FAQs
About the program
The ECE program has a duration of 4 semesters (two years) including Master thesis. ECE program complies with the ECTS (Bologna Process) which stipulates 120 credit points of course work for a master degree. Hence, our master program takes four semesters divided into 30 credits per semester. The first three semesters are foreseen for course works and the last semester for the master thesis.
There is no tuition fee. However, the so-called semester fee is approx. 350 Euro per semester (subject to change) and includes administration services, free use of local public transport and reduced meals at the refectory.
The complete expenses of the program (including accomodation, semester fees, food, health insurance, public transport etc.) for four semesters amount to about 30,000 EURO at least. Clearly, the exact sum depends on the individual way of living, price levels etc. For more information on living costs in Kassel visit Studierendenwerk Kassel. It is important that you are able to cover these expenses. German foreign authorities do not grant student visa without proof of sufficient financial means. The proof may be provided by ONE of the following:
- disclosure of parents’ income and assets OR
- a binding declaration of the parents to the German consular representative or the corresponding office that they will pay the expenses of the student OR
- the placement of a deposit in a frozen bank account in Germany OR
- a proof of a scholarship (apply e.g. at the DAAD) OR
- the annually renewed placement of a bank letter of guarantee with a bank in Germany.
Furthermore, you must show evidence that you have a health insurance to cover corresponding expenses in Germany.
Please finde more detailed information here.
ECE studies are very intensive, we strongly advise you NOT to take any jobs during the program. There is, however, a way to earn money, namely by finding a job as a so-called studying assistant in a lab where you typically work in a field related to projects within the ECE program. In principle, it is also possible to find work outside the university. With student visa you are permitted to work 120 full days or 240 half-days per year.
Scholarships are the most favorable way of financing studies because they are usually provided as a non-repayable grant. The amount of the scholarship depends on the scholarship provider.
Begabtenförderungswerke
The largest scholarship providers in Germany are the Begabtenförderungswerke. Information on the works can be found at www.stipendiumplus.de.
Deutschlandstipendium
With the Deutschlandstipendium, the University of Kassel supports talented students. The sponsored students receive a scholarship of 300 euros per month. Here private sponsors pay 150 euros per month, the other half is paid by the federal government. The Deutschlandstipendium at the University of Kassel is awarded each winter semester. Further information can be found at https://www.uni-kassel.de/einrichtung/ukt/das-deutschlandstipendium.
Advancement Scholarship
The Advancement Scholarship supports experienced professionals in pursuing their first university degree. For more information , visit www.aufstiegsstipendium.de.
Scholarships for stays abroad
Studying abroad for one or two semesters or doing an internship or even participating in an international summer school is an attractive option for many students. Often these plans fail not because of the will, but because of the financial implementation. There are numerous financing options, including scholarships from the DAAD or the SHOSTA program. Find out more here: Funding Opportunities for Study Abroad.
Scholarships for Internships and Theses
The best-known scholarship for funding internships is the "Carlo Schmid Program for Internships with International Organizations and EU Institutions": Carlo-Schmid-Program.
STIBET-Abschlussstipendien für interna tionale Studierende
The University of Kassel is able to award a very limited number of graduation scholarships for foreign students who are in the final phase of their studies: Application Information and Application
Scholarships for stutherende with chro nischer illnessheit or Behinde rung
Some foundations and scholarship providers take impairment-related concerns into account when awarding scholarships. In addition, there are a large number of small foundations that support special groups of people or cover special needs. However, study support specifically for impaired students is the exception. More information is available on the website of the German Student Union: Tips for students with impairments.
Other study scholarships
In addition to the above-mentioned study scholarships, there are also numerous scholarships sponsored by companies and foundations. Internet sites where you can search for company or foundation scholarships can be found under the next menu item "Scholarship databases".
Please find more detailed information here.
A limited number of partial scholarships is available for students in their Master thesis writing phase; see: https://www.uni-kassel.de/uni/en/studium/im-studium/internationale-studierende-im-studium-und-nach-dem-abschluss/stibet-final-exam-scholarships-for-international-students
The ECE is ASIIN accredited until 2024. For more information about the ASCIIN accreditation, please refer to the ASIIN homepage.
