. However, please note that in case your application is successful, you will need to send attested/certified copies to the University via postal mail ''within 2 weeks'', so be prepared. The notification whether you are accepted or not is send around 15 of May. Official English and German translation of documents are accepted.

Please read the explanations of what documents you have to send and follow the links to more information.

=='''1. Cover-letter-form''' ==
* Please fill in the cover-letter form (with a pdf viewer/reader).
* Then print the form. In case you are having any problems with filling in the form digitally you can also print the form and fill it in by hand (readable!).
* Send the printed form via postal mail as the first page of your application.
* Link to the cover-letter-form: [[Cover-letter-form|cover-letter-form]]

== '''2. The University's general online form (STiNE)'''==
The Universität Hamburg requires you to fill out a general and university-wide online form on their student platform called STiNE. The only purpose of this form is to register with the central administration. Nothing else. It is the way to tell the University that you might apply.
* While registering you will receive a BW - Number (Application Number). Please state this number in your cover letter.
* Submit, print and '''sign''' the STiNE online form and enclose the form with your paper application.
* Only within the application period (15 February - 31 March), the online application form can be accessed through the STiNE portal: https://www.stine.uni-hamburg.de. Sorry, some parts of the STiNE online form are in German and therefore rather tricky.
* As a service to IAS applicants, the IAS-Team has prepared a wiki entry: [[online application form|Online form STiNE]].
*For further questions about STiNE please ask the technical support of STiNE. STiNE is a part of the central administration - not the IAS Team's platform, see [https://www.stine.uni-hamburg.de/scripts/mgrqispi.dll?APPNAME=CampusNet&PRGNAME=EXTERNALPAGES&ARGUMENTS=-N000000000000002,-N000339,-A100101e#furtherquestions STiNE support].

After filling out the STiNE online form, '''click submit''', and then, '''print''' out the summary at the end (Ger: ''Druckansicht''). This print-out has to be '''signed'''. This submitted, printed, and signed STiNE form is one of the required documents which you have to send via postal mail to the Department of Informatics.

Please, note do not click "Freemover", that is the wrong application.

Please, note that the STiNE online form is just the general, uni-wide application form for central administration reasons only. You still need to send your paper application to the address below. With the complete paper application, you apply to the Department of Informatics for a place in the IAS program.

Use the address displayed here or websit not in STiNE.

==''' 3. Curriculum Vitae'''==
The CV (table version) should include information on your academic and professional career and if you have international experience. It should specifically list information on your background relevant for IAS such as projects on AI or Robotics. Please, '''provide evidence''' of such projects through acquired certificates. Project descriptions and outlines on their CS content are especially important if the achieved credits should be counted for the 60 ECTS in computer science.
Please, add your average/overall grade (can be preliminary) and your grading scale to your cv next to the information of your degree and provide official evidence for that information.

== '''4. Letter of Motivation'''==
This is the most important document since it accounts for 40% of your ranking score. It has to be written by yourself in the English language. There is a maximum of 1.5 pages that you should not exceed.
In this letter, you should explain your motivation to study especially this program. The text should answer the following questions:
* Why are you interested in the field "Intelligent Adaptive Systems" or what parts are most interesting and why?
* Why is this program especially suited to complement the knowledge you already have?
* Why did you choose to study this program at Universität Hamburg?
* How does this program fit into your academic and professional future goals

The selection committee will give high ratings to those letters that show that the student has made a deliberate choice to study IAS and can justify their decision well while also explaining how studying IAS will bring the student closer to the desired goal. The board is looking for students that show high motivation and have a good chance of finishing the program with a high impact on the student's life. The ability to present a well-argued and connected chain of argument is a major ability the board is looking for.

Things that affect the rating adversely are, amongst many, generic letters that are written for multiple applications, letters that are written in bad English or do not follow a good structure.

The selection committee does not want to read about the history of informatics, the selection committee wants to read something relevant and precise about you.

== '''5. Proof(s) of English language proficiency'''==
Please see [[Application:Formal requirements| formal requirements]] for details on the required language certificates and further information.

Proof of English language proficiency by
CEFR/TELC: At least Level B2 in all testing categories (listening, reading, speaking, writing) better C1
IELTS: 6.5 + B2
TOEFL: IBT 90, PBT 575, CBT 230
Cambridge: CAE or CPE

==''' 6. Transcript of Records'''==
Please see '''[[Application:Formal requirements| formal requirements]]''' for detailed information on the requirements for your transcript of records.

== '''7. Self-made structured table of all core computer science courses'''==
As a formal requirement you need to evidence 60 ECTS in core computer science courses. To do so, please provide your transcript and a self-made table listing all your core computer science courses you have completed. Please, also refer to the listed information under [[Application:Formal requirements| formal requirements]] regarding questions about the ''ECTS credit system'', the ''calculation'' of the required 60 ECTS, ''modules/courses counted as CS'' by IAS selection committee. Please use this [[Required Documents: Example structure table|example]] to provide your evidence of your 60 ECTS credits or more.

=='''8. BSc certificates and diploma supplement'''==

* If you have finished your degree send a copy of your degree certificate.

* You can also apply if you have finished 5/6 semesters and can evidence 150 ECTS credits (or comparable) of your first degree and at the point of application at least 60 ECTS in computer science must be evident. In order to estimate that you are going to finish you must provide the official transcript of records showing the amount of already acquired credits or credit hours and the number of minimum credits or credit hours required for completion. The final transcript and graduation certificate have to be handed in for enrolment if you are admitted.

* Diploma Supplement: In any case provide a description of your degree - it is an official document issued by most universities.
** The degree's grading system
** The standard amount of semesters required for completion of your degree
** The description of how many weeks per semester of in-class time with a lecturer present
** The description of how your credit systems works, e.g. 1 cp is worth 30 hours of in-class time with lecturer present meaning 2 hours a week for 15 weeks...

=='''9. Your grade'''==
In regards to your overall average grade (preliminary) or final grade, please provide a document with your (preliminary) final grade calculated by your university, even if only 5/6 or 7/8 semesters of the studies have been completed. Your grade should be in the grading system your university provides and with which you can provide the grading system. The grade needs to be in numbers, not letters. Make sure you send an official document attested by your university as the IAS selection committee does not accept self-calculated '''final''' grades nor does the IAS selection committee calculate final grades for you. If this information is listed in your transcript of records or degree certificate, then you don't need to provide this extra document.

Preliminary grade:
Some transcripts or universities do not provide a preliminary average grade: compute it on your own on an extra document and tell us how you did it. If it is not the simple grade average of all grades in the transcript, please provide extra official proof of how your university or degree rules are to compute it.

Please note: If you fail to provide proof of your grade or preliminary grade and grading scale - The grade you are assigned will be the worst possible grade - a grade of 9.9 in selection procedures. This means that applications without a grade will rank behind the last applicant who had provided a grade. This is also true if you state a different grade / grading scale in the table and cover-letter than in your transcript or when the selection committee controls your computation.

=='''10. Grading scale'''==
IAS selection committee needs detailed information on your degree's grading system (alternative names: grading scale/scheme of evaluation/grade classification/range of marks ...) as it is important in our [[Application:Selection criteria| selection process]]. As the IAS selection committee will evaluate and rank all applications, we need the grading scale of your university to make your average or final grade comparable to others. In a lot of cases, official transcripts of records display the university's grading system. Usually, this is a table with all the degree's grades and corresponding information like minimum passing grade and maximum, outstanding or excellent grade, etc. However, if this is not the case for your transcript of records, then please provide this information attested by your university.

Highlight the grading scale, minimum passing grade, and maximum grade in your official documents and state exactly on which page the relevant information can be found, e.g., "the grading scale can be found in the printed degree description page 4 Section 2.1.1 see highlighted information". The selection committee will not look through documents if no help is provided where to find the right information. Please display exact information on paper printout. You may provide a link to a lengthy document if you only printed out parts of a lengthy document for control reasons. The selection committee will not follow links nor translate websites to search for information if no information is provided in paper.

Please note: If you fail to provide proof of your grade or preliminary grade and grading scale - The grade you are assigned will be the worst possible grade - a grade of 9.9 in selection procedures. This means that applications without a grade or grading scale will rank behind the last applicant who had provided a grade. This is also true if you state a different grade / grading scale in the table and cover-letter than in your transcript/official documents or when the selection committee controls your computation.

=='''11. Evidence that your university and degree is recognized in Germany'''==
Admission to a Master degree program at a German university requires an undergraduate degree. This must have been obtained from a recognized higher education institution. The degree also must be equivalent to at least a three year Bachelor that was attained in Germany. It is a prerequisite for an application for the master course "IAS" that your university degree is recognized as equivalent to a Bachelor's degree obtained in Germany.

===How to provide proof that your university is recognized in Germany?===

The selection committee's advice: print out the anabin database entry for proof. It is cost-free and fast:
* Use the database anabin and print out the information about your university
* Your university needs to be recognized with H+
* More information here: [[Desired Documents:Anabin|Anabin]]

If you have difficulties handling anabin, you may use the fee-based service, called Uni-Assist:
* This is the official recommendation of the Universität Hamburg is that you use the fee-based service Uni-Assist (but you don't need to if you provide the anabin printout)
* Request this service around 1 of December - otherwise Uni-Assist might not answer you in time
* More information about [[FAQ:UniAssist| Uni-Assist]]
* Only use Uni-assist if you do not want to look up your University in the database Anabin

Some countries have to get a German authorities endorsement anyway for visa or application- you may hand this in as additional proof:

An endorsement of recognition from German authorities, including information about the type of higher education entrance eligibility and, if applicable, for a particular subject. The Universität Hamburg accepts the following types of endorsement of recognition:

* APS certificates from the academic review offices of Beijing, Ulaanbaatar, and Hanoi

Please note: For the application to the Master program IAS - it is enough to send in your information from Anabin.

If you cannot find information on whether your university is recognized in Germany, the selection committee has to decide case by case whether your degree sounds eligible or not. Usually, your degree does not qualify.

=Application via email possible from now on until 31 March:=

'''Because of the corona-virus pandemic, the IAS Team has decided to allow applications via email.'''

Send the application as described exactly on the website and this wiki and follow '''exactly''' those steps:

* in '''only''' 1 pdf - one pdf document with all your documents = only complete applications will be considered
* not more than 9 MB
* until 31 March
* use only this Email - subject '''[Final IAS Application] [Your Full name, Your BW-number]''' (The emails will be sorted automatically)
* only use: ias-team@informatik.uni-hamburg.de
* start your Email text with "Dear IAS-Team, this is my final application to the Master IAS. Please consider the attached application .....
* Use the order of documents presented here 1.-11. when sending the application.

==I have sent my paper application already + I received an email confirmation by the IAS Team that it has arrived ==
Then you do not need to do anything.

==I have sent my paper application already + I did not receive email confirmation until 13 March 2020 ==
Please do send your application via email considering the steps above. Due to the corona-virus the IAS Team and many other people at the university will be working from home. That means nobody will get the postal mail.
Please state that your application is on the way.

==I have not sent my paper application yet==
Please, sent it via email. Please state in the email text that you have not sent a paper application

Everything else stays exactly the same as it is described in this wiki and website except the postal mailing part. Please note, even though now you should apply via email, we still do not inform you about missing documents or incomplete applications. '''For evaluating the application we will only consider the information provided in this one email: Email - subject '''[Final IAS Application] [Your Full name, Your BW-number]''' + Email text starting with "Dear IAS-Team, this is my final application to the Master IAS. Please consider the attached pdf application ....." '''

== Order for the pdf application==
Please, put the documents in this order and produce one pdf (and make sure that they are not attached to one another (Please do not use staplers, paper clips, folders, etc.):)

# Cover Sheet
# Signed Online Form STiNE
# CV
# Motivation Letter
# Language Test Score
# Transcript
# Self-made table
# Bachelor Certificate + Diploma Supplement
# Grade
# Grading scale
# Anabin print out
# everything else

Please highlight important information in your documents, e.g. grading scale, grade, "H+" in the anabin printout, finishing date ...

Please check carefully if you have sent all the required documents in due time. The deadline is the 31 of March (No postal mail arrives on Saturdays and Sundays at the university). Faxes and e-mails are not accepted. We do not inform you of missing documents or late applications. Your application is considered incomplete if one or more of the required documents are not received before the deadline via postal mail or if your STiNE online application form is not submitted online. As a result, your application will not take part in the selection process. There will be no reconsideration of your application. Also note, that we do not inform you about received postal mail (letters, parcels, envelopes) – Please check with your postal mail provider if you like an acknowledgment.

One final note from the selection committee: We like a neat, well-structured, precise, and complete application. Think for yourself. Show that you can be a responsible and well-organized student.
The selection committee and the IAS team consist of professors, lecturers, advisors, Post-docs who will also teach you once you are accepted.

= Additional Documents =
Generally, all possible documents that support your application (especially as evidence for the arguments used in your motivation letter) can be included and will be taken into account in the selection process. Please include only documents that are relevant for this application. The selection of documents already shows your ability to distinguish between relevant and irrelevant content and a large amount of radomly added certificates or documents may have a negative effect on your ranking.

==Desired documents==

* Documents that add to the evidence needed for the requirements, e.g. additional proofs of language proficiency or higher education courses with computer science content, letter of recommendation
* Evidence for research or professional and/or international experience relevant to IAS studies.
* International experience, e.g. a study exchange, shows your ability to adapt to different learning and living environments and should be listed and described as part of our CV.
* The same holds for professional experience that may show your ability to work in a computer science context.
* Training courses or extensive experience that shows deep understanding of computer science concepts. This will be taken into account for general suitability for the very specific Master program IAS.

== Suitable additions ==
* GRE test or other academic tests showing your ability to study in higher education. Such tests are not required but may be taken into account if provided and if they add to the general story of the application.
* Certificates of contests and competitions can be added if relevant. Please carefully decide whether the certificate can add any additional value to your application.

== Undesired documents ==
* Full module handbooks. To show that you fulfill the requirement of the sufficient 60 ETCS credits, you have to send the self-made and structured table. Please don't send full module handbooks as the IAS admission team will not have the time to search for core CS courses in those handbooks for you.
* Certificates that don't add additional information or are not relevant at all. More is not always better since it may show that you are not able to decide what is relevant for the subject and what is not. Select the certificates that best show your abilities.

==Do all the documents have to be sent as certified/attested copies?==
No, not for the application at the Department of Informatics - IAS. You can send the required application documents as simple copies. But please be aware that once you have been sent an ''letter of acceptance'' by the CampusCenter (central administration), you have to send certified/attested copies of your language certificate, your university entrance qualification (e.g. high school certificate), and your bachelor's degree certificate to prove the authenticity of those documents together with the matriculation form '''within 14 days''' to the "Team for Application and Admission" (Ger: ''Team Bewerbung und Zulassung'') at the CampusCenter of the Universität Hamburg. Therefore, we highly recommend preparing certified/attested copies of all the relevant documents upfront.
The central administration team (CampusCenter Team for your enrolment, located at the city center) and the IAS Team (for your application and later your studies, located at the Department of Informatics, Hamburg Stellingen) are two very distinct teams and have nothing to do with the task of the other.

More FAQ

* [[FAQ: Q&A| Frequently Asked Questions about the application]]

Application:Required documents

2020-03-13T08:53:49Z

Apeters1: /* Application via email possible from now on until 31 March: */

=List of all required documents for application=
In order to apply for the 2-year Master of Science program Intelligent Adaptive Systems, you need to send a paper application to the IAS Team at the Department of Informatics, Universität Hamburg. The IAS team is a team of IAS professors, researchers, lecturers, and academic advisors. The IAS Team and the selection committee will only read complete applications that meet the formal requirements. These applications will be ranked according to the selection criteria.

In order to apply successfully please follow exactly these instructions:

The deadline is on the 31st of March. Faxes and e-mails are not accepted. The IAS selection committee does not inform you of missing documents or late applications. Your application is considered incomplete if one or more of the required documents are not received before the deadline (via postal mail) and/or if your STiNE online application form is not submitted online. As a result, your application will not take part in the selection process. You can not submit missing documents after the expiration of the application deadline, there will be no reconsideration.

The documents 'do not'' have to be sent as certified/attested copies when applying. You should '''not''' send original certificates since the IAS selection committee will not send anything back. However, please note that in case your application is successful, you will need to send attested/certified copies to the University via postal mail ''within 2 weeks'', so be prepared. The notification whether you are accepted or not is send around 15 of May. Official English and German translation of documents are accepted.

Please read the explanations of what documents you have to send and follow the links to more information.

=='''1. Cover-letter-form''' ==
* Please fill in the cover-letter form (with a pdf viewer/reader).
* Then print the form. In case you are having any problems with filling in the form digitally you can also print the form and fill it in by hand (readable!).
* Send the printed form via postal mail as the first page of your application.
* Link to the cover-letter-form: [[Cover-letter-form|cover-letter-form]]

== '''2. The University's general online form (STiNE)'''==
The Universität Hamburg requires you to fill out a general and university-wide online form on their student platform called STiNE. The only purpose of this form is to register with the central administration. Nothing else. It is the way to tell the University that you might apply.
* While registering you will receive a BW - Number (Application Number). Please state this number in your cover letter.
* Submit, print and '''sign''' the STiNE online form and enclose the form with your paper application.
* Only within the application period (15 February - 31 March), the online application form can be accessed through the STiNE portal: https://www.stine.uni-hamburg.de. Sorry, some parts of the STiNE online form are in German and therefore rather tricky.
* As a service to IAS applicants, the IAS-Team has prepared a wiki entry: [[online application form|Online form STiNE]].
*For further questions about STiNE please ask the technical support of STiNE. STiNE is a part of the central administration - not the IAS Team's platform, see [https://www.stine.uni-hamburg.de/scripts/mgrqispi.dll?APPNAME=CampusNet&PRGNAME=EXTERNALPAGES&ARGUMENTS=-N000000000000002,-N000339,-A100101e#furtherquestions STiNE support].

After filling out the STiNE online form, '''click submit''', and then, '''print''' out the summary at the end (Ger: ''Druckansicht''). This print-out has to be '''signed'''. This submitted, printed, and signed STiNE form is one of the required documents which you have to send via postal mail to the Department of Informatics.

Please, note do not click "Freemover", that is the wrong application.

Please, note that the STiNE online form is just the general, uni-wide application form for central administration reasons only. You still need to send your paper application to the address below. With the complete paper application, you apply to the Department of Informatics for a place in the IAS program.

Use the address displayed here or websit not in STiNE.

==''' 3. Curriculum Vitae'''==
The CV (table version) should include information on your academic and professional career and if you have international experience. It should specifically list information on your background relevant for IAS such as projects on AI or Robotics. Please, '''provide evidence''' of such projects through acquired certificates. Project descriptions and outlines on their CS content are especially important if the achieved credits should be counted for the 60 ECTS in computer science.
Please, add your average/overall grade (can be preliminary) and your grading scale to your cv next to the information of your degree and provide official evidence for that information.

== '''4. Letter of Motivation'''==
This is the most important document since it accounts for 40% of your ranking score. It has to be written by yourself in the English language. There is a maximum of 1.5 pages that you should not exceed.
In this letter, you should explain your motivation to study especially this program. The text should answer the following questions:
* Why are you interested in the field "Intelligent Adaptive Systems" or what parts are most interesting and why?
* Why is this program especially suited to complement the knowledge you already have?
* Why did you choose to study this program at Universität Hamburg?
* How does this program fit into your academic and professional future goals

The selection committee will give high ratings to those letters that show that the student has made a deliberate choice to study IAS and can justify their decision well while also explaining how studying IAS will bring the student closer to the desired goal. The board is looking for students that show high motivation and have a good chance of finishing the program with a high impact on the student's life. The ability to present a well-argued and connected chain of argument is a major ability the board is looking for.

Things that affect the rating adversely are, amongst many, generic letters that are written for multiple applications, letters that are written in bad English or do not follow a good structure.

The selection committee does not want to read about the history of informatics, the selection committee wants to read something relevant and precise about you.

== '''5. Proof(s) of English language proficiency'''==
Please see [[Application:Formal requirements| formal requirements]] for details on the required language certificates and further information.

Proof of English language proficiency by
CEFR/TELC: At least Level B2 in all testing categories (listening, reading, speaking, writing) better C1
IELTS: 6.5 + B2
TOEFL: IBT 90, PBT 575, CBT 230
Cambridge: CAE or CPE

==''' 6. Transcript of Records'''==
Please see '''[[Application:Formal requirements| formal requirements]]''' for detailed information on the requirements for your transcript of records.

== '''7. Self-made structured table of all core computer science courses'''==
As a formal requirement you need to evidence 60 ECTS in core computer science courses. To do so, please provide your transcript and a self-made table listing all your core computer science courses you have completed. Please, also refer to the listed information under [[Application:Formal requirements| formal requirements]] regarding questions about the ''ECTS credit system'', the ''calculation'' of the required 60 ECTS, ''modules/courses counted as CS'' by IAS selection committee. Please use this [[Required Documents: Example structure table|example]] to provide your evidence of your 60 ECTS credits or more.

=='''8. BSc certificates and diploma supplement'''==

* If you have finished your degree send a copy of your degree certificate.

* You can also apply if you have finished 5/6 semesters and can evidence 150 ECTS credits (or comparable) of your first degree and at the point of application at least 60 ECTS in computer science must be evident. In order to estimate that you are going to finish you must provide the official transcript of records showing the amount of already acquired credits or credit hours and the number of minimum credits or credit hours required for completion. The final transcript and graduation certificate have to be handed in for enrolment if you are admitted.

* Diploma Supplement: In any case provide a description of your degree - it is an official document issued by most universities.
** The degree's grading system
** The standard amount of semesters required for completion of your degree
** The description of how many weeks per semester of in-class time with a lecturer present
** The description of how your credit systems works, e.g. 1 cp is worth 30 hours of in-class time with lecturer present meaning 2 hours a week for 15 weeks...

=='''9. Your grade'''==
In regards to your overall average grade (preliminary) or final grade, please provide a document with your (preliminary) final grade calculated by your university, even if only 5/6 or 7/8 semesters of the studies have been completed. Your grade should be in the grading system your university provides and with which you can provide the grading system. The grade needs to be in numbers, not letters. Make sure you send an official document attested by your university as the IAS selection committee does not accept self-calculated '''final''' grades nor does the IAS selection committee calculate final grades for you. If this information is listed in your transcript of records or degree certificate, then you don't need to provide this extra document.

Preliminary grade:
Some transcripts or universities do not provide a preliminary average grade: compute it on your own on an extra document and tell us how you did it. If it is not the simple grade average of all grades in the transcript, please provide extra official proof of how your university or degree rules are to compute it.

Please note: If you fail to provide proof of your grade or preliminary grade and grading scale - The grade you are assigned will be the worst possible grade - a grade of 9.9 in selection procedures. This means that applications without a grade will rank behind the last applicant who had provided a grade. This is also true if you state a different grade / grading scale in the table and cover-letter than in your transcript or when the selection committee controls your computation.

=='''10. Grading scale'''==
IAS selection committee needs detailed information on your degree's grading system (alternative names: grading scale/scheme of evaluation/grade classification/range of marks ...) as it is important in our [[Application:Selection criteria| selection process]]. As the IAS selection committee will evaluate and rank all applications, we need the grading scale of your university to make your average or final grade comparable to others. In a lot of cases, official transcripts of records display the university's grading system. Usually, this is a table with all the degree's grades and corresponding information like minimum passing grade and maximum, outstanding or excellent grade, etc. However, if this is not the case for your transcript of records, then please provide this information attested by your university.

Highlight the grading scale, minimum passing grade, and maximum grade in your official documents and state exactly on which page the relevant information can be found, e.g., "the grading scale can be found in the printed degree description page 4 Section 2.1.1 see highlighted information". The selection committee will not look through documents if no help is provided where to find the right information. Please display exact information on paper printout. You may provide a link to a lengthy document if you only printed out parts of a lengthy document for control reasons. The selection committee will not follow links nor translate websites to search for information if no information is provided in paper.

Please note: If you fail to provide proof of your grade or preliminary grade and grading scale - The grade you are assigned will be the worst possible grade - a grade of 9.9 in selection procedures. This means that applications without a grade or grading scale will rank behind the last applicant who had provided a grade. This is also true if you state a different grade / grading scale in the table and cover-letter than in your transcript/official documents or when the selection committee controls your computation.

=='''11. Evidence that your university and degree is recognized in Germany'''==
Admission to a Master degree program at a German university requires an undergraduate degree. This must have been obtained from a recognized higher education institution. The degree also must be equivalent to at least a three year Bachelor that was attained in Germany. It is a prerequisite for an application for the master course "IAS" that your university degree is recognized as equivalent to a Bachelor's degree obtained in Germany.

===How to provide proof that your university is recognized in Germany?===

The selection committee's advice: print out the anabin database entry for proof. It is cost-free and fast:
* Use the database anabin and print out the information about your university
* Your university needs to be recognized with H+
* More information here: [[Desired Documents:Anabin|Anabin]]

If you have difficulties handling anabin, you may use the fee-based service, called Uni-Assist:
* This is the official recommendation of the Universität Hamburg is that you use the fee-based service Uni-Assist (but you don't need to if you provide the anabin printout)
* Request this service around 1 of December - otherwise Uni-Assist might not answer you in time
* More information about [[FAQ:UniAssist| Uni-Assist]]
* Only use Uni-assist if you do not want to look up your University in the database Anabin

Some countries have to get a German authorities endorsement anyway for visa or application- you may hand this in as additional proof:

An endorsement of recognition from German authorities, including information about the type of higher education entrance eligibility and, if applicable, for a particular subject. The Universität Hamburg accepts the following types of endorsement of recognition:

* APS certificates from the academic review offices of Beijing, Ulaanbaatar, and Hanoi

Please note: For the application to the Master program IAS - it is enough to send in your information from Anabin.

If you cannot find information on whether your university is recognized in Germany, the selection committee has to decide case by case whether your degree sounds eligible or not. Usually, your degree does not qualify.

=Application via email possible from now on until 31 March:=

'''Because of the corona-virus pandemic, the IAS Team has decided to allow applications via email.'''

Send the application as described exactly on the website and this wiki:

* in '''only''' 1 pdf - one pdf document with all your documents = only complete applications will be considered
* not more than 9 MB
* until 31 March
* use only this Email - subject '''[Final IAS Application] [Your Full name, Your BW-number]''' (The emails will be sorted automatically)
* only use: ias-team@informatik.uni-hamburg.de
* start your Email text with: Dear IAS-Team, this is my final application to .....
* Use the order of documents presented here 1.-11. when sending the application.

==I have sent my paper application already + I received email confirmation by the IAS Team that it has arrived ==
Then you do not need to do anything.

==I have sent my paper application already + I did not receive email confirmation until 13 March 2020 ==
Please do send your application via email considering the steps above. Due to the corona-virus the IAS Team and many other people at the university will be working from home. That means nobody will get the postal mail.
Please state that your application is on the way.

Everything else stays exactly the same as it is described in this wiki and website except the postal mailing part.
== Order for the pdf application==
Please, put the documents in this order and produce one pdf (and make sure that they are not attached to one another (Please do not use staplers, paper clips, folders, etc.):)

# Cover Sheet
# Signed Online Form STiNE
# CV
# Motivation Letter
# Language Test Score
# Transcript
# Self-made table
# Bachelor Certificate + Diploma Supplement
# Grade
# Grading scale
# Anabin print out
# everything else

Please highlight important information in your documents, e.g. grading scale, grade, "H+" in the anabin printout, finishing date ...

Please check carefully if you have sent all the required documents in due time. The deadline is the 31 of March (No postal mail arrives on Saturdays and Sundays at the university). Faxes and e-mails are not accepted. We do not inform you of missing documents or late applications. Your application is considered incomplete if one or more of the required documents are not received before the deadline via postal mail or if your STiNE online application form is not submitted online. As a result, your application will not take part in the selection process. There will be no reconsideration of your application. Also note, that we do not inform you about received postal mail (letters, parcels, envelopes) – Please check with your postal mail provider if you like an acknowledgment.

One final note from the selection committee: We like a neat, well-structured, precise, and complete application. Think for yourself. Show that you can be a responsible and well-organized student.
The selection committee and the IAS team consist of professors, lecturers, advisors, Post-docs who will also teach you once you are accepted.

= Additional Documents =
Generally, all possible documents that support your application (especially as evidence for the arguments used in your motivation letter) can be included and will be taken into account in the selection process. Please include only documents that are relevant for this application. The selection of documents already shows your ability to distinguish between relevant and irrelevant content and a large amount of radomly added certificates or documents may have a negative effect on your ranking.

==Desired documents==

* Documents that add to the evidence needed for the requirements, e.g. additional proofs of language proficiency or higher education courses with computer science content, letter of recommendation
* Evidence for research or professional and/or international experience relevant to IAS studies.
* International experience, e.g. a study exchange, shows your ability to adapt to different learning and living environments and should be listed and described as part of our CV.
* The same holds for professional experience that may show your ability to work in a computer science context.
* Training courses or extensive experience that shows deep understanding of computer science concepts. This will be taken into account for general suitability for the very specific Master program IAS.

