IASWiki - User contributions [en]

Application:Required documents

2026-02-17T07:50:00Z

DbeckerIAS: /* 3. Letter of Motivation */

=List of all required documents for application=
To apply for the 2-year Master of Science program Intelligent Adaptive Systems, you need to register on the Universität Hamburg Stine platform and upload your application documents as PDF-documents. The IAS Team runs the IAS Master and also contains the admission board. Your application will be assessed by a group of professors, post-doctoral researchers, lecturers, and academic advisors. There are more than 450 applicants and only 20 spaces on the program. Make sure that your application is well-structured and precise.

 To apply successfully, please make sure that: 

 1. You meet the minimum requirements 

 2. Your application contains all required documents

 3. You to upload your application before the deadline on STiNE (31 March 11:59 pm UCT+2 every year) 

 4. Your application needs to be self-contained, links as the only source of important documents will not be accepted. 

We do not inform you of missing documents, or late applications, or blank pages, or corrupted pdfs. You can not submit missing documents after the expiration of the application deadline. There will be no reconsideration. 

The application process is digital. Please note that in case your application is successful, you will need to confirm your enrolment and submit documents online ''within 1 week'', so be prepared. You will receive a notification around mid-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''' ==
The first page of your application is this pdf-form asking for your personal information. Only use the cover-letter-form provided by us. If you cannot fill in your information with a technical device, please do so by hand (and scan for the final application pdf). Make sure the information is saved and displayable. This document goes on top of your application; it is the first page of your final application pdf.
* Explanation and link to the cover-letter-form: [[Cover-letter-form|cover-letter-form]]

==''' 2. Curriculum Vitae'''==
Your Curriculum Vitae (table version) needs to include your relevant experience (academic, work, international, private). 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, outlining their computer science content are especially important if you want their 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.

== '''3. 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. The maximum length is 1.5 pages (not more: the selection committee may reject your application on the grounds of the quality of your motivational letter).
In your letter of motivation, you should explain your reasons to study this particular program.

'''Generic or AI generated letters will be rejected!'''

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?
* Personal motivation
* Why is this program especially suited to complement the knowledge you already have?
* Why did you choose to study this program at University of Hamburg?
* How does this program fit your academic and professional future goals?
* How would you avoid a cultural shock?
* Analyze the selection criteria and the IAS curriculum so that you know what else might be important to write.

The selection committee will give high ratings to letters that show you have made a deliberate choice to study IAS. You need to justify your decision well and explain how studying the IAS Master 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 significant ability the board is looking for.

'''Things that affect the rating adversely are, among others, generic letters that are written for multiple applications and 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 and how you fit into the program.'''

== '''4. Proof(s) of English language proficiency'''==
Language proficiency test score with the minimum score:

CEFR/TELC Level >= at least "upper" B2/C1 "upper intermediate" in all categories or better C1 "Advanced English"

IELTS >= Overall band 6.5 + B2 (*with a minimum subscore of 6.0 for Listening, Comprehension, Speaking, Writing)

TOEFL: IBT >= 90 (*with a minimum subscore of 20 for Reading, Listening, Speaking, Writing),

PBT >= 575, CBT >= 230

Cambridge >= CAE or CPE

*The overall minimum level has to be reached too!

The medium of instruction in a degree is '''not''' sufficient proof of English Language Proficiency!
Please see '''[https://www2.informatik.uni-hamburg.de/Info/Studium/MSc/IAS/wiki/index.php/Minimum_Requirement:_English_language_proficiency minimum requirements]''' for details on the required language certificates and further information.

==''' 5. Transcript of Records'''==
Your degree’s transcript of records, listing all your finished courses with credit hours and grades and your final and or average grade. Please only apply if you can provide at least a transcript that is only missing the final semester.

Highlight the core computer science courses in your transcript that you have also listed on your table.

Please see '''[[Application:Minimum requirements| minimum requirements]]''' for detailed information on the requirements for your transcript of records.

== '''6. Table template for listing of all core computer science courses and estimation of ECTS'''==

To meet the formal requirement, you have to provide evidence of 60 ECTS or more in core computer science courses. Any kind of maths, economics, management, electrical engineering, soft skills courses does not count. Please use this table template and fill in only your finished core Computer Science subjects. Please provide all the information asked for in the table. Please also read the explanation in the wiki for the minimal requirement ECTS. Note, that you have to explain courses with meaningless names like „Project“ or „Thesis“; you have to provide extra proof that the course has significant computer science content (e.g., via an official module description/ letter of recommendation). Do not send full handbooks. The table has to be precise and well-structured.

Please refer to the listed information under [[Application:Minimum requirements| minimum requirements]] regarding questions about the ''ECTS credit system'', the ''calculation'' of the required 60 ECTS, ''modules/courses counted as computer science'' by IAS selection committee. Please use this [[Required Documents: Example structure table|example]] to provide evidence of your 60 ECTS credits or more.

=='''7. BSc certificates'''==

* 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. 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.

=='''8. Diploma Supplement'''==
* Please provide a description of your degree - it is an official document issued by most universities.
** The degree's grading system and final grade computation rules if the grade is not stated in the transcript.
** The standard amount of semesters required for completion of your degree
** Total amount of credit hours or credit points to be able to finish the degree
** The description of how many weeks of in-class (=contact hours) time with a lecturer present you have per semester
** The description of how your credit systems works, e.g. 1 credit point (or credit hour) equals 15 hours of in-class time with lecturer present meaning 1 hour per week for 15 weeks.

'''What happens if my university does not provide a degree description and I do not provide the information?'''

In the worst case, the selection committee can not verify and compare your transcript and ECTS estimation table. That means you may either be rejected because the selection committee can not estimate your ECTS OR you will receive less % in the overall rating of your application and therefore a less favourable ranking.

''' How can I provide the information if my university does not provide degree description?'''

The IAS Team advice, gather all the information yourself, write a neat degree description yourself on an extra page (always a good idea!) and state on which page in your application pieces of the official information is proven.
Here are some ideas:
* get for example lecturers to state information in a letter of recommendation
* screenshot your website, highlight the information (additionally provide a link)
* sometimes some parts are stated in the transcript, some can be stated by your academic office
* be creative - please understand that the selection committee will not start looking for information for you

=='''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 (see Diploma Supplement).

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 0% 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 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 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 your 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. You must have obtained your degree from a recognized higher education institution. Your degree has to be equivalent to at least a three year Bachelor in Germany.

'''How to provide proof that your university is recognized in Germany:'''

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

Some countries have to get a German authorities endorsement anyway for a 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 sufficient 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 most cases, that means your degree does not qualify.

=='''12. 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. However, only include documents that are relevant to your application. Your selection of documents already shows your ability to distinguish between relevant and irrelevant content and an unnecessarily large amount of randomly added certificates or documents may have a negative effect on your ranking.

===Desired additional documents===
* Additional self-made overview documents if your official degree description/diploma is incomplete or unstructured
* Table of contents for faster pdf reading (could be also as 2. document (cover letter needs to be first = automatically read))
* Documents that add to the evidence needed for the requirements, e.g. additional proof of language proficiency or higher education courses with computer science content, letter of recommendation
* Evidence of 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 your CV.
* The same holds true 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 considered for general suitability for the particular Master program IAS.

=== Suitable additional documents ===
* 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 ===
* Please do not send full module handbooks as the IAS admission team will not have the time to search for core computer science courses in those handbooks for you. However, please submit your self-made and structured table of modules to be counted towards 60 ECTS in computer science.
* Certificates that don't add additional value to your application 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 suitable for this particular degree program.
* Links to more information as sole evidence for required information.

===Do 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 scans. But please be aware that once you have been sent a ''letter of acceptance'' by the CampusCenter (central administration), requests 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''' . In any case please follow the instructions on your letter of acceptance.
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. They have nothing to do with the task of the other. So please do not send the IAS Team paper originals.

== '''The University's online portal (STiNE)'''==
The Universität Hamburg Campus Center (= central administration) requires you to fill out a general and university-wide online form on their platform called STiNE. This is also the platform where you upload your application. Please note that you can only fill in the form during the application period.

Attention: In your application account on the STiNE platform: Select this IAS course: Master, Semester 1 (= start with the first semester), Intelligent Adaptive Systems, Admission restricted Do not click "Freemover". Do not click "Preparatory Course".

* During your registration you may receive a BW - Number (Application Number). Please state this number in your cover letter if possible.
* You can find the form in Universität Hamburg's STiNE platform: https://www.stine.uni-hamburg.de. Sorry, some parts of the STiNE online form are in German.
* For further clarification, the IAS-Team has prepared a wiki entry regarding the STiNE form: [[online application form|Online form STiNE]].
* For further questions about the STiNE platform 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].

==Some advice for applicants from the selection committee==
Dear applicants,

we know there are a lot of documents to be prepared and rules to be followed, sorry. Our mission is to welcome applicants from all over the world and we succeed in doing so (500 applicants for 20 places). That also means we get sent a lot of different transcripts with more or less valuable information on them how to understand your education. Please help us in understanding your life and education by following our instructions. This way we can compare your application to others from all over the world. This also saves us time to really read and appreciate your application. Please note, that we do not make a difference between national and international applications. Make your application worthwhile. Thank you and good luck,

The IAS selection committee

More FAQ

* [[FAQ: Q&A| Frequently Asked Questions about the application]]
* [https://www2.informatik.uni-hamburg.de/Info/Studium/MSc/IAS/wiki/index.php/Application:Main#How_to_send_your_application Submitting your final application]

Required Documents: Example structure table

2025-12-03T10:29:47Z

DbeckerIAS: /* Preliminary check of table + transcript + English Proficiency Test Score service: */

Please only use this template below to present the detailed structured table of all your courses with core computer science content and other information. '''Fill in the information ask for, the estimation of ECTS contact hours will be done automatically by the formula. Do not change the formula! DO NOT try to estimate ECTS yourself.''' With the information, you provide in the template, especially the evidence of at least 33% of core computer science courses in your degree, and the list of subjects you provide, and the estimation of ECTS contact hours, the selection committee computes the formal requirement of 60 ECTS in the selection process and checks your suitability for IAS, and comparability of your degree to a German Bachelor in Computer Science. The structured table is one of the required documents. You will have to include it in your application pdf. Please make sure you summarize all necessary information in a detailed, but precise and compact way. Make sure it is readable in a .pdf.

Here is the template:

* [https://www2.informatik.uni-hamburg.de/wtm/pictures/Template_Evidencing_comparability_of_degree.ods .ods Ready-to-use-template]

* [https://www2.informatik.uni-hamburg.de/wtm/pictures/Template_Evidencing_comparability_of_degree.xlsx .xlsx Ready-to-use-template]

* [https://www2.informatik.uni-hamburg.de/wtm/pictures/Template_Evidencing_comparability_of_degree.pdf .pdf template of table]

Please read the explanation below and in the template.(It is the first test whether you can read :))

==What courses will count towards the 60 ECTS?==
Here are some examples of course names that will likely count as computer science content:
* signal processing
* artificial intelligence
* computational linguistics
* software engineering
* programming in ...
* human-robot interaction
* human-computer interaction
* neural networks
* introduction to computer science
* data mining
* image processing
* algorithms and data structures
* databases
* ...look at the curriculum IAS to estimate which courses are relevant

Modules / courses that '''DO NOT''' count as core computer science include
* maths,
* electronics engineering,
* mechatronics,
* electrical engineering,
* economics,
* management
* soft skill subjects unless these soft skill subjects explicitly revolve around computer science
* thesis
* Computer-Aided Engineering Drawing

Rule of thumb for cs courses in your ECTS table: describe the cs content of the courses, see template!

Case by case decision by the selection committee:

You have to explain transcript and table entries that do not have a telling name + plus provide proof of computer science content, e.g.,
* seminar,
* (mini-)project",
* "design",
* any abbreviations e.g. VD, HD....

It is up to the selection committee whether to count such a table entry as core computer science. Therefore make sure you give an accurate description of the course's computer science content. You need to provide evidence showing that the course majorly includes computer science, e.g., a letter of recommendation or a small note prepared by your academic office. Rule of thumb: remove all courses if you do not have evidence of the computer science content other than the name.

Some courses have special relevance to the curriculum IAS - even if they do not fit into the ECTS estimation make sure you mention them somewhere in your application, e.g. thesis in Machine Learning, Neural Networks, Human-Robot Interaction ... or Biology or Psychology or Linguist courses that have special relevance for ML, HRI or NN ...
Good places to mention those courses would be cv or motivational letter or beneath the ETCS estimation table, you may highlight them in your transcript (e.g. another color then CS courses)

==Checklist for your table==

* The title + number of the course as listed in your transcript of records
* A short explanation of the course's computer science content - more than the course name
* Each course's credits and/or credit hours (has to be a grade-independent number + can be found in your transcript or diploma supplement)
* Your grade for that specific course you are listing (in your degree's grading system)
* the grade needs to be a number and expressed in a way that enables us to compute the average

'''ECTS contact hours estimation:'''

The IAS Team uses the estimation of contact hours per semester without total workload hours. This is a very conservative estimation of ECTS. With this estimation the selection committee establishes the comparability across the world's degrees and to a German Bachelor:

* Contact hours per week (=academic hours with the lecturer present, in-class hours). (Do not include self-study time / Full workload hours!)
* Amount of weeks per semester in which in-class / contact hours take place
* Do not edit the estimation of the number of ECTS contact hours in the semester compared to the German system (see template). This number is computed for you. Do not change the formula!
* If your transcript displays ECTS then you do not need to fill in the estimation columns - write a note in your table.

Rule here: if you do not know your contact hours and how many weeks per semester you have had contact hours, then we cannot estimate your ECTS contact hours. As a result, you will not take part in the application process.

'''Please add the following information underneath your table:'''
* State your name
* Name of your Bachelor's program
* The total number of computer science courses you list: How many courses are computer science courses in your degree?

'''Sum of Credit points or credit hours:'''
* The total amount of credit hours or credit points of only your computer science courses (appearing in your transcript)
* The total amount of credits or credit hours of your entire degree/program once you finish (the minimum amount of credits or hours you need in order to complete 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 computer science grades with your overall grade)
* Please do '''not''' translate your grades into the German or GPA system if your transcript does not display that system

'''Highlight information'''

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 computer science courses in your transcript''' (or letter of recommendation).
Highlight important information in all other documents, e.g., degree description and grading systems. It saves us lots of time, which we can then spend on properly assessing your 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 your table where we can find the evidence.

==What happens if I do not know the information? ==
Please, be aware that it is your task to organize the information ask for. In our viewpoint, everybody should remember contact hours and weeks per semester you sat in-class with a lecturer/teacher/tutor present. If you cannot state the information ask for you will be most likely rejected as the selection committee cannot estimate whether your degree provides the minimum requirement.
We know that it may be hard to gather proper evidence or university documents -> sometimes a self-written degree description with references to lengthy official documents provided as additional documents in your application -> will help you and the selection committee not to lose the overview.
The selection committee will not follow links to documents and will not ask you via email or phone for more information. Your application pdf needs to be self-contained.

Please understand that the selection committee has 500 applications to evaluate for 20 free spaces on the program each year.

'''More explanation:'''

If you need any other information, please consult the IAS Team via email. [https://www.master-intelligent-adaptive-systems.com/contact/ How to contact the IAS Team]

Before contacting the IAS Team please read: [[Application:Minimum requirements| minimum requirements]] and information on [[Application:Required documents| required documents]].

==Preliminary check of table + transcript + English Proficiency Test Score service:==

As an extra service: Every year from November to January the IAS-Team offers a voluntary preliminary quick check of whether you meet the minimum requirements. For receiving an answer please provide:

*Evidence of your 60+ ECTS using the IAS table template
*Fill in all the information in the table-template
*Transcript (+highlighted information (see table template))
*Fill in all fields on the cover-letter-form asking for information regarding your personal and academic information on the cover-letter-form. But '''do not''' send a CV, Motivational letter or the STiNE form.
*English Certificate (if you have or information which Proficiency Test you will take)
*via Email [https://www.master-intelligent-adaptive-systems.com/contact/ (Contact us here)]
*Note: emails with missing information will be deleted

Required Documents: Example structure table

2025-12-03T10:29:36Z

DbeckerIAS: /* Preliminary check of table + transcript + English Proficiency Test Score service: */

Please only use this template below to present the detailed structured table of all your courses with core computer science content and other information. '''Fill in the information ask for, the estimation of ECTS contact hours will be done automatically by the formula. Do not change the formula! DO NOT try to estimate ECTS yourself.''' With the information, you provide in the template, especially the evidence of at least 33% of core computer science courses in your degree, and the list of subjects you provide, and the estimation of ECTS contact hours, the selection committee computes the formal requirement of 60 ECTS in the selection process and checks your suitability for IAS, and comparability of your degree to a German Bachelor in Computer Science. The structured table is one of the required documents. You will have to include it in your application pdf. Please make sure you summarize all necessary information in a detailed, but precise and compact way. Make sure it is readable in a .pdf.

