Since its teaching activities first began in 1974, the University of Oldenburg has proved itself to be an open educational institution, with courses designed to cater to diverse target groups. From early on, the institution has offered access to prospective students who lacked the classic university entrance certificate: the Abitur.

The University of Oldenburg has long since assumed a pioneering role in facilitating access to university studies through the Z-Prüfung and/or prior learning assessment, recognising previous qualifications (including those acquired outside higher education) and combining professional training and higher education.

The Open University Oldenburg web pages contain all the relevant information for prospective and current students who come to the University with professional qualifications. We hope that this will help you navigate the uncharted university territory, select an appropriate course, and ensure that your studies get off to a smooth start.

The OPEN University OLDENBURG offers specific information, advice, and support for:

• Qualified professionals
  

• Studying in Oldenburg – with and without the "Abitur" certificate
• University admission without the "Abitur" certificate: "Z-Prüfung"
• Credit transfer project InOS

• Highly qualified migrants
  

• International Student Office (ISO)
  
• Center for Migration, Education an Cultural Studies (CMC)

• Those interested in continuing education
  

• C3L – Center for Lifelong Learning
  
• Degree programmes for professionals
  
• Continuing higher edcuation
• Courses for guest students
  
• Continuing Education and Education Management
  
• Oldenburg Advanced Training Center (OFZ )

In delivering these services, we take each individual’s personal situation into account and focus on the different needs of heterogeneous groups of students.

Modern university education focuses on the competences that students should have acquired by the end of a study phase or by the end of a study programme (= output orientation).

This means that teaching content (the input) is no longer the critical factor, and where learning takes place also becomes less relevant. This approach is particularly interesting for qualified professionals and students who work alongside their studies, as in many cases they have already acquired relevant professional and/or personal competences through their jobs. These competences can be counted as credit towards a degree programme, thus shortening the duration of studies (in some cases considerably).

• Credit transfer for prior learning/previous qualifications

• Credit for previous studies and exams
  
• Credit for competences 

• Fixed credit transfer options
  

• Credit transfer recommendations for training and continuing education courses outside the higher education sector
• Credit towards degree courses for professionals (for example: Business Administration at Small and Medium-sized Companies)

• Other possibilities for credit transfer
  

• Individual possibilities