== Suitable additions ==
* GRE test or other academic tests showing your ability to study in higher education. Such tests are not required but may be taken into account if provided and if they add to the general story of the application.
* Certificates of contests and competitions can be added if relevant. Please carefully decide whether the certificate can add any additional value to your application.

== Undesired documents ==
* Full module handbooks. To show that you fulfill the requirement of the sufficient 60 ETCS credits, you have to send the self-made and structured table. Please don't send full module handbooks as the IAS admission team will not have the time to search for core CS courses in those handbooks for you.
* Certificates that don't add additional information or are not relevant at all. More is not always better since it may show that you are not able to decide what is relevant for the subject and what is not. Select the certificates that best show your abilities.

==Do all the documents have to be sent as certified/attested copies?==
No, not for the application at the Department of Informatics - IAS. You can send the required application documents as simple copies. But please be aware that once you have been sent an ''letter of acceptance'' by the CampusCenter (central administration), you have to send certified/attested copies of your language certificate, your university entrance qualification (e.g. high school certificate), and your bachelor's degree certificate to prove the authenticity of those documents together with the matriculation form '''within 14 days''' to the "Team for Application and Admission" (Ger: ''Team Bewerbung und Zulassung'') at the CampusCenter of the Universität Hamburg. Therefore, we highly recommend preparing certified/attested copies of all the relevant documents upfront.
The central administration team (CampusCenter Team for your enrolment, located at the city center) and the IAS Team (for your application and later your studies, located at the Department of Informatics, Hamburg Stellingen) are two very distinct teams and have nothing to do with the task of the other.

More FAQ

* [[FAQ: Q&A| Frequently Asked Questions about the application]]

Application:Required documents

2020-03-13T08:45:08Z

Apeters1: /* Application via email possible from now on until 31 March: */

=List of all required documents for application=
In order to apply for the 2-year Master of Science program Intelligent Adaptive Systems, you need to send a paper application to the IAS Team at the Department of Informatics, Universität Hamburg. The IAS team is a team of IAS professors, researchers, lecturers, and academic advisors. The IAS Team and the selection committee will only read complete applications that meet the formal requirements. These applications will be ranked according to the selection criteria.

In order to apply successfully please follow exactly these instructions:

The deadline is on the 31st of March. Faxes and e-mails are not accepted. The IAS selection committee does not inform you of missing documents or late applications. Your application is considered incomplete if one or more of the required documents are not received before the deadline (via postal mail) and/or if your STiNE online application form is not submitted online. As a result, your application will not take part in the selection process. You can not submit missing documents after the expiration of the application deadline, there will be no reconsideration.

The documents 'do not'' have to be sent as certified/attested copies when applying. You should '''not''' send original certificates since the IAS selection committee will not send anything back. However, please note that in case your application is successful, you will need to send attested/certified copies to the University via postal mail ''within 2 weeks'', so be prepared. The notification whether you are accepted or not is send around 15 of May. Official English and German translation of documents are accepted.

Please read the explanations of what documents you have to send and follow the links to more information.

=='''1. Cover-letter-form''' ==
* Please fill in the cover-letter form (with a pdf viewer/reader).
* Then print the form. In case you are having any problems with filling in the form digitally you can also print the form and fill it in by hand (readable!).
* Send the printed form via postal mail as the first page of your application.
* Link to the cover-letter-form: [[Cover-letter-form|cover-letter-form]]

== '''2. The University's general online form (STiNE)'''==
The Universität Hamburg requires you to fill out a general and university-wide online form on their student platform called STiNE. The only purpose of this form is to register with the central administration. Nothing else. It is the way to tell the University that you might apply.
* While registering you will receive a BW - Number (Application Number). Please state this number in your cover letter.
* Submit, print and '''sign''' the STiNE online form and enclose the form with your paper application.
* Only within the application period (15 February - 31 March), the online application form can be accessed through the STiNE portal: https://www.stine.uni-hamburg.de. Sorry, some parts of the STiNE online form are in German and therefore rather tricky.
* As a service to IAS applicants, the IAS-Team has prepared a wiki entry: [[online application form|Online form STiNE]].
*For further questions about STiNE please ask the technical support of STiNE. STiNE is a part of the central administration - not the IAS Team's platform, see [https://www.stine.uni-hamburg.de/scripts/mgrqispi.dll?APPNAME=CampusNet&PRGNAME=EXTERNALPAGES&ARGUMENTS=-N000000000000002,-N000339,-A100101e#furtherquestions STiNE support].

After filling out the STiNE online form, '''click submit''', and then, '''print''' out the summary at the end (Ger: ''Druckansicht''). This print-out has to be '''signed'''. This submitted, printed, and signed STiNE form is one of the required documents which you have to send via postal mail to the Department of Informatics.

Please, note do not click "Freemover", that is the wrong application.

Please, note that the STiNE online form is just the general, uni-wide application form for central administration reasons only. You still need to send your paper application to the address below. With the complete paper application, you apply to the Department of Informatics for a place in the IAS program.

Use the address displayed here or websit not in STiNE.

==''' 3. Curriculum Vitae'''==
The CV (table version) should include information on your academic and professional career and if you have international experience. It should specifically list information on your background relevant for IAS such as projects on AI or Robotics. Please, '''provide evidence''' of such projects through acquired certificates. Project descriptions and outlines on their CS content are especially important if the achieved credits should be counted for the 60 ECTS in computer science.
Please, add your average/overall grade (can be preliminary) and your grading scale to your cv next to the information of your degree and provide official evidence for that information.

== '''4. Letter of Motivation'''==
This is the most important document since it accounts for 40% of your ranking score. It has to be written by yourself in the English language. There is a maximum of 1.5 pages that you should not exceed.
In this letter, you should explain your motivation to study especially this program. The text should answer the following questions:
* Why are you interested in the field "Intelligent Adaptive Systems" or what parts are most interesting and why?
* Why is this program especially suited to complement the knowledge you already have?
* Why did you choose to study this program at Universität Hamburg?
* How does this program fit into your academic and professional future goals

The selection committee will give high ratings to those letters that show that the student has made a deliberate choice to study IAS and can justify their decision well while also explaining how studying IAS will bring the student closer to the desired goal. The board is looking for students that show high motivation and have a good chance of finishing the program with a high impact on the student's life. The ability to present a well-argued and connected chain of argument is a major ability the board is looking for.

Things that affect the rating adversely are, amongst many, generic letters that are written for multiple applications, letters that are written in bad English or do not follow a good structure.

The selection committee does not want to read about the history of informatics, the selection committee wants to read something relevant and precise about you.

== '''5. Proof(s) of English language proficiency'''==
Please see [[Application:Formal requirements| formal requirements]] for details on the required language certificates and further information.

Proof of English language proficiency by
CEFR/TELC: At least Level B2 in all testing categories (listening, reading, speaking, writing) better C1
IELTS: 6.5 + B2
TOEFL: IBT 90, PBT 575, CBT 230
Cambridge: CAE or CPE

==''' 6. Transcript of Records'''==
Please see '''[[Application:Formal requirements| formal requirements]]''' for detailed information on the requirements for your transcript of records.

== '''7. Self-made structured table of all core computer science courses'''==
As a formal requirement you need to evidence 60 ECTS in core computer science courses. To do so, please provide your transcript and a self-made table listing all your core computer science courses you have completed. Please, also refer to the listed information under [[Application:Formal requirements| formal requirements]] regarding questions about the ''ECTS credit system'', the ''calculation'' of the required 60 ECTS, ''modules/courses counted as CS'' by IAS selection committee. Please use this [[Required Documents: Example structure table|example]] to provide your evidence of your 60 ECTS credits or more.

=='''8. BSc certificates and diploma supplement'''==

* If you have finished your degree send a copy of your degree certificate.

* You can also apply if you have finished 5/6 semesters and can evidence 150 ECTS credits (or comparable) of your first degree and at the point of application at least 60 ECTS in computer science must be evident. In order to estimate that you are going to finish you must provide the official transcript of records showing the amount of already acquired credits or credit hours and the number of minimum credits or credit hours required for completion. The final transcript and graduation certificate have to be handed in for enrolment if you are admitted.

* Diploma Supplement: In any case provide a description of your degree - it is an official document issued by most universities.
** The degree's grading system
** The standard amount of semesters required for completion of your degree
** The description of how many weeks per semester of in-class time with a lecturer present
** The description of how your credit systems works, e.g. 1 cp is worth 30 hours of in-class time with lecturer present meaning 2 hours a week for 15 weeks...

=='''9. Your grade'''==
In regards to your overall average grade (preliminary) or final grade, please provide a document with your (preliminary) final grade calculated by your university, even if only 5/6 or 7/8 semesters of the studies have been completed. Your grade should be in the grading system your university provides and with which you can provide the grading system. The grade needs to be in numbers, not letters. Make sure you send an official document attested by your university as the IAS selection committee does not accept self-calculated '''final''' grades nor does the IAS selection committee calculate final grades for you. If this information is listed in your transcript of records or degree certificate, then you don't need to provide this extra document.

Preliminary grade:
Some transcripts or universities do not provide a preliminary average grade: compute it on your own on an extra document and tell us how you did it. If it is not the simple grade average of all grades in the transcript, please provide extra official proof of how your university or degree rules are to compute it.

Please note: If you fail to provide proof of your grade or preliminary grade and grading scale - The grade you are assigned will be the worst possible grade - a grade of 9.9 in selection procedures. This means that applications without a grade will rank behind the last applicant who had provided a grade. This is also true if you state a different grade / grading scale in the table and cover-letter than in your transcript or when the selection committee controls your computation.

=='''10. Grading scale'''==
IAS selection committee needs detailed information on your degree's grading system (alternative names: grading scale/scheme of evaluation/grade classification/range of marks ...) as it is important in our [[Application:Selection criteria| selection process]]. As the IAS selection committee will evaluate and rank all applications, we need the grading scale of your university to make your average or final grade comparable to others. In a lot of cases, official transcripts of records display the university's grading system. Usually, this is a table with all the degree's grades and corresponding information like minimum passing grade and maximum, outstanding or excellent grade, etc. However, if this is not the case for your transcript of records, then please provide this information attested by your university.

Highlight the grading scale, minimum passing grade, and maximum grade in your official documents and state exactly on which page the relevant information can be found, e.g., "the grading scale can be found in the printed degree description page 4 Section 2.1.1 see highlighted information". The selection committee will not look through documents if no help is provided where to find the right information. Please display exact information on paper printout. You may provide a link to a lengthy document if you only printed out parts of a lengthy document for control reasons. The selection committee will not follow links nor translate websites to search for information if no information is provided in paper.

Please note: If you fail to provide proof of your grade or preliminary grade and grading scale - The grade you are assigned will be the worst possible grade - a grade of 9.9 in selection procedures. This means that applications without a grade or grading scale will rank behind the last applicant who had provided a grade. This is also true if you state a different grade / grading scale in the table and cover-letter than in your transcript/official documents or when the selection committee controls your computation.

=='''11. Evidence that your university and degree is recognized in Germany'''==
Admission to a Master degree program at a German university requires an undergraduate degree. This must have been obtained from a recognized higher education institution. The degree also must be equivalent to at least a three year Bachelor that was attained in Germany. It is a prerequisite for an application for the master course "IAS" that your university degree is recognized as equivalent to a Bachelor's degree obtained in Germany.

===How to provide proof that your university is recognized in Germany?===

The selection committee's advice: print out the anabin database entry for proof. It is cost-free and fast:
* Use the database anabin and print out the information about your university
* Your university needs to be recognized with H+
* More information here: [[Desired Documents:Anabin|Anabin]]

If you have difficulties handling anabin, you may use the fee-based service, called Uni-Assist:
* This is the official recommendation of the Universität Hamburg is that you use the fee-based service Uni-Assist (but you don't need to if you provide the anabin printout)
* Request this service around 1 of December - otherwise Uni-Assist might not answer you in time
* More information about [[FAQ:UniAssist| Uni-Assist]]
* Only use Uni-assist if you do not want to look up your University in the database Anabin

Some countries have to get a German authorities endorsement anyway for visa or application- you may hand this in as additional proof:

An endorsement of recognition from German authorities, including information about the type of higher education entrance eligibility and, if applicable, for a particular subject. The Universität Hamburg accepts the following types of endorsement of recognition:

* APS certificates from the academic review offices of Beijing, Ulaanbaatar, and Hanoi

Please note: For the application to the Master program IAS - it is enough to send in your information from Anabin.

If you cannot find information on whether your university is recognized in Germany, the selection committee has to decide case by case whether your degree sounds eligible or not. Usually, your degree does not qualify.

=Application via email possible from now on until 31 March:=

'''Because of the corona-virus pandemic, the IAS Team has decided to allow applications via email.'''

Send the application as described exactly on the website and this wiki:

* in '''only''' 1 pdf - only complete applications will be considered
* not more than 9 MB
* until 31 March
* use only this Email - subject '''[Final IAS Application] [Your Full name, Your BW-number]'''
* only use: ias-team@informatik.uni-hamburg.de
* start your Email text with: Dear IAS-Team, this is my final application to .....
* Use the order of documents presented here 1.-11. when sending the application.

If you have already sent us a paper application - please contact us - if you are able please send the application as pdf again. A paper application will be of course considered but we kindly ask you to send the application as pdf.

Everything else stays exactly the same as it is described in this wiki and website except the postal mailing part.

Please, put the documents in this order and make sure that they are not attached to one another (Please do not use staplers, paper clips, folders, etc.):
# Cover Sheet
# Signed Online Form STiNE
# CV
# Motivation Letter
# Language Test Score
# Transcript
# Self-made table
# Bachelor Certificate + Diploma Supplement
# Grade
# Grading scale
# Anabin print out
# everything else

Please highlight important information in your documents, e.g. grading scale, grade, "H+" in the anabin printout, finishing date ...

Please check carefully if you have sent all the required documents in due time. The deadline is the 31 of March (No postal mail arrives on Saturdays and Sundays at the university). Faxes and e-mails are not accepted. We do not inform you of missing documents or late applications. Your application is considered incomplete if one or more of the required documents are not received before the deadline via postal mail or if your STiNE online application form is not submitted online. As a result, your application will not take part in the selection process. There will be no reconsideration of your application. Also note, that we do not inform you about received postal mail (letters, parcels, envelopes) – Please check with your postal mail provider if you like an acknowledgment.

One final note from the selection committee: There are more than 450 applicants and only 20 spaces on the program. We like a neat, well-structured, precise, and complete application. Think for yourself. Show that you can be a responsible and well-organized student.
The selection committee and the IAS team consist of professors, lecturers, advisors, Post-docs who will also teach you once you are accepted.