Here is the template:

* [https://www2.informatik.uni-hamburg.de/wtm/pictures/Template_Evidencing_comparability_of_degree.ods .ods Ready-to-use-template]

* [https://www2.informatik.uni-hamburg.de/wtm/pictures/Template_Evidencing_comparability_of_degree.xlsx .xlsx Ready-to-use-template]

* [https://www2.informatik.uni-hamburg.de/wtm/pictures/Template_Evidencing_comparability_of_degree.pdf .pdf template of table]

Please read the explanation below and in the template.(It is the first test whether you can read :))

==What courses will count towards the 60 ECTS?==
Here are some examples of course names that will likely count as computer science content:
* signal processing
* artificial intelligence
* computational linguistics
* software engineering
* programming in ...
* human-robot interaction
* human-computer interaction
* neural networks
* introduction to computer science
* data mining
* image processing
* algorithms and data structures
* databases
* ...look at the curriculum IAS to estimate which courses are relevant

Modules / courses that '''DO NOT''' count as core computer science include
* maths,
* electronics engineering,
* mechatronics,
* electrical engineering,
* economics,
* management
* soft skill subjects unless these soft skill subjects explicitly revolve around computer science
* thesis
* Computer-Aided Engineering Drawing

Rule of thumb for cs courses in your ECTS table: describe the cs content of the courses, see template!

Case by case decision by the selection committee:

You have to explain transcript and table entries that do not have a telling name + plus provide proof of computer science content, e.g.,
* seminar,
* (mini-)project",
* "design",
* any abbreviations e.g. VD, HD....

It is up to the selection committee whether to count such a table entry as core computer science. Therefore make sure you give an accurate description of the course's computer science content. You need to provide evidence showing that the course majorly includes computer science, e.g., a letter of recommendation or a small note prepared by your academic office. Rule of thumb: remove all courses if you do not have evidence of the computer science content other than the name.

Some courses have special relevance to the curriculum IAS - even if they do not fit into the ECTS estimation make sure you mention them somewhere in your application, e.g. thesis in Machine Learning, Neural Networks, Human-Robot Interaction ... or Biology or Psychology or Linguist courses that have special relevance for ML, HRI or NN ...
Good places to mention those courses would be cv or motivational letter or beneath the ETCS estimation table, you may highlight them in your transcript (e.g. another color then CS courses)

==Checklist for your table==

* The title + number of the course as listed in your transcript of records
* A short explanation of the course's computer science content - more than the course name
* Each course's credits and/or credit hours (has to be a grade-independent number + can be found in your transcript or diploma supplement)
* Your grade for that specific course you are listing (in your degree's grading system)
* the grade needs to be a number and expressed in a way that enables us to compute the average

'''ECTS contact hours estimation:'''

The IAS Team uses the estimation of contact hours per semester without total workload hours. This is a very conservative estimation of ECTS. With this estimation the selection committee establishes the comparability across the world's degrees and to a German Bachelor:

* Contact hours per week (=academic hours with the lecturer present, in-class hours). (Do not include self-study time / Full workload hours!)
* Amount of weeks per semester in which in-class / contact hours take place
* Do not edit the estimation of the number of ECTS contact hours in the semester compared to the German system (see template). This number is computed for you. Do not change the formula!
* If your transcript displays ECTS then you do not need to fill in the estimation columns - write a note in your table.

Rule here: if you do not know your contact hours and how many weeks per semester you have had contact hours, then we cannot estimate your ECTS contact hours. As a result, you will not take part in the application process.

'''Please add the following information underneath your table:'''
* State your name
* Name of your Bachelor's program
* The total number of computer science courses you list: How many courses are computer science courses in your degree?

'''Sum of Credit points or credit hours:'''
* The total amount of credit hours or credit points of only your computer science courses (appearing in your transcript)
* The total amount of credits or credit hours of your entire degree/program once you finish (the minimum amount of credits or hours you need in order to complete 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 computer science grades with your overall grade)
* Please do '''not''' translate your grades into the German or GPA system if your transcript does not display that system

'''Highlight information'''

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 computer science courses in your transcript''' (or letter of recommendation).
Highlight important information in all other documents, e.g., degree description and grading systems. It saves us lots of time, which we can then spend on properly assessing your 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 your table where we can find the evidence.

==What happens if I do not know the information? ==
Please, be aware that it is your task to organize the information ask for. In our viewpoint, everybody should remember contact hours and weeks per semester you sat in-class with a lecturer/teacher/tutor present. If you cannot state the information ask for you will be most likely rejected as the selection committee cannot estimate whether your degree provides the minimum requirement.
We know that it may be hard to gather proper evidence or university documents -> sometimes a self-written degree description with references to lengthy official documents provided as additional documents in your application -> will help you and the selection committee not to lose the overview.
The selection committee will not follow links to documents and will not ask you via email or phone for more information. Your application pdf needs to be self-contained.

Please understand that the selection committee has 500 applications to evaluate for 20 free spaces on the program each year.

'''More explanation:'''

If you need any other information, please consult the IAS Team via email. [https://www.master-intelligent-adaptive-systems.com/contact/ How to contact the IAS Team]

Before contacting the IAS Team please read: [[Application:Minimum requirements| minimum requirements]] and information on [[Application:Required documents| required documents]].

==Preliminary check of table + transcript + English Proficiency Test Score service:==

As an extra service: Every year from November to January the IAS-Team offers a voluntary preliminary quick check of whether you meet the minimum requirements. For receiving an answer please provide:

*Evidence of your 60+ ECTS using the IAS table template
*Fill in all the information in the table-template
*Transcript (+highlighted information (see table template))
*Fill in all fields on the cover-letter-form asking for information regarding your personal and academic information on the cover-letter-form. But '''do not''' send a CV, Motivational letter or the STiNE form.
*English Certificate (if you have or information which Proficiency Test you will take)
*via Email[https://www.master-intelligent-adaptive-systems.com/contact/ (Contact us here)]
*Note: emails with missing information will be deleted

Application:Main

2025-12-03T10:15:41Z

DbeckerIAS: /* Statistics over the last years */

== Minimum requirements ==

There are minimum qualifications required to enter the application process.

* '''[[Minimum Requirement: 60 ECTS credits in computer science| 60 ECTS in core computer science subjects]]'''
* '''[[Minimum Requirement: English language proficiency| English Proficiency Test with sufficient minimum scores]]'''

Please do not apply if you do not meet the minimum requirements - Please refrain from asking if you can still apply if you do not meet the minimum requirements by 31 March. The answer is always ''no''.

==Required documents==
See '''[[Application:Required documents| required documents]]''' for details on the 12 documents you have to include in your application.

'''AI generated, or generic motivation letter will lead to rejection.'''

==Selection criteria==
Here you will find the explanation of the '''[[Application:Selection criteria| selection criteria]]''' and the selection process of IAS selection committee.

==Important Dates==
'''31 March''' You have submit your application on the STiNE portal before the 31 of March. In the next step, the IAS Team evaluates your application.

'''Mid-May''' Admission notification: The Campus Center will publish the results (acceptance, waiting list, rejection) of the current application period in your STiNE account.

'''Mid-October''' You commence your semester.

== How to submit your application ==
You will have to upload the individual PDF-documents on STiNE. The documents will have to be uploaded on STiNE, the University of Hamburg application portal.

Check that you:
# Upload the documents as pdf as listed as required documents 1.-12
# Not more than 9 MB
# Deadline for sending is 31 March (11:59 pm UCT + 2, Central European Summer Time)
# You may include extra pages under additional documents.

The IAS Team will only process applications that are complete. The selection committee evaluates only the pages in the application. Emails to the IAS Team or links to more information or official documents will not be followed nor read. Check the Filename, Subject, Text, pages in the pdf, the completeness of the application before submitting the application.

=== Application===
Required documents for the application:

# Cover Sheet
# CV
# Motivation Letter (AI generated, or generic motivation letters will be rejected)
# Language Test Score (Without sufficient proof, your application will be rejected)
# Transcript
# Self-made table
# Bachelor Certificate
# Diploma Supplement
# Grade
# Grading scale
# Anabin information (Without sufficient proof, your application will be rejected)
# everything else (additional documents)

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

Please carefully check that you have included all the required documents in due time. The deadline is on the 31st of March. 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.

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 that you can read and follow basic instructions.
The selection committee and the IAS team consist of professors, lecturers, advisors, and Post-docs who will teach you once you are accepted.

==Statistics over the last years==

Each year, there are around 500 applicants and 20 free places, which we offer only to the top applicants. Make your application worthwhile!

* Of those 500 applicants 50 do not send the application pdf or send the application too late. They are rejected.
* Of those 450 applicants 50 do not meet the minimum requirements or miss to provide proof properly. They are rejected.
* Of those 400 applicants 20 do not send a complete application. They are rejected.

As a result, around 380 applicants enter the selection process. Only those ones have a chance to be one of the top 20 students who we offer a place on the program. That means there are around 380 applicants each year you are competing with. Our advice: follow the instructions under the required documents exactly to send a complete application. Analyze the selection criteria to provide all the information we need in order to rank you accordingly. The top 20 have usually an all-over ranking between 85-100% (see selection criteria). Create a perfect application, and you will have a chance of being one of the Top 20. Save the selection committee time and send a structured application. The selection team will not search for information in a chaotic application - Rule of thumb: if you do not provide the information asked for - you will be rejected.

It's an international Master, each year we ...:

* We receive applications from 35-45 nations around the world.
* Usually* 10%-15% of the applicants who receive a letter of acceptance are from Germany.
* Usually* we have a mix of 15-20 nations of applicants who receive a letter of acceptance.
* Usually* female and male are close to even.
* Over the past years the Top 1 application was always female :)
* We do not make a difference between German or international applicants - all are rated by the same selection criteria - we take the top students.

*usually means - depending merely on the quality of the application (see requirements, selection criteria).

==What happens with my application after I've sent it?==
See the description of ''[[Admission Process | Admission Process, Dates, Explanations]]''

Application:Main

2025-12-02T08:04:30Z

DbeckerIAS: /* Required documents */

== Minimum requirements ==

There are minimum qualifications required to enter the application process.

* '''[[Minimum Requirement: 60 ECTS credits in computer science| 60 ECTS in core computer science subjects]]'''
* '''[[Minimum Requirement: English language proficiency| English Proficiency Test with sufficient minimum scores]]'''

Please do not apply if you do not meet the minimum requirements - Please refrain from asking if you can still apply if you do not meet the minimum requirements by 31 March. The answer is always ''no''.

==Required documents==
See '''[[Application:Required documents| required documents]]''' for details on the 12 documents you have to include in your application.

'''AI generated, or generic motivation letter will lead to rejection.'''

==Selection criteria==
Here you will find the explanation of the '''[[Application:Selection criteria| selection criteria]]''' and the selection process of IAS selection committee.

==Important Dates==
'''31 March''' You have submit your application on the STiNE portal before the 31 of March. In the next step, the IAS Team evaluates your application.

'''Mid-May''' Admission notification: The Campus Center will publish the results (acceptance, waiting list, rejection) of the current application period in your STiNE account.

'''Mid-October''' You commence your semester.

== How to submit your application ==
You will have to upload the individual PDF-documents on STiNE. The documents will have to be uploaded on STiNE, the University of Hamburg application portal.

Check that you:
# Upload the documents as pdf as listed as required documents 1.-12
# Not more than 9 MB
# Deadline for sending is 31 March (11:59 pm UCT + 2, Central European Summer Time)
# You may include extra pages under additional documents.

The IAS Team will only process applications that are complete. The selection committee evaluates only the pages in the application. Emails to the IAS Team or links to more information or official documents will not be followed nor read. Check the Filename, Subject, Text, pages in the pdf, the completeness of the application before submitting the application.

=== Application===
Required documents for the application:

# Cover Sheet
# CV
# Motivation Letter (AI generated, or generic motivation letters will be rejected)
# Language Test Score (Without sufficient proof, your application will be rejected)
# Transcript
# Self-made table
# Bachelor Certificate
# Diploma Supplement
# Grade
# Grading scale
# Anabin information (Without sufficient proof, your application will be rejected)
# everything else (additional documents)

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

Please carefully check that you have included all the required documents in due time. The deadline is on the 31st of March. 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.

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 that you can read and follow basic instructions.
The selection committee and the IAS team consist of professors, lecturers, advisors, and Post-docs who will teach you once you are accepted.

==Statistics over the last years==

Each year, there are around 500 applicants and 20 free places, which we offer only to the top applicants. Make your application worthwhile!

* Of those 500 applicants 50 do not send the application pdf or send the application too late. They are rejected.
* Of those 450 applicants 50 do not meet the minimum requirements or miss to provide proof properly. They are rejected.
* Of those 400 applicants 20 do not send a complete application. They are rejected.

As a result, around 380 applicants enter the selection process. Only those ones have a chance to be one of the top 20 students who we offer a place on the program. That means there are around 380 applicants each year you are competing with. Our advice: follow the instructions under the required documents exactly to send a complete application. Analyze the selection criteria to provide all the information we need in order to rank you accordingly. The top 20 have usually an all-over ranking between 85-100% (see selection criteria). Create a perfect application, and you will have a chance of being one of the Top 20. Save the selection committee time and send a structured application. The selection team will not search for information in a chaotic application - Rule of thumb: if you do not provide the information asked for - you will be rejected. Use our quick-check service for ECTS/English in December/January and read the sections about how to write a good motivational letter.

It's an international Master, each year we ...:

* We receive applications from 35-45 nations around the world.
* Usually* 10%-15% of the applicants who receive a letter of acceptance are from Germany.
* Usually* we have a mix of 15-20 nations of applicants who receive a letter of acceptance.
* Usually* female and male are close to even.
* Over the past years the Top 1 application was always female :)
* We do not make a difference between German or international applicants - all are rated by the same selection criteria - we take the top students.

*usually means - depending merely on the quality of the application (see requirements, selection criteria).

==What happens with my application after I've sent it?==
See the description of ''[[Admission Process | Admission Process, Dates, Explanations]]''

Application:Main

2025-12-02T08:03:22Z

DbeckerIAS: /* Application */

== Minimum requirements ==

There are minimum qualifications required to enter the application process.

* '''[[Minimum Requirement: 60 ECTS credits in computer science| 60 ECTS in core computer science subjects]]'''
* '''[[Minimum Requirement: English language proficiency| English Proficiency Test with sufficient minimum scores]]'''

Please do not apply if you do not meet the minimum requirements - Please refrain from asking if you can still apply if you do not meet the minimum requirements by 31 March. The answer is always ''no''.

==Required documents==
See '''[[Application:Required documents| required documents]]''' for details on the 12 documents you have to include in your application.

==Selection criteria==
Here you will find the explanation of the '''[[Application:Selection criteria| selection criteria]]''' and the selection process of IAS selection committee.

==Important Dates==
'''31 March''' You have submit your application on the STiNE portal before the 31 of March. In the next step, the IAS Team evaluates your application.

'''Mid-May''' Admission notification: The Campus Center will publish the results (acceptance, waiting list, rejection) of the current application period in your STiNE account.

'''Mid-October''' You commence your semester.

== How to submit your application ==
You will have to upload the individual PDF-documents on STiNE. The documents will have to be uploaded on STiNE, the University of Hamburg application portal.

Check that you:
# Upload the documents as pdf as listed as required documents 1.-12
# Not more than 9 MB
# Deadline for sending is 31 March (11:59 pm UCT + 2, Central European Summer Time)
# You may include extra pages under additional documents.

The IAS Team will only process applications that are complete. The selection committee evaluates only the pages in the application. Emails to the IAS Team or links to more information or official documents will not be followed nor read. Check the Filename, Subject, Text, pages in the pdf, the completeness of the application before submitting the application.

