Every year, the Department for Study Affairs determines the admission capacities for all degree programmes at the University of Oldenburg and makes proposals for restricted admissions and admission numbers in consultation with the Schools and subjects.

The capacity calculation is based on the Capacity Ordinance (KapVO), which was issued in the 1970s and has since been revised several times, with the aim of exhaustively utilising the educational capacity of all universities and ensuring comparable capacity utilisation of the universities. The KapVO regulates the calculation of admission numbers on the basis of staff training capacity. The balance between teaching supply and teaching demand - measured in teaching hours - should be balanced per teaching unit.

The teaching supply is calculated from the teaching hours specified in the Teaching Obligations Ordinance (LVVO) for positions in the academic service, minus the export of services. The curricular norm value (CNW) is used to determine the demand for teaching. The determined number of first-year student places (admission capacity before attrition) is corrected by the attrition rate calculated from the student data and converted into study place equivalents if necessary.

In degree programmes where demand exceeds the calculated admission capacity, restricted admission is generally imposed.

The admission numbers for the respective winter and summer semesters for degree programmes at universities under state responsibility are determined by Annexes 1 and 2 of the Admission Numbers Ordinance (ZZVO). Applicants for the desired degrees are counted towards the admission numbers determined using the factors set out in Annex 3.