= Additional Documents =
Generally, all possible documents that support your application (especially as evidence for the arguments used in your motivation letter) can be included and will be taken into account in the selection process. Please include only documents that are relevant for this application. The selection of documents already shows your ability to distinguish between relevant and irrelevant content and a large amount of radomly added certificates or documents may have a negative effect on your ranking.

==Desired documents==

* Documents that add to the evidence needed for the requirements, e.g. additional proofs of language proficiency or higher education courses with computer science content, letter of recommendation
* Evidence for research or professional and/or international experience relevant to IAS studies.
* International experience, e.g. a study exchange, shows your ability to adapt to different learning and living environments and should be listed and described as part of our CV.
* The same holds for professional experience that may show your ability to work in a computer science context.
* Training courses or extensive experience that shows deep understanding of computer science concepts. This will be taken into account for general suitability for the very specific Master program IAS.

== Suitable additions ==
* GRE test or other academic tests showing your ability to study in higher education. Such tests are not required but may be taken into account if provided and if they add to the general story of the application.
* Certificates of contests and competitions can be added if relevant. Please carefully decide whether the certificate can add any additional value to your application.

== Undesired documents ==
* Full module handbooks. To show that you fulfill the requirement of the sufficient 60 ETCS credits, you have to send the self-made and structured table. Please don't send full module handbooks as the IAS admission team will not have the time to search for core CS courses in those handbooks for you.
* Certificates that don't add additional information or are not relevant at all. More is not always better since it may show that you are not able to decide what is relevant for the subject and what is not. Select the certificates that best show your abilities.

==Do all the documents have to be sent as certified/attested copies?==
No, not for the application at the Department of Informatics - IAS. You can send the required application documents as simple copies. But please be aware that once you have been sent an ''letter of acceptance'' by the CampusCenter (central administration), you have to send certified/attested copies of your language certificate, your university entrance qualification (e.g. high school certificate), and your bachelor's degree certificate to prove the authenticity of those documents together with the matriculation form '''within 14 days''' to the "Team for Application and Admission" (Ger: ''Team Bewerbung und Zulassung'') at the CampusCenter of the Universität Hamburg. Therefore, we highly recommend preparing certified/attested copies of all the relevant documents upfront.
The central administration team (CampusCenter Team for your enrolment, located at the city center) and the IAS Team (for your application and later your studies, located at the Department of Informatics, Hamburg Stellingen) are two very distinct teams and have nothing to do with the task of the other.

More FAQ

* [[FAQ: Q&A| Frequently Asked Questions about the application]]

Application:Required documents

2020-03-12T15:13:13Z

Apeters1: /* Application via email possible from now on until 31 March: */

=List of all required documents for application=
In order to apply for the 2-year Master of Science program Intelligent Adaptive Systems, you need to send a paper application to the IAS Team at the Department of Informatics, Universität Hamburg. The IAS team is a team of IAS professors, researchers, lecturers, and academic advisors. The IAS Team and the selection committee will only read complete applications that meet the formal requirements. These applications will be ranked according to the selection criteria.

In order to apply successfully please follow exactly these instructions:

The deadline is on the 31st of March. Faxes and e-mails are not accepted. The IAS selection committee does not inform you of missing documents or late applications. Your application is considered incomplete if one or more of the required documents are not received before the deadline (via postal mail) and/or if your STiNE online application form is not submitted online. As a result, your application will not take part in the selection process. You can not submit missing documents after the expiration of the application deadline, there will be no reconsideration.

The documents 'do not'' have to be sent as certified/attested copies when applying. You should '''not''' send original certificates since the IAS selection committee will not send anything back. However, please note that in case your application is successful, you will need to send attested/certified copies to the University via postal mail ''within 2 weeks'', so be prepared. The notification whether you are accepted or not is send around 15 of May. Official English and German translation of documents are accepted.

Please read the explanations of what documents you have to send and follow the links to more information.

=='''1. Cover-letter-form''' ==
* Please fill in the cover-letter form (with a pdf viewer/reader).
* Then print the form. In case you are having any problems with filling in the form digitally you can also print the form and fill it in by hand (readable!).
* Send the printed form via postal mail as the first page of your application.
* Link to the cover-letter-form: [[Cover-letter-form|cover-letter-form]]

== '''2. The University's general online form (STiNE)'''==
The Universität Hamburg requires you to fill out a general and university-wide online form on their student platform called STiNE. The only purpose of this form is to register with the central administration. Nothing else. It is the way to tell the University that you might apply.
* While registering you will receive a BW - Number (Application Number). Please state this number in your cover letter.
* Submit, print and '''sign''' the STiNE online form and enclose the form with your paper application.
* Only within the application period (15 February - 31 March), the online application form can be accessed through the STiNE portal: https://www.stine.uni-hamburg.de. Sorry, some parts of the STiNE online form are in German and therefore rather tricky.
* As a service to IAS applicants, the IAS-Team has prepared a wiki entry: [[online application form|Online form STiNE]].
*For further questions about STiNE please ask the technical support of STiNE. STiNE is a part of the central administration - not the IAS Team's platform, see [https://www.stine.uni-hamburg.de/scripts/mgrqispi.dll?APPNAME=CampusNet&PRGNAME=EXTERNALPAGES&ARGUMENTS=-N000000000000002,-N000339,-A100101e#furtherquestions STiNE support].

After filling out the STiNE online form, '''click submit''', and then, '''print''' out the summary at the end (Ger: ''Druckansicht''). This print-out has to be '''signed'''. This submitted, printed, and signed STiNE form is one of the required documents which you have to send via postal mail to the Department of Informatics.

Please, note do not click "Freemover", that is the wrong application.

Please, note that the STiNE online form is just the general, uni-wide application form for central administration reasons only. You still need to send your paper application to the address below. With the complete paper application, you apply to the Department of Informatics for a place in the IAS program.

Use the address displayed here or websit not in STiNE.

==''' 3. Curriculum Vitae'''==
The CV (table version) should include information on your academic and professional career and if you have international experience. It should specifically list information on your background relevant for IAS such as projects on AI or Robotics. Please, '''provide evidence''' of such projects through acquired certificates. Project descriptions and outlines on their CS content are especially important if the achieved credits should be counted for the 60 ECTS in computer science.
Please, add your average/overall grade (can be preliminary) and your grading scale to your cv next to the information of your degree and provide official evidence for that information.

== '''4. Letter of Motivation'''==
This is the most important document since it accounts for 40% of your ranking score. It has to be written by yourself in the English language. There is a maximum of 1.5 pages that you should not exceed.
In this letter, you should explain your motivation to study especially this program. The text should answer the following questions:
* Why are you interested in the field "Intelligent Adaptive Systems" or what parts are most interesting and why?
* Why is this program especially suited to complement the knowledge you already have?
* Why did you choose to study this program at Universität Hamburg?
* How does this program fit into your academic and professional future goals

The selection committee will give high ratings to those letters that show that the student has made a deliberate choice to study IAS and can justify their decision well while also explaining how studying IAS will bring the student closer to the desired goal. The board is looking for students that show high motivation and have a good chance of finishing the program with a high impact on the student's life. The ability to present a well-argued and connected chain of argument is a major ability the board is looking for.

Things that affect the rating adversely are, amongst many, generic letters that are written for multiple applications, letters that are written in bad English or do not follow a good structure.

The selection committee does not want to read about the history of informatics, the selection committee wants to read something relevant and precise about you.

== '''5. Proof(s) of English language proficiency'''==
Please see [[Application:Formal requirements| formal requirements]] for details on the required language certificates and further information.

Proof of English language proficiency by
CEFR/TELC: At least Level B2 in all testing categories (listening, reading, speaking, writing) better C1
IELTS: 6.5 + B2
TOEFL: IBT 90, PBT 575, CBT 230
Cambridge: CAE or CPE

==''' 6. Transcript of Records'''==
Please see '''[[Application:Formal requirements| formal requirements]]''' for detailed information on the requirements for your transcript of records.

== '''7. Self-made structured table of all core computer science courses'''==
As a formal requirement you need to evidence 60 ECTS in core computer science courses. To do so, please provide your transcript and a self-made table listing all your core computer science courses you have completed. Please, also refer to the listed information under [[Application:Formal requirements| formal requirements]] regarding questions about the ''ECTS credit system'', the ''calculation'' of the required 60 ECTS, ''modules/courses counted as CS'' by IAS selection committee. Please use this [[Required Documents: Example structure table|example]] to provide your evidence of your 60 ECTS credits or more.

=='''8. BSc certificates and diploma supplement'''==

* If you have finished your degree send a copy of your degree certificate.

* You can also apply if you have finished 5/6 semesters and can evidence 150 ECTS credits (or comparable) of your first degree and at the point of application at least 60 ECTS in computer science must be evident. In order to estimate that you are going to finish you must provide the official transcript of records showing the amount of already acquired credits or credit hours and the number of minimum credits or credit hours required for completion. The final transcript and graduation certificate have to be handed in for enrolment if you are admitted.

* Diploma Supplement: In any case provide a description of your degree - it is an official document issued by most universities.
** The degree's grading system
** The standard amount of semesters required for completion of your degree
** The description of how many weeks per semester of in-class time with a lecturer present
** The description of how your credit systems works, e.g. 1 cp is worth 30 hours of in-class time with lecturer present meaning 2 hours a week for 15 weeks...

=='''9. Your grade'''==
In regards to your overall average grade (preliminary) or final grade, please provide a document with your (preliminary) final grade calculated by your university, even if only 5/6 or 7/8 semesters of the studies have been completed. Your grade should be in the grading system your university provides and with which you can provide the grading system. The grade needs to be in numbers, not letters. Make sure you send an official document attested by your university as the IAS selection committee does not accept self-calculated '''final''' grades nor does the IAS selection committee calculate final grades for you. If this information is listed in your transcript of records or degree certificate, then you don't need to provide this extra document.

Preliminary grade:
Some transcripts or universities do not provide a preliminary average grade: compute it on your own on an extra document and tell us how you did it. If it is not the simple grade average of all grades in the transcript, please provide extra official proof of how your university or degree rules are to compute it.

Please note: If you fail to provide proof of your grade or preliminary grade and grading scale - The grade you are assigned will be the worst possible grade - a grade of 9.9 in selection procedures. This means that applications without a grade will rank behind the last applicant who had provided a grade. This is also true if you state a different grade / grading scale in the table and cover-letter than in your transcript or when the selection committee controls your computation.

=='''10. Grading scale'''==
IAS selection committee needs detailed information on your degree's grading system (alternative names: grading scale/scheme of evaluation/grade classification/range of marks ...) as it is important in our [[Application:Selection criteria| selection process]]. As the IAS selection committee will evaluate and rank all applications, we need the grading scale of your university to make your average or final grade comparable to others. In a lot of cases, official transcripts of records display the university's grading system. Usually, this is a table with all the degree's grades and corresponding information like minimum passing grade and maximum, outstanding or excellent grade, etc. However, if this is not the case for your transcript of records, then please provide this information attested by your university.

Highlight the grading scale, minimum passing grade, and maximum grade in your official documents and state exactly on which page the relevant information can be found, e.g., "the grading scale can be found in the printed degree description page 4 Section 2.1.1 see highlighted information". The selection committee will not look through documents if no help is provided where to find the right information. Please display exact information on paper printout. You may provide a link to a lengthy document if you only printed out parts of a lengthy document for control reasons. The selection committee will not follow links nor translate websites to search for information if no information is provided in paper.

Please note: If you fail to provide proof of your grade or preliminary grade and grading scale - The grade you are assigned will be the worst possible grade - a grade of 9.9 in selection procedures. This means that applications without a grade or grading scale will rank behind the last applicant who had provided a grade. This is also true if you state a different grade / grading scale in the table and cover-letter than in your transcript/official documents or when the selection committee controls your computation.

=='''11. Evidence that your university and degree is recognized in Germany'''==
Admission to a Master degree program at a German university requires an undergraduate degree. This must have been obtained from a recognized higher education institution. The degree also must be equivalent to at least a three year Bachelor that was attained in Germany. It is a prerequisite for an application for the master course "IAS" that your university degree is recognized as equivalent to a Bachelor's degree obtained in Germany.

===How to provide proof that your university is recognized in Germany?===

The selection committee's advice: print out the anabin database entry for proof. It is cost-free and fast:
* Use the database anabin and print out the information about your university
* Your university needs to be recognized with H+
* More information here: [[Desired Documents:Anabin|Anabin]]

If you have difficulties handling anabin, you may use the fee-based service, called Uni-Assist:
* This is the official recommendation of the Universität Hamburg is that you use the fee-based service Uni-Assist (but you don't need to if you provide the anabin printout)
* Request this service around 1 of December - otherwise Uni-Assist might not answer you in time
* More information about [[FAQ:UniAssist| Uni-Assist]]
* Only use Uni-assist if you do not want to look up your University in the database Anabin

Some countries have to get a German authorities endorsement anyway for visa or application- you may hand this in as additional proof:

An endorsement of recognition from German authorities, including information about the type of higher education entrance eligibility and, if applicable, for a particular subject. The Universität Hamburg accepts the following types of endorsement of recognition:

* APS certificates from the academic review offices of Beijing, Ulaanbaatar, and Hanoi

Please note: For the application to the Master program IAS - it is enough to send in your information from Anabin.

If you cannot find information on whether your university is recognized in Germany, the selection committee has to decide case by case whether your degree sounds eligible or not. Usually, your degree does not qualify.

=Application via email possible from now on until 31 March:=

'''Because of the corona-virus pandemic, the IAS Team has decided to allow applications via email.'''

Send the application as described exactly on the website and this wiki:

* in '''only''' 1 pdf - only complete applications will be considered
* not more than 9 MB
* until 31 March
* use Email - subject [Final IAS Application] [Full name, BW-number]
* only use: ias-team@informatik.uni-hamburg.de
* Use the order of documents presented here 1.-11. when sending the application.

If you have already sent us a paper application - please contact us - if you are able please send the application as pdf again. A paper application will be of course considered but we kindly ask you to send the application as pdf.

Everything else stays exactly the same as it is described in this wiki and website except the postal mailing part.

Please, put the documents in this order and make sure that they are not attached to one another (Please do not use staplers, paper clips, folders, etc.):
# Cover Sheet
# Signed Online Form STiNE
# CV
# Motivation Letter
# Language Test Score
# Transcript
# Self-made table
# Bachelor Certificate + Diploma Supplement
# Grade
# Grading scale
# Anabin print out
# everything else

Please highlight important information in your documents, e.g. grading scale, grade, "H+" in the anabin printout, finishing date ...

Please check carefully if you have sent all the required documents in due time. The deadline is the 31 of March (No postal mail arrives on Saturdays and Sundays at the university). Faxes and e-mails are not accepted. We do not inform you of missing documents or late applications. Your application is considered incomplete if one or more of the required documents are not received before the deadline via postal mail or if your STiNE online application form is not submitted online. As a result, your application will not take part in the selection process. There will be no reconsideration of your application. Also note, that we do not inform you about received postal mail (letters, parcels, envelopes) – Please check with your postal mail provider if you like an acknowledgment.

