FAQ Master's Degree Programs

The Master's degree programs pages have all the information you require if you would like an outline of the format and subject matter of the various degree programs.

Computer Science (M.Sc.)

Digital Health (M.Sc.)

IT Systems Engineering (M.Sc.)

There are no tuition fees at HPI. However, if you study with us, you are enrolled at the University of Potsdam and are required to pay the standard semester fees, which currently come to about €320 per semester. This includes a semester ticket for local transportation across Germany (Deutschlandticket).

There isn't a programming language used by the entire institute. The languages used in each course are decided by the lecturers, or you are free to select the language you want to use for exercises. Languages like C/C++, Java, Python, and Smalltalk are frequently utilized.

The degree program does not include a traditional internship semester; instead, the so-called Master's project, or "lab," is completed in the third semester. Here, students collaborate in project groups to create workable answers to a chosen, research-related problem. The Master's projects are frequently associated with well-known partnerships. The core of contemporary business, industry, and societal issues forms the basis of the research-based work.

We advise taking a semester off for longer internships (which cannot be done in the first semester). View the section https://www.uni-potsdam.de/en/studium/studying/forms-documents

The HPI collaborates with partners in science and industry to carry out top-notch research. There is diversity in the list of scientific collaborations. Through the Erasmus+ program, there are additional partnerships with European universities. Study visits to a number of universities outside of Europe are also provided by the University of Potsdam. Apart from the Erasmus program, the possibility of completing internships overseas exists.

Studying on our Griebnitzsee campus is appealing both on beautiful summer days and during the cosy winter months. In a family atmosphere with nearly 1,000 students, people gather here not only to work, but also to enjoy life and study between Berlin and Potsdam through student clubs or events. Students from all semesters gather for the traditional “Friday Beers,” and the annual summer party is a highlight, with lecturers, staff, and students celebrating the end of the academic year together. The Student Representative Group's website provides more information about introductory events and leisure activities.

Do you want to see and learn more about HPI? Great! We invite you to take a campus tour!

We are committed to increasing diversity in the tech industry. One of HPI's goals for 2025 is to increase the proportion of female students on our campus to 30% - we currently have almost 20% in the Bachelor's programme and 23% in the Master's programmes. To achieve this goal, the Hasso Plattner Institute established a scholarship program  specifically for female students. The FQ Lounge , which has been operating at HPI since 2019, is dedicated to gender equality in all aspects of society. Furthermore, targeted support programs such as scholarships, awards, or qualifications, as well as mentoring programs, help women advance in their careers. Find out more on the website of the Gender Equality Officers of the Digital Engineering Faculty.

Our student representatives, the student council, have compiled useful information on this subject here.

The University of Potsdam’s website also provides extensive information about student housing, scholarships, and funding. If you want to live in student accommodation, you should apply as soon as possible - even before enrolling.

The University of Potsdam website provides a good overview of average expenditures during your studies. Even if these figures should only be interpreted as guidelines, they provide a useful framework for financial planning. The Federal Ministry of Education and Research’s website contains additional helpful information. The Hasso Plattner Institute also provides scholarships, such as the travel scholarships for female IT students and scholarships for international students pursuing a Master’s degree in Computer Science at our institute.

Applicants who are not German natives must provide proof of their German language skills at the C1 level with their application documents in order to be considered for the Master's degree program in IT Systems Engineering.

The English-language Master's degree programs in Computer Science and Digital Health, on the other hand, require no German knowledge. However, for your application, you must demonstrate English language skills equivalent to at least level C1 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages.

Please consult the University of Potsdam's website in advance for detailed information on proof of language proficiency.

More information about obtaining the German Language Test for University Admission certificate can be found here.

Master's degree programs in Computer Science and IT Systems Engineering require profound programming skills from a previous degree program. There are no explicit introductory courses on programming techniques.

Bridging courses teach basic programming skills to Digital Health students with a medical background during the first two semesters. If you have an IT background, you will take bridge courses that cover medical topics instead.

The Admissions Committee will determine whether your (first) degree qualifies as a prerequisite for the Master's program at HPI, as well as whether you meet the subject-specific admission requirements, based on the admission regulations for the Master's program in question. However, we are ready to answer any questions you may have about your qualifications in advance. Please contact: 

master-infonoSpam@hpi.de

You may apply for admission without first obtaining a professionally qualifying university degree. At least one of the following credit points (CP) must be shown at the time of application:

1. Minimum of 140 CP for bachelor's degree programs with a scope of 180 CP
2. Minimum of 170 CP for bachelor's degree programs with a scope of 210 CP
3. Minimum of 200 CP for bachelor's degree programs with a scope of 240 CP

It is critical that you also provide proof of your current average grade. For more information, please visit the University of Potsdam's application pages.

