FAQ: Q&A

On this page we have listed a few of the frequently asked questions. See the box below for an overview.

FAQ about the application

I don't have a Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, can I still apply?

The requirement for the MSc IAS is a Bachelor’s degree with 60 credit points (ETCS) from Computer Science. Make sure to provide evidence of modules with computer science content (i.e. detailed transcript of records, module description in a nice and short table as mentioned in the formal requirements) to help the admissions board to decide whether a module can be counted towards the requirement. Please note the admission board will not search for info in an entire module handbook. All the courses you list and explain have to be found in your transcript of records. It is the applicant's task to provide acceptable proof of 60 ECTS. For evaluation please provide all the information asked for in the example of the table.

I have not finished my degree and do not know my overall/final grade yet?

Please make sure by the time you apply that you have 60 ECTS in core CS subjects displayed in your transcript. You need to have a finished degree mid of May or a statement of your university that you finish within weeks in case you have been accepted to the program. In general, this applies to all applicants: You can apply if you have finished 5/6 semesters and can evidence 150 ECTS credits (or comparable) of your first degree = last semester is missing. This must be detectable in your official transcript of records showing the amount of already acquired credits and the number of minimum credits required for completion. The final transcript and graduation certificate have to be handed in for enrolment if you are admitted.

In regards to your overall average grade (preliminary) and/or final grade, please provide a document with a (preliminary) final grade calculated by your university and grading scale, even if only 5/6 semesters of the studies have been completed. It can be in GPA or the system used in your university, but it should be submitted in numbers. Make sure you send an official document attested by your university as the IAS admission board does not accept self-calculated final grades nor does the IAS admission board calculate final grades for you. If this information is listed in your transcript of records, then you don't need to provide this extra document.

For the translation of your final/average grade into the German grading system and comparison reasons. Please provide your degrees grading scale (minimum passing grade, maximum grade, e.g. in GPA: "1" is usually the minimum passing grade and "4" the maximum grade). Please provide an official document for your grading scale if it is not evident on your official transcript.

I do not have "standard" BSc but a comparable degree:

Please submit all documents that can together be counted as comparable to a BSc degree (e.g. in some countries, an associative + 2 years BSc degree).

Can I send my application documents by e-mail?

No, everything has to be send in paper copy by postal mail. Please be aware that your application will only be considered complete once all of the required documents have arrived. Therefore you should plan for enough time for the mail to arrive before the application deadline! If you send separate documents make sure to add your applicant number (Ger: Bewerbernummer (e.g. BW-1812345), to be found at the top of your online application form) somewhere so that the IAS admission board knows who's document it is.

Do I need German translations of all documents?

No. We accept documents in English and German. If your original documents are in another language, you have to provide certified translations of those documents in either German or English.

Do all the documents have to be sent as certified/attested copies?

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

I have already sent certified/attested copies for application, do I have to send them again for matriculation?

Officially yes. You have to understand that the "IAS admission team" at the Department of Informatics is the place where you sent your application to. The University’s "Team for Application and Admission (Ger: Team Bewerbung und Zulassung) is the place where you sent your matriculation to. They are two different institutions spread across Hamburg.

In case you are experiencing any problems sending attested/original documents in the given period of time (2 weeks), then please contact both teams together in one email.

I have sent the application, what happens next?

After the deadline has passed, the IAS admission board will meet and rank all applicants that fulfil the requirements based on the selection criteria. The available spaces are then filled according to this ranking and all selected applicants will receive a letter of acceptance. Those applicants have to accept the offer within 14 days. This is done by sending in a matriculation form together with all required documents as certified/attested copies to the University of Hamburg.

All applicants that fulfill the requirements but were not selected for one of the available spaces will be informed and put on a waiting list. They may still receive an offer if one of the previously selected applicants does not answer to the letter of acceptance within the deadline or declines the offer. If the IAS admission board decided that you do not fulfill the requirements, you will receive a letter explaining the reason. There will be no reconsideration of applications.

More detailed information here.

FAQ about the program & life in Hamburg

How much is the tuition fee?

The City of Hamburg is subsidizing tuition fees for all students in Hamburg which means you do not have to pay tuition fees for the Master’s program „Intelligent Adaptive Systems“. You only have to pay the students semester fee which all students at the University of Hamburg have to pay. Every semester it is calculated and you will be informed about the amount and the deadline to when it has to be transferred in your offer letter and later in your STiNE account.

What is the semester fee?

Each student at the University of Hamburg has to pay a semester fee for each semester he or she is enrolled at. You have to pay this fee to get your student card which already includes a free public transport pass for the Hamburg area. More information on how this fee is calculated and the current amount can be found here.

Does the University offer student residences?

No, not in general. There are student residences offered by Studentenwerk for students in Hamburg. Studentenwerk has a limited amount of student residences available. A certain amount is usually kept for international students, but you should definitely apply early since there are always more applications than spaces. You can find more information on accommodation in Hamburg here.

Can I get a scholarship?

See more information about scholarships, student loans and other funding here.