FAQ - Applying for admission to an advanced semester

Applications are submitted online via TH Köln's campus management system CaMS.
Your application with all required documents must be submitted to TH Köln by March 15 for the summer semester and by September 15 for the winter semester (cut-off dates). After that, applications via CaMS are no longer possible.

CaMS - TH Köln's campus management system
Application for admission through CaMS

In general, the following documents must be submitted:

1.     Application for provisional recognition of previous examinations

2.     Relevant sections of the module catalog specifying the previous coursework and examinations

3.     Transcript of records listing all examination attempts

4.     If applicable, proof of practical experience, if an internship is a requirement for the chosen program (please check on the program’s information page).

All programs
Here you can check whether an internship is a requirement for your chosen program.

Yes, that is possible. Please note that different deadlines apply to applications for the first semester. If you are admitted to the first semester, subsequent admission to a higher semester is still possible.

Yes, even in this case you must submit all documents requested in CaMS. Copies are sufficient. Please submit a transcript of records with an overview of all achievements and registered examinations from PSSO.

If you are a former student and no longer have access to PSSO, you can request a transcript of records from our Office of Student and Examination Services in writing (by email) or in person. Please state your former student ID number and the program you studied.

Yes, that is possible. However, if you are currently in the third examination attempt for a subject, a decision on possible enrollment can only be made once the examination results are available. The results must be available by the end of April for the summer semester and by the end of October for the winter semester.

The application deadline is a cut-off date. This means that only the results that are available at that time can be taken into account for the classification. However, you can still request the recognition of later examination results.

Yes, but the restrictions vary depending on the program and semester. If there are admission restrictions, we must first check whether there are any places available after our students have re-registered. If there are more applications than available places, a selection procedure takes place.

All programs
When you visit our program overview page, you can use the filter “Type of admission procedure” to display only programs with or only programs without numerus clausus.

Transferring from another program/university
This page provides an overview of the admission restrictions for advanced semesters.

Unfortunately, this is generally possible when changing universities. At TH Köln, the summer semester officially begins on March 1 and the winter semester on September 1. The lectures begin later. This means that you might miss the first lectures.

If admission is restricted, the available places are allocated in the following order:

1. To applicants who have demonstrated the required knowledge and skills in a placement test at the university. Placement tests are only conducted for applicants who have acquired their knowledge through other means, e.g. professional experience, rather than through university studies. This test is therefore only applicable to very few candidates.

2. To applicants who are or were enrolled in the same program at another university within the scope of the German constitution at the time of application.

3. To other applicants who have been placed in a specific semester based on their performance in other programs.

Within groups 2 and 3, the ranking is determined by the relevant examination and academic achievements from previous studies.

You must provide proof that you have successfully passed examinations in comparable subjects at a German or foreign university. In the application for provisional recognition of previous examinations, you indicate which assessments you have already completed and would like to have recognized. Depending on the number, scope and content of your previous academic achievements, you will be placed in a higher semester.

The actual crediting of individual achievements is only carried out after enrollment. How this is done in detail varies from program to program. The recognition is carried out by the chairperson of the examination board.

No, there is no prior recognition. Your documents will only be forwarded for classification as part of the application process. The actual crediting of individual achievements is only carried out after enrollment.

To find out which of your previous examinations may be recognized, we recommend comparing the study plans of your previous program and of the program you are now applying to.

All programs
You can find the study plans on the individual program pages in the subsection “Forms and regulations”. For programs with German as language of instruction, this subsection is only available in German.

Yes, you must achieve all the credits in your new program that were not recognized from your previous program.

If you are admitted, we will notify you via CaMS by April 15 (for the summer semester) and by October 15 (for the winter semester).

If you cannot be accepted for one or several of the following reasons, you will receive a letter of rejection via CaMS:

- No achievements or no creditable achievements
- Missing requirements (e.g. internship)
- Irreversibly failed examination(s) / irreversibly failed Bachelor's or Master's examination
- No free places in the relevant semester

Continuing your studies in the same program is not possible. The following are considered the same program:

1. Desired program: Bachelor’s program
- Bachelor’s program at a university of applied sciences
- Bachelor’s program at a university
- Diploma at a university of applied sciences

2. Desired program: Master’s program
- Master’s program at a university of applied sciences
- Master’s program at a university

Please note that it is not the name of the program that is relevant, but its content.

As a rule, continuing to study in a program that is significantly related to the content of the previous program is not permitted if an irreversibly failed examination is also a compulsory component of the new program. More details can be found in the respective examination regulations, usually under “Admission requirements” or “Admission to module examinations” or by comparing the study plans and module descriptions.

Only the BAföG office itself can give you reliable information on this.