One final note from the selection committee: There are more than 450 applicants and only 20 spaces on the program. We like a neat, well-structured, precise, and complete application. Think for yourself. Show that you can be a responsible and well-organized student.
The selection committee and the IAS team consist of professors, lecturers, advisors, Post-docs who will also teach you once you are accepted.

= Additional Documents =
Generally, all possible documents that support your application (especially as evidence for the arguments used in your motivation letter) can be included and will be taken into account in the selection process. Please include only documents that are relevant for this application. The selection of documents already shows your ability to distinguish between relevant and irrelevant content and a large amount of radomly added certificates or documents may have a negative effect on your ranking.

==Desired documents==

* Documents that add to the evidence needed for the requirements, e.g. additional proofs of language proficiency or higher education courses with computer science content, letter of recommendation
* Evidence for research or professional and/or international experience relevant to IAS studies.
* International experience, e.g. a study exchange, shows your ability to adapt to different learning and living environments and should be listed and described as part of our CV.
* The same holds for professional experience that may show your ability to work in a computer science context.
* Training courses or extensive experience that shows deep understanding of computer science concepts. This will be taken into account for general suitability for the very specific Master program IAS.

== Suitable additions ==
* GRE test or other academic tests showing your ability to study in higher education. Such tests are not required but may be taken into account if provided and if they add to the general story of the application.
* Certificates of contests and competitions can be added if relevant. Please carefully decide whether the certificate can add any additional value to your application.

== Undesired documents ==
* Full module handbooks. To show that you fulfill the requirement of the sufficient 60 ETCS credits, you have to send the self-made and structured table. Please don't send full module handbooks as the IAS admission team will not have the time to search for core CS courses in those handbooks for you.
* Certificates that don't add additional information or are not relevant at all. More is not always better since it may show that you are not able to decide what is relevant for the subject and what is not. Select the certificates that best show your abilities.

==Do all the documents have to be sent as certified/attested copies?==
No, not for the application at the Department of Informatics - IAS. You can send the required application documents as simple copies. But please be aware that once you have been sent an ''letter of acceptance'' by the CampusCenter (central administration), you have to send certified/attested copies of your language certificate, your university entrance qualification (e.g. high school certificate), and your bachelor's degree certificate to prove the authenticity of those documents together with the matriculation form '''within 14 days''' to the "Team for Application and Admission" (Ger: ''Team Bewerbung und Zulassung'') at the CampusCenter of the Universität Hamburg. Therefore, we highly recommend preparing certified/attested copies of all the relevant documents upfront.
The central administration team (CampusCenter Team for your enrolment, located at the city center) and the IAS Team (for your application and later your studies, located at the Department of Informatics, Hamburg Stellingen) are two very distinct teams and have nothing to do with the task of the other.

More FAQ

* [[FAQ: Q&A| Frequently Asked Questions about the application]]

Application:Required documents

2020-03-12T15:12:39Z

Apeters1: /* Please send all documents to: */

=List of all required documents for application=
In order to apply for the 2-year Master of Science program Intelligent Adaptive Systems, you need to send a paper application to the IAS Team at the Department of Informatics, Universität Hamburg. The IAS team is a team of IAS professors, researchers, lecturers, and academic advisors. The IAS Team and the selection committee will only read complete applications that meet the formal requirements. These applications will be ranked according to the selection criteria.

In order to apply successfully please follow exactly these instructions:

The deadline is on the 31st of March. Faxes and e-mails are not accepted. The IAS selection committee does not inform you of missing documents or late applications. Your application is considered incomplete if one or more of the required documents are not received before the deadline (via postal mail) and/or if your STiNE online application form is not submitted online. As a result, your application will not take part in the selection process. You can not submit missing documents after the expiration of the application deadline, there will be no reconsideration.

The documents 'do not'' have to be sent as certified/attested copies when applying. You should '''not''' send original certificates since the IAS selection committee will not send anything back. However, please note that in case your application is successful, you will need to send attested/certified copies to the University via postal mail ''within 2 weeks'', so be prepared. The notification whether you are accepted or not is send around 15 of May. Official English and German translation of documents are accepted.

Please read the explanations of what documents you have to send and follow the links to more information.

=='''1. Cover-letter-form''' ==
* Please fill in the cover-letter form (with a pdf viewer/reader).
* Then print the form. In case you are having any problems with filling in the form digitally you can also print the form and fill it in by hand (readable!).
* Send the printed form via postal mail as the first page of your application.
* Link to the cover-letter-form: [[Cover-letter-form|cover-letter-form]]

== '''2. The University's general online form (STiNE)'''==
The Universität Hamburg requires you to fill out a general and university-wide online form on their student platform called STiNE. The only purpose of this form is to register with the central administration. Nothing else. It is the way to tell the University that you might apply.
* While registering you will receive a BW - Number (Application Number). Please state this number in your cover letter.
* Submit, print and '''sign''' the STiNE online form and enclose the form with your paper application.
* Only within the application period (15 February - 31 March), the online application form can be accessed through the STiNE portal: https://www.stine.uni-hamburg.de. Sorry, some parts of the STiNE online form are in German and therefore rather tricky.
* As a service to IAS applicants, the IAS-Team has prepared a wiki entry: [[online application form|Online form STiNE]].
*For further questions about STiNE please ask the technical support of STiNE. STiNE is a part of the central administration - not the IAS Team's platform, see [https://www.stine.uni-hamburg.de/scripts/mgrqispi.dll?APPNAME=CampusNet&PRGNAME=EXTERNALPAGES&ARGUMENTS=-N000000000000002,-N000339,-A100101e#furtherquestions STiNE support].

After filling out the STiNE online form, '''click submit''', and then, '''print''' out the summary at the end (Ger: ''Druckansicht''). This print-out has to be '''signed'''. This submitted, printed, and signed STiNE form is one of the required documents which you have to send via postal mail to the Department of Informatics.

Please, note do not click "Freemover", that is the wrong application.

Please, note that the STiNE online form is just the general, uni-wide application form for central administration reasons only. You still need to send your paper application to the address below. With the complete paper application, you apply to the Department of Informatics for a place in the IAS program.

Use the address displayed here or websit not in STiNE.

==''' 3. Curriculum Vitae'''==
The CV (table version) should include information on your academic and professional career and if you have international experience. It should specifically list information on your background relevant for IAS such as projects on AI or Robotics. Please, '''provide evidence''' of such projects through acquired certificates. Project descriptions and outlines on their CS content are especially important if the achieved credits should be counted for the 60 ECTS in computer science.
Please, add your average/overall grade (can be preliminary) and your grading scale to your cv next to the information of your degree and provide official evidence for that information.

== '''4. Letter of Motivation'''==
This is the most important document since it accounts for 40% of your ranking score. It has to be written by yourself in the English language. There is a maximum of 1.5 pages that you should not exceed.
In this letter, you should explain your motivation to study especially this program. The text should answer the following questions:
* Why are you interested in the field "Intelligent Adaptive Systems" or what parts are most interesting and why?
* Why is this program especially suited to complement the knowledge you already have?
* Why did you choose to study this program at Universität Hamburg?
* How does this program fit into your academic and professional future goals

The selection committee will give high ratings to those letters that show that the student has made a deliberate choice to study IAS and can justify their decision well while also explaining how studying IAS will bring the student closer to the desired goal. The board is looking for students that show high motivation and have a good chance of finishing the program with a high impact on the student's life. The ability to present a well-argued and connected chain of argument is a major ability the board is looking for.

Things that affect the rating adversely are, amongst many, generic letters that are written for multiple applications, letters that are written in bad English or do not follow a good structure.

The selection committee does not want to read about the history of informatics, the selection committee wants to read something relevant and precise about you.

== '''5. Proof(s) of English language proficiency'''==
Please see [[Application:Formal requirements| formal requirements]] for details on the required language certificates and further information.

Proof of English language proficiency by
CEFR/TELC: At least Level B2 in all testing categories (listening, reading, speaking, writing) better C1
IELTS: 6.5 + B2
TOEFL: IBT 90, PBT 575, CBT 230
Cambridge: CAE or CPE

==''' 6. Transcript of Records'''==
Please see '''[[Application:Formal requirements| formal requirements]]''' for detailed information on the requirements for your transcript of records.

== '''7. Self-made structured table of all core computer science courses'''==
As a formal requirement you need to evidence 60 ECTS in core computer science courses. To do so, please provide your transcript and a self-made table listing all your core computer science courses you have completed. Please, also refer to the listed information under [[Application:Formal requirements| formal requirements]] regarding questions about the ''ECTS credit system'', the ''calculation'' of the required 60 ECTS, ''modules/courses counted as CS'' by IAS selection committee. Please use this [[Required Documents: Example structure table|example]] to provide your evidence of your 60 ECTS credits or more.

=='''8. BSc certificates and diploma supplement'''==

* If you have finished your degree send a copy of your degree certificate.

* You can also apply if you have finished 5/6 semesters and can evidence 150 ECTS credits (or comparable) of your first degree and at the point of application at least 60 ECTS in computer science must be evident. In order to estimate that you are going to finish you must provide the official transcript of records showing the amount of already acquired credits or credit hours and the number of minimum credits or credit hours required for completion. The final transcript and graduation certificate have to be handed in for enrolment if you are admitted.

* Diploma Supplement: In any case provide a description of your degree - it is an official document issued by most universities.
** The degree's grading system
** The standard amount of semesters required for completion of your degree
** The description of how many weeks per semester of in-class time with a lecturer present
** The description of how your credit systems works, e.g. 1 cp is worth 30 hours of in-class time with lecturer present meaning 2 hours a week for 15 weeks...

=='''9. Your grade'''==
In regards to your overall average grade (preliminary) or final grade, please provide a document with your (preliminary) final grade calculated by your university, even if only 5/6 or 7/8 semesters of the studies have been completed. Your grade should be in the grading system your university provides and with which you can provide the grading system. The grade needs to be in numbers, not letters. Make sure you send an official document attested by your university as the IAS selection committee does not accept self-calculated '''final''' grades nor does the IAS selection committee calculate final grades for you. If this information is listed in your transcript of records or degree certificate, then you don't need to provide this extra document.

Preliminary grade:
Some transcripts or universities do not provide a preliminary average grade: compute it on your own on an extra document and tell us how you did it. If it is not the simple grade average of all grades in the transcript, please provide extra official proof of how your university or degree rules are to compute it.

Please note: If you fail to provide proof of your grade or preliminary grade and grading scale - The grade you are assigned will be the worst possible grade - a grade of 9.9 in selection procedures. This means that applications without a grade will rank behind the last applicant who had provided a grade. This is also true if you state a different grade / grading scale in the table and cover-letter than in your transcript or when the selection committee controls your computation.

=='''10. Grading scale'''==
IAS selection committee needs detailed information on your degree's grading system (alternative names: grading scale/scheme of evaluation/grade classification/range of marks ...) as it is important in our [[Application:Selection criteria| selection process]]. As the IAS selection committee will evaluate and rank all applications, we need the grading scale of your university to make your average or final grade comparable to others. In a lot of cases, official transcripts of records display the university's grading system. Usually, this is a table with all the degree's grades and corresponding information like minimum passing grade and maximum, outstanding or excellent grade, etc. However, if this is not the case for your transcript of records, then please provide this information attested by your university.

Highlight the grading scale, minimum passing grade, and maximum grade in your official documents and state exactly on which page the relevant information can be found, e.g., "the grading scale can be found in the printed degree description page 4 Section 2.1.1 see highlighted information". The selection committee will not look through documents if no help is provided where to find the right information. Please display exact information on paper printout. You may provide a link to a lengthy document if you only printed out parts of a lengthy document for control reasons. The selection committee will not follow links nor translate websites to search for information if no information is provided in paper.

Please note: If you fail to provide proof of your grade or preliminary grade and grading scale - The grade you are assigned will be the worst possible grade - a grade of 9.9 in selection procedures. This means that applications without a grade or grading scale will rank behind the last applicant who had provided a grade. This is also true if you state a different grade / grading scale in the table and cover-letter than in your transcript/official documents or when the selection committee controls your computation.

=='''11. Evidence that your university and degree is recognized in Germany'''==
Admission to a Master degree program at a German university requires an undergraduate degree. This must have been obtained from a recognized higher education institution. The degree also must be equivalent to at least a three year Bachelor that was attained in Germany. It is a prerequisite for an application for the master course "IAS" that your university degree is recognized as equivalent to a Bachelor's degree obtained in Germany.

===How to provide proof that your university is recognized in Germany?===

The selection committee's advice: print out the anabin database entry for proof. It is cost-free and fast:
* Use the database anabin and print out the information about your university
* Your university needs to be recognized with H+
* More information here: [[Desired Documents:Anabin|Anabin]]

If you have difficulties handling anabin, you may use the fee-based service, called Uni-Assist:
* This is the official recommendation of the Universität Hamburg is that you use the fee-based service Uni-Assist (but you don't need to if you provide the anabin printout)
* Request this service around 1 of December - otherwise Uni-Assist might not answer you in time
* More information about [[FAQ:UniAssist| Uni-Assist]]
* Only use Uni-assist if you do not want to look up your University in the database Anabin

Some countries have to get a German authorities endorsement anyway for visa or application- you may hand this in as additional proof:

An endorsement of recognition from German authorities, including information about the type of higher education entrance eligibility and, if applicable, for a particular subject. The Universität Hamburg accepts the following types of endorsement of recognition:

* APS certificates from the academic review offices of Beijing, Ulaanbaatar, and Hanoi

Please note: For the application to the Master program IAS - it is enough to send in your information from Anabin.

If you cannot find information on whether your university is recognized in Germany, the selection committee has to decide case by case whether your degree sounds eligible or not. Usually, your degree does not qualify.

=Application via email possible from now on until 31 March:=

'''Because of the corona-virus pandemic, the IAS Team has decided to allow applications via email.'''

Send the application as described exactly on the website and this wiki:

* in '''only''' 1 pdf - only complete applications will be considered
* not more than 9 MB
* until 31 March
* use Email - subject [Final IAS Application] [Full name, BW-number]
* only use: ias-team@informatik.uni-hamburg.de
* Use the order of documents presented here 1.-11. when sending the application.

If you have already sent us a paper application - please contact us - if you are able please send the application as pdf again, please do so. A paper application will be of course considered but we kindly ask you to send the application as pdf.

Everything else stays exactly the same as it is described in this wiki and website except the postal mailing part.

