Application and Admission

The academic background required for the Data Science M.Sc. program includes skills and competencies in (according to section 5.1.1 of the Master’s Qualification Process):

• Data Science / Statistics / Machine Learning (18 ECTS are required)

• Mathematics: Probability, Linear Algebra, Caculus, Numerical Analysis (18 ECTS are required)

• Programming (6 ECTS points are required)

• further courses in the field of Data Science, Mathematics, Computer Science or its application fields (12 credit ECTS are required)

As part of the Assessment processs, we check whether you meet these academic requirements. We use the curricular analysis form you complete and the module catalog of the B.Sc. degree program in Data Science at the University of Regensburg as the basis for this.

The following applies:

• A maximum of 54 ECTS can be achieved.
• Admission is possible from 30 ECTS - in this case, the “missing” 24 credit points must be made up in the Master's program.

In addition to the required academic qualification, you need:

• A university degree with at least six semesters of standard study time (180 credit points) with an average grade of at least 2.5 (for foreign degrees, the conversion is carried out according to the modified Bavarian formula). If your degree certificate is not yet available at the time of application, you can also apply if you have already earned 138 credit points in your studies - the following also applies: your transcript must show a provisional overall grade of at least 2.5.
   
• English language proficiency of at least level B2 (CEFR). The language level must be proven by a certified language test; if the final thesis (Bachelor's thesis) was written in English, proof is provided.
   
• If you did not obtain your qualification for postgraduate studies (usually a bachelor's degree) in Germany, you must apply for a preliminary documentation (VPD) from uni-assist, additionally to the UR application. From 22 March 2025, the VPD can be applied for at uni-assist for the Master degree program.
   
• If you have not completed your first university degree (Bachelor's degree) in a signatory state of the so-called Lisbon Convention (Convention on the Recognition of Qualifications concerning Higher Education in the European Region of April 11, 1997), you need a “Graduate Record Examination (GRE) General Test” (GRE test) with the following values:
  Analytical Writing (AW): at least 4.0
  Quantitative Reasoning (QR): at least 164
  Register for the test here using institutional code 1651.

The following documents have to be submitted for the application (the required documents may vary depending on the applicant):

• A copy of your passport
• Your CV (in English)
• An essay of approx. 1,500 words on a specified topic (required only for the second stage of the assessment process, see below)
• A Declaration of Authorship of the essay (see below)
• Bachelor's degree certificate, including a list of courses and grades OR an official transcript of records. Documents not issued in German or English must be translated and notarized by a sworn translator.
• Curriculum (module descriptions, course catalog or syllabus) of the underlying university degree; this document is very important for the check of your academic qualification!
• The form for the analysis of curriculum (see below)
• Proof of your English language proficiency of at least level B2 (CEFR). The language level must be proven by a certified language test; if the final thesis (Bachelor's thesis) was written in English, proof is provided.
• GRE score (if you have not completed your undergraduate degree in a signatory state of the so-called Lisbon Convention (Convention on the Recognition of Qualifications concerning Higher Education in the European Region of April 11, 1997))
• Preliminary documentation (VPD) from uni-assist for all applicants with a Bachelor's degree from outside Germany. From 22 March 2025, the VPD can be applied for at uni-assist for the Master degree program.
• APS certificate (if you have an undergraduate degree from China, India or Vietnam)
• Certificates from professional training or additional qualifications related to the program (e.g. participation in research competitions, internships, etc.) (not mandatory

You have to apply for the Master's degree program via the Campusportal of the University of Regensburg (UR). After you have created your account, enter contact data and information about your education, and upload the required documents. The application is done completely electronically.

Prospective students with undergraduate studies (Bachelor's degree) from outside EU/EEA and Switzerland have to request a preliminary examination documentation from uni-assist (VPD) in advance.

Applicants who have not completed their undergraduate degree in a signatory state of the so-called Lisbon Convention (Convention on the Recognition of Qualifications concerning Higher Education in the European Region of April 11, 1997)) need a “Graduate Record Examination (GRE) General Test” (GRE test) with the following values:
Analytical Writing (AW): at least 4.0
Quantitative Reasoning (QR): at least 164
Register for the test here using institutional code 1651. 

International applicants for the Master's degree program, regardless of their citizenship, are all applicants who have obtained their university entrance qualification and/or their first university degree (Bachelor) outside Germany.

At the UR, the International Office is the first point of contact for all international applicants. Above all, it helps with all application questions that do not specifically concern the Master's program. It is our expert for questions about university entrance qualifications, visas, health insurance, language certificates and all topics related to studying (housing, financing, etc.). The International Office provides extensive information on all these topics on its website.

