Frequently Asked Questions – Economics (M.Sc.)

No. For legal reasons you must use the online system for your application. This is only possible during the fixed application period.

STiNE is the student information network that provides valuable support to students from their initial application to completion of studies (and even beyond that as alumni). To apply for a programme at the University of Hamburg you must use the online application form on STiNE (at https://www.stine.uni-hamburg.de).

Once you have set up an applicant’s account in STiNE you may log in repeatedly during the application period to complete the application form. You must submit the completed form both electronically via STiNE and in paper by regular mail. Please send the print-out of the STiNE application form along with the required documentation to our program coordinator Yamina Ehrt

Yamina Ehrt
Programme Coordinator Economics
Von-Melle-Park 5, Room 0013
D-20146 Hamburg

The application period starts 15 February. Earlier sent applications will not be considered.

If you experience technical difficulties using the STiNE portal please contact:

uhh.bewerbung-technik@rrz.uni-hamburg.de.

 For all other questions, please contact:

info.zulassung@verw.uni-hamburg.de

If you do not understand a particular question on the online application form please contact the program coordinator Britta Ganswindt:

Britta.Ganswindt@verw.uni-hamburg.de

If you don’t speak German please contact the program coordinator Yamina Ehrt yamina.ehrt@verw.uni-hamburg.de

You will receive an email confirming the receipt of your application.

It applies the postage date (date on the postage stamp).

No. Therefore, please do not send any originals. Also, do not send certified copies at this stage of the application process. Certification only becomes neccessary in case of your admission to the programme.

No. In STINe you can only apply for one programme. However, it is possible to indicate up to 3 alternative study programmes (within the study programmes offered by the UHH).

If you chose to do that, your application will be included in the selection process for left study places, if there are any.

Yes, you can. But the application requirements are different. Please visit our webpage for more detailed information:  

www.wiso.uni-hamburg.de/msc-econ

Beyond basic training in microeconomics, macroeconomics and quantitative methods, you must have passed at least four lectures on advanced topics in economics. These should cover both, theoretical and applied issues.

Examples would be:

• International economics
• Eonomic growth
• Industrial organizations
• Applied micro - and/or macroeconomics
• Game theory
• Philosophy of Law and Economics
• Industrial Economics
• Political Economics
• Behavioural Economics
• Institutional Economics
• International Banking and Finance
• Economics of Health
• History of Economics etc.

A lecture is defined to consist of approximately 14 units of 90 minutes each and must be comparable in content to the standards of teaching at Hamburg University. For special courses, it is recommended to send course outlines, syllabus and the bibliography for the course along with your application documents.

Yes. In this case, you must submit your registration for one of the accepted tests (e.g. a copy of your online registration). The test results have then to be submitted as soon as possible, latest until May 31.

Please note that your admission (if offered) will remain conditional on the subsequent submission of the required proof of your English language competencies. Delayed submission or insufficient test results may forfeit your admission.

Yes, we also accept

• proof of at least eight subsequent years of English instructions at a German school.
• proof of a Bachelor degree (or similar) in a college or university programme taught in English.
• TOEFL paper- and pencil test: 580 points
• International English Language Testing System (IELTS) - Academics: Band 6,5, Good Competent User, with at least 6,0 per skill
• Cambridge Certificate of Advanced English (CAE): Results A, B, C
• Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English (CPE): Results A, B, C
• Cambridge Higher Business English Certificate (BEC) Results A, B, C

Usually, English language tests remain valid for two years. Within certain limits, we do accept test which are older than that, though. Please contact the programme coordinator if you are not sure about the validity of your test.

If the deadline for applications has not passed, yet, you are welcome to try for another test. If there is not enough time for that, send proof of your registration for an English language test along with your application documents. You have then time until May, 31 to submit the results.

Please note that your admission (if offered) will remain conditional on the subsequent submission of the required proof of your English language competencies. Insufficient test results may forfeit your admission.

No. Please note on the STINe application form, that the medium of instruction of your primary degree was English. Also provide an official confirmation of this along with your application documents.

