Foreign language proficiency

The Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (BSc) requires confirmation that the applicant has sufficient proficiency in the English language to follow classes on business administration, read specialist literature and, where required, take attendant oral and written examinations in English. This confirmation must be provided as part of the online application process, and does not require formal documentation as proof.

A requirement for studying the major and minor in Human Movement Sciences is knowledge of English at level B2 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages.

Proof is provided by the university entrance qualification (at least 6 years of school education) or by international language certificates at the level B2 (Cambridge First Certificate of English A or B, IELTS 5.5 or higher, TOEFL: paper-based min. 550 points, internet-based min. 70 points, UNIcert II.).

Applicants who cannot provide proof of English language skills beyond 6 years of schooling or knowledge of the English language at level B2 for enrollment will be admitted conditionally and must provide proof by the end of the first semester at the latest.

Proficiency in English is required to study English as a subject in teacher training programs:

• Lehramt an Grundschulen (LAGS),
• Lehramt für Sekundarstufe I und II (Stadtteilschulen und Gymnasien) (LASek),
• Lehramt für Sonderpädagogik – Profilbildung Grundschule (LAS-G),
• Lehramt für Sonderpädagogik – Profilbildung Sekundarstufe (LAS-Sek) and
• Lehramt an berufsbildenden Schulen (LAB).

Proof of English language proficiency can be demonstrated as follows:

• a German secondary school leaving certificate grade of
• 11 points in English (higher level)
• 11 points in advanced English
• or 13 points in English (basic level)

Note:

The minimum required grade of 11 or 13 points applies to the whole or secondary school leaving qualification; this grade can be obtained from either 4 half-year grades or in the exam.

English does not have to have been an exam subject for the secondary school leaving qualification.

• or a minimum of the following grades in the following tests:
• CEFR—Level B2+
• Internet-based TOEFL test—90 points
• IELTS 6.5—Academic Module
• CAE—grade A
• CPE—grades A, B, or C.

Educational qualifications from English-speaking countries are also considered proof of the necessary language skills.

Proficiency in Latin to the level of the proficiency certificate in Latin (Latinum) is required for the teaching subject Protestant religion within the teacher training in secondary education.

Proficiency to the level of the Kleines Latinum (intermediate Latin certificate) is not sufficient.

Please provide proof in the form of

• higher education entrance eligibility (Latinum), or
• a certificate from the Ministry of School and Vocational Education or an equivalent school authority in another federal state.
• a certificate from the Faculty of Humanities (attesting to successful participation in the Latin courses I-II) or comparable recognized certificate

Proof must be submitted by the end of the fourth subject semester. In exceptional cases, the relevant examinations office may determine otherwise. 

Basic French language proficiency is a prerequisite for studying French as a major, minor or teaching subject.

You can demonstrate proof of proficiency with

• a certificate documenting 300 hours of instruction from a comprehensive school,
• the presentation of certificates of a number of school years equivalent to 300 teaching hours (300 teaching hours correspond to 5 school years), or
• by presenting a DELF B1 certificate,
• a DEUF certificate (Diplôme universitaires d'études françaises) level B1, or
• a certificate TCF (Test de Connaissance du français) level B1.

If French was taken as an advanced course or as a course that was part of your Abitur or secondary school leaving qualificatio and this is shown on the certificate, a simple copy of the certificate is sufficient as proof.

Educational certificates from French-speaking countries also count as proof of the necessary language skills.

History as a major:

Proof of proficiency of Latin to the extent of the Kleines Latinum (intermediate Latin certificate) and in two modern foreign languages to the extent of 3 and 2 years of schooling respectively or equivalent proof (level B1 or A2 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages):

• Presentation of the university entrance qualification (Abitur),
• a certificate from the Authority for School and Vocational Education or a comparable school authority of another federal state,
• a certificate from the Faculty of Humanities or a certificate recognized as equivalent by the Faculty of Humanities,
• a certificate from the Hamburger Volkshochschule confirming successful participation in Latin courses 1-2 ("Kleines Latinum") of the general languages on behalf of Universität Hamburg.

The certificate can be submitted at the latest by the end of the advanced module.

History as a minor:

Proof of knowledge in two foreign languages to the extent of 3 or 2 years of schooling or equivalent proof (level B1 or A2 CEFR) through:

• presentation of the university entrance qualification (Abitur), or
• a certificate issued by the Faculty of Humanities or a certificate recognized by the Faculty as equivalent.

The proof can be submitted until the re-registration for the fifth semester.

History as a teaching subject for Lehramt für Sekundarstufe I und II (Stadtteilschulen und Gymnasien) (LASek):

Proof of knowledge of Latin ("Kleines Latinum") through:

• presentation of the university entrance qualification (Abitur),
• a certificate issued by the Authority for Schools and Vocational Training or a comparable school authority in another federal state,
• a certificate from the Faculty of Humanities or a certificate recognized as equivalent by the Faculty of Humanities,
• a certificate from the Hamburger Volkshochschule confirming successful participation in Latin courses 1-2 ("Kleines Latinum") of the general languages on behalf of Universität Hamburg.

The certificate can be submitted at the latest by the end of the advanced module.

