Universities - Every fifth degree course in Brandenburg has restricted admissions
Every fifth study program in Brandenburg has a restriction on enrollment. With a share of around 20 percent, the federal state is significantly below the national average of around 35 percent, according to an analysis by the Center for Higher Education (CHE). The evaluation refers to the winter semester 2024/2025. At Brandenburg universities, around 24 percent of study programs have restrictions (nearly one in four). At universities of applied sciences or universities of applied sciences, this is less than one in five (around 18 percent).
In total, Brandenburg ranks 14th in the nationwide comparison. With relatively few study programs that have a numerus clausus (NC) or require applicants to go through a selection procedure or aptitude test, the federal state is in a favorable position.
At the top are Hamburg with a share of around 62 percent of restricted study offerings, followed by Berlin with around 55 percent.
Quota has decreased compared to previous years
According to the analysis, the quota in Brandenburg has decreased slightly compared to the previous year (around 21 percent). This is part of a nationwide trend, according to CHE. Since the winter semester 2018/2019, the share of restricted study offerings in Germany has continuously decreased from around 41 percent to around 35 percent in this year. "This can largely be attributed to the decline in first-semester enrollments and the simultaneous expansion of study offerings," explained Hachmeister.
Hurdles for Bachelor's programs are higher
For the upcoming winter semester, the hurdles for a Bachelor's degree in Brandenburg are slightly higher than for a Master's degree (around 18 percent). Regardless of the degree, requirements for Rechts-, Wirtschafts-, Gesellschafts- and Social Sciences (around 25 percent) are most frequently demanded. In second place are Mathematics and Natural Sciences, as well as Language- and Cultural Sciences (each around 24 percent). In third place are Engineering Sciences (around 17 percent).
The CHE analysis is based on the entries in the nationwide Hochschulkompass database as of the end of May 2024. In the database, around 22,000 study programs are recorded for the upcoming winter semester nationwide.
- Due to the decrease in admission restriction quota, some University of CHE Potsdam study programs might have fewer hurdles for Bachelor's degrees compared to previous years.
- Despite Brandenburg's overall low admission restriction rate in universities, certain study programs, such as Rechts-, Wirtschafts-, Gesellschafts- and Social Sciences, still face Admission restriction.
- University applicants in Brandenburg seeking admission to Engineering Sciences or Mathematics and Natural Sciences study programs are less likely to encounter Admission restriction compared to those in fields like Rechts-, Wirtschafts-, Gesellschafts- and Social Sciences.