Please, put the documents in this order and make sure that they are not attached to one another (Please do not use staplers, paper clips, folders, etc.):
# Cover Sheet
# Signed Online Form STiNE
# CV
# Motivation Letter
# Language Test Score
# Transcript
# Self-made table
# Bachelor Certificate + Diploma Supplement
# Grade
# Grading scale
# Anabin print out
# everything else

Please highlight important information in your documents, e.g. grading scale, grade, "H+" in the anabin printout, finishing date ...

Please check carefully if you have sent all the required documents in due time. The deadline is the 31 of March (No postal mail arrives on Saturdays and Sundays at the university). Faxes and e-mails are not accepted. We do not inform you of missing documents or late applications. Your application is considered incomplete if one or more of the required documents are not received before the deadline via postal mail or if your STiNE online application form is not submitted online. As a result, your application will not take part in the selection process. There will be no reconsideration of your application. Also note, that we do not inform you about received postal mail (letters, parcels, envelopes) – Please check with your postal mail provider if you like an acknowledgment.

One final note from the selection committee: There are more than 450 applicants and only 20 spaces on the program. We like a neat, well-structured, precise, and complete application. Think for yourself. Show that you can be a responsible and well-organized student.
The selection committee and the IAS team consist of professors, lecturers, advisors, Post-docs who will also teach you once you are accepted.

= Additional Documents =
Generally, all possible documents that support your application (especially as evidence for the arguments used in your motivation letter) can be included and will be taken into account in the selection process. Please include only documents that are relevant for this application. The selection of documents already shows your ability to distinguish between relevant and irrelevant content and a large amount of radomly added certificates or documents may have a negative effect on your ranking.

==Desired documents==

* Documents that add to the evidence needed for the requirements, e.g. additional proofs of language proficiency or higher education courses with computer science content, letter of recommendation
* Evidence for research or professional and/or international experience relevant to IAS studies.
* International experience, e.g. a study exchange, shows your ability to adapt to different learning and living environments and should be listed and described as part of our CV.
* The same holds for professional experience that may show your ability to work in a computer science context.
* Training courses or extensive experience that shows deep understanding of computer science concepts. This will be taken into account for general suitability for the very specific Master program IAS.

== Suitable additions ==
* GRE test or other academic tests showing your ability to study in higher education. Such tests are not required but may be taken into account if provided and if they add to the general story of the application.
* Certificates of contests and competitions can be added if relevant. Please carefully decide whether the certificate can add any additional value to your application.

== Undesired documents ==
* Full module handbooks. To show that you fulfill the requirement of the sufficient 60 ETCS credits, you have to send the self-made and structured table. Please don't send full module handbooks as the IAS admission team will not have the time to search for core CS courses in those handbooks for you.
* Certificates that don't add additional information or are not relevant at all. More is not always better since it may show that you are not able to decide what is relevant for the subject and what is not. Select the certificates that best show your abilities.

==Do all the documents have to be sent as certified/attested copies?==
No, not for the application at the Department of Informatics - IAS. You can send the required application documents as simple copies. But please be aware that once you have been sent an ''letter of acceptance'' by the CampusCenter (central administration), you have to send certified/attested copies of your language certificate, your university entrance qualification (e.g. high school certificate), and your bachelor's degree certificate to prove the authenticity of those documents together with the matriculation form '''within 14 days''' to the "Team for Application and Admission" (Ger: ''Team Bewerbung und Zulassung'') at the CampusCenter of the Universität Hamburg. Therefore, we highly recommend preparing certified/attested copies of all the relevant documents upfront.
The central administration team (CampusCenter Team for your enrolment, located at the city center) and the IAS Team (for your application and later your studies, located at the Department of Informatics, Hamburg Stellingen) are two very distinct teams and have nothing to do with the task of the other.

More FAQ

* [[FAQ: Q&A| Frequently Asked Questions about the application]]

Application:Required documents

2020-03-12T14:53:00Z

Apeters1: /* Please send all documents to: */

=List of all required documents for application=
In order to apply for the 2-year Master of Science program Intelligent Adaptive Systems, you need to send a paper application to the IAS Team at the Department of Informatics, Universität Hamburg. The IAS team is a team of IAS professors, researchers, lecturers, and academic advisors. The IAS Team and the selection committee will only read complete applications that meet the formal requirements. These applications will be ranked according to the selection criteria.

In order to apply successfully please follow exactly these instructions:

The deadline is on the 31st of March. Faxes and e-mails are not accepted. The IAS selection committee does not inform you of missing documents or late applications. Your application is considered incomplete if one or more of the required documents are not received before the deadline (via postal mail) and/or if your STiNE online application form is not submitted online. As a result, your application will not take part in the selection process. You can not submit missing documents after the expiration of the application deadline, there will be no reconsideration.

The documents 'do not'' have to be sent as certified/attested copies when applying. You should '''not''' send original certificates since the IAS selection committee will not send anything back. However, please note that in case your application is successful, you will need to send attested/certified copies to the University via postal mail ''within 2 weeks'', so be prepared. The notification whether you are accepted or not is send around 15 of May. Official English and German translation of documents are accepted.

Please read the explanations of what documents you have to send and follow the links to more information.

=='''1. Cover-letter-form''' ==
* Please fill in the cover-letter form (with a pdf viewer/reader).
* Then print the form. In case you are having any problems with filling in the form digitally you can also print the form and fill it in by hand (readable!).
* Send the printed form via postal mail as the first page of your application.
* Link to the cover-letter-form: [[Cover-letter-form|cover-letter-form]]

== '''2. The University's general online form (STiNE)'''==
The Universität Hamburg requires you to fill out a general and university-wide online form on their student platform called STiNE. The only purpose of this form is to register with the central administration. Nothing else. It is the way to tell the University that you might apply.
* While registering you will receive a BW - Number (Application Number). Please state this number in your cover letter.
* Submit, print and '''sign''' the STiNE online form and enclose the form with your paper application.
* Only within the application period (15 February - 31 March), the online application form can be accessed through the STiNE portal: https://www.stine.uni-hamburg.de. Sorry, some parts of the STiNE online form are in German and therefore rather tricky.
* As a service to IAS applicants, the IAS-Team has prepared a wiki entry: [[online application form|Online form STiNE]].
*For further questions about STiNE please ask the technical support of STiNE. STiNE is a part of the central administration - not the IAS Team's platform, see [https://www.stine.uni-hamburg.de/scripts/mgrqispi.dll?APPNAME=CampusNet&PRGNAME=EXTERNALPAGES&ARGUMENTS=-N000000000000002,-N000339,-A100101e#furtherquestions STiNE support].

After filling out the STiNE online form, '''click submit''', and then, '''print''' out the summary at the end (Ger: ''Druckansicht''). This print-out has to be '''signed'''. This submitted, printed, and signed STiNE form is one of the required documents which you have to send via postal mail to the Department of Informatics.

Please, note do not click "Freemover", that is the wrong application.

Please, note that the STiNE online form is just the general, uni-wide application form for central administration reasons only. You still need to send your paper application to the address below. With the complete paper application, you apply to the Department of Informatics for a place in the IAS program.

Use the address displayed here or websit not in STiNE.

==''' 3. Curriculum Vitae'''==
The CV (table version) should include information on your academic and professional career and if you have international experience. It should specifically list information on your background relevant for IAS such as projects on AI or Robotics. Please, '''provide evidence''' of such projects through acquired certificates. Project descriptions and outlines on their CS content are especially important if the achieved credits should be counted for the 60 ECTS in computer science.
Please, add your average/overall grade (can be preliminary) and your grading scale to your cv next to the information of your degree and provide official evidence for that information.

== '''4. Letter of Motivation'''==
This is the most important document since it accounts for 40% of your ranking score. It has to be written by yourself in the English language. There is a maximum of 1.5 pages that you should not exceed.
In this letter, you should explain your motivation to study especially this program. The text should answer the following questions:
* Why are you interested in the field "Intelligent Adaptive Systems" or what parts are most interesting and why?
* Why is this program especially suited to complement the knowledge you already have?
* Why did you choose to study this program at Universität Hamburg?
* How does this program fit into your academic and professional future goals

The selection committee will give high ratings to those letters that show that the student has made a deliberate choice to study IAS and can justify their decision well while also explaining how studying IAS will bring the student closer to the desired goal. The board is looking for students that show high motivation and have a good chance of finishing the program with a high impact on the student's life. The ability to present a well-argued and connected chain of argument is a major ability the board is looking for.

Things that affect the rating adversely are, amongst many, generic letters that are written for multiple applications, letters that are written in bad English or do not follow a good structure.

The selection committee does not want to read about the history of informatics, the selection committee wants to read something relevant and precise about you.

== '''5. Proof(s) of English language proficiency'''==
Please see [[Application:Formal requirements| formal requirements]] for details on the required language certificates and further information.

Proof of English language proficiency by
CEFR/TELC: At least Level B2 in all testing categories (listening, reading, speaking, writing) better C1
IELTS: 6.5 + B2
TOEFL: IBT 90, PBT 575, CBT 230
Cambridge: CAE or CPE

==''' 6. Transcript of Records'''==
Please see '''[[Application:Formal requirements| formal requirements]]''' for detailed information on the requirements for your transcript of records.

== '''7. Self-made structured table of all core computer science courses'''==
As a formal requirement you need to evidence 60 ECTS in core computer science courses. To do so, please provide your transcript and a self-made table listing all your core computer science courses you have completed. Please, also refer to the listed information under [[Application:Formal requirements| formal requirements]] regarding questions about the ''ECTS credit system'', the ''calculation'' of the required 60 ECTS, ''modules/courses counted as CS'' by IAS selection committee. Please use this [[Required Documents: Example structure table|example]] to provide your evidence of your 60 ECTS credits or more.

=='''8. BSc certificates and diploma supplement'''==

* If you have finished your degree send a copy of your degree certificate.

* You can also apply if you have finished 5/6 semesters and can evidence 150 ECTS credits (or comparable) of your first degree and at the point of application at least 60 ECTS in computer science must be evident. In order to estimate that you are going to finish you must provide the official transcript of records showing the amount of already acquired credits or credit hours and the number of minimum credits or credit hours required for completion. The final transcript and graduation certificate have to be handed in for enrolment if you are admitted.

* Diploma Supplement: In any case provide a description of your degree - it is an official document issued by most universities.
** The degree's grading system
** The standard amount of semesters required for completion of your degree
** The description of how many weeks per semester of in-class time with a lecturer present
** The description of how your credit systems works, e.g. 1 cp is worth 30 hours of in-class time with lecturer present meaning 2 hours a week for 15 weeks...

=='''9. Your grade'''==
In regards to your overall average grade (preliminary) or final grade, please provide a document with your (preliminary) final grade calculated by your university, even if only 5/6 or 7/8 semesters of the studies have been completed. Your grade should be in the grading system your university provides and with which you can provide the grading system. The grade needs to be in numbers, not letters. Make sure you send an official document attested by your university as the IAS selection committee does not accept self-calculated '''final''' grades nor does the IAS selection committee calculate final grades for you. If this information is listed in your transcript of records or degree certificate, then you don't need to provide this extra document.

Preliminary grade:
Some transcripts or universities do not provide a preliminary average grade: compute it on your own on an extra document and tell us how you did it. If it is not the simple grade average of all grades in the transcript, please provide extra official proof of how your university or degree rules are to compute it.

Please note: If you fail to provide proof of your grade or preliminary grade and grading scale - The grade you are assigned will be the worst possible grade - a grade of 9.9 in selection procedures. This means that applications without a grade will rank behind the last applicant who had provided a grade. This is also true if you state a different grade / grading scale in the table and cover-letter than in your transcript or when the selection committee controls your computation.

=='''10. Grading scale'''==
IAS selection committee needs detailed information on your degree's grading system (alternative names: grading scale/scheme of evaluation/grade classification/range of marks ...) as it is important in our [[Application:Selection criteria| selection process]]. As the IAS selection committee will evaluate and rank all applications, we need the grading scale of your university to make your average or final grade comparable to others. In a lot of cases, official transcripts of records display the university's grading system. Usually, this is a table with all the degree's grades and corresponding information like minimum passing grade and maximum, outstanding or excellent grade, etc. However, if this is not the case for your transcript of records, then please provide this information attested by your university.

Highlight the grading scale, minimum passing grade, and maximum grade in your official documents and state exactly on which page the relevant information can be found, e.g., "the grading scale can be found in the printed degree description page 4 Section 2.1.1 see highlighted information". The selection committee will not look through documents if no help is provided where to find the right information. Please display exact information on paper printout. You may provide a link to a lengthy document if you only printed out parts of a lengthy document for control reasons. The selection committee will not follow links nor translate websites to search for information if no information is provided in paper.

Please note: If you fail to provide proof of your grade or preliminary grade and grading scale - The grade you are assigned will be the worst possible grade - a grade of 9.9 in selection procedures. This means that applications without a grade or grading scale will rank behind the last applicant who had provided a grade. This is also true if you state a different grade / grading scale in the table and cover-letter than in your transcript/official documents or when the selection committee controls your computation.

=='''11. Evidence that your university and degree is recognized in Germany'''==
Admission to a Master degree program at a German university requires an undergraduate degree. This must have been obtained from a recognized higher education institution. The degree also must be equivalent to at least a three year Bachelor that was attained in Germany. It is a prerequisite for an application for the master course "IAS" that your university degree is recognized as equivalent to a Bachelor's degree obtained in Germany.

===How to provide proof that your university is recognized in Germany?===

The selection committee's advice: print out the anabin database entry for proof. It is cost-free and fast:
* Use the database anabin and print out the information about your university
* Your university needs to be recognized with H+
* More information here: [[Desired Documents:Anabin|Anabin]]

If you have difficulties handling anabin, you may use the fee-based service, called Uni-Assist:
* This is the official recommendation of the Universität Hamburg is that you use the fee-based service Uni-Assist (but you don't need to if you provide the anabin printout)
* Request this service around 1 of December - otherwise Uni-Assist might not answer you in time
* More information about [[FAQ:UniAssist| Uni-Assist]]
* Only use Uni-assist if you do not want to look up your University in the database Anabin

Some countries have to get a German authorities endorsement anyway for visa or application- you may hand this in as additional proof:

An endorsement of recognition from German authorities, including information about the type of higher education entrance eligibility and, if applicable, for a particular subject. The Universität Hamburg accepts the following types of endorsement of recognition:

* APS certificates from the academic review offices of Beijing, Ulaanbaatar, and Hanoi

Please note: For the application to the Master program IAS - it is enough to send in your information from Anabin.

If you cannot find information on whether your university is recognized in Germany, the selection committee has to decide case by case whether your degree sounds eligible or not. Usually, your degree does not qualify.

