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FAQ

Application and Admission

For German and EU applicants, the applications to study medicine are processed centrally throughout Germany by the Foundation for University Admission (www.hochschulstart.de). At our university, medical studies start in the winter semester once a year.

In North Rhine-Westphalia, 7.8% of medical study places are also allocated via the “Landarztquote”, the country doctor quota. Here, the application process does not take place via hochschulstart.de but via the State Center for Health of North Rhine-Westphalia.

Information for international applicants from non-EU countries can be found below. 

Admission is based on three quotas: the Abitur best quota (30%), the additional aptitude quota (10%) and the selection process of the universities (60%). Further information is available on our website where all quotas are explained in detail.

Yes, it is possible to apply for different admission quotas at the same time. This can be indicated during the application process at hochschulstart.de

The application deadline for the winter semester is July 15 for all those who graduated in the same year. For all those who have graduated last year or earlier, the application deadline May 31.

No, you only need to submit the required documents to hochschulstart.de as part of your application. Once you have been accepted for a place at our university in Düsseldorf, you will be asked to submit further documents for enrolment (matriculation).

The Test for Medical Studies (TMS) is subject-specific eligibility test that evaluates the understanding of scientific and medical problems. Since 2022, the TMS is conducted twice a year and can be repeated once. The test is relevant as a selection factor in almost all admission quotas at our university.

Further information about the TMS, registration and dates can be found here.

The TMS is not obligatory for the application, however, the TMS plays a central role in all admission quotas except for the Abitur best quota. You can find more information about the individual quotas and the respective importance of the TMS here

The question about the average grade or NC cannot generally be answered. The NC is not determined in advance but depends on the applicant situation.

In the Abitur best quota, you can compete with the best applicants in your federal state. In past years, you usually needed an average grade of 1.0 to be considered in this quota. In the selection process of the universities, other criteria are taken into account in addition to your grade, so that this alone does not indicate your chances of getting a study place. Take a look at our video on application and admission.

No, with the application phase for the winter semester of 2022/23, the waiting period will no longer be considered.

A letter of motivation is not necessary for an application to our university. Neither do you have to prepare a CV, it is sufficient if you provide all the required information in the application portal “AntOn” at hochschulstart.de

We do not consider prizes in our selection process. Voluntary work will only be taken into consideration if it can be considered as a service (see “Which services are accepted?”)

Since 2019/20, the country doctor quota is one of the preliminary quotas in the admission process in North Rhine-Westphalia. You apply for this quota at the State Center for Health of the state North Rhine-Westphalia. Once admitted, students are obliged to work as a general practitioner in a region of need in North Rhine-Westphalia for ten years following their further training in the field of GP care.

You can find more information about the application and selection process here.

Professional training and service

10% of the study place for medicine in the selection process of our university are reserved for applicants with a completed professional training. The Abitur grade, the TMS and a service are also additionally taken into account within this quota.

For a study place in Düsseldorf, medical or medical-related professional training is considered in a sub quota within the selection process of the universities.

Accepted services are those completed in a professionally relevant area.

Second Degree

If you have already completed a first degree in Germany, you can apply for a so-called second degree via hochschulstart.de

When applying, your previous academic career (e.g. degrees, publications, awards), the seriousness of your application and the reasoning behind your intent to study medicine play a decisive role. When applying for a second degree in medicine, only professional or scientific reasons can be presented.

You can find more information on second degree studies on hochschulstart.de or on our website.

Questions about the choice of study

This question cannot simply be answered. The study of medicine is wide-ranging, and the career opportunities are multifaceted. The best thing is to talk to as many students and doctors as possible to get to know the different facets and to get a more concrete picture of the study program and the career prospects.

Be inspired by our video statements or contact the medical student council to talk to students in person. It is also recommended to do an internship in a hospital to get to know the day-to-day work of the medical staff and to find out whether you like the working environment and the contact with patients.

You can also use the wide range of services offered by the (virtual) counselling center for prospective students at our Student Service Center (SSC) to make your individual choice of study program.

A basic interest in natural sciences helps to understand the complex structure and the processes of the human body. Knowledge of human biology ultimately forms the basis for all medical professions. However, to complete your medical studies successfully you do not need to have completed any advanced courses in e.g., biology. At the beginning of your studies, only basic knowledge of chemistry, physics, mathematics, and biology is required. More advanced knowledge is taught in class.

You do not need to prepare specifically for medical school, as all important content is taught during your studies.

Medical studies provide you with a broad range of basic medical knowledge and you can pursue various career paths after finishing your studies.

If you want to become a doctor, you can specialize in one of the numerous disciplines (e.g., surgery, general medicine, pediatrics, etc.) within the bounds of a specialist training course over several years. Afterwards, you can decide whether you want to work at a hospital or set up your own practice.

However, as a medical graduate you do not have to work as a practicing doctor. You can also go into science or industry and, e.g., work in a pharmaceutical company or specialize in medical technology.

You can also work as university professor and educate medical students yourself. Of course, there are other option, too. Many doors are open to you after completing your medical studies.

Nursing service

By the end of the second year of your medical studies, you must have completed a 90-day nursing service. You will accompany and support the nursing staff of a hospital (acute care hospital with a bed-carrying ward) in their daily work. The nursing service can be split into units of at least 30 days. We recommend that you compete part of the nursing service before you start your studies. However, you can only start the service once you have received your high school diploma. It is a good idea to complete the first part of your nursing service during the summer holidays before you start your studies in the fall. Of course, there are plenty of other opportunities to complete the service in one of the later semester breaks.

More information about the nursing service.

Change of location/change career

If you are already studying medicine elsewhere and would like to continue your studies at our university, you can formally apply for a “higher semester” (change of location) at the Student and Examination Office.

Further information about the change of location.

If you have started a related course of study, you may be able to have achievements credited to your medical studies and then apply for a higher semester (change of career). However, please note that your chances of being accepted in this case are very slim, as free study places are primarily allocated to students who are already studying medicine but only change their place of study.

More information about the change of career.

International applications

Prospective students from other EU countries are treated the same as German applicants in the application process and can apply via hochschulstart.de

Prospective students from non-EU countries apply directly at Heinrich-Heinrich-University for a place in medical studies. The application deadline for international applicants is July 15.

The only requirement for students from non-EU countries is the grade average of their university entrance qualification (high school diploma). The best applicants from each country will be considered first.

Prospective students from non-EU countries must first check whether their school certificate is recognized in Germany (http://anabin.kmk.org/). If it is not recognized, they must first attend a Studienkolleg (http://www.studienkollegs.de/home.html). More information about the application procedure here.

More information about the application process here.

The medical studies at HHU are exclusively taught in German.

Prospective students from abroad must submit a German language certificate with their application. Information about the recognized certificates here.

No.

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