Frequently Asked Questions (Master application)
Application deadlines
Please note that for some degree programmes there is an early start of the application period for applicants with an international university entrance qualification.
At the Department of Mechanical Engineering, this currently applies to the Aerospace Engineering Master. Here, an application for international applicants is already possible from 01.03. for a start of studies in the winter semester 2026/27.
An up-to-date list of degree programmes to which the early application deadline applies can be found here:
All other applicants should follow the deadlines mentioned in the following link:
The application deadlines can be found under the following link:
Cut-off period means that the application is only possible during this period and that your application documents must be received by TU Darmstadt by the date mentioned. Sending the online application for application is not sufficient at this point.
Note for internal applicants: You can also submit the form generated after the application, which you will find in your documents (step 8 procedure ), as well as language certificates until the deadline stated on that form.
If the documents arrive at TU Darmstadt after the cut-off deadline, your application can unfortunately no longer be considered.
Application process
Here you will find information on the online application:
Applicants with international university entrance who still need to submit further documents can also find step-by-step instructions (Master's application process) here: https://www.tu-darmstadt.de/studieren/studieninte ressierte/bewerbung_zulassung_tu/internationale_studierende/index.en.jsp
If your documents have reached the university on time, they will be forwarded to us, the Department of Mechanical Engineering, for technical admission assessment. You can see this by the entry of the status “Application in the department” in TUCaN. Here we check if your application is for technical admission suitability. Only if we are unequivocally sure that the first degree fits our requirements do we confirm the professional aptitude with a technical admission and send your documents back to the central administration.
In all other cases, which affects 90 – 95% of all applicants, we invite you to a entrance examination. As soon as we have the results of the examination, we will forward the admission decision (technical admission yes/no) back to the central administration. Your submitted documents will then be checked with regard to the formal criteria and it will be determined whether or not a full admission can be granted. You will then find the relevant information in your TUCaN account. An admission letter or, in the negative case, a rejection letter will also be sent.
Important note: We cannot inform you in advance of an intermediate status, such as the exam result. Information will only be provided once the entire application process has been completed and only by central administration.
We cannot inform you in advance of an intermediate status, such as the exam result. Only when the application process has been completed will you receive the result of your application from a central administration as the letter of admission or rejection.
Application documents
An overview of all application documents can be found here:
In addition to the above documents, you must submit the equivalence table and a diploma supplement, or comparable information, when applying to the Department of Mechanical Engineering.
The online application, including the documents, must be received by TU Darmstadt by the cut-off deadline.
Graduation certificate: Yes, the graduation certificate can be submitted within the first two semesters. In this case, please enclose a current transcript of records with your application, which shows that you will soon graduate from university. If the degree certificate is not submitted within two semesters, you will be exmatriculated from the degree program.
Other documents, such as a valid proof of language proficiency or the equivalence table, can be submitted later. However, we need these documents in order to continue processing your application, i.e. all required documents must be submitted before the start of the semester. The sooner the documents reach us, the faster they will be processed.
NOTE: If documents are received after the application deadline, what is a cut-off deadline, we won’t consider you application!
Language certificates
An overview of accepted language certificates can be found here:
Internal applicants can also use the following table as a guide:
https://www.spz.tu-darmstadt.de/spz_sprachpruefungen/spz_aequivalenz_tab/index.en.jsp
For our German degree program M.Sc. Mechanical Engineering, German language skills at DSH2 level are required.
For our English-language degree programs M.Sc. Aerospace Engineering and M.Sc. Biomaterial Engineering English language skills at C1 level are required.
We cannot accept an expired language certificate.
See question: Which language certificates are accepted.
Yes, you can apply. However, you must submit a valid language certificate that meets the minimum requirements as soon as possible and before the start of the semester. Enrolment without a valid language certificate is not possible.
Equivalence table:
In the left column are the modules of the reference degree programmes. Assign the appropriate courses from your first degree to these modules. Often the assignment is clear, but sometimes content is spread over several events or vice versa.
The table is only for an initial assessment and is not binding. Therefore, simply fill them out to the best of your knowledge.
You can:
• Enter modules multiple times and divide the credits accordingly
• Assign several courses of your first degree to a TUModul
• enter everything in the compulsory elective area that cannot be assigned to a compulsory module
Please enter original sheet music and original credits; no conversion is necessary.
Contents of the TU-Module can be found in the module handbook: https://www.maschinenbau.tu-darmstadt.de/media/maschinenbau/dokumente_2/studieren_1/neue_pruefungsordnungen_2021/MHB_Bachelor_MB_SE_40.pdf
The table is one of the required documents. Also an unfilled table can lead to exclusion from the application process.
Entrance exam
In total, about 95% of all applicants must take the exam. Experience has shown that we have about 400-500 exam participants every semester.