Since the major changes of the ECE program in 2008, there is no relevant ranking yet. As soon as the ranking carried out by the Center for Higher Education development (CHE) is available, it will be published on the ECE web site.
Application
Deadlines:
- July 15 for winter term, i.e. start of studies in October
- January 15 for summer term, i.e. start of studies in April.
The application rate is substantially higher than the acceptance rate. Only very few applicants can be accepted.
The application rate is substantially higher than the acceptance rate. Only very few applicants can be accepted.
(make sure to follow our guideline on the application link)
- Certified photocopies of all official transcripts
- Copy of your TOEFL/IELTS score in case neither English is your mother tongue nor have your undergraduate courses been given exclusively in English
- A confirmation of your university in case your undergraduate courses been given exclusively in English
- Copy of your German language exam if available and German is not your mother tongue
- A statement of objectives where you state in your own words why you choose to apply for the M.Sc. program in Electrical Communication Engineering and what you expect from it
- Two recommendation letters in separately sealed envelopes.
Please note that you have to send all documents via uni-assist. We do not accept ANY documents via e-mail.
Uni-assist expects all application documents to be send as certified copies. Do NOT send originals. Uni-assist scans all documents and stores them electronically. If you have to send originals make sure to contact uni-assist to return them to you (individual request needed). Otherwise your documents will be destroyed after two years.
If documents like Bachelor degree certificate and TOEFL are not ready at the point of application, you can upload them later to the Uni-Assist server after you received them.
With a German Bachelor degree, you do not have to apply via uni-assist, but via the online services of the University of Kassel. Follow the instructions given here.
ECE applicants need to fulfill a GPA of 2.5 according to the so-called "Bavarian Fomula" as an entrance requirement to be admitted into the program. Find a convenient conversion fomular here.
- TOEFL: 550 (paper-based), 220 (computer-based) and 76 (internet based)
- IELTS (6.5)
Note that the TOEFL/IELTS are required only if your studies were not in English. In case your undergraduate courses been given exclusively in English, you can send a letter from your University stating that your undergraduate studies were in English.
Please, note that ETS will send your TOEFL certificate directly to uni-assist if you quote the uni-assist TOEFL institution code 2727 when doing the test. You can rest assured that your TOEFL score will be uploaded to your ECE application at the University of Kassel automatically.
No, the GRE score is not necessary anymore.
The ECE program is taught entirely in English. However, ECE program offers a 6-credit module ''Social Communications'' which teaches German language in cooperation with VHS (Volkshochschule) Kassel. The Social Communications module is an introductory level German language course (A1) which serves for better integration of ECE students upon graduation into the German professional and private environments. Thus, applicants do not require any German language skills before entering the program.
If the student proves knowledge of German (level A1) when taking up his studies, the student does not need to attend the module "Social Communications". Instead, additional examinations in elective modules totalling 6 credits have to be passed.
Organizational
Advice is given to both prospective students as well as to students already enrolled in the ECE program.
Prospective students: Our international tutors ECE will be happy to answer any inquiries you may have under intece@uni-kassel.de. They will stay in touch with applicants in order to
- get a feedback about the application status
- advice applicants on questions about their coming to Kassel, administrative issues etc.
- support the ECE alumni database and ECE website.
Enrolled students: Our ECE Students4Students
- advice their fellow students on questions about registration procedures for exams, about premises at University of Kassel (libraries, refectory etc.)
- organize extra-curricular activities and provide support (e.g. excursions)
- organize ECE specific evaluation schemes
On Mondays, 09:30h – 12:30h, contact our service counter at the student services’ premises Wilhelmshöher Allee 73, Room 1324. The e-mail addresses are as follows:
ECE Office: ece[at]eecs.uni-kassel[dot]de
Students4Students: studi4studi-ece[at]eecs.uni-kassel[dot]de
Please find the link to our Facebook group here.
