Universities - Every third degree course in Saxony has restricted admissions
Approximately one-third of study programs in Saxony have restricted enrollment. With a share of around 37 percent, the federal state is slightly above the national average of roughly 35 percent, according to an analysis by the Center for Higher Education Development. The data refers to the winter semester 2024/2025.
There are significant differences between cities with more than 16,000 students in the Free State. In Leipzig, half of the study programs (54 percent) have restricted enrollment, while in Dresden it is only about one in three (35 percent).
When speaking of restricted enrollment, applicants typically need a certain Abitur grade or must go through a selection procedure or aptitude test. Around 30 percent of study programs at Saxony's universities have restrictions, while the figure is approximately 27 percent for universities of applied sciences or universities of applied sciences.
In a nationwide comparison, Saxony ranks seventh. Hamburg leads with a share of around 62 percent of restricted study offerings, followed by Berlin with around 55 percent.
Quota decreased compared to previous years
According to the analysis, the quota in Saxony has decreased slightly compared to the previous year (around 38 percent). The Center for Higher Education Development explained that this is part of a nationwide trend. 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 Study Leader Cort-Denis Hachmeister.
Hurdles for Master's programs are higher
For the upcoming winter semester in Saxony, the hurdles for a master's program are slightly higher than for a bachelor's program (around 36 percent versus around 33 percent for restricted study offerings).
Independent of the degree, requirements such as a certain NC or other prerequisites are most common for law-, economics-, society- and social sciences (around 33 percent). In second place are language- and cultural sciences (approximately 25 percent), followed by mathematics and natural sciences, as well as engineering sciences (each around 17 percent).
The analysis is based on the entries in the national Higher Education Compass 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 admission restriction in Saxony, students planning to study in Dresden may have an easier time getting into their desired study programs compared to Leipzig, where half of the programs have restricted enrollment.
- Germany's universities in Saxony offer a variety of study programs, some of which have restricted enrollment, such as law-, economics-, society-, and social sciences, which require a certain NC or other prerequisites.
- The analysis on admission restrictions revealed that Saxony follows Hamburg and Berlin, with a slightly higher share of restricted study programs (37%) compared to the national average (35%) during the winter semester 2024/2025.
- In the upcoming winter semester, pursuing a master's program in Saxony may come with more hurdles, as around 36% of master's programs have admission restrictions, compared to the 33% for restricted bachelor's programs.
