Study without high school diploma

Entitled to study without a school-based university entrance qualification? That's possible! Under certain conditions, it is possible to study without a high school diploma according to the Brandenburg Higher Education Act.

Your way to the University of Applied Sciences Potsdam

§ Section 10 (2) nos. 6 to 11 of the Brandenburg Higher Education Act forms the legal basis for access to a first university degree qualifying for a profession. Accordingly, you must provide evidence of one of the following qualifications:

Completed vocational training & work experience

Required Evidence:

Certificate of secondary school graduation
Certificate/certificate of vocational qualification
Evidence of professional activity indicating the type, duration and location.

Exact wording:

Completion of lower secondary education or its equivalent and completed vocational training suitable for the intended course of study with at least two years of work experience acquired thereafter.

Graduation from a technical school

Required Evidence:

Certificate of Completion

Exact wording:

Graduation from a vocational school under public sponsorship or from a state-recognized vocational school under independent sponsorship within the meaning of Section 28 of the Brandenburg School Act in the version promulgated on August 2, 2002, as last amended by Article 2 of the Act of March 14, 2014, or graduation from a comparable training program in another state of the Federal Republic of Germany.

Master craftsman's diploma

Required proofs:

Master craftsman's certificate

Exact wording:

Passed master craftsman examination on the basis of Sections 45, 51a, 122 of the Crafts Code in the version published on September 24, 1998, as last amended by Article 19 of the Act of July 25, 2013, or the acquisition of an authorization equivalent to the master craftsman examination pursuant to Section 7 (2a) of the Crafts Code.

Continuing education degree

Required evidence:

Certificate of the advanced training degree
Proof of the duration of the training course

Exact wording:

Further training qualification based on Sections 53, 54 of the Vocational Training Act of 23 March 2005, as last amended by Article 22 of the Act of 25 July 2013, or in accordance with Sections 42, 42a of the Crafts Code, provided that the courses have comprised at least 400 hours of instruction.

Comparable qualification to a master craftsman's certificate or advanced training qualification

Required evidence:

Certificate of completion of advanced training.

Exact wording:

A comparable qualification based on a continuing education program regulated by state law for professions in the health care or social care or education professions.

Certificate of competency for nautical or technical ship service

Required credentials:

Certificate of competence
Proof of the duration of the training course

Exact wording:

Certificate of competency for nautical or technical ship service according to the Ship Officer Training Ordinance in the version promulgated on January 15, 1992 last amended by Article 29 number 5 of the Act of July 25, 2013, based on a course of at least 400 hours of instruction.

Note for qualifications acquired abroad

Students can also be admitted to study at the Potsdam University of Applied Sciences if they can prove that they have a qualification acquired abroad that corresponds to one of the above-mentioned certificates and that they have the language skills required for their studies. On the proof of professional qualification, the result of the examination must be indicated by an average grade, overall grade, or final grade. If the final grade or certificate of qualification does not contain a grade, this may be evidenced by an additional certificate from the educational institution. You can find out more about the procedure under International applicants.