Please read the description of your chosen degree programme (--> see programme-specific information) and in particular the information on admission criteria, application documents and selection process carefully.

If you have obtained your university degree outside Germany, you must submit a preliminary review documentation (VPD) issued for the University of Cologne from uni-assist. Please note our information on requesting a VPD.

Apply via our campus management system KLIPS. There is no need to submit paper documents.

• Students of the UoC use their existing KLIPS account, external applicants please create a new account. Please read our application instructions.

• To apply for the Double Master's Programme, please select the corresponding master's programme, and choose the option "I would like to apply for a Double Master's Programme" in KLIPS. If your application is not successful for the Double Master's Programme, your application can be considered for the regular Master's Programme.

• You can apply for up to three Master's Programmes per year. Please check your application(s) carefully for accuracy, as it is not possible to change the course of study at a later date.

Please apply as early as possible, as this gives you the opportunity to submit any missing or incorrect documents.

• Applicants who do not have a German bachelor's degree must additionally submit a preliminary review documentation (VPD) issued for the University of Cologne from uni-assist. You can have your documents checked by uni-assist all year round, the VPD is not tied to an application semester. Please note our information on requesting a VPD.

• Please read the request procedure carefully and follow the country-specific requirements.

• We recommend requesting the VPD as early as possible before the application deadline, as missing or incorrect documents can still be submitted in time. Processing will only begin after receipt of all documents and payment. Experience shows that the processing time is eight weeks. 

• You can only submit your application via KLIPS with a valid VPD document.

• Requesting a VPD to uni-assist alone does not count as an application for a degree program at the University of Cologne.

No later than three weeks after submitting your application, we will conduct a formal and a subject-related review of your application:

1. Formal review: Are all documents complete and in the correct form? Is the minimum grade achieved? Are the language criteria fulfilled? Have at least 70%, respectively 80% of the programme already been successfully completed?

2. Subject-related review: Are the subject-related admission criteria fulfilled?

If documents are missing, we will contact you via e-mail. You can view the result of the examination under the self-service view in KLIPS. You can find further information under the section Application Portal KLIPS.

If the number of applicants meeting the admission criteria exceeds the number of places available for the programme, a selection procedure will be carried on the basis of which the applicants are ranked. The exact selection procedure of each study program can be found under the heading selection procedure of the respective study programme.

After the application deadline, selection interviews will take place for some degree programmes. Please note that not all applicants who meet the admission criteria will be invited. The interviews are going to take place in:

• International Management (CEMS MIM) - May

• Economic Research - April

• Double Master's Programmes Business Administration - from the beginning to middle of June

• Double Master's Programmes Demography and Social Inequality, Economics and Health Economics and Management -  from the middle to the end of June

A personal score is determined for each applicant. You can find out how this score is calculated and how the study places are distributed among the applicants under the heading selection procedure of the respective study programme.

The Admissions Committee meets and decides how many admissions are granted.

At the beginning of June, admissions for the Master's programme in International Management (CEMS MIM) and for the Master's programme in Economic Research will be sent by e-mail; for all other programmes this is expected to take place mid-July.

After the enrolment deadline, we check whether there are still places available on the individual degree programmes. If this is the case, a move-up procedure (via waiting list) takes place.

You can find the results of the procedure on the website of the respective degree programme.

We have compiled all the information you need for a successful start to your studies here.

Letters of rejection will be sent out at the beginning of October, because the entire admission and enrolment process is only completed by then. Letters of rejection are sent out for all application master's programmes in which no admission was granted - even if applicants have been admitted in another master's programme.