=== Application===
Required documents for the application:

# Cover Sheet
# CV
# Motivation Letter (AI generated, or generic motivation letters will be rejected)
# Language Test Score (Without sufficient proof, your application will be rejected)
# Transcript
# Self-made table
# Bachelor Certificate
# Diploma Supplement
# Grade
# Grading scale
# Anabin information (Without sufficient proof, your application will be rejected)
# everything else (additional documents)

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

Please carefully check that you have included all the required documents in due time. The deadline is on the 31st of March. 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.

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 that you can read and follow basic instructions.
The selection committee and the IAS team consist of professors, lecturers, advisors, and Post-docs who will teach you once you are accepted.

==Statistics over the last years==

Each year, there are around 500 applicants and 20 free places, which we offer only to the top applicants. Make your application worthwhile!

* Of those 500 applicants 50 do not send the application pdf or send the application too late. They are rejected.
* Of those 450 applicants 50 do not meet the minimum requirements or miss to provide proof properly. They are rejected.
* Of those 400 applicants 20 do not send a complete application. They are rejected.

As a result, around 380 applicants enter the selection process. Only those ones have a chance to be one of the top 20 students who we offer a place on the program. That means there are around 380 applicants each year you are competing with. Our advice: follow the instructions under the required documents exactly to send a complete application. Analyze the selection criteria to provide all the information we need in order to rank you accordingly. The top 20 have usually an all-over ranking between 85-100% (see selection criteria). Create a perfect application, and you will have a chance of being one of the Top 20. Save the selection committee time and send a structured application. The selection team will not search for information in a chaotic application - Rule of thumb: if you do not provide the information asked for - you will be rejected. Use our quick-check service for ECTS/English in December/January and read the sections about how to write a good motivational letter.

It's an international Master, each year we ...:

* We receive applications from 35-45 nations around the world.
* Usually* 10%-15% of the applicants who receive a letter of acceptance are from Germany.
* Usually* we have a mix of 15-20 nations of applicants who receive a letter of acceptance.
* Usually* female and male are close to even.
* Over the past years the Top 1 application was always female :)
* We do not make a difference between German or international applicants - all are rated by the same selection criteria - we take the top students.

*usually means - depending merely on the quality of the application (see requirements, selection criteria).

==What happens with my application after I've sent it?==
See the description of ''[[Admission Process | Admission Process, Dates, Explanations]]''

Application:Main

2025-12-02T08:01:32Z

DbeckerIAS: /* How to submit your application */

== Minimum requirements ==

There are minimum qualifications required to enter the application process.

* '''[[Minimum Requirement: 60 ECTS credits in computer science| 60 ECTS in core computer science subjects]]'''
* '''[[Minimum Requirement: English language proficiency| English Proficiency Test with sufficient minimum scores]]'''

Please do not apply if you do not meet the minimum requirements - Please refrain from asking if you can still apply if you do not meet the minimum requirements by 31 March. The answer is always ''no''.

==Required documents==
See '''[[Application:Required documents| required documents]]''' for details on the 12 documents you have to include in your application.

==Selection criteria==
Here you will find the explanation of the '''[[Application:Selection criteria| selection criteria]]''' and the selection process of IAS selection committee.

==Important Dates==
'''31 March''' You have submit your application on the STiNE portal before the 31 of March. In the next step, the IAS Team evaluates your application.

'''Mid-May''' Admission notification: The Campus Center will publish the results (acceptance, waiting list, rejection) of the current application period in your STiNE account.

'''Mid-October''' You commence your semester.

== How to submit your application ==
You will have to upload the individual PDF-documents on STiNE. The documents will have to be uploaded on STiNE, the University of Hamburg application portal.

Check that you:
# Upload the documents as pdf as listed as required documents 1.-12
# Not more than 9 MB
# Deadline for sending is 31 March (11:59 pm UCT + 2, Central European Summer Time)
# You may include extra pages under additional documents.

The IAS Team will only process applications that are complete. The selection committee evaluates only the pages in the application. Emails to the IAS Team or links to more information or official documents will not be followed nor read. Check the Filename, Subject, Text, pages in the pdf, the completeness of the application before submitting the application.

=== Application===
Required documents for the application:

# Cover Sheet
# CV
# Motivation Letter
# Language Test Score
# Transcript
# Self-made table
# Bachelor Certificate
# Diploma Supplement
# Grade
# Grading scale
# Anabin information
# everything else (additional documents)

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

Please carefully check that you have included all the required documents in due time. The deadline is on the 31st of March. 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.

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 that you can read and follow basic instructions.
The selection committee and the IAS team consist of professors, lecturers, advisors, and Post-docs who will teach you once you are accepted.

==Statistics over the last years==

Each year, there are around 500 applicants and 20 free places, which we offer only to the top applicants. Make your application worthwhile!

* Of those 500 applicants 50 do not send the application pdf or send the application too late. They are rejected.
* Of those 450 applicants 50 do not meet the minimum requirements or miss to provide proof properly. They are rejected.
* Of those 400 applicants 20 do not send a complete application. They are rejected.

As a result, around 380 applicants enter the selection process. Only those ones have a chance to be one of the top 20 students who we offer a place on the program. That means there are around 380 applicants each year you are competing with. Our advice: follow the instructions under the required documents exactly to send a complete application. Analyze the selection criteria to provide all the information we need in order to rank you accordingly. The top 20 have usually an all-over ranking between 85-100% (see selection criteria). Create a perfect application, and you will have a chance of being one of the Top 20. Save the selection committee time and send a structured application. The selection team will not search for information in a chaotic application - Rule of thumb: if you do not provide the information asked for - you will be rejected. Use our quick-check service for ECTS/English in December/January and read the sections about how to write a good motivational letter.

It's an international Master, each year we ...:

* We receive applications from 35-45 nations around the world.
* Usually* 10%-15% of the applicants who receive a letter of acceptance are from Germany.
* Usually* we have a mix of 15-20 nations of applicants who receive a letter of acceptance.
* Usually* female and male are close to even.
* Over the past years the Top 1 application was always female :)
* We do not make a difference between German or international applicants - all are rated by the same selection criteria - we take the top students.

*usually means - depending merely on the quality of the application (see requirements, selection criteria).

==What happens with my application after I've sent it?==
See the description of ''[[Admission Process | Admission Process, Dates, Explanations]]''

Application:Required documents

2025-12-02T07:59:58Z

DbeckerIAS: /* 3. Letter of Motivation */

=List of all required documents for application=
To apply for the 2-year Master of Science program Intelligent Adaptive Systems, you need to register on the Universität Hamburg Stine platform and upload your application documents as PDF-documents. The IAS Team runs the IAS Master and also contains the admission board. Your application will be assessed by a group of professors, post-doctoral researchers, lecturers, and academic advisors. There are more than 450 applicants and only 20 spaces on the program. Make sure that your application is well-structured and precise.

 To apply successfully, please make sure that: 

 1. You meet the minimum requirements 

 2. Your application contains all required documents

 3. You to upload your application before the deadline on STiNE (31 March 11:59 pm UCT+2 every year) 

 4. Your application needs to be self-contained, links as the only source of important documents will not be accepted. 

We do not inform you of missing documents, or late applications, or blank pages, or corrupted pdfs. You can not submit missing documents after the expiration of the application deadline. There will be no reconsideration. 

The application process is digital. Please note that in case your application is successful, you will need to confirm your enrolment and submit documents online ''within 1 week'', so be prepared. You will receive a notification around mid-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''' ==
The first page of your application is this pdf-form asking for your personal information. Only use the cover-letter-form provided by us. If you cannot fill in your information with a technical device, please do so by hand (and scan for the final application pdf). Make sure the information is saved and displayable. This document goes on top of your application; it is the first page of your final application pdf.
* Explanation and link to the cover-letter-form: [[Cover-letter-form|cover-letter-form]]

==''' 2. Curriculum Vitae'''==
Your Curriculum Vitae (table version) needs to include your relevant experience (academic, work, international, private). 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, outlining their computer science content are especially important if you want their 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.

== '''3. 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. The maximum length is 1.5 pages (not more: the selection committee may reject your application on the grounds of the quality of your motivational letter).
In your letter of motivation, you should explain your reasons to study this particular program.

'''Generic or AI generated letters will be rejected!'''

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?
* Personal motivation
* Why is this program especially suited to complement the knowledge you already have?
* Why did you choose to study this program at University of Hamburg?
* How does this program fit your academic and professional future goals?
* How would you avoid a cultural shock?
* Analyze the selection criteria and the IAS curriculum so that you know what else might be important to write.

The selection committee will give high ratings to letters that show you have made a deliberate choice to study IAS. You need to justify your decision well and explain how studying the IAS Master 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 significant ability the board is looking for.

'''Things that affect the rating adversely are, among others, generic letters that are written for multiple applications and 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.'''

== '''4. Proof(s) of English language proficiency'''==
Language proficiency test score with the minimum score:

CEFR/TELC Level >= at least "upper" B2/C1 "upper intermediate" in all categories or better C1 "Advanced English"

IELTS >= Overall band 6.5 + B2 (*with a minimum subscore of 6.0 for Listening, Comprehension, Speaking, Writing)

TOEFL: IBT >= 90 (*with a minimum subscore of 20 for Reading, Listening, Speaking, Writing),

PBT >= 575, CBT >= 230

Cambridge >= CAE or CPE

*The overall minimum level has to be reached too!

The medium of instruction in a degree is '''not''' sufficient proof of English Language Proficiency!
Please see '''[https://www2.informatik.uni-hamburg.de/Info/Studium/MSc/IAS/wiki/index.php/Minimum_Requirement:_English_language_proficiency minimum requirements]''' for details on the required language certificates and further information.

==''' 5. Transcript of Records'''==
Your degree’s transcript of records, listing all your finished courses with credit hours and grades and your final and or average grade. Please only apply if you can provide at least a transcript that is only missing the final semester.

Highlight the core computer science courses in your transcript that you have also listed on your table.

Please see '''[[Application:Minimum requirements| minimum requirements]]''' for detailed information on the requirements for your transcript of records.

== '''6. Table template for listing of all core computer science courses and estimation of ECTS'''==

To meet the formal requirement, you have to provide evidence of 60 ECTS or more in core computer science courses. Any kind of maths, economics, management, electrical engineering, soft skills courses does not count. Please use this table template and fill in only your finished core Computer Science subjects. Please provide all the information asked for in the table. Please also read the explanation in the wiki for the minimal requirement ECTS. Note, that you have to explain courses with meaningless names like „Project“ or „Thesis“; you have to provide extra proof that the course has significant computer science content (e.g., via an official module description/ letter of recommendation). Do not send full handbooks. The table has to be precise and well-structured.

Please refer to the listed information under [[Application:Minimum requirements| minimum requirements]] regarding questions about the ''ECTS credit system'', the ''calculation'' of the required 60 ECTS, ''modules/courses counted as computer science'' by IAS selection committee. Please use this [[Required Documents: Example structure table|example]] to provide evidence of your 60 ECTS credits or more.

=='''7. BSc certificates'''==

* 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. 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.

=='''8. Diploma Supplement'''==
* Please provide a description of your degree - it is an official document issued by most universities.
** The degree's grading system and final grade computation rules if the grade is not stated in the transcript.
** The standard amount of semesters required for completion of your degree
** Total amount of credit hours or credit points to be able to finish the degree
** The description of how many weeks of in-class (=contact hours) time with a lecturer present you have per semester
** The description of how your credit systems works, e.g. 1 credit point (or credit hour) equals 15 hours of in-class time with lecturer present meaning 1 hour per week for 15 weeks.

'''What happens if my university does not provide a degree description and I do not provide the information?'''

In the worst case, the selection committee can not verify and compare your transcript and ECTS estimation table. That means you may either be rejected because the selection committee can not estimate your ECTS OR you will receive less % in the overall rating of your application and therefore a less favourable ranking.

''' How can I provide the information if my university does not provide degree description?'''

The IAS Team advice, gather all the information yourself, write a neat degree description yourself on an extra page (always a good idea!) and state on which page in your application pieces of the official information is proven.
Here are some ideas:
* get for example lecturers to state information in a letter of recommendation
* screenshot your website, highlight the information (additionally provide a link)
* sometimes some parts are stated in the transcript, some can be stated by your academic office
* be creative - please understand that the selection committee will not start looking for information for you

=='''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 (see Diploma Supplement).

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 0% 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 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 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 your 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. You must have obtained your degree from a recognized higher education institution. Your degree has to be equivalent to at least a three year Bachelor in Germany.

'''How to provide proof that your university is recognized in Germany:'''

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

Some countries have to get a German authorities endorsement anyway for a 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 sufficient 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 most cases, that means your degree does not qualify.

=='''12. 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. However, only include documents that are relevant to your application. Your selection of documents already shows your ability to distinguish between relevant and irrelevant content and an unnecessarily large amount of randomly added certificates or documents may have a negative effect on your ranking.

===Desired additional documents===
* Additional self-made overview documents if your official degree description/diploma is incomplete or unstructured
* Table of contents for faster pdf reading (could be also as 2. document (cover letter needs to be first = automatically read))
* Documents that add to the evidence needed for the requirements, e.g. additional proof of language proficiency or higher education courses with computer science content, letter of recommendation
* Evidence of 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 your CV.
* The same holds true 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 considered for general suitability for the particular Master program IAS.

=== Suitable additional documents ===
* 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 ===
* Please do not send full module handbooks as the IAS admission team will not have the time to search for core computer science courses in those handbooks for you. However, please submit your self-made and structured table of modules to be counted towards 60 ECTS in computer science.
* Certificates that don't add additional value to your application 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 suitable for this particular degree program.
* Links to more information as sole evidence for required information.

===Do 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 scans. But please be aware that once you have been sent a ''letter of acceptance'' by the CampusCenter (central administration), requests 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''' . In any case please follow the instructions on your letter of acceptance.
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. They have nothing to do with the task of the other. So please do not send the IAS Team paper originals.

== '''The University's online portal (STiNE)'''==
The Universität Hamburg Campus Center (= central administration) requires you to fill out a general and university-wide online form on their platform called STiNE. This is also the platform where you upload your application. Please note that you can only fill in the form during the application period.

Attention: In your application account on the STiNE platform: Select this IAS course: Master, Semester 1 (= start with the first semester), Intelligent Adaptive Systems, Admission restricted Do not click "Freemover". Do not click "Preparatory Course".

* During your registration you may receive a BW - Number (Application Number). Please state this number in your cover letter if possible.
* You can find the form in Universität Hamburg's STiNE platform: https://www.stine.uni-hamburg.de. Sorry, some parts of the STiNE online form are in German.
* For further clarification, the IAS-Team has prepared a wiki entry regarding the STiNE form: [[online application form|Online form STiNE]].
* For further questions about the STiNE platform 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].

==Some advice for applicants from the selection committee==
Dear applicants,

we know there are a lot of documents to be prepared and rules to be followed, sorry. Our mission is to welcome applicants from all over the world and we succeed in doing so (500 applicants for 20 places). That also means we get sent a lot of different transcripts with more or less valuable information on them how to understand your education. Please help us in understanding your life and education by following our instructions. This way we can compare your application to others from all over the world. This also saves us time to really read and appreciate your application. Please note, that we do not make a difference between national and international applications. Make your application worthwhile. Thank you and good luck,

The IAS selection committee

More FAQ

* [[FAQ: Q&A| Frequently Asked Questions about the application]]
* [https://www2.informatik.uni-hamburg.de/Info/Studium/MSc/IAS/wiki/index.php/Application:Main#How_to_send_your_application Submitting your final application]

Application:Required documents

2025-12-02T07:59:50Z

DbeckerIAS: /* 3. Letter of Motivation */

=List of all required documents for application=
To apply for the 2-year Master of Science program Intelligent Adaptive Systems, you need to register on the Universität Hamburg Stine platform and upload your application documents as PDF-documents. The IAS Team runs the IAS Master and also contains the admission board. Your application will be assessed by a group of professors, post-doctoral researchers, lecturers, and academic advisors. There are more than 450 applicants and only 20 spaces on the program. Make sure that your application is well-structured and precise.

 To apply successfully, please make sure that: 

 1. You meet the minimum requirements 

 2. Your application contains all required documents

 3. You to upload your application before the deadline on STiNE (31 March 11:59 pm UCT+2 every year) 

 4. Your application needs to be self-contained, links as the only source of important documents will not be accepted. 

We do not inform you of missing documents, or late applications, or blank pages, or corrupted pdfs. You can not submit missing documents after the expiration of the application deadline. There will be no reconsideration. 

