With the Abitur at a school in Germany or at a German school abroad, you acquire the general higher education entrance qualification (Allgemeine Hochschulzugangsberechtigung HZB). This entitles you to study any subject.

The same applies to the European Baccalaureate at a European School.

It is possible to graduate from school with a "Fachgebundene Hochschulzugangsberechtigung". This corresponds to a subject-specific university entrance qualification in the state of Berlin.

Please note that this school-leaving certificate in Berlin only entitles you to study certain subjects. In general, these subjects are named on the certificate.

Only the Senatsverwaltung für Bildung, Jugend und Wissenschaft (Senate Department for Education, Youth and Science) decides whether you can study in Berlin with a subject-specific higher education entrance qualification from another federal state and which degree courses are accessible with this school-leaving qualification.

An entrance qualification for universities of applied sciences (Fachhochschulreife) does not entitle the holder to study at Freie Universität Berlin.

The Fachhochschulreife, also known colloquially as “Fachabitur”, entitles you to study at a university of applied sciences in the state of Berlin, but not at a university.
Only after graduating from a university (of applied sciences) does one acquire the general higher education entrance qualification in the federal state of Berlin and can then begin studying at Freie Universität Berlin.

University graduates who apply for the first semester of an undergraduate degree program (e.g. Bachelor) at a university are considered second degree applicants (Zweitstudienbewerber*innen).

Since education is a matter for the federal states, it may be possible to study at a university in other federal states with the Fachhochschulreife.

Those who are professionally qualified can also apply to study at Freie Universität Berlin under certain conditions. Detailed information can be found under Application without Higher Education Entrance Qualification (with Professional Qualification).

Important general information on gaining access to a degree program without a prior higher education entrance qualification in Germany, rules in the individual federal states, and funding opportunities is available in German at www.studieren-ohne-abitur.de

The term “Zweiter Bildungsweg - second-chance education” refers to educational opportunities that enable students to obtain a school-leaving qualification in adulthood. The type of qualification is decisive if you want to apply to a university.

For information on educational options offered in Berlin, please visit the website Zweiter Bildungsweg - Berlin.de (in German).

It does not depend on the location of your school whether you have a German or an international higher education entrance qualification, but on the type of school-leaving certificate you have. You also have an “international HZB” if, for example, you have completed

• a French Baccalauréat at the French Gymnasium in Berlin
• an International Baccalaureate at an international school in Germany
• the assessment test at a preparatory college (Studienkolleg)

The assessment of international certificates is determined by the Central Office for Foreign Education (Zentralstelle für ausländisches Bildungswesen ) of the Standing Conference of the Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs (Kultusministerkonferenz). On the following websites you can find out whether you can study in Germany with an international school-leaving certificate:

• DAAD admissions database
• anabin database (in German)
• Uni-assist page on the "HZB"

International prospective students who do not have the qualifications for university studies in Germany with their school-leaving certificate can obtain a corresponding degree via the Studienkolleg.

On the following websites you can find out whether you can study in Germany with an international school-leaving certificate:

• DAAD admissions database
• anabin database (in German)
• Uni-assist page on the "HZB"