A higher education entrance qualification (HZB) is required to study at a university. HZBs include the general higher education entrance qualification as well as the entrance qualification for universities of applied sciences and the subject-restricted higher education entrance qualification. It depends on the Federal State and the university with which HZB you can study what.

These HZBs can be acquired in very different ways. These can be school-based routes (e.g. upper secondary school, specialised upper secondary school), but a higher education entrance qualification can also be acquired via a vocational qualification (e.g. via three years of academic appointment and three years of employment).

Further details on the university entrance qualification

Which degree programmes you can study depends on whether you have a general higher education entrance qualification or a subject-specific higher education entrance qualification.

• The general higher education entrance qualification entitles you to study all undergraduate degree programmes.
• The subject-specific higher education entrance qualification, on the other hand, entitles you to study a degree programme in a specific subject.

Applicants with previous academic appointments have the following options:

• Find out about previous academic appointments that confer a general university entrance qualification (e.g. state-recognised educators, master craftsmen).
• Three years of vocational training and three years of professional experience often entitle you to study a subject-related degree programme.