The application process is digital. Please note that in case your application is successful, you will need to confirm your enrolment and submit documents online ''within 1 week'', so be prepared. You will receive a notification around mid-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''' ==
The first page of your application is this pdf-form asking for your personal information. Only use the cover-letter-form provided by us. If you cannot fill in your information with a technical device, please do so by hand (and scan for the final application pdf). Make sure the information is saved and displayable. This document goes on top of your application; it is the first page of your final application pdf.
* Explanation and link to the cover-letter-form: [[Cover-letter-form|cover-letter-form]]

==''' 2. Curriculum Vitae'''==
Your Curriculum Vitae (table version) needs to include your relevant experience (academic, work, international, private). 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, outlining their computer science content are especially important if you want their 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.

== '''3. 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. The maximum length is 1.5 pages (not more: the selection committee may reject your application on the grounds of the quality of your motivational letter).
In your letter of motivation, you should explain your reasons to study this particular program.

'''Generic or AI generated letters will be rejected!'''

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?
* Personal motivation
* Why is this program especially suited to complement the knowledge you already have?
* Why did you choose to study this program at University of Hamburg?
* How does this program fit your academic and professional future goals?
* How would you avoid a cultural shock?
* Analyze the selection criteria and the IAS curriculum so that you know what else might be important to write.

The selection committee will give high ratings to letters that show you have made a deliberate choice to study IAS. You need to justify your decision well and explain how studying the IAS Master 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 significant ability the board is looking for.

'''Things that affect the rating adversely are, among others, generic letters that are written for multiple applications and 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.'''

== '''4. Proof(s) of English language proficiency'''==
Language proficiency test score with the minimum score:

CEFR/TELC Level >= at least "upper" B2/C1 "upper intermediate" in all categories or better C1 "Advanced English"

IELTS >= Overall band 6.5 + B2 (*with a minimum subscore of 6.0 for Listening, Comprehension, Speaking, Writing)

TOEFL: IBT >= 90 (*with a minimum subscore of 20 for Reading, Listening, Speaking, Writing),

PBT >= 575, CBT >= 230

Cambridge >= CAE or CPE

*The overall minimum level has to be reached too!

The medium of instruction in a degree is '''not''' sufficient proof of English Language Proficiency!
Please see '''[https://www2.informatik.uni-hamburg.de/Info/Studium/MSc/IAS/wiki/index.php/Minimum_Requirement:_English_language_proficiency minimum requirements]''' for details on the required language certificates and further information.

==''' 5. Transcript of Records'''==
Your degree’s transcript of records, listing all your finished courses with credit hours and grades and your final and or average grade. Please only apply if you can provide at least a transcript that is only missing the final semester.

Highlight the core computer science courses in your transcript that you have also listed on your table.

Please see '''[[Application:Minimum requirements| minimum requirements]]''' for detailed information on the requirements for your transcript of records.

== '''6. Table template for listing of all core computer science courses and estimation of ECTS'''==

To meet the formal requirement, you have to provide evidence of 60 ECTS or more in core computer science courses. Any kind of maths, economics, management, electrical engineering, soft skills courses does not count. Please use this table template and fill in only your finished core Computer Science subjects. Please provide all the information asked for in the table. Please also read the explanation in the wiki for the minimal requirement ECTS. Note, that you have to explain courses with meaningless names like „Project“ or „Thesis“; you have to provide extra proof that the course has significant computer science content (e.g., via an official module description/ letter of recommendation). Do not send full handbooks. The table has to be precise and well-structured.

Please refer to the listed information under [[Application:Minimum requirements| minimum requirements]] regarding questions about the ''ECTS credit system'', the ''calculation'' of the required 60 ECTS, ''modules/courses counted as computer science'' by IAS selection committee. Please use this [[Required Documents: Example structure table|example]] to provide evidence of your 60 ECTS credits or more.

=='''7. BSc certificates'''==

* 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. 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.

=='''8. Diploma Supplement'''==
* Please provide a description of your degree - it is an official document issued by most universities.
** The degree's grading system and final grade computation rules if the grade is not stated in the transcript.
** The standard amount of semesters required for completion of your degree
** Total amount of credit hours or credit points to be able to finish the degree
** The description of how many weeks of in-class (=contact hours) time with a lecturer present you have per semester
** The description of how your credit systems works, e.g. 1 credit point (or credit hour) equals 15 hours of in-class time with lecturer present meaning 1 hour per week for 15 weeks.

'''What happens if my university does not provide a degree description and I do not provide the information?'''

In the worst case, the selection committee can not verify and compare your transcript and ECTS estimation table. That means you may either be rejected because the selection committee can not estimate your ECTS OR you will receive less % in the overall rating of your application and therefore a less favourable ranking.

''' How can I provide the information if my university does not provide degree description?'''

The IAS Team advice, gather all the information yourself, write a neat degree description yourself on an extra page (always a good idea!) and state on which page in your application pieces of the official information is proven.
Here are some ideas:
* get for example lecturers to state information in a letter of recommendation
* screenshot your website, highlight the information (additionally provide a link)
* sometimes some parts are stated in the transcript, some can be stated by your academic office
* be creative - please understand that the selection committee will not start looking for information for you

=='''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 (see Diploma Supplement).

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 0% 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 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 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 your 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. You must have obtained your degree from a recognized higher education institution. Your degree has to be equivalent to at least a three year Bachelor in Germany.

'''How to provide proof that your university is recognized in Germany:'''

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

Some countries have to get a German authorities endorsement anyway for a 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 sufficient 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 most cases, that means your degree does not qualify.

=='''12. 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. However, only include documents that are relevant to your application. Your selection of documents already shows your ability to distinguish between relevant and irrelevant content and an unnecessarily large amount of randomly added certificates or documents may have a negative effect on your ranking.

===Desired additional documents===
* Additional self-made overview documents if your official degree description/diploma is incomplete or unstructured
* Table of contents for faster pdf reading (could be also as 2. document (cover letter needs to be first = automatically read))
* Documents that add to the evidence needed for the requirements, e.g. additional proof of language proficiency or higher education courses with computer science content, letter of recommendation
* Evidence of 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 your CV.
* The same holds true 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 considered for general suitability for the particular Master program IAS.

=== Suitable additional documents ===
* 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 ===
* Please do not send full module handbooks as the IAS admission team will not have the time to search for core computer science courses in those handbooks for you. However, please submit your self-made and structured table of modules to be counted towards 60 ECTS in computer science.
* Certificates that don't add additional value to your application 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 suitable for this particular degree program.
* Links to more information as sole evidence for required information.

===Do 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 scans. But please be aware that once you have been sent a ''letter of acceptance'' by the CampusCenter (central administration), requests 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''' . In any case please follow the instructions on your letter of acceptance.
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. They have nothing to do with the task of the other. So please do not send the IAS Team paper originals.

== '''The University's online portal (STiNE)'''==
The Universität Hamburg Campus Center (= central administration) requires you to fill out a general and university-wide online form on their platform called STiNE. This is also the platform where you upload your application. Please note that you can only fill in the form during the application period.

Attention: In your application account on the STiNE platform: Select this IAS course: Master, Semester 1 (= start with the first semester), Intelligent Adaptive Systems, Admission restricted Do not click "Freemover". Do not click "Preparatory Course".

* During your registration you may receive a BW - Number (Application Number). Please state this number in your cover letter if possible.
* You can find the form in Universität Hamburg's STiNE platform: https://www.stine.uni-hamburg.de. Sorry, some parts of the STiNE online form are in German.
* For further clarification, the IAS-Team has prepared a wiki entry regarding the STiNE form: [[online application form|Online form STiNE]].
* For further questions about the STiNE platform 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].

==Some advice for applicants from the selection committee==
Dear applicants,

we know there are a lot of documents to be prepared and rules to be followed, sorry. Our mission is to welcome applicants from all over the world and we succeed in doing so (500 applicants for 20 places). That also means we get sent a lot of different transcripts with more or less valuable information on them how to understand your education. Please help us in understanding your life and education by following our instructions. This way we can compare your application to others from all over the world. This also saves us time to really read and appreciate your application. Please note, that we do not make a difference between national and international applications. Make your application worthwhile. Thank you and good luck,

The IAS selection committee

More FAQ

* [[FAQ: Q&A| Frequently Asked Questions about the application]]
* [https://www2.informatik.uni-hamburg.de/Info/Studium/MSc/IAS/wiki/index.php/Application:Main#How_to_send_your_application Submitting your final application]

Rejection

2025-06-13T06:46:18Z

DbeckerIAS: /* How does the waiting list work? */

=I have received a (rejection) notification and have been put on the waiting list ("Ablehnungsbescheid")=

If you have received a German-only letter, you can find a translation [[FAQ:Translation:WaitingListLetter|here]].

==What does this waiting list letter mean?==
You have fulfilled the application requirements and your application was ranked by the selection committee. Unfortunately, your rank was outside the range of available spaces and you have been placed on the waiting list for this year. The central administration of Universität Hamburg (Team Admission) will send out offers until the available spaces have been filled. If people first accept the offer and later retract their enrollment, it can happen that you even receive an offer letter shortly before the start of the semester (in which case we usually can find special arrangements to allow for enough time). The first wave of letters already includes a considerable amount of overbooking to shorten the time until all spaces can be filled. Additionally, a minor percentage of places are reserved for applicants with a considerable amount of waiting semesters (University rules of fairness, IAS Team can not change that). This results in the situation, where the number of enrolled students has to decrease to 18 before the next batch of applicants on the waiting list are notified. In total, only 19 places for the IAS master's program are available. Thus, your enrollment notification may depend on the fairness of the already accepted and notified students to waive their place in time. Further, the waiting list letter states your numbers of how far up/down you are on the waiting list. For reference, in 2019, no applicant on the waiting list was contacted and in 2020, only 1 person was contacted in late September.

Each of the waiting list's rejection letters contains rows with rank numbers and the information on how many people would be contacted before you.

* The first row - contains the selection value: this number is a % from 0-100%. A perfect fit for IAS would be 100%, see selection criteria.
* The first row - contains also the ranking number. The place on the list you achieved with the selection value.
* The first row - also contains the information on how many would be contacted before you if places become available.

* The second row - contains information on how much time (semesters) are counted towards a general "waiting time for a master's program space". It is usually the duration between your bachelor graduation and now. 10 is the highest number that you can achieve.
* The second row also tells you how many applicants have more waiting semesters than you
* The second row also states how many people would be contacted before you would be contacted. However, only if an accepted applicant who received a space due to their waiting time retracts his/her place this list would be taken into account for contacting people.

We hope that these clarifications help you to estimate your chances of receiving an acceptance letter and emphasize that there is already a high number of overbooking for places in the study program.
We are truly sorry that we can not offer more spaces or conditional acceptances. Please understand that you will not receive more information about your application than we already stated here and in our informational email. Please refrain from asking for more information. If you are number 1-3 on the waiting list you may contact us (ias-team@), so we can keep you up-to-date in case enrolled applicants provide us with information on whether they will retract their space.

==How does the waiting list work?==
In the middle of May, a number of applicants receive a letter of acceptance. The number of acceptance letters consists of the available spaces (so far 20 each year), a percentage for overbooking, and a percentage of the waiting time applicants (see paragraph before). If fewer students reply than there are available spaces, more acceptance letters are sent out to the next applicants on the waiting list until all 20 spaces are filled. This means that if you are high up on the waiting list, you may receive a letter of acceptance a few weeks after the official publication date of the results. Please check your STiNE online account on a regular basis for a new letter in "Documents"!

After the first wave of "letter of acceptance" - the central administration checks regularly (every 2-3 weeks) whether enrolled applicants waived their space officially. If the number of enrolled applicants falls below 19 the central administration sends out letters of acceptance. This process is repeated until 1 October. There is nothing the IAS Team can do about that process, it is a university-wide regulation that we have to comply with.

In conclusion, your possible acceptance notification entirely depends on the fairness of the already accepted IAS students to officially waive their place in time.

==Is the waiting list carried over to the next year?==
No, the waiting list is not carried over to the next application period. Once the admission process has finished (i.e. all spaces are successfully filled), the waiting list is reset. If you would like to reapply, please ask the IAS Team for advice and please check the requirements close to the application period (February-March). They will change each year. Usually, if you have been ranked and received a number higher than 30 on the waiting list, this implies that you will most likely not have a chance the next year either (with the same application).

=I have received a rejection notification on formal grounds ("Ablehnungsbescheid")=

If you have received a German-only letter, you can find a translation [[Translation:Rejection Letter|here]].

==What does this rejection letter mean?==
You receive this letter if the selection committee has decided that you do not fulfill one or more of the minimum requirements. This usually is due to missing credits from the field of computer science, insufficient language proficiency, or incomplete applications due to missing documents. Your application has therefore not been ranked and had to be rejected on formal grounds. Even in 2020 and now in 2021 the number of complete applications exceeded the number of available places by 15 times. That means there were no exceptions made due to the coronavirus pandemic. The minimum requirements were strictly enforced as mentioned on the IAS Website and this wiki. There is no reconsideration possible. We do not take any late documents into account.

===My application was rejected due to missing credits from computer science but I surely have enough?===
As mentioned in the [[Application:Minimum requirements|minimum requirements]] the selection committee carefully evaluates all submitted evidence for credits in computer science. Check the minimum requirement page's specifics on which courses will be and will not be counted as computer science core courses. Since there are many more applications than available spaces, the selection committee is very strict with this requirement. The comparability of your degree to the standard BSc Informatik here in Hamburg is part of the selection criteria, so even a degree close to the boundary of 60 ECTS will receive a less favorable ranking since the 60 ECTS are only the minimum requirement. Even though the self-made table may help in understanding your transcript and courses, adding various courses to the table does not guarantee that they are accepted as core computer science courses. Please consult the [[Application:Minimum requirements| minimum requirements]].

===My application was rejected due to language proficiency?===
All applicants who did not provide valid proof of their English language proficiency will receive a formal rejection. Please consult the [[Application:Minimum requirements| minimum requirements]] page on language proficiency for detailed information.

Applicants:
* who have handed in a listed English language certificate which is below the required mark receive a reject.
* who did not hand in any English Language Certificate and did not describe and provide proof in an extra letter/document of their Englisch language proficiency (native speakers) will be rejected
* who were not able to complete their Englisch Language certificate due to the coronavirus pandemic receive a reject (Sorry - there are too many complete applications)
* who provided an additional letter but had only a "medium of instruction" or "high school English" as proof of the English language proficiency are rejected
* who handed in alternative English Proficiency tests which are not listed are rejected, e.g. University entry tests.
* who handed in screenshots of English Proficiency tests displaying preliminary results of any language proficiency test.

* who tried to fulfill the requirement through alternative means will often be rejected on these grounds if the selection committee is not provided with sufficient evidence of the required language proficiency.

Please consult the [[Application:Minimum requirements| minimum requirements]] page on language proficiency for detailed information and acceptable alternative proofs.

===My application was rejected due to missing documents===
As mentioned on the [[Application:Required documents|required documents]] page, you have to send all required documents in due time. The deadline is on the 31 March. Emails with additional documents after this deadline are not accepted. The IAS selection committee does not inform you of missing documents, or late applications, or corrupted pdfs, or empty pages of your application pdf. Your application is considered incomplete if one or more of the required documents are not received before the deadline and/or if your STiNE online application form is not submitted online, or your application pdf was not readable. As a result, your application will not be considered in the selection process. You can not submit missing documents after the expiration of the application deadline, there will be no reconsideration.

=What can I do if I think the given reason has to be wrong or if I really need to ask a question?=
'''First of all:''' Please always state, your full name, the application number, and which letter you have received, be polite and patient. Other emails will not be answered at all. Please note, you have already received the official information (letter) from the central administration (CampusCenter) and an additional email from the IAS Team. In agreement with every application process at companies and universities, there will be no more information provided. Sorry.

The selection committee carefully reviews each application - at least 3 independent reviewers. Applications close to the required mark in the language certificate or close to 60 ECTS have been triple-checked by the selection committee by the time you received the rejection.
This is also true for rejections on the ground of missing documents - there is really nothing the selection committee or anybody can do for you.
You may ask the IAS Team/Selection Committee to look into your case again and/or for statistics - please do so friendly - stating your full name, the application number, and your question. [https://www.master-intelligent-adaptive-systems.com/contact/ How to contact the IAS Team] (Please be patient, it is not the IAS Teams' main task answering emails of rejected students, but you will get an answer eventually).

