Registered refugees can submit university applications to uni-assist for a formal review without having to pay the usual fee. This represents an important step towards accelerating the university admissions process. An overview of the process.

As the project will end at the end of the year, a free procedure to determine the university entrance qualification of registered refugees will only apply for the winter semester 2019.

1. Funding requirements

In order to gain access to all of the programmes and measures of the DAAD, the candidate must hold one of the following residence titles:

• Persons with a BüMA/Proof of Arrival (asylum-seeker registration certificate prior to application in accordance with §63a AsylG)
• Asylum seekers (process pending - temporary residence permit in accordance with §55 AsylVfG)
• Tolerated persons (temporary suspension of deportation - tolerance permit in accordance with §60a AufenthG)
• Refugees with right to asylum in accordance with Art. 16a GG/ GFK (residence permit in accordance with §25 par. 1 AufenthG)
• Recognised refugees in accordance with § 3 AsylVfG (residence permit in accordance with §25 par.2 S.1/1. AufenthG)
• Persons granted subsidiary protection in accordance with § 4 AsylVfG (residence permit in accordance with §25 par.2 S.1/2. AufenthG)
• Persons granted deportation protection in accordance with § 60 par. 5 and 7 AufenthG (residence permit in accordance with §25 par.3 AufenthG)
• Persons with a residence permit in accordance with § 22 S. 1 and 2, §23 par. 1, 2 and 4, § 24 and § 25 par. 5 AufenthG
• Family members (parents, children, spouses), who have joined recognised refugees or asylum seekers as defined under the Geneva Convention or those granted subsidiary protection, may also participate in the free review process if they can provide proof that the “principal” person (the first to be granted refugee status) has a residence permit.

Please note that the examination of residence permits only takes place within the framework of the free examination procedure for refugees. Accordingly, residence permits will only be examined by uni-assist within the scope of applications for exemption from costs received by 31 December 2019.

II. Review process by uni-assist to determine university entrance qualification

The main task of uni-assist e.V. is to evaluate international academic certificates. Uni-assist determines whether the submitted certificates are equivalent to German school-leaving and university certificates and whether they generally entitle the holder to study in Germany. Many universities also request uni-assist to determine whether candidates meet additional criteria.

All complete applications, which are submitted to uni-assist on time and fulfil all the prescribed requirements, are forwarded to the respective university for inclusion in the selection and admissions process. The admissions offices are solely responsible for admitting students to their respective universities.

IIa. Notes on the uni-assist review process

uni-assist assesses the admission requirements of refugees who apply for admission to a specific degree programme at a member university at no charge procedure until the application for the winter semester 2019. This fee waiver applies to applications for admission at a maximum of three universities.

IIb. Registration for application review by uni-assist

Until the application for the winter semester 2019, uni-assist processes applications from the target group free of charge within the framework of project funding. The processing is conducted in two stages:

• The applicant must register for a free assessment by submitting confirmation of residence status and confirmation of one’s TestAS results (or alternatively, a “consultation certificate” from the university) via the Portal for Cost Exemption.
• If these documents are found to be in order, the applicant may submit his/her application to uni-assist for evaluation at no charge.

The corresponding information are made available in German and English, with selected information also translated into Arabic. The details and requirements of the application process are illustrated by special info cards.

At the end of the review process, uni-assist issues the following certificates:

• Notification of the results of the standard assessment (application forwarded to the university or, if denied, reasons for rejection)
• Certificate confirming university entrance qualification (in accordance with the applicable KMK resolution)

Please note: The certificate confirming university entrance qualification will only be issued on request until 31 March 2020. Please inform uni-assist via the contact form provided.

On the basis of the certificate confirming university entrance qualification, universities can decide whether to require the candidate to complete a language course or other propaedeutic measure. The corresponding documentation is provided to the universities upon request.

Non-member universities may have the certificate of university entrance qualification verified by uni-assist with the applicant’s prior consent.

Contact partners at uni-assist e.V.

If you have any questions about these procedures, the following contact partner would be happy to assist you.

Nora Sevbihiv Sinemillioglu
project manager
E-Mail: fs@uni-assist.de