Application and Admission to Dual Study Programs in Germany for International Students

Knowing who offers dual study programs can influence your search strategy to find the best dual study program in Germany for yourself. One challenge in this search process results from the fact that, at first glance, it is not easy to grasp the details of a dual study program: It will take you some time to research for a specific program which time model is followed in order to structure the practical and theoretical portion. The salary might not be visible at first glance, and neither might be the type of program, i.e. whether it is training-integrated or practice-integrated.

In other words, even after conducting an initial desktop research, questions may remain. To overcome this challenge, we want to encourage you to contact the program coordinators or the international office of the higher education institutions for clarifications, and the person of contact for the company that you are looking at for the practical portion.

Another difficulty is that definitions of dual study programs vary. You may for example find different terminology in different states in Germany. Similarly, universities or informative websites (such as ours) will present different typologies of dual study programs. Thus, the search for dual study programs may sometimes feel a bit untransparent or confusing. One practical difficulty that results from this is that it is difficult to compile a complete database of dual study options, given that, depending on the definition one follows, certain programs may not qualify.

Furthermore, the fact that the higher education institutions offering dual study options and the companies hiring for the practical portions are diverse and manifold, some options are bound to fall under the radar. To answer this challenge, we recommend that you use a mix of various search strategies or search engines, to maximize the results and options that you find. If you come across some programs that you like early on, it is of course also okay to stop the search then.

In 2019, there were more than 1,660 dual study programs available. To systematically search through all these options, there are three search strategies we recommend:

One way to identify your dual study options is by exploring which institutions offer dual study programs and then see which offers they have. This may be especially useful for you if you have a regional preference. On the institution's websites, you will find information on cooperating companies and program offers.

We have written an extensive article for you presenting to you different types of institutions that offer dual study options. This can be a good starting point for you if you want to search for programs using this strategy. In that article, we also included links to information portals on dual studies from the 16 federal states in Germany that can furthermore help you identify your options in a certain region in Germany.

Some websites provide you with databases of dual study programs in Germany. If you have a special interest in a certain subject field, it may be smart for you to look for programs in this subject area first and then inform yourself about conditions and cooperating companies on the respective course websites.

Search engines you can use to identify dual study programs are the portal AusbildungPlus, run by the Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training (German: Bundesinstitut für Berufsbildung) or the hochschulkompass, which is run by the German Rectors’ Conference and available in English. In the extended search function, you can decide to look for dual programs only.

As with any other higher education institution in Germany, the exact conditions of what you need to present and of how to hand in your application can differ from university to university and from program to program. Therefore, make sure to confirm this general overview with the specific programs that you like and the institution that you are going to apply to.

The majority of dual study programs in Germany are without admission restrictions, meaning that once you comply with the minimum requirements of a study program, you are very likely to get admitted. To prove that you comply with the minimum requirements of a dual study program, there is a list of criteria that you can expect to have to meet.

When it comes to applying to a company or institution that is going to function as the learning environment for the practical portion of your dual studies program in Germany, there are some general hints that we can give to you.

Depending on the dual studies program that you pursue, especially for the training-integrated and the career-integrated programs, you often apply to the work position first, that means before applying to the university. In some cases, you only apply to the work position and not to the university since scoring a spot at a company sometimes assures you a spot at the cooperating dual studies institution, as well. Since exact details differ from program to program, please make sure to do your research for each dual studies program that you are interested in.

Furthermore, applications to companies may start VERY early. Some recommend starting the application process 18 months before the intended start of the program. Although you will still find a set of options if you are a bit later in the game - let’s say a year before the intended start of the program - we agree that starting early makes a huge difference, especially for international students. Starting early will give you time to do the research you need, to collect the documents you require, and to scope out and have a realistic shot at ALL your options.

Once you identify a company or institution that you want to apply to for the practical portion of your dual study program, you will have to inform yourself about the specific application process. Again, each company may decide on a different process, therefore it is important to do your research thoroughly and clarify potential questions. To give you a rough overview, here is a list of documents and requirements you may have to deliver for the application process:

For most dual study programs in Germany, advanced German skills are required. The reason for this is obvious: The language of study in the programs is most often German, and you need to be able to follow the courses. Even if you study in an English language dual study program, working at a German company likely still requires you to speak German, for example, you have contact with customers in German or because the language spoken in the office is German. In any case, it will be more attractive to hire you on the German job market if you have some German skills, even if your work could be absolved completely in English.

For these reasons, German language skills are often a must for dual study programs in Germany. While exact details may differ from company to company, you can expect to prove your language abilities on a B2 - C1 level. These are the language-level indications set by the European Framework of Reference for Language Skills. B2 corresponds to upper intermediate language skills and C1 to advanced language skills.

To prove that you speak German on this level, there is a series of language certificates that are accepted by all universities and most employers:

To read more about these certificates, please check out this article.

The good news is that yes, there are some, if only a few, alternatives in the form of English-language dual study programs; study programs that combine English and German, or study programs that mix English and German. The bad news is that to identify these options, you will have to invest a little more time doing your research.

We did start this research process for you already and will highlight some alternative options for you here.

The biggest higher education institution for dual studies, the Baden-Wuerttemberg Cooperative State University offers undergraduate dual programs completely in English. These international programs partially include practical stays abroad and exchange semesters abroad.

In our MyGermanUniversity StudyFinder, you can also find some dual study options completely in English:

Another example of a program combining an English language study program and a work environment in which you have to speak German is this one:

International students from most countries outside the EU need a visa to enter Germany as (dual) students and a residence permit to stay there throughout the duration of their studies. You have to apply for a visa with the German embassy or consulate general that is nearest to your place of residence. This is also the place to which you should direct all sorts of detailed questions since they are the experts on the visa regulations that apply to you specifically. Another important point of contact is the International Office of the German University that you seek to apply to. It is essential that you verify the general information we can provide you with for your case.

Dual students apply for a so-called national visa, just like students of regular study courses do. Therefore, their visa application process is going to look quite similar. We have written articles with detailed descriptions of this process, and also about covid-19 related restrictions to the student visa process for Germany that you can read to get some general background information on student visas.

After you start the application process, the German embassy in charge of your visa application defines whether the practical portion in your study program is bigger and more significant, or whether the study portion has the primary role in your dual program. This happens in coordination with the Foreigner’s Office (German: Ausländerbehörde) of your future town in Germany as well as with the Federal Employment Agency (German: Bundesagentur für Arbeit [BA]). The BA has a special role in this process since they also grant dual students permission to enter the German labor market. There is not much you can or have to do in this process, since this happens internally. Therefore, your visa application will feel quite similar to that of regular students.

The assessment of your application should ensure that you have all the permissions as a resident in Germany that you need to fulfill your dual study program. Here are some questions, doubts, and uncertainties that may still come to your mind: