Information on university access for professionally qualified individuals
Professionally qualified individuals without a university entrance qualification (general university entrance qualification, advanced technical college entrance qualification, or equivalent) can take a university entrance examination (HZP) to determine their required prior education and aptitude for university studies. Passing the HZP grants them subject-specific university entrance qualifications. These qualify them to study a corresponding degree program at universities in the state of Hesse. This is regulated by the Ordinance on Access for Professionally Qualified Individuals of December 16, 2015.
According to this regulation, inter-university examination boards were established to conduct the university entrance examination for the respective field of study.
The Technische Hochschule Mittelhessen is responsible for the following study areas:
- Study area 9, Engineering Sciences - Sub-area of Mechanical Engineering
- Study area 10, Mathematics, Natural Sciences, with Geography and Computer Science - Sub-area Mathematics and Computer Science at Universities of Applied Sciences (Fachhochschulen)
Admission requirements
Admission to the university entrance examination is open to those who:
- has completed at least two years of vocational training , regulated under the Vocational Training Act, the Crafts Code or by state law,
- at least two years of full-time professional experience in a field related to their intended course of study. It is not necessary that this professional experience be currently being pursued at the time of application.
If a course of study is being pursued that is not related to the completed training or professional experience, additional qualified Professional Development of at least 400 teaching hours of 45-60 minutes each in a related field must be demonstrated.
Suitable Professional Development measures include, in particular:
- Distance learning courses and continuing education studies at universities,
- in-house and external Further training measures and
- Courses offered by adult education centers and other providers of adult education
Application
Applications for the university entrance examination are submitted to the respective examination board using the application form, which you can download from the yellow box on the right.
The following documents must be included with the application:
- a CV
- Copies of the last school certificate and vocational training certificates
- complete proof of the type, duration and location of professional practice
- If applicable, proof of a guest study period or participation in Professional Development programmes at a university
- If applicable, proof of a passed aptitude assessment procedure in another federal state
Application deadlines are February 15th and August 15th of each year.
It is important that you submit your documents on time and in full, as these form the basis for processing your application. The decisive factor is the date of receipt at the university (final deadline). Applications received after this date or that are incomplete cannot be considered in the respective examination procedure.
Examination fees
A fee of €250.00 is charged for taking the university entrance examination (according to the Administrative Costs Ordinance of the Ministry of Science, Research and the Arts of 19 December 2013, as amended on 14 July 2023, Official Gazette p. 588).
You will receive a written payment request with a payment deadline. After receipt of the examination fee, you will receive an admission notice with further information such as the examination date, time, and location.
Inter-university examination boards
According to the regulations governing university access for professionally qualified applicants, Hessian universities have established inter-university examination boards for the university entrance examination. The following overview indicates the responsible university for each field of study.
| Study area | Sub-area committee | Supporting university |
| 1: Linguistics and Cultural Studies | University of Kassel | |
| 2: Historical Studies | University Giessen | |
| 3: Theology, Religious Studies, Philosophy | University of Marburg | |
| 4: Law and Economics including Business Education | Frankfurt University of Applied Sciences | |
| 5: Social and Societal Sciences including Social Work |
Social and Societal Sciences | University of Frankfurt |
| Social work | HS Rhein Main | |
| 6: Pedagogy, L1, L2, L5 | University of Kassel | |
| 7: Nursing, Health and Therapy Sciences | Fulda University of Applied Sciences | |
| 8: Architecture, Construction | Darmstadt University of Applied Sciences | |
9: Engineering |
Mechanical engineering | THM |
| Electrical engineering | HS Rhein Main | |
| Other engineering Degree Courses | TU Darmstadt | |
10: Mathematics, Natural Sciences, with Geography and Computer Science |
Mathematics and computer science at universities of applied sciences (Fachhochschulen) | THM |
| Other natural science Degree Courses at universities of applied sciences (Fachhochschulen) | Darmstadt University of Applied Sciences | |
| All Degree Courses from number 10 at universities | University of Marburg | |
| 11: Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Nutritional Sciences | University Giessen | |
| 12: Medicine, Veterinary Medicine, Dentistry, Human Biology, Pharmacy | Human biology, pharmacy | University of Marburg |
| Medicine, veterinary medicine, dentistry | University of Frankfurt | |
| 13: Psychology | University Giessen | |
| 14: Sport | TU Darmstadt |
Subject of the university entrance examination
sub-sector of mechanical engineering
The university entrance examination consists of an oral examination (interview) and a written examination. Various general and subject-specific fundamentals are tested, which are prerequisites for studying engineering (specifically mechanical engineering). The aim is to determine whether the applicant is capable of commencing the studies with a prospect of successful completion.
