Information for Refugees
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Refugees Welcome!
As an internationally established university, the University of Kassel welcomes refugees in its courses and research projects.
The staff members of the refugee coordination will help you to achieve your academic goals and continue your higher education.
How to apply for university with foreign certificates
Regardless of their residential status, refugees can study at German universities if they meet the regular admission requirements. People with foreign education certificates must provide:
- Proof of university entrance qualification
(certified and translated school-leaving certificates; if avainable university degree) - Adequate German language skills
- Proof of health insurance
As an international applicant you have to send your application to uni-assist - instead of sending your application directly to the University of Kassel. Uni-assist checks whether your international school-leaving certificates (and university diplomas) meet the formal requirements for studying at a German university. Two scenarios are possible for an admission:
- Scenario 1
If your higher education entrance qualifications are recognised as equal to a German secondary school leaving certificate (Abitur), you get a direct admission. After you have passed the German Language Examination for University Students (DSH) or the TestDAF you can start your studies. - Scenario 2
If your higher education entrance qualifications are not fully accepted, you might get an indirect admission. In this case you need to attend the one-year preparatory course (Studienkolleg) and pass the university entrance examination (Prüfung zur Feststellung der Hochschulreife).
You can use ANABIN database to check whether your certificates entitle you to a direct or indirect admission to a German university.
Find here further information about the application process with foreign certificates.
Funding
The University of Kassel does not charge tuition fees. However, a semester contribution must be paid, which currently costs 356,82 €. This fee includes the semester ticket. For students in difficult finacial situations, there is a possibility to get the semester ticket fee refunded. For more information (in German):
https://www.uni-kassel.de/uni/studium/im-studium/semesterbeitrag/
https://asta.studierende-kassel.de/service/mobilitaet/semesterticket/semesterticket-rueckerstattung/
Find a summary about the living expenses in Germany on the websites of the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD).
Under certain preconditions it is possible to obtain financial support by the Federal Law on Support for Education and Training – known as BAföG – for university studies. This is also an option for DSH and preparatory courses (Studienkolleg).
The highest amount of support under BAföG for students is 861€ per month (winter semester 20/21). Finacial support for pupils (in DSH and preparatory courses) is slightly lower. Refugees who have completed their asylum procedure are eligible for BAföG, as long as they apply properly and meet all requirements. If you have any questions, please contact our colleagues at the student services organisation (Studierendenwerk).
Applicants who are still in the asylum procedure can request the continued payment of asylum seekers benefits (Asylbewerberleistungen) at the funding angency (e.g. social office).
The Hessen State Ministry for Higher Education, Research, Science and the Arts (HMWK) awards HessenFonds scholarships for highly qualified students, PhD candidates and researchers with a refugee background. HessenFonds funding is also available to highly qualified researchers (including PhD students) who are threatened by persecution in their home countries (researchers at risk).
Application is now open for a scholarship starting in April 2026. The funding period is one year.
Please hand in your complete documents by the internal deadline: December 17th. 2025. Applicants must not have been registered in Germany for more than four years at the time the beginning of funding and the permanent stay in Germany should not be more than five years. If the asylum application occurred before 01.04.2022 an application is not possible. In general, residence titles according to §25 1 or 2, §24 1 or §22 are eligible. Follow up applications are only possible in exceptional cases and must be justified separately (e.g. cases of hardship, special achievements during the funding year).
Amount of funding:
The HessenFonds scholarship provides the following financial funding, initially for two terms:
- Students: EUR 300 per month
- PhD candidates: EUR 1.200 per month
- Researcher: EUR 2.300 per month
Application procedure:
Students should send an email to Mrs. Berit Hupke with their complete application documents till the internal application deadline December 17th.2025: refugees.welcome[at]uni-kassel[dot]de. Doctoral candidates and researchers should send their complete application documents to the section of Internationalisation and International Cooperations: eint-funding[at]uni-kassel[dot]de
We recommend a personal consultation before applying. The University of Kassel checks the requirements and nominates especially qualified candidates to the ministry. It is not possible to apply to the ministry directly.
Announcement:
- Call for application for refugee students, PhDs and scientists
- Call for application for scientists and PhDs at risk
Application documents:
With this scholarship offer, the DAAD is primarily targeting Iranian researchers who already have a research or doctoral position at German universities or non-university research institutions. PhD students, postdocs, and university teachers from all disciplines can apply for three to nine months of funding between May 2023 and January 2024. Applications can be submitted now via the DAAD online portal until February 28, 2023.
Further important information on the application requirements as well as on the application procedure can be found in the announcement of the "Bridging Scholarships Iran" or - in case of queries - under the e-mail address: iran-bridge-scholarships@daad.de.
The student services organisation Kassel offers advice on BAföG and other types of student financing, housing and social services. They also offer free psychological counselling and legal advice.
The student council AStA also offers various counselling services.
External couselling services for refugees in Kassel
- Anerkennungsberatung des IQ-Netzwerks Hessen (opens in a new window)
- Bildungsberatung Garantiefonds Hochschule (opens in a new window)
- Jugendmigrationsdienst Caritasverband (opens in a new window)
- Migrationsberatung für erwachsene Zuwanderer Caritasverband (opens in a new window)
- Migrationsberatung für erwachsene Zuwanderer Diakonie (opens in a new window)
- Migrationsberatung für erwachsene Zuwanderer Schlachthof (opens in a new window)
- response. Beratung für Betroffene von Rassismus und rechter Gewalt (opens in a new window)
Universities for openness, tolerance and against xenophobia
Further information and academic studies (in German)
- Study-In - Informationen des DAAD (opens in a new window)
- Studium für Geflüchtete - Informationen der Hochschulrektorenkonferenz (opens in a new window)
- Studium nach der Flucht? Studie der Universität Hildesheim (opens in a new window)
- Hochschulzugang und Studium von Flüchtlingen - Handreichung des BAMF (opens in a new window)
- Integration von Flüchtlingen an deutschen Hochschulen - DAAD (opens in a new window)
- KMK-Beschluss zu fluchtbedingt fehlenden Nachweisen (opens in a new window)
Sponsors