Please understand that the minimum requirements, required documents, and selection criteria were taken seriously. Please understand that there are no exceptions as it would be unfair to applicants that worked hard to provide their complete application.
Please do not get your hopes up - the decision has been made. You may reapply next year if your ranking is 78% or higher (Please ask the selection committee about whether they would advise that.)

Short statistics:
Usually, there are more than 300 applications and only 19 open spaces to be filled therefore the requirements for applying are strict with no exception. Even in the coronavirus times, there have been more than 300 applications from 46 nations for only 19 spaces available.
That means you are not a bad student it just means that we were looking for a very specific type of student and were able to choose from many outstanding applications. The % selection value to be accepted was 80%.

FAQ:Main

2025-05-26T08:44:23Z

DbeckerIAS: /* Questions about jobs, scholarships and other funding */

This page contains topics that are relevant for you as an applicant or as an enrolled student at Universität Hamburg. You can find answers to frequently asked questions in the first two question blocks and useful information about student life in Hamburg in the others. If you have any questions that are not cited here, please [https://www.master-intelligent-adaptive-systems.com/contact/ contact the IAS Team].

==Questions about the application==
* [https://www.master-intelligent-adaptive-systems.com/contact/ IAS Contact]
* [[Required Documents: Example structure table| Example self-made structured table]]
* [[Cover-letter-form| Your first page of the application - cover-letter-form]]
* [[Desired_Documents:Anabin | Anabin: Recognition of your foreign educational qualifications - check it yourself for free]]
* [[Online application form|Online form (STiNE)]]
* [[FAQ:UniAssist | Uni-Assist: Recognition of foreign educational qualifications - fee based process]]
* [[Application:Main | How to apply for IAS]]
* [[Application:Required documents| List of all required documents]]
* [[Application:Minimum requirements| Explanation of the minimum requirements]]
* [[FAQ: Q&A| Frequently Asked Questions about the application]]

==Questions about the admission or rejection==
* [[Admission Process | Admission Process: What happens after I have sent my application? Dates + Acceptance]]
* [[Rejection | Rejection & WaitingList]]
* [[Matriculation Form | Help for the Enrollment Form]]
* [[FAQ:Translation:WaitingListLetter | Translation of the "waiting list" rejection letter]]

==Orientation, Welcome Buddy==
* [https://www.min.uni-hamburg.de/en/internationales/studierendenmobilitaet/buddy.html Buddy]
* [https://www.inf.uni-hamburg.de/en/studies/international/incoming.html Useful links for international students]
* [https://www.uni-hamburg.de/en/piasta.html Welcome Week and help for international studens= PIASTA]

==Questions about life in Hamburg==
* [[Living in Hamburg | Accommodation]]
* [https://www.uni-hamburg.de/en/internationales/studieren-an-der-uhh/info-und-beratung.html ToDos for new students]
* [https://www.hamburg.com/residents/ Information for new residents]
* [[Uni & Campus | Student life, university & campus]]
* [https://www.uni-hamburg.de/en/campuscenter/campus-leben/campus.html Campus Life]
* [https://www.uni-hamburg.de/en/campuscenter/campus-leben/freizeit.html Extracurricular activities]
* [[Places to go | Places to go - Sightseeing]]
* [[German Research Landscape | German research landscape]]
* [https://www.uni-hamburg.de/en/internationales/studieren-an-der-uhh/deutschkurse.html Learn German at Universität Hamburg]
* [https://www.daad.de/en/study-and-research-in-germany/plan-your-studies/ Nice summary on life in Germany -provided by DAAD]
* [https://www.uni-hamburg.de/en/uhh/profil/fakten.html Facts about Universität Hamburg]

==Questions about jobs, scholarships and other funding==
* [[Scholarships | Scholarships & other funding]]
* [https://www.uni-hamburg.de/en/campuscenter/campus-leben/finanzen.html Finances & Funding]
* [https://www.uni-hamburg.de/en/internationales/studieren-an-der-uhh/finanzierung-des-studiums.html Merit, Degree completion]
* (Student) Job search platforms: [https://www.stellenwerk-hamburg.de/en Stellenwerk Hamburg], [https://www.stepstone.de/en/ Stepstone], [https://de.indeed.com/ Indeed]
* [https://www.uni-hamburg.de/en/uhh/stellenangebote.html Job opportunities at Universität Hamburg]
* [https://www.uni-hamburg.de/en/internationales/studieren-an-der-uhh/daad-preis.html Daad prize for outstanding international students]
* Ask [https://www.inf.uni-hamburg.de/research.html research group leaders] or older IAS students for student jobs once you arrive at UHH

* [https://www.hitec-hamburg.de/en/ Technology transfer center associated with the university]
* [https://www.daad.de/deutschland/stipendium/en/ German Academic exchange service offers a lot of scholarships: DAAD webpage]
* [https://www.sicss.uni-hamburg.de/msc-programs/x-documents/scholarships-international-students-barrierfree.pdf Nice list of scholarships for German and some for all students]

=Visa Information=
* [https://www.uni-hamburg.de/en/campuscenter/bewerbung/international/studium-mit-abschluss/visum.html Visa Information]
* [https://www.uni-hamburg.de/en/campuscenter/beratung/info-beratung-online/kontaktformular-campus-center.html CampusCenter: Acknowledgement of enrollment for a visa]

==Information about health insurance==
* [https://www.uni-hamburg.de/en/campuscenter/bewerbung/bachelor-staatsexamen/zulassung-einschreibung/krankenversicherung.html Health insurance upon enrollment - see section international students]
* [https://www.hamburg.com/welcome/career-profession/study/11872998/health-insurance/ Student health insurance - City of Hamburg]
* [https://www.hamburg.com/health-insurance/ City of Hamburg general health insurance information]
* [https://welcome.hamburg.com/entry-and-residence/general-information/proof-health-insurance-17568 Students over 30 years - no student insurance possible: please read]
* [https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liste_deutscher_Krankenkassen#Liste_bestehender_Krankenkassen List of health insurances in Germany]
* Or google "Krankenkasse Deutschland"

==General webpages of the Universität Hamburg==
* [https://www.uni-hamburg.de/en/campuscenter/campus-leben/hamburg.html What Hamburg has to offer!]
* [https://www.uni-hamburg.de/en.html Universität Hamburg main page]
* [https://www.uni-hamburg.de/en/uhh/profil/geschichte.html History of the University]
* [https://www.uni-hamburg.de/onTEAM/campus/index_e.html Campus Navigator]
* [https://www.uni-hamburg.de/en/piasta/veranstaltungen/international-welcome-week.html PIASTA Welcome Week]
* [https://lecture2go.uni-hamburg.de/en/web/vod Lecture2Go - central online video portal of the Universität Hamburg for recorded lectures]
* [https://www.uni-hamburg.de/en/newsroom/veranstaltungen.html Public lectures]
* [https://www.uni-hamburg.de/en/einrichtungen/weitere-einrichtungen.html Further facilities & services]
* [https://www.uni-hamburg.de/en/campuscenter/beratung/info-beratung-online/kontaktformular-campus-center.html Seek service & advice at the Campus Center (enrollment, visa, semester contribution)]
* [https://www.asta.uni-hamburg.de/ Student council (AStA)]
* [https://www.uni-hamburg.de/en/campuscenter/beratung/info-beratung-online/kontaktformular-campus-center.html CampusCenter Contact Form]

==How to waive your place after enrolment==
In case you are one of the 19 lucky students receiving a letter of acceptance in June 2021 and have enrolled yourself but decided you do not want to start studying the IAS Master, please fill in this form as early as possible: Please be a fair player; otherwise, people on the waiting list won't be contacted, and the place will be lost. Nobody will be contacted once the semester has started.

* [https://www.uni-hamburg.de/en/campuscenter/bewerbung/bachelor-staatsexamen/zulassung-einschreibung/verzicht.html Free your accepted place for somebody on the waiting list]

==For accepted IAS Students only: International Exchange within your program to somewhere else==
* Most deadlines are very early -> 1 year before you want to study abroad:
* [https://www.uni-hamburg.de/en/internationales/studieren-im-ausland/programme.html Exchange Programs]
* [https://www.uni-hamburg.de/en/internationales/studieren-im-ausland/programme/erasmus.html Europe Erasmus]
* [https://www.uni-hamburg.de/en/internationales/studieren-im-ausland/programme/erasmus/ansprechpartner.html Erasmus contact for computer science]
* [https://wcms-uni.rrz.uni-hamburg.de/uni/2917372/liste-faecher-alphabetisch-sortiert-985d0dfb78a8257577b28d18501eebc74bb8e089.html#I List of Unis to go in Europe]
* [https://www.uni-hamburg.de/en/internationales/studieren-im-ausland/programme/hamburglobal.html Hamburg global scholarships]
* [https://www.uni-hamburg.de/en/internationales/studieren-im-ausland/programme/zentralaustausch.html World wide exchange]
* [https://www.daad.de/en/ DAAD scholarships]

FAQ:Main

2025-05-26T08:43:11Z

DbeckerIAS: /* Information about health insurance */

This page contains topics that are relevant for you as an applicant or as an enrolled student at Universität Hamburg. You can find answers to frequently asked questions in the first two question blocks and useful information about student life in Hamburg in the others. If you have any questions that are not cited here, please [https://www.master-intelligent-adaptive-systems.com/contact/ contact the IAS Team].

==Questions about the application==
* [https://www.master-intelligent-adaptive-systems.com/contact/ IAS Contact]
* [[Required Documents: Example structure table| Example self-made structured table]]
* [[Cover-letter-form| Your first page of the application - cover-letter-form]]
* [[Desired_Documents:Anabin | Anabin: Recognition of your foreign educational qualifications - check it yourself for free]]
* [[Online application form|Online form (STiNE)]]
* [[FAQ:UniAssist | Uni-Assist: Recognition of foreign educational qualifications - fee based process]]
* [[Application:Main | How to apply for IAS]]
* [[Application:Required documents| List of all required documents]]
* [[Application:Minimum requirements| Explanation of the minimum requirements]]
* [[FAQ: Q&A| Frequently Asked Questions about the application]]

==Questions about the admission or rejection==
* [[Admission Process | Admission Process: What happens after I have sent my application? Dates + Acceptance]]
* [[Rejection | Rejection & WaitingList]]
* [[Matriculation Form | Help for the Enrollment Form]]
* [[FAQ:Translation:WaitingListLetter | Translation of the "waiting list" rejection letter]]

==Orientation, Welcome Buddy==
* [https://www.min.uni-hamburg.de/en/internationales/studierendenmobilitaet/buddy.html Buddy]
* [https://www.inf.uni-hamburg.de/en/studies/international/incoming.html Useful links for international students]
* [https://www.uni-hamburg.de/en/piasta.html Welcome Week and help for international studens= PIASTA]

==Questions about life in Hamburg==
* [[Living in Hamburg | Accommodation]]
* [https://www.uni-hamburg.de/en/internationales/studieren-an-der-uhh/info-und-beratung.html ToDos for new students]
* [https://www.hamburg.com/residents/ Information for new residents]
* [[Uni & Campus | Student life, university & campus]]
* [https://www.uni-hamburg.de/en/campuscenter/campus-leben/campus.html Campus Life]
* [https://www.uni-hamburg.de/en/campuscenter/campus-leben/freizeit.html Extracurricular activities]
* [[Places to go | Places to go - Sightseeing]]
* [[German Research Landscape | German research landscape]]
* [https://www.uni-hamburg.de/en/internationales/studieren-an-der-uhh/deutschkurse.html Learn German at Universität Hamburg]
* [https://www.daad.de/en/study-and-research-in-germany/plan-your-studies/ Nice summary on life in Germany -provided by DAAD]
* [https://www.uni-hamburg.de/en/uhh/profil/fakten.html Facts about Universität Hamburg]

==Questions about jobs, scholarships and other funding==
* [[Scholarships | Scholarships & other funding]]
* [https://www.uni-hamburg.de/en/campuscenter/campus-leben/finanzen.html Finances & Funding]
* [https://www.uni-hamburg.de/en/internationales/studieren-an-der-uhh/finanzierung-des-studiums.html Merit, Degree completion]
* (Student) Job search platforms: [https://www.stellenwerk-hamburg.de/en Stellenwerk Hamburg], [https://www.stepstone.de/en/ Stepstone], [https://de.indeed.com/ Indeed]
* [https://www.uni-hamburg.de/en/uhh/stellenangebote.html Job opportunities at Universität Hamburg]
* [https://www.uni-hamburg.de/en/internationales/studieren-an-der-uhh/daad-preis.html Daad prize for outstanding international students]
* Ask [https://www.inf.uni-hamburg.de/research.html research group leaders] or older IAS students for student jobs once you arrive at UHH

* [https://www.kfw.de/inlandsfoerderung/Privatpersonen/Studieren-Qualifizieren/index-2.html Student loan]
* [https://www.hitec-hamburg.de/en/ Technology transfer center associated with the university]
* [https://www.daad.de/deutschland/stipendium/en/ German Academic exchange service offers a lot of scholarships: DAAD webpage]
* [https://www.sicss.uni-hamburg.de/msc-programs/x-documents/scholarships-international-students-barrierfree.pdf Nice list of scholarships for German and some for all students]

=Visa Information=
* [https://www.uni-hamburg.de/en/campuscenter/bewerbung/international/studium-mit-abschluss/visum.html Visa Information]
* [https://www.uni-hamburg.de/en/campuscenter/beratung/info-beratung-online/kontaktformular-campus-center.html CampusCenter: Acknowledgement of enrollment for a visa]

==Information about health insurance==
* [https://www.uni-hamburg.de/en/campuscenter/bewerbung/bachelor-staatsexamen/zulassung-einschreibung/krankenversicherung.html Health insurance upon enrollment - see section international students]
* [https://www.hamburg.com/welcome/career-profession/study/11872998/health-insurance/ Student health insurance - City of Hamburg]
* [https://www.hamburg.com/health-insurance/ City of Hamburg general health insurance information]
* [https://welcome.hamburg.com/entry-and-residence/general-information/proof-health-insurance-17568 Students over 30 years - no student insurance possible: please read]
* [https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liste_deutscher_Krankenkassen#Liste_bestehender_Krankenkassen List of health insurances in Germany]
* Or google "Krankenkasse Deutschland"

==General webpages of the Universität Hamburg==
* [https://www.uni-hamburg.de/en/campuscenter/campus-leben/hamburg.html What Hamburg has to offer!]
* [https://www.uni-hamburg.de/en.html Universität Hamburg main page]
* [https://www.uni-hamburg.de/en/uhh/profil/geschichte.html History of the University]
* [https://www.uni-hamburg.de/onTEAM/campus/index_e.html Campus Navigator]
* [https://www.uni-hamburg.de/en/piasta/veranstaltungen/international-welcome-week.html PIASTA Welcome Week]
* [https://lecture2go.uni-hamburg.de/en/web/vod Lecture2Go - central online video portal of the Universität Hamburg for recorded lectures]
* [https://www.uni-hamburg.de/en/newsroom/veranstaltungen.html Public lectures]
* [https://www.uni-hamburg.de/en/einrichtungen/weitere-einrichtungen.html Further facilities & services]
* [https://www.uni-hamburg.de/en/campuscenter/beratung/info-beratung-online/kontaktformular-campus-center.html Seek service & advice at the Campus Center (enrollment, visa, semester contribution)]
* [https://www.asta.uni-hamburg.de/ Student council (AStA)]
* [https://www.uni-hamburg.de/en/campuscenter/beratung/info-beratung-online/kontaktformular-campus-center.html CampusCenter Contact Form]

==How to waive your place after enrolment==
In case you are one of the 19 lucky students receiving a letter of acceptance in June 2021 and have enrolled yourself but decided you do not want to start studying the IAS Master, please fill in this form as early as possible: Please be a fair player; otherwise, people on the waiting list won't be contacted, and the place will be lost. Nobody will be contacted once the semester has started.