To study in the Joint Study Program Bachelor of Laws (Hamburg/Istanbul), you must demonstrate that you have Turkish language skills to Level B2 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages. To do so, you can submit a certificate, specifically:

• Yüksek Sertifika (advanced certificate from the language school TÖMER following the Yüksek/B2 course)
• Türkçe Yeterlilik Belgesi (certificate from the Yunus Emre Institute attesting to sufficient Turkish language skills)
• B2 certificate from the University of Istanbul's language center

Prerequisite for the study of the subject Greek in the teaching profession for Lehramt für Sekundarstufe I und II (Stadtteilschulen und Gymnasien) (LASek) is knowledge of Latin to the extent of the Latinum and knowledge of Ancient Greek to the extent of the Graecum.

Please provide proof of Latin in the form of:

• Presentation of the university entrance qualification (Latinum),
• presentation of a certificate issued by the Authority for Schools and Vocational Training or a certificate recognized by the latter as equivalent (Latinum).

Please provide proof of Ancient Greek in the form of:

• Presentation of the university entrance qualification (Graecum), 
• presentation of a certificate issued by the Authority for Schools and Vocational Training or a certificate recognized by the latter as equivalent (Graecum).

These certificates can still be submitted up to the time of registration for the final module.

To study classical archeology as a major, you will need to submit proof of proficiency in Latin to the level of the Kleines Latinum (intermediate Latin certificate) or proficiency in Ancient Greek, prior to registering for the bachelor’s thesis.

If the knowledge of Latin or Ancient Greek is not proven in the school certificate, corresponding proof of successful participation in a grammar course and a reading course shall take their place as an equivalent.

Classical philology as a major requires proficiency in Latin to the level of the proficiency certificate in Latin (Latinum). Proficiency to the level of the Kleines Latinum (intermediate Latin certificate) is not sufficient. Proof of proficiency can be demonstrated by presenting a higher education entrance eligibility certificate (Latinum), a certificate from the Ministry of School and Vocational Education, or an equivalent school from another federal state. This requirement must be satisfied on enrollment.

The study of classical philology as a minor subject with a focus on Latin studies requires proficiency in Latin to the level of the proficiency certificate in Latin (Latinum). Proficiency to the level of the Kleines Latinum (intermediate Latin certificate) is not sufficient. Proof of proficiency can be demonstrated by presenting a higher education entrance eligibility (Latinum), a certificate from the Ministry of School and Vocational Education, or an equivalent school from another federal state. Compliance with this requirement must be demonstrated before the degree program commences (1 October).

Classical philology as a minor with a Greek studies focus requires proficiency to the level of the Kleines Latinums (intermediate Latin certificate). Please provide proof in the form of higher education entrance eligibility, a certificate from the Ministry of School and Vocational Education, a certificate from the Faculty of Humanities, or a certificate recognized as equivalent by one of the latter. You must provide this proof by the end of the first year of study (at the latest when you re-enroll for the third subject semester).

Prerequisite to study the subject Latin in the teaching program Lehramt für Sekundarstufe I und II (Stadtteilschulen und Gymnasien) (LASek) is knowledge of Latin to the extent of the Latinum (knowledge to the extent of the Kleines Latinum is not sufficient).

Proof can be provided as follows:

• higher education entrance eligibility (Latinum), or
• a certificate from the Ministry of School and Vocational Education or a certificate recognized as equivalent by one of the latter (Latinum).

The proof must be submitted for enrollment.

Medieval studies as a minor requires proficiency in Latin to the level of the Kleines Latinum (intermediate Latin certificate). Please provide proof in the form of higher education entrance eligibility, a certificate from the Ministry of School and Vocational Education, a certificate from the Faculty of Humanities, or a certificate recognized as equivalent by one of the latter. The certificate can be submitted by re-enrollment for the fourth subject semester.

A requirement for studying the major and minor in psychology is knowledge of English at level B2 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages.

Proof is provided by the university entrance qualification (at least 6 years of school education) or by international language certificates at the level B2 (e.g. Cambridge First Certificate of English A or B, IELTS 5.5 or higher, TOEFL: paper-based at least 550 points, internet-based at least 70 points, UNIcert II).

The proof can be submitted at the latest by the end of the first semester.

Basic language proficiency is a prerequisite for the study of the major, minor and teaching Spanish in the teaching programs Lehramt für Sekundarstufe I und II (Stadtteilschulen und Gymnasien) (LASek) and Lehramt an berufsbildenden Schulen (LAB ).

Proof of proficiency can be demonstrated as follows:

•  a certificate documenting 300 hours of instruction,
• the presentation of certificates of a number of school years corresponding to 300 hours of lessons (300 hours of lessons correspond to 5 school years
• a DELE certification of Nivel Inicial / B1 certificate (Instituto Cervantes)
• a certificate SIELE GLOBAL: Nivel B1.

If Spanish was taken as an advanced course or as a basic course in the Abitur examination and if this can be seen from the Abitur certificate, a simple copy of the certificate is sufficient as proof.

Educational certificates from Spanish-speaking countries are also considered as proof of the necessary language skills.

The Bachelor of Science in Business Mathematics requires sufficient proficiency in English to reasonably understand course instruction and specialist literature (at least Level B1 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR)).

Proof of proficiency can be demonstrated in the form of university entrance eligibility with a minimum of 3 years of English instruction or by the following documentation:

• TOEFL with at least 42 points on the Internet-based test
• IELTS test with a score of at least 4.0
• a higher education entrance qualification for English-language higher education institutions
• other certificate comparable to Level B1