FAQ - frequently asked questions

Can I apply directly to the University of Oldenburg for a place on the Medicine course?

Answer: No, applications must be submitted online at www.hochschulstart.de (exception: candidates from outside the EU, Iceland, Norway and Lichtenstein, see below). To increase your chance of getting a place in Oldenburg, enter Oldenburg as your first preference.

When is the earliest date I can apply for a place on the Medicine course at www.hochschulstart.de?

Answer: Please contact the Stiftung für Hochschulzulassung (Foundation for University Admissions) for this information.

Is participation in a TMS (Test for Medicine Courses) mandatory?

Answer: No, you do not have to participate in a TMS. However, doing so can increase your chances of participation in the University's own admissions procedure.

Where and when can I sit a TMS?

Answer: The TMS is held once a year at more than 50 locations all over Germany. For your application it is irrelevant where you sit the test. For more information, go to www.tms-info.org. The next test takes place in May 2014. Please note the closing date for application.

Can I start the course in the summer semester?

Answer: No, the Medicine course in Oldenburg always starts in the winter semester. Unlike other courses, Medicine starts on 1st October.

I am already studying Medicine. Can I join in a higher semester?

Answer: Only if there is a free place. However, please note that the course differs substantially from conventional courses both in content and order of study modules. We recommend that you seek advice before applying.

How long is the academic year or semester?

Answer: In the first three years, an academic year consists of four 10-week modules. In other words, students study for 40 weeks per year. Each semester consists of 20 weeks. This means the breaks between semesters are much shorter than at other Universities and more attuned to the school holidays.

Do I have to study in Groningen for a fixed time?

Answer: Yes, at least one academic year. This period is planned for the 3rd and/or 6th years. You don't have to spend the academic year in Groningen in one stretch.

Do I have to pay tuition fees in Groningen for the mandatory year?

Answer: A one-year exchange period within the Oldenburg Medicine course does not cost extra fees in Groningen. However, you do have to pay fees if you wish to gain a Bachelor or a Master degree there. Please note that students from non-EU countries may have to pay very high fees. For more information, go to www.rug.nl/prospectiveStudents/scholarships/tuitionFees

In what language are the lectures in Groningen?

Answer: In the first three years of the course, teaching at Groningen University will be optionally in English or Dutch, after that only in Dutch (for contact with patients!).

Are Bachelor and Master degrees also available in Oldenburg?

Answer: No, Bachelor and Master degrees are only available at the Rijksuniversiteit Groningen. The course in Oldenburg finishes with the state examination. However, under certain circumstances, students can acquire all three qualifications.

Is it possible to transfer to other German universities in later semesters?

Answer: The course in Oldenburg is a model course that complies with the Ärztliche Approbationsordnung (Regulations for Doctors); however, the order of teaching modules differs from that of conventional courses. After the sixth semester, students receive certificates of equivalence for the knowledge they have gained. This gives them the option of transferring to a fifth semester (= first clinical semester) at another university, subject to availability.

If I already have a Bachelor degree, can I enter the Medicine course at a higher level?

Answer: No, the model Medicine course in Oldenburg complies with the Ärztliche Approbationsordnung (Regulations for Doctors) and does not feature a Bachelor and a Master section including corresponding degrees. That is why there is currently no provision for transferring from non-medical courses to a higher semester. This kind of higher-level entry is only possible at the partner university in Groningen after a bridge year for Bachelor graduates.

Are waiting semesters taken into account in the admission process?

Answer: Applications are handled exclusively by the Stiftung für Hochschulzulassung (Foundation for University Admissions). The Foundation takes waiting semesters into account via a so-called advance quota. The University of Oldenburg has no influence on the procedure for applicants with waiting semesters.

Are the chances of getting a place lower if I am applying for a second course?

Answer: Applications are handled exclusively by the Stiftung für Hochschulzulassung (Foundation for University Admissions). The Foundation takes second-course applicants into account via a so-called advance quota. It is not possible for us to assess your chances. The University of Oldenburg has no influence on the procedure for applicants who already hold a degree.

I am already studying Medicine in my first semester. I am very interested in your concept and would like to transfer. Can I apply for a first-semester place in Oldenburg?

Answer: Unfortunately, you can not apply directly to us. You have already received a university place from the Stiftung für Hochschulzulassung (Foundation for University Admissions), so you now belong to the group of students wishing to transfer to a new university, even if you want to start again in the first semester. You can only transfer under certain conditions (especially social criteria) which are determined by the Foundation. For more information, go to: www.hochschulstart.de/index.php

Are Dutch language skills necessary before starting the course?

Answer: No, Dutch language skills do not influence the admission procedure. You can gain language skills during the course. Dutch language skills are necessary for studying at Groningen University in the higher semesters (for contact with patients!).

Do I have to apply to Groningen University?

Answer: No, places are allocated exclusively by the Stiftung für Hochschulzulassung (Foundation for University Admissions). The University of Oldenburg organises the mandatory year of study in Groningen.

Can people who have been educated abroad apply to study Medicine in Oldenburg?

Answer: Foreign applicants who do not hold equivalent German university entrance qualifications (more information on this is available from the Stiftung für Hochschulzulassung (Foundation for University Admissions)) apply directly to the University of Oldenburg via Uni-Assist. For more information, go to the website of the International Student Office of the University of Oldenburg. Please note: You must submit your application to Uni-Assist early enough to ensure it can be processed and passed on to us by 15th July (application deadline).

How can I get into the University's own admission procedure?

Answer: The Stiftung für Hochschulzulassung (Foundation for University Admissions) gives us a list of approx. 60 to 70 names made up exclusively of applicants who have named Oldenburg as their first preference and in the order of their Abitur grade (official grade of Hochschulzugangsberechtigung HZB (university entrance qualification)). The following applies here: If you pass a TMS (Test for Medicine Courses) with a better grade than your HZB, the two grades are combined (HZB grade 51%; TMS grade 49%). For instance, HZB grade 2.2; TMS test 1.8; new entrance grade 2.0. If you have a professional qualification in a medical field, this may improve your entrance grade by another 0.5; in the above example, that would bring you up to 1.5.

When and how does the University's own application procedure take place?

Answer: The procedure takes place on 20th August 2013. Various subjects are dealt with and tests carried out at selection stations. The results make up 49 % of the evaluation; and the actual Abitur (university entrance qualification) grade (officially: average grade of the HZB university entrance qualification) makes up 51 %, according to statutory provisions. Then the results are submitted to the Stiftung für Hochschulzulassung (Foundation for University Admissions); which in turn sends out the decisions on admission.

I have a medical qualification but no Abitur (university entrance qualification). Can I still study Medicine?

Answer: Due to an amendment of the Lower Saxony University Act, the following professional qualifications followed by three years of experience working in the profession entitle applicants to study Medicine at universities in Lower Saxony (i.e Göttingen University, MH Hannover or University of Oldenburg): nurse, midwife, medical assistant, medical-technical laboratory assistant, medical-technical radiology assistant and medical-technical assistant for functional diagnostics. Applications must exclusively be submitted to the Stiftung für Hochschulzulassung (Foundation for University Admissions). Please also ask for information from the Immatrikulationsamt (Student Registration Office) of the University of Oldenburg. You can also contact Mr. Seppel for answers to questions on studying without an Abitur (university entrance qualification) (w.seppel(at)uni-oldenburg.de, phone 0441/798-4752).

I have a vocational school leaving certificate. Can I apply for the model course?

Answer: Yes, but only if you have the certificate for "Gesundheit und Soziales mit dem Schwerpunkt Gesundheit - Pflege" (Health and Social Subjects with a Focus on Healthcare). These applications are also handled by the Stiftung für Hochschulzulassung (Foundation for University Admissions). Other vocational school leaving certificates do not qualify you to study Medicine. If you have any doubts, please contact the Foundation. You can also contact Mr. Seppel for answers to questions on studying without an Abitur (university entrance qualification) (w.seppel(at)uni-oldenburg.de, phone 0441/798-4752).

I have specific questions about Oldenburg as a university location and would like advice. Who can help me?

Answer: First of all, you can contact the Zentrale Studienberatung (Course Guidance Centre) of the University of Oldenburg. The staff there will be happy to advise you and give you further contacts if necessary.

I have specific questions about the content of the course. Who can I contact?

Answer: Please send a mail to medizin(at)uni-oldenburg.de. We will get back to you straight away.