No.

No.

The GRE General or Mathematics test ensures the comparability of applicants with very different backgrounds and thus helps the admissions comittee to evaluate all applications as objective as possible.

If you haven't passed the test at the time of your application, you must add at least proof of your registration for the next possible test date. You have then time to submit the GRE test results until May, 31.

For enrollment, all copies of official documents must be notarized. The notary must be legally recognized, and generally can be anyone who holds a public office and possess an official seal. The notarization must contain at least:  

-An endorsement or certification from the notary attesting that the submitted copy matches the original.  
-The notary's signature. 
-An imprint of the notary's stamp.

Please note, the stamp must contain an emblem or official seal, a simple text stamp will not suffice. If the copy contains multiple pages, it must be shown that each page is from the same original document. It is sufficient if only one page bears the notary's endorsement and signature. However, when the notary stamps the document the pages must be arranged so that a part of the stamp is visible on each page. Otherwise, each page must be individually notarized. In the latter case, please make sure that your name appears on every page of the original document. If your name does not appear on every page of the original, the notary must include your name, as well as a reference to the type of document it is, in the endorsement.  If the copy is double sided (i.e. printed on both sides of a sheet), then the notary must make a note of this fact in the endorsement (e.g. “I hereby certify that this double sided copy matches the original”). Otherwise, front and back must be notarized separately. All copies consisting of more than one page should be stapled.  

Recognized notarizing agents: Notwithstanding the provisions of other states or admission procedures, Hamburg does not recognize notarization from Church authorities, banks, lawyers, accountants, unions, insurance authorities, etc.      

Shortly after the admissions committee decided positively on your application, you will receive a Welcome Note from the programme director via email.

Your admission to the university and your enrolment will be coordinated by the university's admissions office (Service für Studierende, Team Bewerbung und Zulassung). The admissions office is going to sent an official Letter of Acceptance to your STINe account along with matriculation form. The specific date will be announced to you after you successfully submitted your application in STINe.

After that you have 7 days to return your matriculation form (Immatrikulationsantrag) together with the following documents:

• an authorised copy of your University Entrance Qualification (High school degree or equivalent)
• an authorised copy of your primary degree or (if not yet available)*
• an authorised copy/ original transcript of records
• an authorised copy/ original proof of your English Language Skills

 *In case of your admission to the program, you have time unil the end of the fist semester of the M.Sc. (March, 31, 2012) to present your final degree.

Within 7 days after receipt of your  letter of acceptance in STINe you must return your matriculation form (Immatrikulationsantrag) together with the following documents:

• an authorised copy of your University Entrance Qualification (High school degree or equivalent)
• an authorised copy of your primary degree or (if not yet available)*
• an authorised copy/ original transcript of records
• an authorised copy/ original Proof of your English Language Skills.

You have time until the end of the first semester of the M.Sc. to present your final degree.

Documents can be certified or authorized at every public office with an official seal (e.g. governmental offices, embassies). The authorisation must include:

• an official confirmation that the copy corresponds to the original document (Beglaubigungsvermerk). This can be a stemp or a note in writing
• the signature of the person who authorises the document
• an imprint of the official seal.

N.B. A seal usually contains an emblem.

Also note that, at the UHH authorizations from religious institutions, banks, lawyers, clubs, health insurance agencies etc. will not be accepted.

If it is impossible for you to meet the deadline for submission (due to your location) contact the admissions office (Service für Studierende) at info.zulassung@verw.uni-hamburg.de to let them know about your intent to accept the offer and as to when your documents can be expected.

Don't forget to indicate your name and the programme you want to study.

If you are an international student, and there is no health insurance system in your country, you don't need to have health insurance prior to your arrival in Germany.

In this case contact the admissions office (info.zulassung@verw.un-hamburg.de) to inform them about your situation.