* [https://www.uni-hamburg.de/en/campuscenter/bewerbung/bachelor-staatsexamen/zulassung-einschreibung/verzicht.html Free your accepted place for somebody on the waiting list]

==For accepted IAS Students only: International Exchange within your program to somewhere else==
* Most deadlines are very early -> 1 year before you want to study abroad:
* [https://www.uni-hamburg.de/en/internationales/studieren-im-ausland/programme.html Exchange Programs]
* [https://www.uni-hamburg.de/en/internationales/studieren-im-ausland/programme/erasmus.html Europe Erasmus]
* [https://www.uni-hamburg.de/en/internationales/studieren-im-ausland/programme/erasmus/ansprechpartner.html Erasmus contact for computer science]
* [https://wcms-uni.rrz.uni-hamburg.de/uni/2917372/liste-faecher-alphabetisch-sortiert-985d0dfb78a8257577b28d18501eebc74bb8e089.html#I List of Unis to go in Europe]
* [https://www.uni-hamburg.de/en/internationales/studieren-im-ausland/programme/hamburglobal.html Hamburg global scholarships]
* [https://www.uni-hamburg.de/en/internationales/studieren-im-ausland/programme/zentralaustausch.html World wide exchange]
* [https://www.daad.de/en/ DAAD scholarships]

Admission Process

2025-05-26T08:41:26Z

DbeckerIAS: /* I do not have German health insurance! What do I have to do? */

This page explains the enrollment process if you have received a letter of acceptance. If you have received a rejection or a rejection with a waiting list option, please redirect to this Page: [[Rejection | Rejection & WaitingList]].

=What happens after I send my application? Rough timetable=
'''31 March''': After you have submitted your application on STiNE, the IAS selection committee screens your application. If complete and you have succeeded in proving the minimum requirements your application will enter the evaluation process according to the selection criteria. (If not, your application will be rejected and you will receive a letter of rejection from the CampusCenter (central administration), see [[Rejection | Rejection & WaitingList]]. )

'''End of April''': The IAS selection committee finalizes their evaluation. All valid applications are ranked and evaluated. The IAS selection committee sends the ranked list of all eligible applicants and rejected applicants to the CampusCenter (central administration of Universität Hamburg).

'''Beginning of May'''
The CampusCenter checks and evaluates the list and ultimately decides how many of the top-ranked applicants will receive a letter of acceptance. The IAS selection committee or IAS Team do not have jurisdiction here. Overbooking rates, Hardship cases and Waiting semesters cases are evaluated by the CampusCenter according to University law. This may change the order of who and when an applicant receives a letter of acceptance.

'''Mid-May''' Admission notification (28 May): The Campus Center will publish the results (acceptance, waiting list, rejection) of the current application period in your STiNE account. In case you receive a letter of acceptance - the letter will provide instructions on how and when to enrol. Please also contact the IAS Team asap, so we can send you more information on the study program, onboarding and assist you with any questions you have. Because of the two jurisdictions IAS Team (entire program coordination) & CampusCenter (central administration area) the IAS Team can only estimate who receives what letter when. For every other letter please read: [[Rejection | Rejection & WaitingList]].

'''04 June''' Deadline for enrolment.

=I have received a letter of acceptance ("Zulassungsbescheid")=
Congratulations! You are one of the top 20 of a very long list of applicants. The letter of acceptance is precious for many applicants. The central administration (CampusCenter) manages the enrolment process for the entire Universität Hamburg. Please ask the CampusCenter regarding questions on how to enrol - contact should be stated on your letter of acceptance. If not use the [https://www.uni-hamburg.de/en/campuscenter/beratung/info-beratung-online/kontaktformular-campus-center.html CampusCenter Contact Form]. Please tell also the IAS Team if you have any questions addressed to the CampusCenter (we are interested in updating the wiki). Here is a rather outdated help of the offline '''matriculation form''' : [[Matriculation Form | Help for the Enrollment Form]].

==Enrollment Deadline==
'''Usually 1 week after notification (~04 June):''' For enrollment, the accepted applicants have to follow the procedure stated in their letter of acceptance (that is always the most up-to-date information). Check your letter! It is always a good idea to emphasise that you are an international student while enrolling - check your international address.
After completing the enrollment form and fulfilling the points of the instructions - you are enrolled. Congratulation!

==FAQ for newly enrolled students==
Here the IAS Team has collected some questions that you may wonder about:

===Acknowledgement of enrollment===
The CampusCenter usually sends an (automatic) acknowledgment for receiving your enrolment documents (at least for online enrollment). If you need a special acknowledgment for your '''visa''', you need to request it via the [https://www.uni-hamburg.de/en/campuscenter/beratung/info-beratung-online/kontaktformular-campus-center.html CampusCenter Contact Form].
Once enrolled, your place for the Master International Adaptive Systems is secured until the semester starts, even though you might not have received any preliminary semester documents and have not paid the semester contribution. Please read the paragraph about Health insurance and semester contribution.

===Rough schedule after enrollment===
'''End of August - end of September''', the CampusCenter will send you an email with your student STiNE login, preliminary semester documents and only then will demand the payment of your semester contribution. After you have paid, you will receive your complete semester documents, new STiNE student login & tans.
At this point, you may have arrived in Hamburg and probably will have started studying. Sending the preliminary documents this late is an administrative decision of the central administration (CampusCenter) at Universität Hamburg. Sorry. Sometimes they send the email with preliminary documents only very late in September. ''Do not worry''. If you need an acknowledgement of preliminary enrollment for assurance/visa/bank account, please request it, [https://www.uni-hamburg.de/en/campuscenter/beratung/info-beratung-online/kontaktformular-campus-center.html CampusCenter Contact Form].

Please also tell the IAS-Team in cc if you have any worries/questions regarding enrollment.

'''Late September - first weeks of October: ''' There are a [https://www.uni-hamburg.de/piasta/welcome-buddy/welcome.html
general international welcome week organised by PIASTA] and an IAS specific orientation week to help you settle in, receive computer science logins and understand the process of booking courses. Please attend. Orientation/Introductory courses for IAS start usually in the second week of October shortly before the lecture period starts (see onboarding emails regarding IAS Orientation oe-ias@informatik ... in July/August).

'''Lecture start mid-October'''
Check the [https://www.master-intelligent-adaptive-systems.com IAS Website] & the [https://www.uni-hamburg.de/en/campuscenter/studienorganisation/studienverlauf/semestertermine.html universities main page] whether there are changes regarding the lecture start and the way of teaching (digital / in-class). The last 2 semesters have been taught in digital form. Unfortunately, the University makes this decision on short notice.

===I do not have German health insurance! What do I have to do?===
You can ''' only''' get German health insurance once you have a valid address in Germany. The Campus Center Team for Application and Admission is aware of this problem for international students. As long as you have provided an address outside Germany in your enrollment documents, you only need to confirm German health insurance once you are in Germany and have accommodation. It is always a good idea to state in the enrollment form that you are an international student from outside Europe/Germany (if the online form lets you). The CampusCenter advises international students to provide their health insurance at the latest in mid-October.

Please check the official information here: [https://www.uni-hamburg.de/en/campuscenter/bewerbung/bachelor-staatsexamen/zulassung-einschreibung/krankenversicherung Info of Universität Hamburg] and [https://welcome.hamburg.com/living-in-hamburg/health-and-insurance/health-insurance-17524 General Info of the city of Hamburg]. If you are over 30 years old, please also read the section about 30 years and older.

Please note "travel health insurance" does ''not'' provide sufficient coverage for the duration of studies in Germany.

Please see the FAQ section on [[FAQ:Main|health insurance]].

If the next semester classes are in digital form - you do not need German health insurance if you are not in Germany.

=== Where do I have to send the matriculation (enrollment) documents? ===
The letter of acceptance contains instructions on how to enroll. Enrollment is online. You will have to upload some documents and after enrollment completion, your study place is reserved for you.

===How to waive your place (after enrollment)===
In case you are one of the 20 fortunate students receiving a letter of acceptance and have enrolled yourself but decided you do not want to start studying the IAS Master, please fill in this form as early as possible:
Please be a fair player; otherwise, people on the waiting list won't be contacted, and the place will be lost. Nobody will be contacted once the semester has started.

* [https://www.uni-hamburg.de/en/campuscenter/bewerbung/bachelor-staatsexamen/zulassung-einschreibung/verzicht.html Free your accepted place for somebody on the waiting list]

===I have visa problems ===
Use this [https://www.uni-hamburg.de/en/campuscenter/beratung/info-beratung-online/kontaktformular-campus-center.html contact form] of the CampusCenter for requesting visa help (official documents etc.).

Please note that you need to provide detailed personal information (name, program, enrolled, country, problem, application nr, student number) and ask precise questions. The CampusCenter does not have the time to write 100 emails asking for info step by step. If your visa matter is time relevant, please emphasize that in your request.

If nobody answers within 48h or you have a timely pressing matter, please check again that you have stated the importance and provided all information necessary.
Please keep the IAS Team informed - we may have direct contact for very important cases [https://www.master-intelligent-adaptive-systems.com/contact/ You can find the IAS Team contact information here].

=== Postponing the start of your studies once enrolled ===
In general, the IAS program commences once a year in the winter semester - you should start studying in October the year you have applied - in general, there is no "postponing" possible.

If you want to '''start in the next year's winter semester''', you need to waive your place and apply again without any better chances than any other application of the new application period.

= Statistics 2025 =
Short statistics: There were 447 applications and only 20 open spaces to be filled. Therefore, the requirements for applying are strict, with no exceptions. We received applications from 45 nations for 20 spaces. The Top 25 included 16 nations, 44% women, 52% men, and 4% diverse.

= Waiving your enrollment (free your place for somebody else) =

If you have enrolled yourself and '''you do not want to start studying''', PLEASE waive the enrollment officially - only when you do so before the semester starts. The CampusCenter can notify another applicant on the waiting list.

* Use this form: [https://www.uni-hamburg.de/en/campuscenter/bewerbung/bachelor-staatsexamen/zulassung-einschreibung/verzicht.html Free your place for somebody on the waiting list]

* Contact the IAS Team asap

=Points of contact=

To avoid confusion, we would like to explain the two distinct points of contact at the Universität Hamburg that you have to communicate with for the application, enrollment process and onboarding process:

1. '''Your first point of contact is the IAS Team.''' The IAS Team is part of the '''Department of Informatics''', Universität Hamburg. The IAS Team and academic advisor are responsible for the application process, selection process, program coordination, program curriculum, questions about the IAS program, counselling of students and applicants regarding study plans and exams. The IAS Team runs the IAS program and contains the selection committee (a group of professors, post-doctoral researchers, lecturers, academic advisors) who select the applications. Please direct all questions regarding the program's content, curriculum, application, website, wiki, and difficulties while studying to the IAS Team. The academic advisor manages the IAS Team. The academic advisor is a researcher and lecturer who cooperates closely with the academic office at the informatics department. Please keep in mind that their main tasks are research and teaching - not administrative when contacting the IAS Team. [https://www.master-intelligent-adaptive-systems.com/contact/ Contact the IAS Team]

'''The academic office at the department of informatics for enrolled students''': You should contact the academic coordinator for IAS Björn Hanssen when you have questions regarding module and exam registrations, recognition of credit points, recognition of German lectures or other lectures, transcript, etc.). They are not involved in the application process and will only become relevant once you start studying at Universität Hamburg. [https://www.inf.uni-hamburg.de/en/studies/orga/stb.html Contact academic office].

2. '''CampusCenter Team:''' The CampusCenter Team is part of the '''central administration''' of the entire university. The Team for Application and Admission ("Team Bewerbung und Zulassung TBZ") is located at the Campus Center (Main Campus) and part of the central administration (Do not confuse this with the IAS Team and Selection Committee). They are running the online system STiNE, are centrally responsible for processing admissions and handling legal issues for the approximately 44000 students at UHH. The Campus Center provides student documents (student ID card, confirmation documents). It has full control over all formal issues leading to your enrollment (after the Selection Committee of the IAS Team reviewed and ranked your application). Once you are fully enrolled (paid semester contribution), responsibility is partly handed back to the IAS-Team and the academic office at the informatics department; and to your academic advisor, who is the contact for all study issues. The Campus Center is responsible for sending your letter of acceptance/rejection/waiting list and the enrollment process. You will need to send your enrollment documents to the Campus Center once you are accepted!. Please contact the Campus Center for all questions regarding the official enrollment or confirmation of enrollment for a visa. Contact them via the [https://www.uni-hamburg.de/en/campuscenter/beratung/info-beratung-online/kontaktformular-campus-center.html Campus Center].

As a rule of thumb - always contact the IAS Team first: [https://www.master-intelligent-adaptive-systems.com/contact/ How to contact the IAS Team]

Admission Process

2025-05-26T08:40:03Z

DbeckerIAS: /* Rough schedule after enrollment */

This page explains the enrollment process if you have received a letter of acceptance. If you have received a rejection or a rejection with a waiting list option, please redirect to this Page: [[Rejection | Rejection & WaitingList]].

=What happens after I send my application? Rough timetable=
'''31 March''': After you have submitted your application on STiNE, the IAS selection committee screens your application. If complete and you have succeeded in proving the minimum requirements your application will enter the evaluation process according to the selection criteria. (If not, your application will be rejected and you will receive a letter of rejection from the CampusCenter (central administration), see [[Rejection | Rejection & WaitingList]]. )

'''End of April''': The IAS selection committee finalizes their evaluation. All valid applications are ranked and evaluated. The IAS selection committee sends the ranked list of all eligible applicants and rejected applicants to the CampusCenter (central administration of Universität Hamburg).

'''Beginning of May'''
The CampusCenter checks and evaluates the list and ultimately decides how many of the top-ranked applicants will receive a letter of acceptance. The IAS selection committee or IAS Team do not have jurisdiction here. Overbooking rates, Hardship cases and Waiting semesters cases are evaluated by the CampusCenter according to University law. This may change the order of who and when an applicant receives a letter of acceptance.

'''Mid-May''' Admission notification (28 May): The Campus Center will publish the results (acceptance, waiting list, rejection) of the current application period in your STiNE account. In case you receive a letter of acceptance - the letter will provide instructions on how and when to enrol. Please also contact the IAS Team asap, so we can send you more information on the study program, onboarding and assist you with any questions you have. Because of the two jurisdictions IAS Team (entire program coordination) & CampusCenter (central administration area) the IAS Team can only estimate who receives what letter when. For every other letter please read: [[Rejection | Rejection & WaitingList]].

'''04 June''' Deadline for enrolment.

=I have received a letter of acceptance ("Zulassungsbescheid")=
Congratulations! You are one of the top 20 of a very long list of applicants. The letter of acceptance is precious for many applicants. The central administration (CampusCenter) manages the enrolment process for the entire Universität Hamburg. Please ask the CampusCenter regarding questions on how to enrol - contact should be stated on your letter of acceptance. If not use the [https://www.uni-hamburg.de/en/campuscenter/beratung/info-beratung-online/kontaktformular-campus-center.html CampusCenter Contact Form]. Please tell also the IAS Team if you have any questions addressed to the CampusCenter (we are interested in updating the wiki). Here is a rather outdated help of the offline '''matriculation form''' : [[Matriculation Form | Help for the Enrollment Form]].

==Enrollment Deadline==
'''Usually 1 week after notification (~04 June):''' For enrollment, the accepted applicants have to follow the procedure stated in their letter of acceptance (that is always the most up-to-date information). Check your letter! It is always a good idea to emphasise that you are an international student while enrolling - check your international address.
After completing the enrollment form and fulfilling the points of the instructions - you are enrolled. Congratulation!

==FAQ for newly enrolled students==
Here the IAS Team has collected some questions that you may wonder about:

===Acknowledgement of enrollment===
The CampusCenter usually sends an (automatic) acknowledgment for receiving your enrolment documents (at least for online enrollment). If you need a special acknowledgment for your '''visa''', you need to request it via the [https://www.uni-hamburg.de/en/campuscenter/beratung/info-beratung-online/kontaktformular-campus-center.html CampusCenter Contact Form].
Once enrolled, your place for the Master International Adaptive Systems is secured until the semester starts, even though you might not have received any preliminary semester documents and have not paid the semester contribution. Please read the paragraph about Health insurance and semester contribution.

===Rough schedule after enrollment===
'''End of August - end of September''', the CampusCenter will send you an email with your student STiNE login, preliminary semester documents and only then will demand the payment of your semester contribution. After you have paid, you will receive your complete semester documents, new STiNE student login & tans.
At this point, you may have arrived in Hamburg and probably will have started studying. Sending the preliminary documents this late is an administrative decision of the central administration (CampusCenter) at Universität Hamburg. Sorry. Sometimes they send the email with preliminary documents only very late in September. ''Do not worry''. If you need an acknowledgement of preliminary enrollment for assurance/visa/bank account, please request it, [https://www.uni-hamburg.de/en/campuscenter/beratung/info-beratung-online/kontaktformular-campus-center.html CampusCenter Contact Form].