=Please send all documents to:=
ias-team@informatik.uni-hamburg.de

'''Application via email possible from 12 March -31 March'''

Because of the corona-virus pandemic, the IAS Team has decided to allow applications via email.

Send the application as described on the website and this wiki:

* in 1 pdf - only complete applications will be considered
* not more than 9 MB
* until 31 March
* use Email - subject with the subject [Final IAS Application] [Full name, BW-number]
* only use: ias-team@informatik.uni-hamburg.de

If you have already sent us a paper application - please contact us - if you are able please send the application as pdf again, please do so. A paper application will be of course considered but we kindly ask you to send the application as pdf.

Please, put the documents in this order and make sure that they are not attached to one another (Please do not use staplers, paper clips, folders, etc.):
# Cover Sheet
# Signed Online Form STiNE
# CV
# Motivation Letter
# Language Test Score
# Transcript
# Self-made table
# Bachelor Certificate + Diploma Supplement
# Grade
# Grading scale
# Anabin print out
# everything else

Please highlight important information in your documents, e.g. grading scale, grade, "H+" in the anabin printout, finishing date ...

Please check carefully if you have sent all the required documents in due time. The deadline is the 31 of March (No postal mail arrives on Saturdays and Sundays at the university). Faxes and e-mails are not accepted. We do not inform you of missing documents or late applications. Your application is considered incomplete if one or more of the required documents are not received before the deadline via postal mail or if your STiNE online application form is not submitted online. As a result, your application will not take part in the selection process. There will be no reconsideration of your application. Also note, that we do not inform you about received postal mail (letters, parcels, envelopes) – Please check with your postal mail provider if you like an acknowledgment.

One final note from the selection committee: There are more than 450 applicants and only 20 spaces on the program. We like a neat, well-structured, precise, and complete application. Think for yourself. Show that you can be a responsible and well-organized student.
The selection committee and the IAS team consist of professors, lecturers, advisors, Post-docs who will also teach you once you are accepted.

= Additional Documents =
Generally, all possible documents that support your application (especially as evidence for the arguments used in your motivation letter) can be included and will be taken into account in the selection process. Please include only documents that are relevant for this application. The selection of documents already shows your ability to distinguish between relevant and irrelevant content and a large amount of radomly added certificates or documents may have a negative effect on your ranking.

==Desired documents==

* Documents that add to the evidence needed for the requirements, e.g. additional proofs of language proficiency or higher education courses with computer science content, letter of recommendation
* Evidence for research or professional and/or international experience relevant to IAS studies.
* International experience, e.g. a study exchange, shows your ability to adapt to different learning and living environments and should be listed and described as part of our CV.
* The same holds for professional experience that may show your ability to work in a computer science context.
* Training courses or extensive experience that shows deep understanding of computer science concepts. This will be taken into account for general suitability for the very specific Master program IAS.

== Suitable additions ==
* GRE test or other academic tests showing your ability to study in higher education. Such tests are not required but may be taken into account if provided and if they add to the general story of the application.
* Certificates of contests and competitions can be added if relevant. Please carefully decide whether the certificate can add any additional value to your application.

== Undesired documents ==
* Full module handbooks. To show that you fulfill the requirement of the sufficient 60 ETCS credits, you have to send the self-made and structured table. Please don't send full module handbooks as the IAS admission team will not have the time to search for core CS courses in those handbooks for you.
* Certificates that don't add additional information or are not relevant at all. More is not always better since it may show that you are not able to decide what is relevant for the subject and what is not. Select the certificates that best show your abilities.

==Do all the documents have to be sent as certified/attested copies?==
No, not for the application at the Department of Informatics - IAS. You can send the required application documents as simple copies. But please be aware that once you have been sent an ''letter of acceptance'' by the CampusCenter (central administration), you have to send certified/attested copies of your language certificate, your university entrance qualification (e.g. high school certificate), and your bachelor's degree certificate to prove the authenticity of those documents together with the matriculation form '''within 14 days''' to the "Team for Application and Admission" (Ger: ''Team Bewerbung und Zulassung'') at the CampusCenter of the Universität Hamburg. Therefore, we highly recommend preparing certified/attested copies of all the relevant documents upfront.
The central administration team (CampusCenter Team for your enrolment, located at the city center) and the IAS Team (for your application and later your studies, located at the Department of Informatics, Hamburg Stellingen) are two very distinct teams and have nothing to do with the task of the other.

More FAQ

* [[FAQ: Q&A| Frequently Asked Questions about the application]]

Required Documents: Example structure table

2020-03-10T11:32:14Z

Apeters1:

Please see the example below on how to present your detailed structure table of your 60 ECTS in computer science. As you'll have to send it to us via postal mail as one of the required documents, please make sure you summarize all the necessary information in a detailed, but precise and compact way.

Here is the template of the self-made table listing computer science courses:

[https://www2.informatik.uni-hamburg.de/wtm/pictures/Example_Evidencing_60_ECTS.ods Ready to use table - with a rough transformation of credit hours into ECTS]

[https://www2.informatik.uni-hamburg.de/wtm/pictures/Example_Evidencing_60_ECTS.pdf pdf example of selfmade table]

Your structured table should include:

* The title + number of the course as listed in your transcript of records
* A short explanation of cs content
* Each course's credits and/or credit hours (grade independent number + can be found in your transcript)
* Your grade for that specific course you are listing (in degrees grading system) - the grade needs to be in numbers and in the expressed in the form that the average can be computed

For ECTS estimation the IAS Team uses the estimation of contact hours per semester without total workload hours. This is a very conservative estimation of ECTS but a clean one:
* Contact hours per week (academic hours with the lecturer present, in-class hours)
* Amount of weeks per semester in which in-class / contact hours take place
* Estimation of the number of contact hours in the semester compared to the German system (see template)

Underneath your table please add the following information:
* State your name
* Name of your Bachelor's program
* The total number of computer science courses you list: How many courses are cs courses in your degree?

Sum of Credit points
* The total amount of credit hours or credit points of only your computer science courses (appearing in your transcript)
* The total amount of credits/credit hours of your entire degree/program once you finish (what's the minimum amount of credits or hours you need to achieve in order to be allowed to finish your degree)

Study lengths:
* The actual length of how long you have studied in years so far in your degree/program
* Standard period of study of your study program in years. (For instance, “3.5/4” means that you have done 3.5 years out of 4 years of your program.)

Grading:
* Your final or preliminary grade (needs to appear in your transcript or another official document)
* Your program's grading system: minimum passing and maximum grades (needs to appear in your transcript or another official document)
* Grade average of only computer science courses in the same system as your final or preliminary grade (so we can compare the cs grades with your overall grade)
Please do '''not''' translate your grades into the German or GPA system

Don't forget to print out a version of your table to include it in your paper application!

'''Official documents'''

All information (credit hours, credit points) has to be found in an official document issued by your university = usually the transcript. If the subjects cannot be found in your transcript please state in the table where the evidence can be found.

'''Preliminary check of table/transcript:'''

The IAS Team offers a preliminary check of your table (with all info requested) + transcript between June - January. Please send the table, transcript, cover-letter via email to ''ias-team@informatik.uni-hamburg.de''.

'''Advice:'''

For your application: to make it easier for the Application-Selection-Committee to find the corresponding information in your transcript, highlight the subject numbers or names of cs courses in a copy of your transcript (or letter of recommendation).
Highlight the important information in any other documents, e.g., degree description and grading systems. It saves us a lot of time, which we can then spend on actually reading your application.

'''More explanation:'''

If you need any other information, please consult the IAS Team via e-mail under ''ias-team@informatik.uni-hamburg.de''.

Please consult first the information on [[Application:Formal requirements| formal requirements]] and information on [[Application:Required documents| required documents]].

cs= computer science

==What modules will be counted towards the 60 ECTS?==
Here are some examples of module names which will likely be counted as CS content: digital signal processing, artificial intelligence, computational linguistics, software engineering, programming in ..., human-robot interaction, neural networks, introduction to computer science, data mining, image processing, algorithms, and data structures, data bases...

Modules that will '''not''' be counted include math, engineering, mechatronics, electrical engineering, economics or soft skill subjects unless they specifically focus on cs centered content.

Transcript and table entries like which do not have a telling name, like "seminar", " (mini-)project", "thesis" have to be explained in order to get the admission board to accept the subject as a cs course counting towards 60 ECTS. For those courses, you need to provide some kind of evidence that there was major cs content included, e.g., letter of recommendation or a small note of the academic office.

Required Documents: Example structure table

2020-03-10T11:29:34Z

Apeters1: /* What modules will be counted towards the 60 ECTS? */

Please see the example below on how to present your detailed structure table of your 60 ECTS in computer science. As you'll have to send it to us via postal mail as one of the required documents, please make sure you summarize all the necessary information in a detailed, but precise and compact way.

Here is the template of the self-made table listing computer science courses:

[https://www2.informatik.uni-hamburg.de/wtm/pictures/Example_Evidencing_60_ECTS.ods Ready to use table - with a rough transformation of credit hours into ECTS]

[https://www2.informatik.uni-hamburg.de/wtm/pictures/Example_Evidencing_60_ECTS.pdf pdf example of selfmade table]

Your structured table should include:

* The title + number of the course as listed in your transcript of records
* A short explanation of cs content
* Each course's credits and/or credit hours (grade independent number + can be found in your transcript)
* Your grade for that specific course you are listing (in degrees grading system) - the grade needs to be in numbers and in the expressed in the form that the average can be computed

For ECTS estimation the IAS Team uses the estimation of contact hours per semester without total workload hours. This is a very conservative estimation of ECTS but a clean one:
* Contact hours per week (academic hours with the lecturer present, in-class hours)
* Amount of weeks per semester in which in-class / contact hours take place
* Estimation of the number of contact hours in the semester compared to the German system (see template)

Underneath your table please add the following information:
* State your name
* Name of your Bachelor's program
* The total number of computer science courses you list: How many courses are cs courses in your degree?

Sum of Credit points
* The total amount of credit hours or credit points of only your computer science courses (appearing in your transcript)
* The total amount of credits/credit hours of your entire degree/program once you finish (what's the minimum amount of credits or hours you need to achieve in order to be allowed to finish your degree)

Study lengths:
* The actual length of how long you have studied in years so far in your degree/program
* Standard period of study of your study program in years. (For instance, “3.5/4” means that you have done 3.5 years out of 4 years of your program.)

Grading:
* Your final or preliminary grade (needs to appear in your transcript or another official document)
* Your program's grading system: minimum passing and maximum grades (needs to appear in your transcript or another official document)
* Grade average of only computer science courses in the same system as your final or preliminary grade (so we can compare the cs grades with your overall grade)
Please do '''not''' translate in the German or GPA system

Don't forget to print out a version of your table to include it in your paper application!

'''Official documents'''

All information (credit hours, credit points) has to be found in an official document issued by your university = usually the transcript. If the subjects cannot be found in your transcript please state in the table where the evidence can be found.

'''Preliminary check of table/transcript:'''

The IAS Team offers a preliminary check of your table (with all info requested) + transcript between June - January. Please send the table, transcript, cover-letter via email to ''ias-team@informatik.uni-hamburg.de''.

'''Advice:'''

For your application: to make it easier for the Application-Selection-Committee to find the corresponding information in your transcript, highlight the subject numbers or names of cs courses in a copy of your transcript (or letter of recommendation).
Highlight the important information in any other documents, e.g., degree description and grading systems. It saves us a lot of time, which we can then spend on actually reading your application.

'''More explanation:'''

If you need any other information, please consult the IAS Team via e-mail under ''ias-team@informatik.uni-hamburg.de''.

Please consult first the information on [[Application:Formal requirements| formal requirements]] and information on [[Application:Required documents| required documents]].

cs= computer science

==What modules will be counted towards the 60 ECTS?==
Here are some examples of module names which will likely be counted as CS content: digital signal processing, artificial intelligence, computational linguistics, software engineering, programming in ..., human-robot interaction, neural networks, introduction to computer science, data mining, image processing, algorithms, and data structures, data bases...

Modules that will '''not''' be counted include math, engineering, mechatronics, electrical engineering, economics or soft skill subjects unless they specifically focus on cs centered content.

Transcript and table entries like which do not have a telling name, like "seminar", " (mini-)project", "thesis" have to be explained in order to get the admission board to accept the subject as a cs course counting towards 60 ECTS. For those courses, you need to provide some kind of evidence that there was major cs content included, e.g., letter of recommendation or a small note of the academic office.

Required Documents: Example structure table

2020-03-10T11:22:49Z

Apeters1:

Please see the example below on how to present your detailed structure table of your 60 ECTS in computer science. As you'll have to send it to us via postal mail as one of the required documents, please make sure you summarize all the necessary information in a detailed, but precise and compact way.

Here is the template of the self-made table listing computer science courses:

[https://www2.informatik.uni-hamburg.de/wtm/pictures/Example_Evidencing_60_ECTS.ods Ready to use table - with a rough transformation of credit hours into ECTS]

[https://www2.informatik.uni-hamburg.de/wtm/pictures/Example_Evidencing_60_ECTS.pdf pdf example of selfmade table]

Your structured table should include:

* The title + number of the course as listed in your transcript of records
* A short explanation of cs content
* Each course's credits and/or credit hours (grade independent number + can be found in your transcript)
* Your grade for that specific course you are listing (in degrees grading system) - the grade needs to be in numbers and in the expressed in the form that the average can be computed

For ECTS estimation the IAS Team uses the estimation of contact hours per semester without total workload hours. This is a very conservative estimation of ECTS but a clean one:
* Contact hours per week (academic hours with the lecturer present, in-class hours)
* Amount of weeks per semester in which in-class / contact hours take place
* Estimation of the number of contact hours in the semester compared to the German system (see template)

Underneath your table please add the following information:
* State your name
* Name of your Bachelor's program
* The total number of computer science courses you list: How many courses are cs courses in your degree?

Sum of Credit points
* The total amount of credit hours or credit points of only your computer science courses (appearing in your transcript)
* The total amount of credits/credit hours of your entire degree/program once you finish (what's the minimum amount of credits or hours you need to achieve in order to be allowed to finish your degree)

Study lengths:
* The actual length of how long you have studied in years so far in your degree/program
* Standard period of study of your study program in years. (For instance, “3.5/4” means that you have done 3.5 years out of 4 years of your program.)

Grading:
* Your final or preliminary grade (needs to appear in your transcript or another official document)
* Your program's grading system: minimum passing and maximum grades (needs to appear in your transcript or another official document)
* Grade average of only computer science courses in the same system as your final or preliminary grade (so we can compare the cs grades with your overall grade)
Please do '''not''' translate in the German or GPA system

Don't forget to print out a version of your table to include it in your paper application!

'''Official documents'''

All information (credit hours, credit points) has to be found in an official document issued by your university = usually the transcript. If the subjects cannot be found in your transcript please state in the table where the evidence can be found.

