Information on proof of secondary school leaving certificate

The proof of secondary school leaving certificate must not be the following certificates:

• Vocational school leaving certificate awarded as part of the same training as the "Chamber Certificate"
• First general education school leaving certificate (Hauptschulabschluss), which in combination with successfully completed vocational training under certain conditions corresponds to an intermediate school leaving certificate (“9+3 model”).

Information on the vocational training certificate

The final certificate of vocational training is the "chamber certificate" (i.e., a certificate from a Chamber of Industry and Commerce, Chamber of Crafts, Chamber of Commerce, Medical Association, or similar), as this alone confers professional qualifications. (The "vocational school certificate" obtained with the same training qualification cannot be used as proof for this type of university entrance qualification, nor can it be used as proof of an intermediate school leaving certificate.)

A qualified qualification is achieved if you can prove at least three years of recognized vocational training. Individually shortened training based on excellent performance, which was normally designed to last at least three years, can also be credited. As proof of this, the "Kammerzeugnis" (commercial school certificate) must be uploaded digitally during the application and/or enrollment process (along with the intermediate school leaving certificate and the study agreement).

The average, overall, or final grade in the "competition certificate" must be at least 2.5 or better. Individual grades are not weighted, and no rounding is applied. (The "vocational school leaving certificate" is irrelevant at this point and therefore does not need to be uploaded when applying or enrolling.)

Study agreement

Enrollment requires the conclusion of a study agreement, which must be uploaded in digital form during online enrollment.

Download the study agreement

In the study agreement, the students undertake to

• at least 18 ECTS credit points in the first semester or
• 30 ECTS credit points must be achieved in the first year of study.

Credit for previously completed academic achievements is not possible. If the student fails to achieve the stated performance target, the university reserves the right, in addition to this agreement, to stipulate a binding minimum number of credit points to be achieved for the third semester or, if applicable, subsequent semesters.

In the event of repeated failure to achieve the specified performance targets, the university reserves the right to exmatriculate the student if it is not expected that the student will be able to successfully complete the programme. When deciding on exmatriculation, employment, caring for dependents, a disability or chronic illness, and similar important reasons must be taken into account if they impact the student's studies and are supported by appropriate evidence.

Legal framework

According to Section 60, Paragraph 2, No. 5 of the Hessian Higher Education Act of December 14, 2021, in conjunction with Section 1, Paragraph 3 of the Ordinance on Access for Professionally Qualified Persons to Universities in the State of Hesse of December 16, 2015, persons with an intermediate school leaving certificate and a qualified qualification from a recognized vocational training programme of at least three years are entitled to university entrance qualifications. Admission to the programme requires a study agreement.

self reflection

Which degree programme suits me? Which study format is suitable for me? We have a short Study Orientation Guide designed.

But for prospective students with a secondary school diploma, the main question is whether they are sufficiently prepared in their subject area. In many Degree Courses at the Technische Hochschule Mittelhessen the first semesters are characterized by basic subjects in the natural sciences and mathematics, which usually follow on from the curriculum at a technical college or upper secondary school. It is therefore important to be able to assess yourself, your willingness to learn, and anticipated gaps in your knowledge. Older examples can be helpful in this regard. Mathematics exams from the Hessian state a-levels (basic course) Information about the course content is provided by our Study programme pages and the module handbooks stored there.

Bridge courses

THM offers bridging courses to prepare for university studies. These courses cover mathematics, physics, chemistry, and programmeming for one week each. You can find out more about them in the Bridging course portal.

Information days at the university

Information days at THM offer you the opportunity to gain personal contact and a better impression of individual Degree Courses or the university as a whole. Various information days are available throughout the year. Attending individual regular lectures is also possible. Please contact the InfoCenter THM.