Application for teacher training/Master of Education

Your degree program must have included studies in two or three teaching subjects or one teaching subject and special needs focus or one teaching subject and one vocational subject. If your bachelor's degree includes only one teaching subject, you cannot apply for a master's degree in teacher training at Universität Hamburg, but have to start your studies in a bachelor program. If you already possess a teaching degree from a country other than Germany at a level beyond the bachelor level, you might be eligible for supplementary studies in teacher training (information in German only).

You have to hold a bachelor’s degree in teacher training corresponding to your chosen school type and/or educational level for the MEd (e.g., secondary, special needs, or primary education). This means that the school type/level corresponding with the master’s degree offered at Universität Hamburg must be explicitly indicated on your degree certificate or Transcript of Records. If you hold a bachelor's degree from a country other than Germany, this will as a rule not be indicated. If it is not indicated, you must provide separate written confirmation of this from your previous higher education institution. Since the system of school types/levels established in Germany is different from those of other countries, higher education institutions in other countries might not be able to give you this confirmation. If this is the case, please contact us and send us your bachelor degree certificate and/or your current transcript of records.

You must have completed subject-specific didactics in your previous studies for all teaching subjects, for the teaching subject and special needs focus or for the vocational subject and teaching subject. Furthermore you must have completed teaching placements during your bachelor’s degree in teacher training. Both of these requirements have to be confirmed by your previous higher education institution as well. If your previous higher education institution cannot confirm this, please contact us and send us your bachelor degree certificate and/or your current transcript of records.

For some school types and teaching subjects, special criteria must be fulfilled to meet the admission requirements. Please refer to the German page for more information on these criteria.

You will need to provide proof at enrollment that you have a) completed a bachelor’s degree in teacher training and b) for which teaching qualification your prior studies qualify you. This means that the school type/level corresponding with the master’s degree offered at Universität Hamburg must be explicitly indicated on your degree certificate or Transcript of Records. If it is not indicated, you must provide separate written confirmation of this from your previous higher education institution. If the written confirmation does not explicitly confirm that your previous studies qualify you for admission to your chosen degree program, you will not meet the admission requirements and cannot be admitted to enrollment.

To enroll, you will need to provide proof that your previous studies meet certain criteria. Depending on your chosen school type/level, this means:

At enrollment, you must provide proof that you have completed subject-specific didactics in your previous studies for both teaching subjects (for secondary education or primary and lower secondary education) OR for the teaching subject and special needs focus (for special needs education) OR for the vocational subject and teaching subject (for vocational education).

If your grades for the subject-specific didactics are not explicitly indicated in your degree certificate or Transcript of Records, you will need to obtain separate proof for both degree components from your previous higher education institution.

If you are admitted, at enrollment you must provide proof that you completed teaching placements during your bachelor’s degree in teacher training. If these are not explicitly indicated in your degree certificate or Transcript of Records, you will need to obtain separate proof of this from your previous higher education institution.

Teacher Training in Special Needs Education: When you enroll, you need to prove that, in your bachelor’s program in teacher training, you studied in the cross-cutting special needs area of “learning, language, behavior” or “learning.”

Teacher Training in Special Needs Education for Primary Schools: When you enroll, you need to prove that, in your bachelor’s program in teacher training, you studied in the special needs focus area “learning” as well as in another focus area offered at Universität Hamburg (“emotional and social development,” “intellectual development,” “hearing, seeing, language”).

Teacher Training in Special Needs Education for Lower and Upper Secondary Education: When you enroll, you need to prove that, in your bachelor’s program in teacher training, you studied in the special needs focus area “learning” as well as in another focus area offered at Universität Hamburg (“emotional and social development,” “intellectual development,” “hearing, seeing, language”).

If you are uncertain about which of the 3 degree programs your bachelor allows you to apply for, contact the Faculty of Education(lehramt.ew"AT"uni-hamburg.de) to clarify.

If you are applying for teacher training in vocational education, you must provide proof that you have completed vocational training in your chosen vocational subject or a professional internship lasting at least twelve months. If you are not already enrolled at Universität Hamburg for your bachelor’s degree, you will need to provide this proof at enrollment.

A qualification obtained in the dual system (company plus school) is considered vocational training. Professional qualifications from vocational schools will not automatically be accepted. Professional experience can alternatively be proven by a relevant professional internship lasting at least twelve months. In case of doubt about the relevance of the training completed for your chosen vocational subject, please always obtain recognition in advance from the Central Examination Office for Teacher Training (Zentrales Prüfungsamt für Lehramtsprüfungen, ZPLA) at Universität Hamburg. This also applies if you are still working on the final module of your vocational training. If you are still completing your vocational training and wish to provide proof in the form of an internship, recognition is required in all cases.

In case of questions, please email the ZPLA (anerkennung-lab@verw.uni-hamburg.de). Please be aware that proof of recognition in the form of the according letter of notification from the ZPLA is mandatory for enrollment. We therefore strongly advise that you seek guidance well in advance of the application deadline. For more information, please go here.

For the teaching subject of English in Teacher Training for Primary Schools, Teacher Training for Secondary Schools, Teacher Training in Special Needs Education for Primary Schools and in Lower/Secondary Education, and Teacher Training in Vocational Education, you must meet the following admission criterion: proof of an at least 3-month stay abroad in an English-speaking country.

For the teaching subject of French in Teacher Training for Secondary Schools and Teacher Training in Vocational Education, you must meet the following criterion: proof of an at least 3-month stay abroad in a French-speaking country.

For the teaching subject of Spanish in Teacher Training for Secondary Schools and Teacher Training in Vocational Education, you must meet the following criterion: proof of at an least a 3-month stay abroad in a Spanish-speaking country.

You can attest to your stay abroad on the basis of the following:

• study at a public university or university recognized as comparable (submit a transcript of records)
• Pädagogischer Austauschdienst (PAD) in line with the guidelines set forth by the Standing Conference of the Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs of the Länder in the Federal Republic of Germany
• internship (submit 3–5-page report in English, French, or Spanish respectively) and an internship certificate
• professional activity such as being an au pair, work and travel (submit a 3–5-page report in English, French, or Spanish respectively) and a work contract
• attendance at a language school (at least 20 hrs/wk; submit transcript/certificate from the language school)
• research stay (submit a 3–5-page report in English, French, or Spanish respectively) and an invitation and proof of completion for the research stay at the hosting institution

For exceptions and special regulations, consult the Bylaws Regarding the Special Conditions of Admission for Degree Programs in the Faculty of Humanities (link to follow shortly).

When applying for the teaching subjects "Sport", the following proof is also required for enrolment: proof of swimming and rescue skills (German Lifeguard Badge (DRSA) in silver and knowledge of English at level B2. Please note the Bylaws Regarding the Special Conditions of Admission for Degree Programs of the Faculty of Psychology and Human Movement Science.

If you are admitted to enroll for a teaching subject in the arts, you will need to provide proof that you have passed the entrance examination at the Hochschule für bildende Künste (HfbK) or The Hamburg University of Music and Drama (HfMT).

If you are admitted to enroll for the teacher training in secondary education with the teaching subject of protestant religion, you will need to provide proof of proficiency in Latin (Latinum).