'''Preliminary check of table/transcript:'''

The IAS Team offers a preliminary check of your table (with all info requested) + transcript between June - January. Please send the table, transcript, cover-letter via email to ''ias-team@informatik.uni-hamburg.de''.

'''Advice:'''

For your application: to make it easier for the Application-Selection-Committee to find the corresponding information in your transcript, highlight the subject numbers or names of cs courses in a copy of your transcript (or letter of recommendation).
Highlight the important information in any other documents, e.g., degree description and grading systems. It saves us a lot of time, which we can then spend on actually reading your application.

'''More explanation:'''

If you need any other information, please consult the IAS Team via e-mail under ''ias-team@informatik.uni-hamburg.de''.

Please consult first the information on [[Application:Formal requirements| formal requirements]] and information on [[Application:Required documents| required documents]].

cs= computer science

==What modules will be counted towards the 60 ECTS?==
Here are some examples of module names which will likely be counted as CS content: digital signal processing, artificial intelligence, computational linguistics, software engineering, programming in ..., human-robot interaction, neural networks, introduction to computer science, data mining, image processing, algorithms, and data structures, data bases...

Modules that will '''not''' be counted include: math, engineering, mechatronics, electrical engineering, economics or soft skill subjects unless they specifically focus on cs centred content.

Required Documents: Example structure table

2020-03-10T11:21:32Z

Apeters1:

Please see the example below on how to present your detailed structure table of your 60 ECTS in computer science. As you'll have to send it to us via postal mail as one of the required documents, please make sure you summarize all the necessary information in a detailed, but precise and compact way.

Here is the template of the self-made table listing computer science courses:

[https://www2.informatik.uni-hamburg.de/wtm/pictures/Example_Evidencing_60_ECTS.ods Ready to use table - with a rough transformation of credit hours into ECTS]

[https://www2.informatik.uni-hamburg.de/wtm/pictures/Example_Evidencing_60_ECTS.pdf pdf example of selfmade table]

Your structured table should include:

* The title + number of the course as listed in your transcript of records
* A short explanation of cs content
* Each course's credits and/or credit hours (grade independent number + can be found in your transcript)
* Your grade for that specific course you are listing (in degrees grading system) - the grade needs to be in numbers and in the expressed in the form that the average can be computed

For ECTS estimation the IAS Team uses the estimation of contact hours per semester without total workload hours. This is a very conservative estimation of ECTS but a clean one:
* Contact hours per week (academic hours with the lecturer present, in-class hours)
* Amount of weeks per semester in which in-class / contact hours take place
* Estimation of the number of contact hours in the semester compared to the German system (see template)

Underneath your table please add the following information:
* State your name
* Name of your Bachelor's program
* The total number of computer science courses you list: How many courses are cs courses in your degree?

Sum of Credit points
* The total amount of credit hours or credit points of only your computer science courses (appearing in your transcript)
* The total amount of credits/credit hours of your entire degree/program once you finish (what's the minimum amount of credits or hours you need to achieve in order to be allowed to finish your degree)

Study lengths:
* The actual length of how long you have studied in years so far in your degree/program
* Standard period of study of your study program in years. (For instance, “3.5/4” means that you have done 3.5 years out of 4 years of your program.)

Grading:
* Your final or preliminary grade (needs to appear in your transcript or another official document)
* Your program's grading system: minimum passing and maximum grades (needs to appear in your transcript or another official document)
* Grade average of only computer science courses in the same system as your final or preliminary grade (so we can compare the cs grades with your overall grade)
Please do '''not''' translate in the German or GPA system

Don't forget to print out a version of your table to include it in your paper application!

'''Official documents'''

All information (credit hours, credit points) has to be found in an official document issued by your university = usually the transcript. If the subjects cannot be found in your transcript please state in the table where the evidence can be found.

'''Preliminary check of table/transcript:'''

The IAS Team offers a preliminary check of your table (with all info requested) + transcript between June - January. Please send the table, transcript, cover-letter via email to ''ias-team@informatik.uni-hamburg.de''.

'''Advice:'''

For your application: to make it easier for the Application-Selection-Committee to find the corresponding information in your transcript, highlight the subject numbers or names of cs courses in a copy of your transcript (or letter of recommendation).
Highlight the important information in any other documents, e.g., degree description and grading systems. It saves us a lot of time, which we can then spend on actually reading your application.

'''More explanation:'''

If you need any other information, please consult the IAS Team via e-mail under ''ias-team@informatik.uni-hamburg.de''.

Please consult first the information on [[Application:Formal requirements| formal requirements]] and information on [[Application:Required documents| required documents]].

cs= computer science

Required Documents: Example structure table

2020-03-10T11:17:46Z

Apeters1:

Please see the example below on how to present your detailed structure table of your 60 ECTS in computer science. As you'll have to send it to us via postal mail as one of the required documents, please make sure you summarize all the necessary information in a detailed, but precise and compact way.

Here is the template of the self-made table listing computer science courses:

[https://www2.informatik.uni-hamburg.de/wtm/pictures/Example_Evidencing_60_ECTS.ods Ready to use table - with a rough transformation of credit hours into ECTS]

[https://www2.informatik.uni-hamburg.de/wtm/pictures/Example_Evidencing_60_ECTS.pdf pdf example of selfmade table]

Your structured table should include:

* The title + number of the course as listed in your transcript of records
* A short explanation of cs content
* Each course's credits and/or credit hours (grade independent number + can be found in your transcript)
* Your grade for that specific course you are listing (in degrees grading system) - the grade needs to be in numbers and in the expressed in the form that the average can be computed

For ECTS estimation the IAS Team uses the estimation of contact hours per semester without total workload hours. This is a very conservative estimation of ECTS but a clean one:
* Contact hours per week (academic hours with the lecturer present, in-class hours)
* Amount of weeks per semester in which in-class / contact hours take place
* Estimation of the number of contact hours in the semester compared to the German system (see template)

Underneath your table please add the following information:
* State your name
* Name of your Bachelor's program
* The total number of computer science courses you list: How many courses are cs courses in your degree?

Sum of Credit points
* The total amount of credit hours or credit points of only your computer science courses (appearing in your transcript)
* The total amount of credits/credit hours of your entire degree/program once you finish (what's the minimum amount of credits or hours you need to achieve in order to be allowed to finish your degree)

Study lengths:
* The actual length of how long you have studied in years so far in your degree/program
* Standard period of study of your study program in years. (For instance, “3.5/4” means that you have done 3.5 years out of 4 years of your program.)

Grading:
* Your final or preliminary grade (needs to appear in your transcript or another official document)
* Your program's grading system: minimum passing and maximum grades (needs to appear in your transcript or another official document)
* Grade average of only computer science courses in the same system as your final or preliminary grade (so we can compare the cs grades with your overall grade)
Please do '''not''' translate in the German or GPA system

Don't forget to print out a version of your table to include it in your paper application!

'''Official documents'''

All information (credit hours, credit points) has to be found in an official document issued by your university = usually the transcript. If the subjects cannot be found in your transcript please state in the table where the evidence can be found.

'''Preliminary check of table/transcript:'''

The IAS Team offers a preliminary check of your table (with all info requested) + transcript between June - January. Please send both via email to ''ias-team@informatik.uni-hamburg.de''.

'''Advice:'''

For your application: to make it easier for the Application-Selection-Committee to find the corresponding information in your transcript, highlight the subject numbers or names of cs courses in a copy of your transcript (or letter of recommendation).
Highlight the important information in any other documents, e.g., degree description and grading systems. It saves us a lot of time, which we can then spend on acctually reading your application.

'''More explanation:'''

If you need any other information, please consult the IAS Team via e-mail under ''ias-team@informatik.uni-hamburg.de''.

Please consult first the information on [[Application:Formal requirements| formal requirements]] and information on [[Application:Required documents| required documents]].

cs= computer science

Required Documents: Example structure table

2020-03-10T11:10:14Z

Apeters1: *

Application:Selection criteria

2020-03-10T11:01:52Z

Apeters1:

The applications are selected using the following criteria:

# 40%: The '''quality''' of the motivational letter, in particular with regard to continuing education, further professional qualification, relevant experience and why IAS/UHH/Hamburg/Germany. This may also include a phone/email interview. ''(essential: Letter of motivation, help: relevant certificates backing up your story, structured cv)''
# 30%: The '''result''' of the highest obtained degree and the '''comparability''' of its content to the BSc “Informatik” at the Universität Hamburg ''(essential: your University's grading scale, your grade, and the self-made table for this!)''
# 30%: '''Relevant''' professional and '''any''' international experience gained through study, profession or work abroad ''(essential: CV, letter of motivation)''

On the ground of the selection criteria, your application will be evaluated and ranked. Please note, that '''only''' applications that meet the '''[[Application:Formal requirements| formal requirements]]''' and comprise all '''[[Application:Required documents| required documents]]''' will be evaluated and ranked. The criteria are rated individually and added together, with the first criterion accounting 40% and the other two 30% each.

The last years have shown that you need a ranking around 85% in order to get accepted to the program.

Please contact ''ias-team@informatik.uni-hamburg.de'' if you have any further questions.

Application:Selection criteria

2020-03-10T11:00:42Z

Apeters1:

The applications are selected using the following criteria:

# The '''quality''' of the motivational letter, in particular with regard to continuing education, further professional qualification, relevant experience and why IAS/UHH/Hamburg/Germany. This may also include a phone/email interview. ''(essential: Letter of motivation, help: relevant certificates backing up your story, structured cv)''
# The '''result''' of the highest obtained degree and the '''comparability''' of its content to the BSc “Informatik” at the Universität Hamburg ''(essential: your University's grading scale, your grade, and the self-made table for this!)''
# '''Relevant''' professional and '''any''' international experience gained through study, profession or work abroad ''(essential: CV, letter of motivation)''

On the ground of the selection criteria, your application will be evaluated and ranked. Please note, that '''only''' applications that meet the '''[[Application:Formal requirements| formal requirements]]''' and comprise all '''[[Application:Required documents| required documents]]''' will be evaluated and ranked. The criteria are rated individually and added together, with the first criterion accounting 40% and the other two 30% each.

The last years have shown that you need a ranking around 85% in order to get accepted to the program.

Please contact ''ias-team@informatik.uni-hamburg.de'' if you have any further questions.

Main Page

2020-03-10T10:54:59Z

Apeters1: /* Asking questions about the application within the application period */

==Information for applicants for the M.Sc. Intelligent Adaptive Systems==

The contact for all questions regarding the M.Sc. IAS is the IAS Team which is managed by the academic advisor: ias-team@informatik.uni-hamburg.de.

The aim is to centralize currently dispersed information for (international) students and applicants at the department of informatics for the Master program Intelligent Adaptive Systems at Universität Hamburg, Germany.

'''IAS Program'''
* [[IAS:Main|Information about specific courses taught in IAS and regulations]]

'''Application'''
* [[Application:Main|The application process]]

'''Link collection for more information'''
* [[FAQ:Main|More information on health insurance, student life, and life in Hamburg, admission, rejection]]

==Asking questions about the application within the application period==
[[IAS Contact]]

Due to a very high number of applications - please read through the entire wiki and website yourself before you ask a question which you could have answered yourself very easily. The website and wiki hold enough and detailed information that applicants are able to apply with complete and well-prepared applications. However, if you have a question you may ask via email - citing the paragraph of the wiki or website that you did not understand. We try to answer emails for each applicant once within the application period.

==Translations==
Since some documents you receive from the central administration are unfortunately still in German - you can find translated information here in this wiki. Please be aware that most of the documents you receive in German are legal documents and are only legally binding in German. If you have specific questions, please ask ''ias-team@informatik.uni-hamburg.de''. Unfortunately, we currently can not guarantee that the translations are 100% correct.

Main Page

2020-03-10T10:54:51Z

Apeters1: /* Asking questions about the application within the application period */

==Information for applicants for the M.Sc. Intelligent Adaptive Systems==

The contact for all questions regarding the M.Sc. IAS is the IAS Team which is managed by the academic advisor: ias-team@informatik.uni-hamburg.de.

The aim is to centralize currently dispersed information for (international) students and applicants at the department of informatics for the Master program Intelligent Adaptive Systems at Universität Hamburg, Germany.

'''IAS Program'''
* [[IAS:Main|Information about specific courses taught in IAS and regulations]]

'''Application'''
* [[Application:Main|The application process]]

'''Link collection for more information'''
* [[FAQ:Main|More information on health insurance, student life, and life in Hamburg, admission, rejection]]

==Asking questions about the application within the application period==
[[IAS Contact]]
Due to a very high number of applications - please read through the entire wiki and website yourself before you ask a question which you could have answered yourself very easily. The website and wiki hold enough and detailed information that applicants are able to apply with complete and well-prepared applications. However, if you have a question you may ask via email - citing the paragraph of the wiki or website that you did not understand. We try to answer emails for each applicant once within the application period.

==Translations==
Since some documents you receive from the central administration are unfortunately still in German - you can find translated information here in this wiki. Please be aware that most of the documents you receive in German are legal documents and are only legally binding in German. If you have specific questions, please ask ''ias-team@informatik.uni-hamburg.de''. Unfortunately, we currently can not guarantee that the translations are 100% correct.

Main Page

2020-03-10T10:54:37Z

Apeters1: /* Asking questions about the application within the application period */

==Information for applicants for the M.Sc. Intelligent Adaptive Systems==

The contact for all questions regarding the M.Sc. IAS is the IAS Team which is managed by the academic advisor: ias-team@informatik.uni-hamburg.de.

The aim is to centralize currently dispersed information for (international) students and applicants at the department of informatics for the Master program Intelligent Adaptive Systems at Universität Hamburg, Germany.

'''IAS Program'''
* [[IAS:Main|Information about specific courses taught in IAS and regulations]]

'''Application'''
* [[Application:Main|The application process]]

'''Link collection for more information'''
* [[FAQ:Main|More information on health insurance, student life, and life in Hamburg, admission, rejection]]

==Asking questions about the application within the application period==
* [[IAS Contact]]
Due to a very high number of applications - please read through the entire wiki and website yourself before you ask a question which you could have answered yourself very easily. The website and wiki hold enough and detailed information that applicants are able to apply with complete and well-prepared applications. However, if you have a question you may ask via email - citing the paragraph of the wiki or website that you did not understand. We try to answer emails for each applicant once within the application period.

==Translations==
Since some documents you receive from the central administration are unfortunately still in German - you can find translated information here in this wiki. Please be aware that most of the documents you receive in German are legal documents and are only legally binding in German. If you have specific questions, please ask ''ias-team@informatik.uni-hamburg.de''. Unfortunately, we currently can not guarantee that the translations are 100% correct.