The application for admission must be completed with the following documents and translations into German or English (certificates issued in English do not need to be translated). The documents can either be sent by e-mail to einschreibung(at)fh-westkueste.de or by post to the the department “Zulassung/ Admissions Office” at the West Coast University of Applied Sciences.

• passport page showing your name and passport photo (if you have lost your documents due to flight, you will also need to include your current residence permit)
• school leaving certificate, that entitles you to study in your home country, including a list of subjects with grades
• certificate of any possibly passed university entrance examination (including list of grades) or proof of enrolment at a university, if available  
• university certificates including the corresponding list of subjects with individual grades, if available
• certificate of Feststellungsprüfung (final exam of a Studienkolleg) including list of grades, if available
• Curriculum vitae with a complete tabular overview of your educational and professional background to date certificate verifying your language skills (German for German study programs, English for English study programs)
• for certificates from China, India and Vietnam: APS certificate

Further information for applicants with a flight background without certificates: https://en.fh-westkueste.de/international/refugees/.

Proof of German language skills:
For all German-taught study programmes, you need to hand in proof of German level C1 CEFR with your application documents (exception: Automation Technology M.Sc. - B2).
Acknowledged as equal to German C1 CEFR are:

• "Zeugnis der Deutschen Sprachprüfung für den Hochschulzugang ausländischer Studienbewerber" (DSH) with a minimal total score of DSH-2
• "Test Deutsch als Fremdsprache für ausländische Studienbewerber" (TestDaF) with a result of the minimal level TDN 4 in all four parts of the exam
• "Zeugnis der Prüfung zur Feststellung der Eignung ausländischer Studienbewerber für die Aufnahme eines Studiums an Hochschulen in der Bundesrepublik Deutschland" (Feststellungsprüfung) with the part German passed in the exams at Studienkollegs
• "Das Große Deutsche Sprachdiplom" and "Das Kleine Deutsche Sprachdiplom" which was given by Goethe Institute on behalf of Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich (this certificate has been replaced by the “Goethe-Zertifikat C2” since 01.01.2012)
• Holders of a passed "Goethe-Zertifikat C2: Großes Deutsches Sprachdiplom“ or the "Das Zeugnis der Zentralen Oberstufenprüfung" (ZOP) (which certificate has been replaced by the “Goethe-Zertifikat C2” since 01.01.2012) which was awarded by the Goethe-Institutes or contracted institutions in or outside of Germany
• “Deutsche Sprachprüfung II” by the Sprachen und Dolmetscher Institut in Munich
• Holders of the certificate “telc Deutsch C1 Hochschule”
• Graduates of a German language studies course in connection with a corresponding language test. In borderline cases, the Student Advisory Service, the International Office as well as the Chancellor of the West Coast University of Applied Sciences can give their opinion on the validity of the acceptance of the language skills (case-by-case decision).
• The following certifications which are acknowledged through bilateral or other agreements by Kultusministerkonferenz or Hochschulrektorenkonfenz:

1. German included in the Diplome du Baccalauréat after attendance of a bilingual German-French branch of a secondary school
2. French Diplome du Baccalauréat with option internationale of the German departements
3. European „Abitur“ exam of the European Schools with a successfully completed final exam in German as a first (L1) or second language (L2)
4. US-Advanced-Placement-exam (AP-Prüfung) in the subject "German"
5. School leaving certificate after graduation from a secondary school in the German speaking community of the Kingdom of Belgium
6. School leaving certificates from secondary schools in Luxemburg
7. "Reifezeugnis" of schools with German as teaching language from the autonomical province of Bozen-Südtirol (Italy)
8. School leaving certificate from the international departement of German language of the Liceo Gimnasiale „Luigi Galvani“ in Bologna (Italy)
9. School leaving certificate from the international departement of German language of the Liceo Gimnasio Statale „M.Gioia“ in Piacenza (Italy)
10. School leaving certificate from the international departement of German language of the“Educandato Statale Collegio Uccelis“ in Udine (Italy)
11. Bilingual leaving certificate from German School Dublin St. Kilian’s (Ireland)
12. School leaving certificate of the bilingual department of the Liceo Ginnasio Statale “Romagnosi” in Parma (Italy) and the Liceo Classico Statale Socrate in Bari (Italy)
13. School leaving certificate from the international departement of German language oft he Scuola Internazionale Europea „A. Spinelli“ in Turin (Italy)
14. School leaving certificate from the international departement of German language of the Liceo Classico „Guiseppe Garibaldi“ in Neapel (Italy)
15. School leaving certificate from the international departement of German language of the Liceo Classico Statale „Umberto I“ in Palermo (Italy)
16. Polish „Matura“ exam in German language of a general grammar school with a bilingual branch with German as second teaching language

The necessary language skills for German are regulated by the regulatory framework for German language examinations for programmes of study at German universities ("Rahmenordnung über Deutsche Sprachprüfungen für das Studium an deutschen Hochschulen; RO-DT, Beschluss der HRK vom 08.06.2004 und der KMK vom 25.06.2004") in its currently valid version in combination with the appendix of the resolution of the Conference of Ministers of Arts and Culture of 2nd June 1995 in its currently valid version („Anhang zum Beschluss der Kultusministerkonferenz vom 2. Juni 1995“).
The necessary German language skills (according to §2 RO-DT) are certified by the "Deutsches Sprachdiplom der Kultusministerkonferenz - Zweite Stufe (DSD II) - or by a certificate which is acknowledged as equal by "Kultusministerkonferenz" (conference of ministers of education and the arts). (Exception: According to the examination regulations (“Prüfungsordnung”) in the Master degree course of study Automation Technology applicants have to prove sufficient German language skills at the level B2 within the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages, CEFR.)