In the case of the M.Sc. Data Science, international applicants should note that the following documents must be submitted:

Preliminary documentation from uni-assist (VPD)

Applicants who did not obtain their qualification for postgraduate studies (usually a bachelor's degree) in Germany must apply for a preliminary documentation (VPD) from uni-assist, additionally to the UR application.

Please note: The application for the Master's program is not made via uni-assist, but via the UR Campusportal! You must therefore first apply to uni-assist for the general preliminary documentation (VPD) and then additionally for the Master's program via the UR Campus portal. As an external partner of UR, uni-assist reviews your international certificates and confirms whether they can be recognized in the application process. You must then upload the VPD certificate as part of your online application in the Campusportal.

Please apply for the VPD from uni-assist as early as possible, as processing times at uni-assist can take four to six weeks! From 22 March 2025, the VPD can be applied for at uni-assist for the Master degree program.

GRE 

If you have not completed your first university degree (Bachelor's degree) in a signatory state of the so-called Lisbon Convention (Convention on the Recognition of Qualifications concerning Higher Education in the European Region of April 11, 1997), you hve to submit a “Graduate Record Examination (GRE) General Test” (GRE test). We have defined required minimum scores, lower scores will not be accepted!

The required scores are:
Verbal reasoning: (will not be taken into account)
Quantitative reasoning: 164
Analytical writing: 4.0
Register for the test here using institutional code 1651.

Certificate from the German Evaluation Center (Akademischen Prüfstelle, APS)

Applicants with an undergraduate degree from China, India and Vietnam have to submit a certificate from the German Evaluation Center (APS). The Academic Evaluation Centers (Akademische Prüfstelle, APS) are service institutiond of the German embassies.

There are Academic Evaluation Centerd at the respective German embassies in Beijing, Shanghai, New Delhi, and Hanoi.

German language skills

You do not need to provide proof of German language skills for admission, as the study program is taught entirely in English - however, we recommend that you take German courses during the first semesters. 

Support

Our International Office offers all international students a special program that provides support from organizing their studies to everyday life in Regensburg. The program is called "Startklar" (meaning "ready to start"). The International Office provides further information about the program on its website.

As part of the iSteps project (International Student Employment and Progress Support), the International Office and the Center for Language and Communication offer you events and advisory services to help you start your career after your studies.

Please fill in the form for the analysis of curriculum, which will be available here vrom April 1, 2025. Then, upload the generated PDF in your application in the Campusportal of the UR.

Please note: Only completed modules/courses can be entered in the form! Modules/courses that have not yet been completed cannot be counted.

The essay is a requirement for reaching the second stage of the assessment process. If no essay is submitted in this case, we must reject the application.

Please note: The essay cannot be handed in later during the application review. We therefore recommend that all applicants submit the essay as part of their application - this applies in particular to applicants with a university degree outside the EU/EEA and Switzerland or with a final grade of less than 2.1.

The essay should not exceed 1.500 words, be written in English and uploaded as a pdf file to the UR Campusportal as part of the application.

You must also submit a Declaration of Authorship in which you confirm that you have written the essay yourself. Please use our template for the Declaration of Authorship. 

For the application for the winter semester 2024/25, the essay should deal with the following topic:

While studying at UR, you will have considerable freedom to choose the courses you like and specialize in various areas. Please outline a Data Science Project (research, software development etc.) that you consider exploring as part of your Master's degree program at the University of Regensburg.

Your essay should be structured as follows:

1. Project description and goals
2. Why is the project relevant to the field of Data Science?
3. What skills do you already have to carry out the project successfully? Refer to courses and projects in your bachelor’s degree.
4. Identify modules in our Master’s module catalogue that are relevant for your project and explain which additional skills they provide for your project.

Note: The project described should be plausible with regard to the modules offered in the M.Sc. Data Science program; the description in the essay does not create any obligation or right to carry out this project during your course of study.

If the essay is awarded 30 to 35 points, you will reach the third stage of the selection process: the personal interview.

We may invite you to this by e-mail and provide you with further information. If you prefer, the interview can take place online.

The interview will focus on your knowledge and skills in the fields of Computer Science  as well as your method and problem-solving comptences, i.e. your ability to work scientifically and to solve complex problems on your own.

Our FIDS team and the UR application office will review your application as soon as possible. The official decision will be available as a pdf file in the UR Campusportal. If you receive an admission, you will find all information about the necessary next steps explained in the admission letter (acceptance of the place, semester fee, enrollment).

The International Office provides international applicants with further information on enrollment and the required documents.