Please also tell the IAS-Team in cc if you have any worries/questions regarding enrollment.

'''Late September - first weeks of October: ''' There are a [https://www.uni-hamburg.de/piasta/welcome-buddy/welcome.html
general international welcome week organised by PIASTA] and an IAS specific orientation week to help you settle in, receive computer science logins and understand the process of booking courses. Please attend. Orientation/Introductory courses for IAS start usually in the second week of October shortly before the lecture period starts (see onboarding emails regarding IAS Orientation oe-ias@informatik ... in July/August).

'''Lecture start mid-October'''
Check the [https://www.master-intelligent-adaptive-systems.com IAS Website] & the [https://www.uni-hamburg.de/en/campuscenter/studienorganisation/studienverlauf/semestertermine.html universities main page] whether there are changes regarding the lecture start and the way of teaching (digital / in-class). The last 2 semesters have been taught in digital form. Unfortunately, the University makes this decision on short notice.

===I do not have German health insurance! What do I have to do?===
You can ''' only''' get German health insurance once you have a valid address in Germany. The Campus Center Team for Application and Admission is aware of this problem for international students. As long as you have provided an address outside Germany in your enrollment documents, you only need to confirm German health insurance once you are in Germany and have accommodation. It is always a good idea to state in the enrollment form that you are an international student from outside Europe/Germany (if the online form lets you). The CampusCenter advises international students to provide their health insurance at the latest in mid-October.

Please check the official information here: [https://www.uni-hamburg.de/en/campuscenter/bewerbung/bachelor-staatsexamen/zulassung-einschreibung/krankenversicherung Info of Universität Hamburg] and [https://www.hamburg.com/welcome/career-profession/study/11872998/health-insurance/ General Info of the city of Hamburg]. If you are over 30 years old, please also read the section about 30 years and older: [https://www.hamburg.com/welcome/career-profession/study/11872998/health-insurance/ Info of the city of Hamburg] :

Please note "travel health insurance" does ''not'' provide sufficient coverage for the duration of studies in Germany.

Please see the FAQ section on [[FAQ:Main|health insurance]].

If the next semester classes are in digital form - you do not need German health insurance if you are not in Germany.

=== Where do I have to send the matriculation (enrollment) documents? ===
The letter of acceptance contains instructions on how to enroll. Enrollment is online. You will have to upload some documents and after enrollment completion, your study place is reserved for you.

===How to waive your place (after enrollment)===
In case you are one of the 20 fortunate students receiving a letter of acceptance and have enrolled yourself but decided you do not want to start studying the IAS Master, please fill in this form as early as possible:
Please be a fair player; otherwise, people on the waiting list won't be contacted, and the place will be lost. Nobody will be contacted once the semester has started.

* [https://www.uni-hamburg.de/en/campuscenter/bewerbung/bachelor-staatsexamen/zulassung-einschreibung/verzicht.html Free your accepted place for somebody on the waiting list]

===I have visa problems ===
Use this [https://www.uni-hamburg.de/en/campuscenter/beratung/info-beratung-online/kontaktformular-campus-center.html contact form] of the CampusCenter for requesting visa help (official documents etc.).

Please note that you need to provide detailed personal information (name, program, enrolled, country, problem, application nr, student number) and ask precise questions. The CampusCenter does not have the time to write 100 emails asking for info step by step. If your visa matter is time relevant, please emphasize that in your request.

If nobody answers within 48h or you have a timely pressing matter, please check again that you have stated the importance and provided all information necessary.
Please keep the IAS Team informed - we may have direct contact for very important cases [https://www.master-intelligent-adaptive-systems.com/contact/ You can find the IAS Team contact information here].

=== Postponing the start of your studies once enrolled ===
In general, the IAS program commences once a year in the winter semester - you should start studying in October the year you have applied - in general, there is no "postponing" possible.

If you want to '''start in the next year's winter semester''', you need to waive your place and apply again without any better chances than any other application of the new application period.

= Statistics 2025 =
Short statistics: There were 447 applications and only 20 open spaces to be filled. Therefore, the requirements for applying are strict, with no exceptions. We received applications from 45 nations for 20 spaces. The Top 25 included 16 nations, 44% women, 52% men, and 4% diverse.

= Waiving your enrollment (free your place for somebody else) =

If you have enrolled yourself and '''you do not want to start studying''', PLEASE waive the enrollment officially - only when you do so before the semester starts. The CampusCenter can notify another applicant on the waiting list.

* Use this form: [https://www.uni-hamburg.de/en/campuscenter/bewerbung/bachelor-staatsexamen/zulassung-einschreibung/verzicht.html Free your place for somebody on the waiting list]

* Contact the IAS Team asap

=Points of contact=

To avoid confusion, we would like to explain the two distinct points of contact at the Universität Hamburg that you have to communicate with for the application, enrollment process and onboarding process:

1. '''Your first point of contact is the IAS Team.''' The IAS Team is part of the '''Department of Informatics''', Universität Hamburg. The IAS Team and academic advisor are responsible for the application process, selection process, program coordination, program curriculum, questions about the IAS program, counselling of students and applicants regarding study plans and exams. The IAS Team runs the IAS program and contains the selection committee (a group of professors, post-doctoral researchers, lecturers, academic advisors) who select the applications. Please direct all questions regarding the program's content, curriculum, application, website, wiki, and difficulties while studying to the IAS Team. The academic advisor manages the IAS Team. The academic advisor is a researcher and lecturer who cooperates closely with the academic office at the informatics department. Please keep in mind that their main tasks are research and teaching - not administrative when contacting the IAS Team. [https://www.master-intelligent-adaptive-systems.com/contact/ Contact the IAS Team]

'''The academic office at the department of informatics for enrolled students''': You should contact the academic coordinator for IAS Björn Hanssen when you have questions regarding module and exam registrations, recognition of credit points, recognition of German lectures or other lectures, transcript, etc.). They are not involved in the application process and will only become relevant once you start studying at Universität Hamburg. [https://www.inf.uni-hamburg.de/en/studies/orga/stb.html Contact academic office].

2. '''CampusCenter Team:''' The CampusCenter Team is part of the '''central administration''' of the entire university. The Team for Application and Admission ("Team Bewerbung und Zulassung TBZ") is located at the Campus Center (Main Campus) and part of the central administration (Do not confuse this with the IAS Team and Selection Committee). They are running the online system STiNE, are centrally responsible for processing admissions and handling legal issues for the approximately 44000 students at UHH. The Campus Center provides student documents (student ID card, confirmation documents). It has full control over all formal issues leading to your enrollment (after the Selection Committee of the IAS Team reviewed and ranked your application). Once you are fully enrolled (paid semester contribution), responsibility is partly handed back to the IAS-Team and the academic office at the informatics department; and to your academic advisor, who is the contact for all study issues. The Campus Center is responsible for sending your letter of acceptance/rejection/waiting list and the enrollment process. You will need to send your enrollment documents to the Campus Center once you are accepted!. Please contact the Campus Center for all questions regarding the official enrollment or confirmation of enrollment for a visa. Contact them via the [https://www.uni-hamburg.de/en/campuscenter/beratung/info-beratung-online/kontaktformular-campus-center.html Campus Center].

As a rule of thumb - always contact the IAS Team first: [https://www.master-intelligent-adaptive-systems.com/contact/ How to contact the IAS Team]

IAS Modules

2025-05-22T12:15:47Z

DbeckerIAS: /* Core Modules [39 CP] compulsory */

[[Category:IAS|Modules]]
The Intelligent Adaptive Systems (IAS) Master is one of the few computer science programs in Germany that is taught purely in English, preparing students for international research and professional work.

The IAS Master takes a balanced approach between courses with a technical, low-level hardware focus and general computer science courses. Its curriculum focuses on the area of smart technology and intelligent adaptive systems and provides in-depth training in this area. The selected modules offer a comprehensive overview, including technical aspects and state-of-the-art algorithms. The IAS Masters introduces students to current research in the corresponding fields and provides the opportunity to deepen their acquired knowledge by participating in international research projects.

The Masters in Intelligent Adaptive Systems is a 2-year research-oriented program taught in English. Both national and international students can profit from the international environment and improve their knowledge of the English language and their intercultural competence. The academic exchange between students is promoted in seminars and workgroups and extended in extra-curricular discussions and activities. Due to the proximity to current research projects, students have the possibility of a smooth transition into collaborative research environments and continuing education. Up to 90% of IAS students have an international background. In 2020, we received applications from 35 nations – this year there are applicants from 19 nations among the top 30 (approx. 40% female applicants). For many years in a row, the top 1 application came from a female student. Part-time study is permitted but not advised because classes are during the day. For the Project, group work, and Master thesis students are expected to study full-time.

== IAS Curriculum [120 CP] ==
The Master’s program consists of 120 ECTS credits points, which are divided into core lectures, selectable areas of focus, extension lectures, and project work.
* Core Modules (39 CP)
* Focus Option (24 CP)
* Extension Option (15 CP)
* Project (12 CP)
* Thesis (30 CP)

As a general rule, 1 ECTS credit corresponds to 25–30 hours of work.
This is an example curriculum for students: one row stands for one semester and comprises 30 CP. The first row stands for the first winter semester:
<center>
http://www.informatik.uni-hamburg.de/WTM/pictures/tetris2018.png
</center>

== Core Modules [39 CP] compulsory ==
Core lectures are compulsory for all students. They provide an in-depth understanding of different types of intelligent adaptive systems and introduce students to current research in several core areas. All core modules consist of a combination of lectures and seminars/tutorials to encourage student participation and continuous application of learned content. In the following sections, you can find direct links to the internal websites of the modules with information on content and organization.
Following the links to the STiNE platform - please check and adjust the years and winter semester/summer semester on the left menu - as not every course is held in both semesters. Prospective students should use "old" semesters to receive information about courses offered for the IAS program!

==== [InfM-SWA, 6 CP] Software Architecture (SA)====

==== [InfM-BAI, 6 CP] Bio-Inspired Artificial Intelligence (BAI) ====

==== [InfM-IR, 6 CP] Intelligent Robotics (IR) ====

==== [InfM-RM, 6 CP] Research Methods (RM) ====

==== [InfM-NN, 6 CP] Knowledge Processing with Neural Networks (NN) ====

==== [InfM-ML, 6 CP] Machine Learning (ML) ====

== Focus Option [24 CP] ==
Focus options offer students the opportunity to deepen their knowledge in areas that complement core modules. Students select focus options in consultation with the IAS academic advisor using a list of options that align with the overall focus of the IAS Master. The list contains individual modules that complement core lectures as well as suggested sets of modules that collectively form a coherent focus area. We regularly review the list to reflect current research and to include newly emerged and complementary teaching areas.
The following list shows the modules currently available for focus option slots in the winter or summer semester.

==== [InfM-WV, 6 CP] Knowledge Processing in Intelligent Systems (WV1) ====

==== [InfM-LT, 6 CP] Language Technology (SV) ====

==== [InfM-RT, 6 CP] Robot Technology (RT) ====

==== [InfM-CV 1, 6 CP] Computer Vision I ====

==== [InfM-CV 2, 6 CP] Computer Vision II ====
==== [InfM-DIS, 9 CP] Databases and Information Systems ====
==== [InfM-SSV, 6 CP] Speech Signal Processing ====

==== [InfM-UIST, 6 CP] User Interface Software and Technology ====

==== [InfM-IS/IAS, 3 or 6 CP] Independent study ====

The IAS program is designed for research-oriented, self-thinking, and independent students who like to choose their field of research on their own. That is why the IAS program offers a special module, the ''Independent study''.

Here the student can define with a supervisor (a 3 or 6 ECTS worth) small project on their own. The student looks for a supervisor, picks a field of research/interest, defines a learning agreement with a supervisor, and then starts his/her own project.
It is a perfect way to practice working on the "big" master's thesis.

A student is allowed to register 2 Independent studies - 1 for "Focus Choice" and 1 for "Extension Option".

== Extension Option [15 CP] ==
Students can select 15 ECTS credit points from a range of [https://www.inf.uni-hamburg.de/studies/orga/semester-info/engl-courses.html#1588783 informatic courses taught in English] and lectures (in German) taught at the Department of Informatics or from other lectures taught at other departments. These lectures need to be on a ''' Master's level'''. In contrast to focus options, students can use extension options to gain knowledge in areas that go beyond the scope of the IAS Master but are linked to its contents, e.g. Psychology or Biology. The lectures are again chosen in consultation with the academic advisor for IAS to guarantee a meaningful choice that aligns with the student’s background and aims. German language courses are accepted here, too. Students can also choose to do a second: InfM-IS/IAS, 3 or 6 CP Independent study.

== Master Group Project [12 CP] compulsory ==

Whereas lectures and seminars focus on individual work, the group project revolves around teamwork, scientific exchange, and defence of ideas to prepare students for a collaborative scientific environment. We encourage students to engage in projects and to actively take part in research projects of a chosen area in preparation for their master thesis. Up to 15 students collaborate as an independent research group with a supervisor from the corresponding academic field.

Projects can stretch over 1-2 semesters. Have a look at the descriptions in STiNE.

== Master Thesis (Thesis + Seminar + Defense) [30 CP] compulsory ==

The Master's thesis is a research project which students need to organise themselves. Students have 6 months to work on their project and write a thesis. Research groups at the Department of Informatics suggest research fields in which master theses are possible. Students are also allowed to organise a collaboration between a company and professors at the Department of Informatics and write their thesis in that company.
Some research groups offer a seminar, which provides students with the opportunity to present their work to a broader audience of peers, in an environment comparable to a scientific conference to practice the thesis' defence. In the last term, students should work full time on their research project, which ends with the submission of the final Master’s thesis.

==Course Catalog==
There various pages where a student can get some information about the courses offered for IAS:

* Information on the course catalogue of the IAS Master can be found here: https://www.inf.uni-hamburg.de/studies/master/ias/course-catalog.html

* and on STiNE (where you will register for your modules:) https://www.stine.uni-hamburg.de - Click on course catalogue – choose a semester – click on Faculty of Mathematics, Informatics and Natural Sciences - Department of Informatics - K. Master of Science Intelligent Adaptive Systems – there you will see the categories and modules listed above. Once you register for courses, please remember you have to register for entire modules = lectures and seminars separately!

* See Subject-Specific Regulations for IAS: https://www.inf.uni-hamburg.de/studies/master/ias.html

2022-12-05T11:11:52Z

DbeckerIAS:

=List of all required documents for application=
To apply for the 2-year Master of Science program Intelligent Adaptive Systems, you need to register on the Universität Hamburg Stine platform and upload your application documents as a single PDF-document. The IAS Team runs the IAS Master and also contains the admission board. Your application will be assessed by a group of professors, post-doctoral researchers, lecturers, and academic advisors. There are more than 450 applicants and only 20 spaces on the program. Make sure that your application is well-structured and precise.

 To apply successfully, please make sure that: 

 1. You meet the minimum requirements 

 2. Your application contains all required documents and is in the correct order 

 3. You to upload your application before the deadline on STiNE (31 March 11:59 pm UCT+2 every year) 

 4. Your application needs to be self-contained, links as the only source of important documents will not be accepted. 

We do not inform you of missing documents, or late applications, or blank pages, or corrupted pdfs. You can not submit missing documents after the expiration of the application deadline. There will be no reconsideration. 

The application process is digital. 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 mid-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''' ==
The first page of your application is this pdf-form asking for your personal information. Only use the cover-letter-form provided by us. If you cannot fill in your information with a technical device, please do so by hand (and scan for the final application pdf). Make sure the information is saved and displayable. This document goes on top of your application; it is the first page of your final application pdf.
* Explanation and link to the cover-letter-form: [[Cover-letter-form|cover-letter-form]]

==''' 2. Curriculum Vitae'''==
Your Curriculum Vitae (table version) needs to include your relevant experience (academic, work, international, private). 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, outlining their computer science content are especially important if you want their 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.

== '''3. 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. The maximum length is 1.5 pages (not more: the selection committee may reject your application on the grounds of the quality of your motivational letter).
In your letter of motivation, you should explain your reasons to study 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?
* How would you avoid a cultural shock?
* Analyze the selection criteria and the IAS curriculum so that you know what else might be important to write.