If you are not familiar with the German health insurance system you may find the following sites helpful: 

• www.internationale-studierende.de/en/on_arrival/health_insurance/

• www.internationale-studierende.de/en/home/

Furthermore, you can contact the International Office of the UHH for more detailed information on health insurance in Germany.

You will find a letter of rejection in your STINe account.

Please contact the programme coordinator for more information on that matter.

No. The programme starts only in the winter semester.

Currenly a general semester registration fee of €254,50 and statutory tuition fees of €375,00 are charged. The fee for semester registration includes a student ticket, valid for the area of Hamburg (Semesterticket).

Under the following circumstances you are entitled to study the M.Sc. Economcis  part-time:

• if you work at least 15 (max 19 hours) per week (must be confirmed by your employer)
• if you take care of a child (under 18) or another relative in need of care (to be documented by e.g. birth certificate)
• disability or chronic disease which strongly affect the student's ability to study and to finish the study program with the regular period of studies (to be documented by medical certificate)

You can only apply for the part-time study option after you have started your studies. For further information and advice, please visit:

www.verwaltung.uni-hamburg.de/vp-1/3/33/Teilzeit.html (in German only)

or

contact the programme coordinator.

During their second semester, students have the opportunity to take part in the Exchange Programme with the Scottish Graduate Programme (SGPE), located at the University of Edinburgh.

Hamburg students may enrol in up to five available option courses which commence in the second semester of the M.Sc. programme in the period February/early April. An overview of the courses available can be found here.

The Economics Department of the UHH assumes responsibility for vetting and nominating suitable candidates, based on application and evaluated according to the students overall academic achievement.

Applications are welcome until 31 January of each year. Please contact the programme coordinator for more information on the application procedure.

Besides costs for housing and travelling, students will have to cover for tuition fees to the University of Edinburgh. For EU residents, these would currently amount to £ 1347 for EU residents and £3125 for Non-EU  (for five options). If neccessary, the department will try to assist you in applying for possible funding.

During their stay, students are allowed to use the University of Edinburgh Accomodation Service's new online booking service in order to reserve accomodation for their period of study.

Please contact the programme coordinator for further information on the Exchange programme.

The University of Hamburg has established links and cooperations with many universities in the world. Students may use the Erasmus Programme to study abroad for one semester or go as a Free Mover.

If you are interested in planning a stay abroad,  contact the programme coordinator for further information and advice.

There are various funding opportunities for your stay abroad. However, for most of them, students need to apply early. The following list gives a short overview of possible sources of fundíng. Please note that this information might be subject to change:

Auslandsbafög  Students which are entitled to BaföG may be able to apply for Auslandsbafög which also covers for the study fees. Deadline for applications would usally be 3 months prior to start of the stay abroad. For further information, please visit:

www.bafoeg.bmbf.de/de/384.php

 DAAD Scholarships for one semester  The German Academic Exchange Service offers scholarships to graduate students for the period of one semester. The scholarship covers at least partly for the study fees and includes a living allowance. Please note that applications must be made until 1 September for Feb/April. For further information, please visit:

www.daad.de/ausland/foerderungsmoeglichkeiten/stipendiendatenbank/00658.de.html

Stip-out Scholarship of the University of Hamburg

The University of Hamburg offers a financial support for study related stays abroad to students of the university. Three months are funded with  500, 00 Euro in total. Applications for Feb/April must be made until 11.11. of the previous year. For further information, please visit:

www.verwaltung.uni-hamburg.de/vp-2/5/stipout.html

Currently, study fees at the University of Hamburg amount to €375 per semester. The fee covers teaching and examinations. Additionally there is an enrollment fee of currently €254,50 also to be paid every semester, covering also public transport in the Hamburg metropolitan area.

Upon WiSe 2012/13 there will be no more study fees at the University of Hamburg. Enrollement fees will remain.

No. Currently, neither the university nor the program are able to provide any sort of scholarships.

Comprehensive information on scholarships available from German funding bodies can be found at the homepage of the DAAD (German Academic Exchange Service).

Yes. Under certain conditions that is possible. Further information can be  found here.