There can be many reasons for this. In addition to the learning content, we also look at whether your first degree differs from our reference degree program B.Sc. Mechanical Engineering – Sustainable Engineering in terms of level, quality, profile and scope. All five factors play a significant role in terms of later academic success. For this reason, we also invite applicants for whom we cannot be sure regarding these factors from the written documents alone whether the skills have been taught in sufficient depth.
Sometimes it happens that emails/system messages sent from our Moodle platform do not arrive. In this case, do the following:
1. Click on the link to the Moodle course in your invitation email.
2. Enter the e-mail address you provided in your online application under “Login name”.
3. Then click on “Forgot or didn't get your password?”.
4. Check to see if you have received an email.
Repeat this a few times if it’s not working directly, possibly with a longer time interval in between.
If this does not solve the problem, please contact us at master@mechcenter.tu-…
Unfortunately, we do not offer alternative dates. If you do not take the exam, you have no choice but to reapply for the following semester.
The entrance exam for our Master's degree programmes are based on the courses of the associated Bachelor's degree programmes. It is an online-based exam over 120 minutes that tests the knowledge of the following core competencies:
For the AE and MB Master:
- Engineering Mechanics
- Thermodynamics and Heat and Mass Transfer
- Machine elements and mechatronics
- Systems Theory and Control Engineering
- Metrology, Sensors and Statistics
- Numerical Simulation Methods
- Technical Fluid Mechanics
For the Bio-Materials Engineering Master:
- Biology and bio-based materials
- Chemistry
- Process Engineering
- Engineering Mechanics
- Thermodynamics and Heat and Mass Transfer
- Machine elements
- Metrology, Sensors and Statistics
- Technical Fluid Mechanics
The exam is offered as an online exam via Moodle.
In terms of difficulty, the tasks are based on the respective exercises or, in some cases, on the exams from the Bachelor's degree programs.
Of course, the tasks are adapted to the subject scope of the examination. However, the exam should not be underestimated, as you as an applicant should prove whether you have a comparable level to our Bachelor's graduates.
You can find an initial assessment of the level of the exam in the old exam: Old exam (opens in new tab) (PDF file) (opens in new tab)
Further information about the learning content and the learning outcomes of the individual subject areas can be found in our module handbook:
It is important that you follow all instructions in advance. Only if you take all settings into account according to our instructions, you have taken all precautions for a smooth process. It is equally important that you test the functions sufficiently in advance. You can find out how to do this in the Moodle course.
Since we cannot distinguish between oversight and intention, incorrect settings on one or both cameras are considered an attempt at deception and will result in exclusion from the proceedings. Please observe all requirements and instructions and take them seriously!
What happens if my internet connection drops during the exam?
You can reconnect and continue the exam within the given exam time. The downtime is not compensated.
If you use unauthorized aids, this will be considered an attempt at cheating and will result in exclusion from the proceedings.
Please observe all requirements and instructions and take them seriously!
If our proctoring software notices this, this will be considered an attempt at deception and will result in exclusion from the proceedings.
Please observe all requirements and instructions and take them seriously!
If you are able to travel to Darmstadt, you have the opportunity to take the exam on computers at TU Darmstadt. For those applicants for whom this is not an option, you should try to find an individual solution, e.g. with the help of friends and acquaintances.
You can communicate with the proctor via chat during the exam. Please note the information in the Moodle course here as well.
You must have passed at least 4 of the 7 core areas mentioned with at least 60% of the points in order to receive professional admission.
We do not provide any information about the exam results, as the exam is only one part of the admission process. When the entire application process has been completed, you will be informed of the result of the application by the central administration of TU Darmstadt. This can take several weeks. Note: As a rule, applications with a subject-specific admission are processed first.
Enrolment
No, admission is only valid for the semester specified in the admission letter. If you cannot or do not want to enroll for it, you must reapply for a future semester with all documents.
Yes, you can still enroll at TU Darmstadt. You will find all the necessary information in your letter of admission.
TU Darmstadt is a face-to-face/on-site university. However, attendance is not compulsory for many courses and you will find many learning materials already stored digitally in the Moodle courses, so that you can often work remotely in self-study and a late arrival is possible. However, there is no entitlement.
Such confirmations are issued by the central registration offices: https://www.intern.tu-darmstadt.de/verwaltung/dez_viii/referate_internationales/artikel_details_de_en_referate_viii_253568.en.jsp
All relevant information about the start of your studies can be found in your letter of admission. In addition, you can find further information on the following websites: https://www.tu-darmstadt.de/studieren/studierende_tu/einfachstudieren/studienstart/index.en.jsp
Also here, you will find all the important information in your letter of admission. In addition, we strongly recommend that you participate in our Start-up Programme:
M.Sc. Mechanical Engineering:
M.Sc. Aerospace Engineering:
M.Sc. Bio-Material Engineering:
tba
There you will get to know everything you need to start your studies in successful way!