According to § 8 (3) RO-DT applicants for English programs of study at the West Coast University of Applied Sciences are not required to prove any German skills. This will be mentioned on the exmatriculation receipt. The exam regulations define the required proof of English language skills. The above named exception from the proof of sufficient German language skills are under the condition, that students participate in courses to obtain a sufficient level of German language skills and to provide appropriate certification of successful participation after one semester. The university recommends appropriate providers of German courses.

According to §7 (3) RO-DT , §8 (2) RO-DT and §38 (6) HSG, exchange students of partner universities abroad do not have to provide certification of German language skills. The West Coast University of Applied Sciences provides an appropriate course offer for exchange students, which includes the acquisition of German language skills, if these cannot already be proven.

Interested students from the region can register for the TestDAF exam at the Nordkolleg in Rendsburg. Further information is available at www.nordkolleg.de.

For admission to International Tourism Management M.A., candidates must have sufficient knowledge of the English language. Proof of sufficient knowledge of English for applicants whose native language is not English, or whose first degree was not completely conducted in English, must be provided in the form of a minimum level of achievement of B2 based on the Common European Framework of References for Languages (CEFR) in an internationally recognised standardised test. Only the following language certificates with the associated scores are accepted as proof of English ability:

• Paper Based Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL PBT) with min. 567 points
• Internet Based Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL iBT) with min. 87 points
• International English Language Testing System (IELTS) with min. level of Band 6
• Cambridge Certificate in Advanced English (CAE) with min. 173 points
• Cambridge First English Certificate (FCE) with at least grade B
• Test of English for International Communication (TOEIC) with min. 785 points
• University Certificate (UNIcert) with min. level of II
• Business Language Testing Service (BULATS) with min. 68 points

It is possible to successfully complete the course without knowledge of the German language. If your previous degree was taught in English, please hand in a confirmation about the course language from your university with your application.

Applications from China, Vietnam and India

In order to receive an APS certificate  you need to contact the Academic Evaluation Centre (APS) in the country, your certificates are from. If you receive an acceptance letter from the West Coast University of Applied Sciences, you would use the APS certificate for your visa application as well. Please apply as soon as possible as the APS process can take several months.

Address of the APS in China:
Cultural Department of the German Embassy Beijing Academic Evaluation Centre DRC Building D1, 1302
19 Dongfang Donglu,
Chaoyang District
100600 BeijingAcademic Evaluation Centre
German Centre Tower 1,
Office 619-620
88 Keyuan Road,
Pudong District
201203 Shanghai

Submission of visa applications in Beijing: From 8.30 am to 11.00 am
Mon./Tue. .: C- und D-Verfahren, TestAS
Wed..: P-, N- und S-Verfahren
Thu../Fri.: A-Verfahren

Submission of visa applications in Shanghai: From 8.30 am to 11.00 am
Mon./Tue../Thu..: A- /C- /G- /D- Verfahren / TestAS
Wed..: A- /D- /P- /S- /N- Verfahren

E-mail: info(at)aps.org.cn
Website

Address of the APS in Vietnam:
German Embassy in Hanoi, APS
29 Tran Phu, Q. Ba Dinh
Hanoi
Phone: (++84-4) 3845 3836/7 and 3843 0245/6
Fax.: (++84-4) 3843 9969    
E-Mail: aps_hanoi(at)yahoo.com
Website

Address of the APS in India:
Academic Evaluation Centre
Science Section of the German Embassy New Delhi
Gate No. 3, DLTA Complex
R.K. Khanna Stadium
1 Africa Avenue
110029 New Delhi
India
E-Mail info(at)aps-india.de
Website

Applicants for admission to higher semesters

If you wish to continue your ongoing studies at the West Coast University of Applied Sciences and apply for a higher study semester, please apply via our application portal and upload the following documents additionally to the abovementioned documents:

• Enrolment certificate as original or officially authenticated copy in which the following information can be found:
  • the program of study and grade
  • the number of full study semesters
• Transcript of Records which can be seen from which point the same program if the same program of study can be continued. The condition is that acknowledgeable exams and study times can be found in the report.

The admission to higher semesters depends on the availability of free places in the chosen programme.

After acceptance
If you received an acceptance from the West Coast University of Applied Sciences, you must first of all apply for a visa at the German diplomatic representation in your home country (if you are not EU-citizen). Furthermore, you must organize your accommodation from abroad.
You can find information about our student dormitory at https://studentenwerk.sh/en/wohnheime-heide (you need to open the dropdown menu to find our information). You can apply for a room in the student dormitory at https://ipack.studentenwerk.sh/#admission. You can switch the page language to English by clicking on the English flag in the top right corner.

Upon arrival in Heide you should take the following steps (AStA and the International Office assist you, therefore we recommend that you contact the International Office first):

1. Enrolment at university (if not conducted online)
2. Get your landlord certificate (Wohnungsgeberbestätigung) for your registration with the town
3. Registration with the town hall in Heide (Bürgerbüro)
4. If necessary, opening a German bank account
5. Registration at the Foreigner Registration Office for Kreis Dithmarschen

More detailed information on the preparation of your arrival and stay is available in the International Offices’ guide for international students, which is available here.