Regardless of your nationality, you must apply to HPI Master's degree programs through the uni-assist e.V. portal. If your Master's entrance qualification is a foreign (Bachelor's) degree, uni-assist e.V. will determine whether it is generally sufficient for admission to a German university and will convert the foreign grades to the German grading scale.

You can apply for the first semester of our Computer Science and IT Systems Engineering degree programs twice a year (from April 1 for the winter semester and from November 1 for the summer semester).

Applications for the Digital Health degree program are only accepted for the winter semester. The application process here also begins on April 1 of each year.

The application deadlines listed are cut-off dates. Your application must be submitted to uni-assist e.V. in the required form by the end of the application period. The submission date and time stamp are both important. After the deadline, no further applications or documents can be submitted.

• Applications must be submitted online to the University of Potsdam, specifically through the uni-assist e.V. application portal. Our website also provides detailed information about the process and required documents.
   
• There are no application fees or charges for applying through Uni-Assist.

In the first step, uni-assist e.V. will pre-check your application documents before forwarding them to the Faculty of Digital Engineering for the final application review and the first step in the admissions process. The University of Potsdam is in charge of carrying out the actual admissions procedure.

The application and its supporting documents must be uploaded to the uni-assist e.V. application portal. You send your online application form to uni-assist e.V. electronically. There is no need to send documents to uni-assist e.V. by post. Please do not send application documents to the University of Potsdam via post or email. The University of Potsdam's website provides a detailed description of the application process.

Our application page lists the documents you must submit when applying for a study place at the Hasso Plattner Institute.

At the University of Potsdam, you can apply to three Master's programs at the same time. However, each program requires a different set of subject-specific documents.

The first step is to determine whether an application meets the admission requirements outlined in the applicable subject-specific admission regulations. These differ for each degree program.

In the event of an admission restriction (more applicants than places), a ranking is generated from all applications that meet the admission criteria. During the university selection process, each applicant is assigned a point value. To calculate the point values, the examination board assesses various criteria and grades and weights them as follows (only for prospective students with citizenship in an EU member state or an academic degree from a German university).

The average grade or current average grade of the first professionally qualifying degree is 51%.

Proof of additional qualifications acquired outside the higher education system and special professional achievements (24%).

25% motivational letter for IT Systems Engineering; 25% subject-specific test for Digital Health and Computer Science

The subject-specific admission regulations contain detailed information.

Please always upload your documents online through the uni-assist portal.

The University of Potsdam's FAQs provide detailed answers to the most frequently asked questions about applying through uni-assist e.V..

If you are or were already enrolled for the same or a similar degree programme at the University of Potsdam or another university, you must submit an application for placement prior to your application. Recognition of creditable achievements and possible placement in a higher semester is carried out by the Examination Board - you should allow at least six weeks for this process. 

If you are placed in a higher semester, you must apply for the assigned semester; it is then not possible to apply for the first semester. Prior consultation with the Student Advisory Service (master-info(at)hpi.de) is recommended to ensure, among other things, that the transfer of university does not result in any significant disadvantages (for example, increased study time). Please visit the University of Potsdam's website to learn more about the modalities.

The admission offer to a Master's program is only valid for the upcoming semester and must be accepted. Otherwise, the spot expires and a new application is required.

The University of Potsdam provides counseling and infrastructure for the following topics:

1. University of Potsdam's Inclusion Team
    
2. Contact for students with disabilities or chronic illnesses
3. Student housing, scholarships, and funding
4. Leave of absence
5. Individual equality measures

The Student Representative Group's pages contain more information about introductory events, leisure activities, and other topics.

Would you like to learn more about HPI? Great! We invite you to take a campus tour! Simply register, and we'll contact you with more information.

Campus Tour

Prospective international students can find information about study conditions, study programs and the application process here. For incoming students, Hasso Plattner Institute has a contact person at our office for International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS)

Find out More

As part of the University of Potsdam, we also recommend the International Office there. It offers a wide range of advisory and consulting services for international students. It is a very helpful resource to get more information on visa, housing, health insurance, work, scholarships/financing, the buddy program and much more. Check out the following links:

1. International Office (University of Potsdam)
2. International Applicants and Degree Students
3. Language Skills
4. University access with foreign university entrance qualifications
5. Scholarships
6. ESiSt - SUCCESSFUL START IN UNIVERSITY STUDIES FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS IN BRANDENBURG

Also – check out the website of our Student Representative Group, which can be contacted with questions directly.

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