Change of study program and transfer from another university

If you are considering changing subject or university, there are a few things you need to bear in mind.

Different application deadlines, acceptance and admission criteria apply depending on which degree program you would like to study. Therefore, it is important that you first decide which study program(s) are suitable for you.

At the University of Stuttgart, the option to apply for a higher semester is only available for Bachelor study courses. In the Master's programs, it is only possible for the respective examination board to recognize previous achievements after you have successfully applied for and enrolled in your chosen study program.

When applying for a higher semester, you must have already completed creditable assessments from a previous study program. First, your application is formally checked on C@MPUS and then submitted to the examination board of the respective study program for classification. Please note that it does take time to check the documents on a case-by-case basis.

A tabular overview of the courses on offer (with information on NCs, entrance examinations or pre-study internships and application deadlines; digitally accessible information can be found on the study program websites):

Application and Enrollment via C@MPUS

Application

Applications are submitted online via C@MPUS.

Online Study Program Application

Application Deadlines - when does the application period start and end?

At the University of Stuttgart, applications for the first semester are only accepted for the winter semester.
If you have creditable achievements (when applying for a higher semester), choose the entry semester that corresponds to your academic progress. If you do not have any creditable achievements, then you must begin in the first semester. If you are unsure whether credits from your previous study program will be recognized, you should apply for the first semester as well as for a higher semester.

You will need the following documents for your application:

  • Evidence of the study and exam credits earned to date (credits and grades transcript)
  • Copy of the University Entrance Qualification (Abitur)
  • When applying for a study program requiring an entrance examination: required documents and evidence as needed for the entrance examination
  • For study programs that require you to complete a mandatory pre-study internship: certificates of approval for pre-study internships issued by the relevant internship office at the University of Stuttgart (providing this already exists).

Please be absolutely sure to read the Selection Criteria and the Admission Statutes and upload the required evidence and documentation.

Enrollment

You will need the following documents to enroll:

  • Certification of a subject counseling session [de] (if you already have been enrolled for three or more semesters at a university in Germany and want to change your subject). In the case of teacher training programs and combined subjects, proof must be submitted for all partial study programs, except if you wish to change a partial study program.
  • Evidence of participation at an orientation program: An application for a teaching degree requires a certification of participation in the Career Counseling for Teachers program (CCT) [de], all other applications only need proof if your are applying for at least one subject for the first regular semester.
  • Applying for the sports science study program (teaching degree): Evidence of the passed/recognized Sports Entrance Examination is only required at the time of enrollment.
  • Proof of previous study and examination achievements (overview of achievements and grades) may be required if you have applied for the first semester of a degree program. Please also note the information on recognition of academic achievements.

Important information

If you are already enrolled at the University of Stuttgart and would like to change your subject or a part of your degree program, please note the following points in addition to the general information: 

  • Like all other applicants, students enrolled at the University of Stuttgart must apply for their desired study program within the respective deadlines using the C@MPUS If you only wish to change a partial degree program, please make sure that you select the correct subject that you wish to keep and that to which you wish to apply.
  • You will be transferred from one course to the other. You do not need to deregister. Your student ID, student ID number and health insurance usually remain the same. Fees that have already been paid remain in effect. If you are able to, you can pay your fees and payments as normal during the re-registration period. You remain enrolled. 
  • As a rule, you need to submit fewer documents when applying and enrolling in C@MPUS. Please note the relevant information in the application portal. 
  • If you would like to switch from a Bachelor's degree to a Master's degree, please refer to the information on the website on transferring internally from an internal Bachelor's to a Master's at the University of Stuttgart.
  • In general, the examination board of the respective degree program evaluates the recognition of both passed and failed examinations, as well as failed attempts, on a case-by-case basis during the application process on C@MPUS. No definitive statements can be made in advance regarding the recognition of examinations or failed attempts due to the individualized nature of the assessment process.
  • When changing the degree type in the same subject area and when switching between content-related (affinal) study programs, equivalent examination or study credits will be recognized. The decision will be made by the responsible examination board on a case-by-case basis.
  • Students that did not conclusively pass interim, preliminary, or final exams at another university, or use up a right to examination entry for whatever reason, will not be admitted to the University of Stuttgart for that particular or a related study program.
  • Please also note that if you are applying for the first semester, your right to admission to examinations from previous degree programs will be checked again during the enrollment process. In this case, admissions are subject to the proviso that you have the right of admission to examinations for this subject. If your right to admission to examinations is not confirmed by subsequent checks by the examination board, your admission will be invalidated. 
  • If not accepted beforehand, the study assessment test has to be passed successfully until the beginning of classes of the fourth semester of studies. Otherwise the students‘ claim for examination expires. The chair of the examination board may approve a form for deadline extension if the student is not responsible for the missing of the deadline.
  • Recognized academic achievements are recorded by the Student Services and Examinations Office after enrollment.

If you wish to change your study program in your third semester at university, or later, then you must discuss this with an academic advisor (in German: Fachstudienberatung) (§ 60 Abs. 2 Nr. 5 LHG). Therefore, to enroll on a new course, you must upload the written confirmation to C@MPUS that you have seen an academic advisor. Please print out the written confirmation of subject-specific counseling and ask your academic advisor for the study program you wish to change to, to sign it. In this case, the written confirmation also serves as proof that you have completed the orientation procedure.

acdemic counseling according to study program

confirmation of subject-specific counseling (de)

When applying for a higher semester for a study program with restricted entry (numerus clausus = NC), if you meet the following special requirements you can improve your chances for admission by filing a hardship application (PDF) [de]:

  • Officially classified as severely disabled (according to SGB IX). Please attach a notarized copy of the ID for the severely disabled or the relevant recognition of disability letter.
  • Only apartment or principal residence with a spouse and/or children in an area assigned to the place of study. Please enclose the certificate from the responsible registration office.
  • Admission to another university would have substantial adverse consequences. Given consideration here in particular are your health, family, or financial circumstances as well as academic grounds. Please enclose the relevant documents and be aware that strict standards are applied in these cases.

Entrance examination:

  • Please note that for study programs with entrance examinations, all applicants must take the entrance examination, even when changing from another study program.
  • The criteria for the entrance examination differ among the various study programs. They are listed in the Selection Criteria and Admissions Regulations.
  • Most of the study programs administer the entrance examination just once a year in the winter semester. Therefore, in the summer semester in the respective Bachelor’s study programs, there is no (or a very limited) possibility of admission to a higher regular semester.

B.A. Sports teaching degree: 

Please note that proof of sufficient German language skills is required at the time of application for a German-language degree program.

Students from non-EU countries in most cases may only change the study subject or subject combination up until the end of the third semester. Otherwise, the residence permit frequently will not be extended. Please inform yourself in a timely manner with your responsible Alien Registration Office. Foreign students (non-EU citizens), please become familiar with the Application Information for Foreign Students.

If you are receiving BAföG [de] support, you should get information about a possible extension from the responsible Financial Aid Office in a timely manner. Changing the study program after the second regular semester may result in the BaföG application being rejected.
For more information, contact the Federal Ministry for Education and Research [de] and Stuttgart Student Services [de].

Contacts and Counseling

 

Student Counseling Center (ZSB)

  • Further information
  • General advice on choosing a study program (interdisciplinary), learning advice, advice on loss of right to admission to an examination
 

Academic Counseling

 

Application, Admission, Enrollment

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