The exam content includes basic knowledge in:
- Mathematics: Basic knowledge of the principles of algebra and analysis, and application of these principles to simpler problems (e.g., knowledge of functions, solution algorithms, formula rearrangements)
- Physics: Knowledge of fundamental and derived physical quantities, ability to solve simple problems (e.g., from kinematics, mechanics, thermodynamics, and electrical engineering), knowledge of physical laws (e.g., concerning work, power, efficiency, temperature, pressure, and basic electrical laws)
- Materials science: Knowledge of metal structures (lattice structure, lattice types), influence of alloying elements on metal properties, binary systems, basic knowledge of materials testing methods (e.g., hardness testing, tensile testing), stress-strain diagram
- Technical drawing/geometry: Representing workpieces in views, reading technical drawings, fits, surface quality. Spatial reasoning skills are particularly important here. Geometric figures, sectional views of objects.
- Machine elements: classification, joining methods, knowledge of simple machine elements (basic knowledge of fits, standardization, positional control)
- Engineering Mechanics: Fundamental laws of statics, types of stress (compression, bending, tension), equilibrium conditions (e.g., sum of torques, vertical and horizontal forces), determination of support reactions
subfield of mathematics and computer science
The university entrance examination consists of an oral examination (interview) and a written examination. Various general and subject-specific fundamentals are tested, which are prerequisites for studying mathematics and natural sciences, including geography and computer science (sub-discipline: mathematics and computer science), at universities of applied sciences. The aim is to determine whether the applicant is capable of commencing studies with a prospect of successful completion.
The exam content covers basic knowledge:
- Business Administration: Subject matter of business administration, structure of business administration (functional, genetic, process-oriented structure), tasks of corporate management, corporate objectives, legal forms of companies, questions on production and cost theory, cost function, human resources
- Mathematics: Basic knowledge of the laws of algebra and analysis, as well as the application of these laws to applied problems (calculating with variables, laws of exponents, roots and logarithms, linear equations, quadratic equations, systems of equations), knowledge of functions and their properties, number sequences, concepts of combinatorics, and the concept of probability.
- Physics: Knowledge of fundamental and derived physical quantities, ability to solve simple problems (e.g., from kinematics, mechanics, thermodynamics, and electrical engineering), knowledge of physical laws (e.g., concerning work, power, efficiency, temperature, pressure, and basic electrical laws), Archimedes' principle
- Computer science: basic concepts (bit, byte, scaling factors, number systems, addressing), components of a digital computing system and their interaction (processor, memory types and their properties, input/output, bus, interfaces, operating system), computer communication (addressing, protocols and standards, interfaces, application services on the Internet), application software (word processing, spreadsheet, database, browser), programming (programming languages, simple data types, program flow control (basic control elements, flowchart according to DIN 66001)), elements of data protection.
University access with a secondary school leaving certificate
According to § 60 of the Hessian Higher Education Act (HessHG), persons with a secondary school leaving certificate and completed vocational training have a university entrance qualification in the state of Hesse if they meet the following criteria:
- documented completion of secondary school
- qualified completion of a recognized vocational training programme of at least three years with an average, overall or final grade of 2.5 or better shown in the vocational training certificate (chamber certificate from the Chamber of Industry and Commerce or the Chamber of Skilled Crafts)
- Willingness to conclude a study agreement for enrollment at the university
The university entrance qualification is equivalent to the entrance qualification for universities of applied sciences and entitles the holder to study at universities of applied sciences or in a tiered study programme at a university.
University access with professional advancement qualification
Individuals with a completed master craftsman's examination or an equivalent qualification have direct access to universities in Hesse. This means they can apply directly to and enroll at the respective university.
According to Section 1 Paragraph 1 Sentence 1 of the Ordinance on Access to Higher Education for Professionally Qualified Persons in the State of Hesse, the following persons have a qualification in advanced vocational training comparable to the master craftsman's examination:
- Persons with Further educational qualifications according to Sections 53 and 54 of the Vocational Training Act or according to Sections 42 and 42a of the Crafts and Trades Code, provided that the courses comprise at least 400 teaching hours of 45 or 60 minutes each.
- Persons with state-issued certificates of competence for nautical or technical ship service.
- People with degrees from technical schools.
- Persons with qualifications comparable to state-level Further and Professional Development regulations for professions in the healthcare sector and in the field of social care or social education professions.
- Individuals with degrees comparable to federal Further and Professional Development regulations.
Graduates of administrative and economic academies who have completed vocational training, as well as graduates of a one-year course at the European Academy of Labour at the University of Frankfurt am Main, possess a subject-specific university entrance qualification according to § 60 para. 2 sentence 2 in conjunction with para. 2 sentence 1 no. 2 of the Hessian Higher Education Act.
