FAQ

The graduate program targets German and international candidates with a Bachelor’s or Baccalaureus degree in political science, sociology, economics or law, who have completed at least six semesters of full-time study and earned a cumulative grade of “good” or better; or who studied at a foreign university of equal status and obtained at least a B.A. and “upper second” class honors; or who have an equivalent or higher degree.

Proficiency in English is necessary for program participation (e.g. TOEFL, with a minimum of  90 IBT, IELTS 6.5, oran equivalent qualification).

It is also necessary to have one year of social political experience.

Yes, you can. Please include a note with your postal application stating that a certified copy of your degree certificate will follow later and a letter or transcript from your current university stating:

• the name and address of the university and department,
• your full name,
• that you are expected to graduate this summer,
• a transcript of your grades so far, and
• the exact title of your degree in English or German, e.g. "B.A. Social Studies".

Yes, it does. Students who have completed the M.A. program with at least the grade 2 (B) may be accepted as PhD students, if they find a professor within the faculties of the Departments of Social Sciences or Economics willing to supervise their thesis.

There are 2 English taught PhD programs:

• Global Social Policies and Governance

• Graduate School of Socio-Ecological Research for Development

The department of social sciences offers special courses for PhD students in its Kassel International Graduate Centre of the Social Sciences (KIGG).

The admission process consists of two steps:

1. The Board of Examiners selects, out of a couple of hundred applications, 20 people (plus 10 for the waiting list) according to the following criteria:
   - fulfilment of formal requirements (BA, area of study, English competency)
   - grades, reputation of your BA program
   - language capabilities
   - knowledge and skill level in the field of international political economy
   - gender & regional balance
1. The administration of Kassel University checks the 30 selected applications for the authenticity of the documents (i.e. it looks for forged degrees etc.)

Thus the final decision rests with the administration and can be expected:

for non-EU citizens: end of May
for EU citizens: beginning of July

Please do not contact us regarding the outcome of your application before these dates!

The Program starts every winter semester, i.e. every October.
We are sorry but there is no opportunity to start in the summer semester!

There will be an informative orientation meeting (the welcome workshop) before the official start of the semester. It is important that all students attend. At the orientation meeting you will have an opportunity to meet some of the professors involved in the program as well as your fellow students, both new and returning. We recommend to you that you arrive before the beginning of the semester so that you are able to organise housing and acclimatise yourself to the new environment before the program begins.
Advanced English language training is offered from the middle of September.
For further information relating to what you should do after your arrival please click the link: first steps after your arrival in Kassel

Although the student service of the university (see link below) provides some accomodation for students, the department does not offer or guarantee student housing. Most students at the university live in privately run apartment buildings near the university, and there are usually apartments available. It is difficult but not impossible to find housing before you arrive, however it is fairly easy once you are here. We will try our best to assist you in finding a nice and cheap place for you in Kassel. Here are some helpful links, phone numbers and addresses:

Our local student service, "Studentenwerk", manages student housing: Website
Or Frau Otto; office hours: Mo. - Th. from 10.30 - 15.30 and Fr. from 9.30 - 12.30
Telephone: 0049 561 8042552

Another option for your first few days in Kassel is a special youth hostel for students and international travellers.
The address is: Jugendherberge Kassel, Schenkendorfstrasse 18, in Kassel
the phone number is: 0049 561 776465
email: jueka_wolfgmol[at]t-online[dot]de

The official website of our city http://www.kassel.de can also be useful in the search for accommodation,
where you will find tourist information and some helpful links.
Telephone: 0049 561 34054
Email: info[at]kassel[dot]de

Another oportunity is the "Mitwohnzentralle", a private office which offers housing in appartments where the owner leaves for some time and looks for temporary tenants (the advantage is that the appartments are usually furnished).
Telephone: 0049 561 774951
You are also encouraged to search for a room in our local media and newspapers, such as http://www.hna.de, which feature special links and lists for rooms and housing.

The Language Center of the University offers several language courses. German courses are free for students enrolled in a Social Sciences MA Program at Uni Kassel, but there is a limited number of places. For other languages there is a fee that ranges from 60-120 Euros per semester.

The University of Kassel is a state funded institution which does not charge any tuition. Students have to pay only a registration fee of approximately 260 Euros per semester which covers free public transport within the region of Kassel, a free email account / library account, a discount in the university restaurants and reduced prices for most of the sport programs offered by the university. Living costs in Kassel for students are roughly 180-300 Euros for housing and 300-500 Euros for living expenses.

The department doesn't offer financial support or funding.
The following institutions do offer scholarships and can be contacted prior to your arrival in Kassel:

DAAD (DeutschAkademischerAustauschDienst)
Friedrich Ebert Stiftung
Hans Böckler Stiftung
Heinrich Böll Stiftung
Rosa Luxemburg Stiftung
Konrad Adenauer Stiftung
Friedrich Naumann Stiftung
Cusanuswerk
Evangelisches Studienwerk e.V.

Also consult the website: www.myStipendium.de which features the biggest database for scholarships in Germany.

The TOEFL codes relevant for the MA GPE program are:
University of Kassel: 9609
Department code: 89 (political science)

Please notify us by email if your test results are coming separately from your application package. The email address is magpe[at]uni-kassel[dot]de