Study without Abitur Your path to IU studies

You want to study without an Abitur (Secondary School Leaving Certificate)? If you can prove that you have completed at least two years of vocational training followed by at least three years of professional experience (full-time), you are on the best way to your desired degree programme! Depending on the focus of your training and professional activity and what you want to study, you can start directly with a trial period of study or prove your aptitude for studying in other ways.

*If you have completed your vocational training and professional experience abroad, an equivalency assessment will be carried out by IU International University of Applied Sciences. Qualifications can be accepted as equivalent if your vocational qualification is comparable to a German vocational qualification at level GQR 4.

If you have completed a advanced vocational training with at least GQF level 6, you can enrol for a study programme without a secondary school leaving certificate. Written proof that you have passed the state examination counts as a university entrance qualification.

The Aptitude examination (Begabtenprüfung) is an alternative for catching up on your Abitur and allows you to apply for admission-restricted degree programmes nationwide. You have to fulfil a few requirements to do so: 

• You are at least 25 years old,  

• have a completed vocational training 

• and at least five years of professional experience.  

For the aptitude examination, you should contact the regional Ministry of Education in the federal state in which you are resident. 

Alternativ kannst Du auch mit einem Meistertitel in Dein Studium starten. Wenn Du Deine Prüfung zum Handwerksmeister mit Erfolg abgeschlossen hast, ersetzt das eine klassische Hochschulreife. In diesem Fall gelten für Dich die gleichen Regeln wie für Studieninteressierte mit Abitur.

With a bachelor's entrance examination, vocationally qualified applicants with at least 2 years of vocational training (GOF Level 4) and professional experience amounting to 3 years (full-time) can be admitted to a non-subject-related bachelor's degree programme. To take the exam at IU International University of Applied Sciences, simply apply for the degree programme of your choice. You will be given access to the online campus and can take the relevant entrance examination courses within twelve months. After successfully passing the bachelor's entrance examination, you will be automatically enrolled – and successfully completed courses of the bachelor's entrance examination which are part of your degree programme will be credited to you.

Vocationally qualified applicants with at least 2 years of vocational training (GOF level 4) and professional experience of at least 3 years (full-time) that matches their bachelor's degree programme can start with a trial period of studies. To do this, you simply apply online and then have a certain amount of time available depending on the study model you choose. During this time, all you have to do is complete your selected modules and a total of 15 ECTS – and you have already passed your trial period of studies! Of course, we will credit all completed modules directly towards your degree programme.

Have your skills from your vocational training or job recognised for your studies at the IU! In this way, you save 30 euros per ECTS point and shorten your study time. You can use it to replace up to 50 percent of your studies. Of course, you still have the option to complete your studies in regular time and reduce in this way your workload.