The selection committee will give high ratings to letters that show you have made a deliberate choice to study IAS. You need to justify your decision well and explain how studying the IAS Master 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 significant ability the board is looking for.

Things that affect the rating adversely are, among others, generic letters that are written for multiple applications and 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.

== '''4. Proof(s) of English language proficiency'''==
Language proficiency test score with the minimum score:

CEFR/TELC Level >= at least "upper" B2/C1 "upper intermediate" in all categories or better C1 "Advanced English"

IELTS >= Overall band 6.5 + B2 (*with a minimum subscore of 6.0 for Listening, Comprehension, Speaking, Writing)

TOEFL: IBT >= 90 (*with a minimum subscore of 20 for Reading, Listening, Speaking, Writing),

PBT >= 575, CBT >= 230

Cambridge >= CAE or CPE

*The overall minimum level has to be reached too!

The medium of instruction in a degree is '''not''' sufficient proof of English Language Proficiency!
Please see '''[https://www2.informatik.uni-hamburg.de/Info/Studium/MSc/IAS/wiki/index.php/Minimum_Requirement:_English_language_proficiency minimum requirements]''' for details on the required language certificates and further information.

==''' 5. Transcript of Records'''==
Your degree’s transcript of records, listing all your finished courses with credit hours and grades and your final and or average grade. Please only apply if you can provide at least a transcript that is only missing the final semester.

Highlight the core computer science courses in your transcript that you have also listed on your table.

Please see '''[[Application:Minimum requirements| minimum requirements]]''' for detailed information on the requirements for your transcript of records.

== '''6. Table template for listing of all core computer science courses and estimation of ECTS'''==

To meet the formal requirement, you have to provide evidence of 60 ECTS or more in core computer science courses. Any kind of maths, economics, management, electrical engineering, soft skills courses does not count. Please use this table template and fill in only your finished core Computer Science subjects. Please provide all the information asked for in the table. Please also read the explanation in the wiki for the minimal requirement ECTS. Note, that you have to explain courses with meaningless names like „Project“ or „Thesis“; you have to provide extra proof that the course has significant computer science content (e.g., via an official module description/ letter of recommendation). Do not send full handbooks. The table has to be precise and well-structured.

Please refer to the listed information under [[Application:Minimum requirements| minimum requirements]] regarding questions about the ''ECTS credit system'', the ''calculation'' of the required 60 ECTS, ''modules/courses counted as computer science'' by IAS selection committee. Please use this [[Required Documents: Example structure table|example]] to provide evidence of your 60 ECTS credits or more.

=='''7. BSc certificates'''==

* 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. 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.

=='''8. Diploma Supplement'''==
* Please provide a description of your degree - it is an official document issued by most universities.
** The degree's grading system and final grade computation rules if the grade is not stated in the transcript.
** The standard amount of semesters required for completion of your degree
** Total amount of credit hours or credit points to be able to finish the degree
** The description of how many weeks of in-class (=contact hours) time with a lecturer present you have per semester
** The description of how your credit systems works, e.g. 1 credit point (or credit hour) equals 15 hours of in-class time with lecturer present meaning 1 hour per week for 15 weeks.

'''What happens if my university does not provide a degree description and I do not provide the information?'''

In the worst case, the selection committee can not verify and compare your transcript and ECTS estimation table. That means you may either be rejected because the selection committee can not estimate your ECTS OR you will receive less % in the overall rating of your application and therefore a less favourable ranking.

''' How can I provide the information if my university does not provide degree description?'''

The IAS Team advice, gather all the information yourself, write a neat degree description yourself on an extra page (always a good idea!) and state on which page in your application pieces of the official information is proven.
Here are some ideas:
* get for example lecturers to state information in a letter of recommendation
* screenshot your website, highlight the information (additionally provide a link)
* sometimes some parts are stated in the transcript, some can be stated by your academic office
* be creative - please understand that the selection committee will not start looking for information for you

=='''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 (see Diploma Supplement).

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 0% 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 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 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 your 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. You must have obtained your degree from a recognized higher education institution. Your degree has to be equivalent to at least a three year Bachelor in Germany.

'''How to provide proof that your university is recognized in Germany:'''

The selection committee's advice: use the anabin database entry for proof. It is cost-free and fast:
* Use the database anabin and screenshot 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:
* The official recommendation of the Universität Hamburg is that you use the fee-based service Uni-Assist (but The IAS Team does not recommend it.)
* 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 or have difficulties

Some countries have to get a German authorities endorsement anyway for a 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 sufficient 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 most cases, that means your degree does not qualify.

=='''12. 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. However, only include documents that are relevant to your application. Your selection of documents already shows your ability to distinguish between relevant and irrelevant content and an unnecessarily large amount of randomly added certificates or documents may have a negative effect on your ranking.

===Desired additional documents===
* Additional self-made overview documents if your official degree description/diploma is incomplete or really unstructured
* Table of contents for faster pdf reading (could be also as 2. document (cover letter needs to be first = automatically read))
* Documents that add to the evidence needed for the requirements, e.g. additional proof of language proficiency or higher education courses with computer science content, letter of recommendation
* Evidence of 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 true 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 additional documents ===
* 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 ===
* Please do not send full module handbooks as the IAS admission team will not have the time to search for core computer science courses in those handbooks for you. However, please submit your self-made and structured table of modules to be counted towards 60 ECTS in computer science.
* Certificates that don't add additional value to your application 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 suitable for this particular degree program.
* Links to more information as sole evidence for required information.

===Do 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/scans. But please be aware that once you have been sent a ''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. In any case please follow the instructions on your letter of acceptance.
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. They have nothing to do with the task of the other. So please do not send the IAS Team paper originals.

== '''The University's online portal (STiNE)'''==
The Universität Hamburg Campus Center (= central administration) requires you to fill out a general and university-wide online form on their platform called STiNE. This is also the platform where you upload your application. Please note that you can only fill in the form during the application period.

Attention: In your application account on the STiNE platform: Select this IAS course: Master, Semester 1 (= start with the first semester), Intelligent Adaptive Systems, Admission restricted Do not click "Freemover". Do not click "Preparatory Course".

* During your registration you may receive a BW - Number (Application Number). Please state this number in your cover letter if possible.
* You can find the form in Universität Hamburg's STiNE platform: https://www.stine.uni-hamburg.de. Sorry, some parts of the STiNE online form are in German.
* For further clarification, the IAS-Team has prepared a wiki entry regarding the STiNE form: [[online application form|Online form STiNE]].
* For further questions about the STiNE platform 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].

==Some advice for applicants from the selection committee==
Dear applicants,

we know there are a lot of documents to be prepared and rules to be followed, sorry. Our mission is to welcome applicants from all over the world and we succeed in doing so (500 applicants for 20 places). That also means we get sent a lot of different transcripts with more or less valuable information on them how to understand your education. Please help us in understanding your life and education by following our instructions. This way we can compare your application to others from all over the world. This also saves us time to really read and appreciate your application. Please note, that we do not make a difference between national and international applications. Make your application worthwhile. Thank you and good luck,

The IAS selection committee

More FAQ

* [[FAQ: Q&A| Frequently Asked Questions about the application]]
* [https://www2.informatik.uni-hamburg.de/Info/Studium/MSc/IAS/wiki/index.php/Application:Main#How_to_send_your_application Email address for final application only]

Application:Required documents

2022-12-05T11:10:06Z

DbeckerIAS:

=List of all required documents for application=
To apply for the 2-year Master of Science program Intelligent Adaptive Systems, you need to register on the Universität Hamburg Stine platform and upload your application documents as a single PDF-document. The IAS Team runs the IAS Master and also contains the admission board. Your application will be assessed by a group of professors, post-doctoral researchers, lecturers, and academic advisors. There are more than 450 applicants and only 20 spaces on the program. Make sure that your application is well-structured and precise.

 To apply successfully, please make sure that: 

 1. You meet the minimum requirements 

 2. Your application contains all required documents and is in the correct order 

 3. You to upload your application before the deadline on STiNE (31 March 11:59 pm UCT+2 every year) 

 4. Your application pdf needs to be self-contained, links as the only source of important documents will not be accepted. 

We do not inform you of missing documents, or late applications, or blank pages, or corrupted pdfs. You can not submit missing documents after the expiration of the application deadline. There will be no reconsideration. 

The application process is digital. 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 mid-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''' ==
The first page of your application is this pdf-form asking for your personal information. Only use the cover-letter-form provided by us. If you cannot fill in your information with a technical device, please do so by hand (and scan for the final application pdf). Make sure the information is saved and displayable. This document goes on top of your application; it is the first page of your final application pdf.
* Explanation and link to the cover-letter-form: [[Cover-letter-form|cover-letter-form]]

==''' 2. Curriculum Vitae'''==
Your Curriculum Vitae (table version) needs to include your relevant experience (academic, work, international, private). 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, outlining their computer science content are especially important if you want their 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.

== '''3. 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. The maximum length is 1.5 pages (not more: the selection committee may reject your application on the grounds of the quality of your motivational letter).
In your letter of motivation, you should explain your reasons to study 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?
* How would you avoid a cultural shock?
* Analyze the selection criteria and the IAS curriculum so that you know what else might be important to write.

The selection committee will give high ratings to letters that show you have made a deliberate choice to study IAS. You need to justify your decision well and explain how studying the IAS Master 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 significant ability the board is looking for.

Things that affect the rating adversely are, among others, generic letters that are written for multiple applications and 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.

== '''4. Proof(s) of English language proficiency'''==
Language proficiency test score with the minimum score:

CEFR/TELC Level >= at least "upper" B2/C1 "upper intermediate" in all categories or better C1 "Advanced English"

IELTS >= Overall band 6.5 + B2 (*with a minimum subscore of 6.0 for Listening, Comprehension, Speaking, Writing)

TOEFL: IBT >= 90 (*with a minimum subscore of 20 for Reading, Listening, Speaking, Writing),

PBT >= 575, CBT >= 230

Cambridge >= CAE or CPE

*The overall minimum level has to be reached too!

The medium of instruction in a degree is '''not''' sufficient proof of English Language Proficiency!
Please see '''[https://www2.informatik.uni-hamburg.de/Info/Studium/MSc/IAS/wiki/index.php/Minimum_Requirement:_English_language_proficiency minimum requirements]''' for details on the required language certificates and further information.

==''' 5. Transcript of Records'''==
Your degree’s transcript of records, listing all your finished courses with credit hours and grades and your final and or average grade. Please only apply if you can provide at least a transcript that is only missing the final semester.

Highlight the core computer science courses in your transcript that you have also listed on your table.

Please see '''[[Application:Minimum requirements| minimum requirements]]''' for detailed information on the requirements for your transcript of records.

== '''6. Table template for listing of all core computer science courses and estimation of ECTS'''==

To meet the formal requirement, you have to provide evidence of 60 ECTS or more in core computer science courses. Any kind of maths, economics, management, electrical engineering, soft skills courses does not count. Please use this table template and fill in only your finished core Computer Science subjects. Please provide all the information asked for in the table. Please also read the explanation in the wiki for the minimal requirement ECTS. Note, that you have to explain courses with meaningless names like „Project“ or „Thesis“; you have to provide extra proof that the course has significant computer science content (e.g., via an official module description/ letter of recommendation). Do not send full handbooks. The table has to be precise and well-structured.

Please refer to the listed information under [[Application:Minimum requirements| minimum requirements]] regarding questions about the ''ECTS credit system'', the ''calculation'' of the required 60 ECTS, ''modules/courses counted as computer science'' by IAS selection committee. Please use this [[Required Documents: Example structure table|example]] to provide evidence of your 60 ECTS credits or more.

=='''7. BSc certificates'''==

* 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. 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.

=='''8. Diploma Supplement'''==
* Please provide a description of your degree - it is an official document issued by most universities.
** The degree's grading system and final grade computation rules if the grade is not stated in the transcript.
** The standard amount of semesters required for completion of your degree
** Total amount of credit hours or credit points to be able to finish the degree
** The description of how many weeks of in-class (=contact hours) time with a lecturer present you have per semester
** The description of how your credit systems works, e.g. 1 credit point (or credit hour) equals 15 hours of in-class time with lecturer present meaning 1 hour per week for 15 weeks.

'''What happens if my university does not provide a degree description and I do not provide the information?'''

In the worst case, the selection committee can not verify and compare your transcript and ECTS estimation table. That means you may either be rejected because the selection committee can not estimate your ECTS OR you will receive less % in the overall rating of your application and therefore a less favourable ranking.

''' How can I provide the information if my university does not provide degree description?'''

The IAS Team advice, gather all the information yourself, write a neat degree description yourself on an extra page (always a good idea!) and state on which page in your application pieces of the official information is proven.
Here are some ideas:
* get for example lecturers to state information in a letter of recommendation
* screenshot your website, highlight the information (additionally provide a link)
* sometimes some parts are stated in the transcript, some can be stated by your academic office
* be creative - please understand that the selection committee will not start looking for information for you

=='''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 (see Diploma Supplement).

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 0% 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 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 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 your 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. You must have obtained your degree from a recognized higher education institution. Your degree has to be equivalent to at least a three year Bachelor in Germany.

'''How to provide proof that your university is recognized in Germany:'''

The selection committee's advice: use the anabin database entry for proof. It is cost-free and fast:
* Use the database anabin and screenshot 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:
* The official recommendation of the Universität Hamburg is that you use the fee-based service Uni-Assist (but The IAS Team does not recommend it.)
* 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 or have difficulties

Some countries have to get a German authorities endorsement anyway for a 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 sufficient 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 most cases, that means your degree does not qualify.

=='''12. 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. However, only include documents that are relevant to your application. Your selection of documents already shows your ability to distinguish between relevant and irrelevant content and an unnecessarily large amount of randomly added certificates or documents may have a negative effect on your ranking.

===Desired additional documents===
* Additional self-made overview documents if your official degree description/diploma is incomplete or really unstructured
* Table of contents for faster pdf reading (could be also as 2. document (cover letter needs to be first = automatically read))
* Documents that add to the evidence needed for the requirements, e.g. additional proof of language proficiency or higher education courses with computer science content, letter of recommendation
* Evidence of 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 true 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 additional documents ===
* 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 ===
* Please do not send full module handbooks as the IAS admission team will not have the time to search for core computer science courses in those handbooks for you. However, please submit your self-made and structured table of modules to be counted towards 60 ECTS in computer science.
* Certificates that don't add additional value to your application 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 suitable for this particular degree program.
* Links to more information as sole evidence for required information.

===Do 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/scans. But please be aware that once you have been sent a ''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. In any case please follow the instructions on your letter of acceptance.
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. They have nothing to do with the task of the other. So please do not send the IAS Team paper originals.

== '''The University's online portal (STiNE)'''==
The Universität Hamburg Campus Center (= central administration) requires you to fill out a general and university-wide online form on their platform called STiNE. This is also the platform where you upload your application. Please note that you can only fill in the form during the application period.

Attention: In your application account on the STiNE platform: Select this IAS course: Master, Semester 1 (= start with the first semester), Intelligent Adaptive Systems, Admission restricted Do not click "Freemover". Do not click "Preparatory Course".

* During your registration you may receive a BW - Number (Application Number). Please state this number in your cover letter if possible.
* You can find the form in Universität Hamburg's STiNE platform: https://www.stine.uni-hamburg.de. Sorry, some parts of the STiNE online form are in German.
* For further clarification, the IAS-Team has prepared a wiki entry regarding the STiNE form: [[online application form|Online form STiNE]].
* For further questions about the STiNE platform 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].

==Some advice for applicants from the selection committee==
Dear applicants,

we know there are a lot of documents to be prepared and rules to be followed, sorry. Our mission is to welcome applicants from all over the world and we succeed in doing so (500 applicants for 20 places). That also means we get sent a lot of different transcripts with more or less valuable information on them how to understand your education. Please help us in understanding your life and education by following our instructions. This way we can compare your application to others from all over the world. This also saves us time to really read and appreciate your application. Please note, that we do not make a difference between national and international applications. Make your application worthwhile. Thank you and good luck,

The IAS selection committee

More FAQ

* [[FAQ: Q&A| Frequently Asked Questions about the application]]
* [https://www2.informatik.uni-hamburg.de/Info/Studium/MSc/IAS/wiki/index.php/Application:Main#How_to_send_your_application Email address for final application only]