Germany university intakes
German universities run a winter semester starting around October and a summer semester starting around April. Winter is much the larger, and its application deadlines fall months before the semester begins — frequently in mid-summer.
At a glance
| Intakes | Oct (winter), Apr (summer) |
|---|---|
| Destination guide | Germany |
The deadlines are the hard part
- Winter semester applications commonly close in mid-summer, well before the October start.
- Summer semester has fewer programmes and its own earlier deadline.
- uni-assist handles applications for many universities, and its processing adds weeks.
- Document certification is strict and slow, and it is the usual cause of a missed deadline.
Add uni-assist processing and certified translations to your plan explicitly. Students routinely treat the published deadline as the date work must start rather than finish.
Blocked account and visa timing
- Secure admission, allowing for uni-assist.
- Open and fund a blocked account, which takes time and is a real cash requirement.
- Book the visa appointment, which is itself frequently the longest wait.
- Allow for the whole chain when choosing a semester.
The blocked account is a cash requirement regardless of tuition, and a tuition-free course does not remove it. See /visa-guide/europe/financial-requirements.
Germany intakes — FAQs
2 questions
Commonly in mid-summer, months before the October start. Check the specific university and allow for uni-assist processing.
Fewer programmes admit, so check yours. For students who miss a winter deadline it is a genuine second route rather than a token one.
Not sure which intake to target? A counsellor works backwards from your test dates, funding and visa timeline to the intake you can actually make — free.
Sources
Checked against these sources on 1 October 2026.