- For Winter Semester intake: arrival by beginning of October.
- For Summer Semester intake: arrival by beginning of April.
Calendar for intake Summer Semester 2025:
Welcome Week takes place from April 14 to 16, 2025.
For further details see:
The date of the ECE info meeting will be announced in due time.
ECE lectures start on Tuesday, April 22, 2025. (Semester and course times at the University of Kassel)
Summer term lectures will be shown by March 2025 in the HIS-LSF.
The Welcome Week (Orientierungswoche or just O-Woche, as it is often referred to) is made up of a program of information sessions, tours and events designed to help you get to know the university and the city, and to give you general information about how to get started with your courses. It will also give you the chance to meet other international students in other courses. Make sure to register in due time for the Welcome Week, which will take place from April 14 to 16, 2025. More details and the form to register is available in due time on the website of the Welcome Week.
A Pre-Arrival Welcome Week is available online from March 17 to 20, 2025.
The introductory days at the faculty will give you the chance to get to know your future fellow students, professors and administrative staff at the premises of the ECE.
Information sessions and tours will provide important information. You will be introduced to teachers, courses, examination system, laboratories, libraries etc. The ECE info meeting will let you know how to get started with the ECE program, the modules and give you detailed infos on course schemes, regulations, exams etc.
The ECE info meeting will take place on Monday, October 14, 2024 at 10:00 am in room 1328, WA 73. The detailed ECE info booklet for more information is available for download here. Regular ECE lectures for ECE newcomers will start on Monday, October 14, 2024. The lecture planning system HIS-LSF will show winter term lectures by September 2024.
For housing and accommodation please refer to studierendenwerk-kassel homepage. Clearly, you can also contact landlords directly which usually results in higher rents most of the time.
Upon your arrival in Kassel, you will have to officially register with the city of Kassel and with the university. When this process is complete, and your semester fee of 350 Euros has been paid, you have to activate your university account through this link:
https://userapp.its.uni-kassel.de/sspr/public/activate?locale=en
an account number (uk******) will be generated for you, and the student ID will be sent to you by post to the address you have mentioned in your enrollment form.
For accessing internet through "eduroam" please check this link:
https://www.uni-kassel.de/its/dienstleistungen/mobiler-netzanschluss/wlan-eduroam/anleitungen
ECE students enrolled in WS 2017/18 and onwards register via HIS-LSF and ECE students enrolled in SS 2017 or before register via OKA. All students apply for a seat in labs, seminars and others via HIS-LSF.
The university runs the Hochschulsport Kassel which provides facilities for various sports including football, table tennis, squash, lawn tennis, etc. Membership to the Hochschulsport is free for students, however, a small fee is charged for special sports such as judo, karate, dance, etc. For more info please visit Hochschulsport homepage.
Students with children under certain conditions may apply for so-called "Kindergeld" and "Elterngeld" (benefits for children and parents). For details refer to the infos provided on the website of the University's Studierendenwerk
Public German documents are often recognized abroad only if they have been legalized, i.e. confirmed, by the respective foreign representation (embassy, consulate). Before legalization is possible, the documents must first be certified by various German authorities.
The following degree certificates have to be legalized to be recognized abroad:
- Certificate
- Master’s Certificate
- Diploma Supplement
- Transcript of Records
Please find more detailed information to the legalization procedure here.
Find information regarding the new german law on the right of residence here.
Read the document to find detailed information.
For written exams you still have one last chance by applying for the supplementary oral exam at the latest within 4 weeks after the failed exam in writing to the examination board of ECE (through student services EECS).
Sample of the letter you should write:
"I, (first name Last name), (Student ID), hereby apply for an oral supplementary exam according to §18 of the General Regulations Bachelor/Master University of Kassel in the exam (name of the exam), (exam code which you can find in OKA or HISPOS)."
The costs for additional German language courses A1 - C1 for international students given by the Language Center of the University of Kassel have to be covered by each student individually. The Faculty of Electrical Engineering/Computer Science will NOT cover the costs.