NC and university waiting time look like fixed hurdles, but the NC is a figure that changes every year. It depends on how many applicants meet how many places. The waiting time counts differently depending on the degree programme and the federal state, and some programmes have no admission restriction at all. If you know the differences, you can apply in a more targeted way and have better chances of your preferred place. If it does not work out, child benefit continues during the waiting period until your 25th birthday.
The most important points at a glance
- The NC (numerus clausus) describes a limited number of places. The value universities publish is the admission limit of the last procedure, not a guarantee for the next one.
- Every university and every degree programme sets its own values. The same subject can have very different admission limits in two places.
- How waiting time is credited depends on the degree programme, the procedure and the federal state. Do not rely on waiting alone to secure a place.
- Degree programmes without admission restrictions also have deadlines and may require proof.
- Child benefit is also paid until your 25th birthday while you wait for a place at university. It currently amounts to €259 per child and month.
What does NC mean at university?
NC stands for numerus clausus, Latin for “limited number”. A degree programme is subject to admission restriction when there are more applications than places. The university then selects according to set criteria, usually by the Abitur grade, but depending on the programme also by tests, interviews or waiting time.
The figure that circulates online as the “NC” is, strictly speaking, the admission limit, meaning the value at which someone was still admitted in the last procedure. It only emerges after allocation and fluctuates from year to year, because the number of applicants and places changes. The previous year’s value is therefore a rough guide, not a fixed hurdle.
Universities set their values themselves. So compare several locations for your degree programme. With the same grade average, you may narrowly miss out at one university and be admitted without difficulty at another. A decision aid is the choice of type of university (in German), because the range of courses and the applicant situation also differ between universities of applied sciences and universities.
Are there degree programmes without an NC?
Yes, many degree programmes are not admission-restricted. There you get a place if you meet the formal requirements. You still have to enrol by the deadline, and some programmes require additional proof:
- Internship certificates
- Language certificates
- Aptitude tests, for example in art, music or sport
The documents and deadlines that apply are listed on the website of the respective university. Note the dates early, because in the worst case a missed deadline costs an entire semester.
University waiting time and waiting semesters: what applies today?
Waiting time means the time that has passed since you obtained your university entrance qualification without being enrolled at a university. If you enrol in a different degree programme, you usually do not accrue any waiting time. The term “waiting semesters” comes from procedures in which some places were allocated according to waiting time.
Today, the rules are no longer uniform. Whether and how much waiting time counts depends on the degree programme, the procedure and the federal state. In some areas the rule has been restricted or changed. Current information is available at hochschulstart.de for centrally allocated degree programmes, and otherwise from the university itself.
Important for your planning: waiting time does not run by itself. Even if you wait a long time, a place is not automatically secured. So apply to several universities at the same time and think about a second option. You can use the time sensibly, for example with an apprenticeship, an internship or a voluntary service.
Applying for a place at university: how to proceed
- Find out whether your preferred degree programme is open admission, locally restricted or allocated centrally. This determines where you apply.
- Enter all application deadlines and requirements in a calendar. Deadlines differ by university and degree programme.
- Compare the admission limits of recent years at several locations, and do not apply to just one university.
- Assemble your documents: certificate, required proof and, if requested, a CV. The guide to the CV for students (in German) shows how to structure it.
- Keep track of acceptances and rejections, and ask the university whether places are reallocated after the first round.
- Set a plan B, so that a rejection does not throw you off course.
Studying without the Abitur or with work experience
You can also study without the classic Abitur. Depending on the federal state and the university, a completed vocational training with work experience, or an advanced qualification such as Meister, Techniker or Fachwirt, can open the way. The exact conditions vary, so ask the university that interests you.
If you start later, studying after 30 (in German) provides information on opportunities and funding. If you want to study alongside your job, it is also worth looking at a distance degree compared with full-time study (in German).
No place at university: is there still child benefit?
Yes, under the usual conditions. Child benefit is generally paid until the 18th birthday, and with training or studies until the 25th birthday. Beyond that, it is also paid up to age 25 during the transition period while you wait for a training or study place, and during a voluntary social year or federal voluntary service. A break of up to four months between two training phases is also covered.
Since 1 January 2026, child benefit has been €259 per child and month. You or your parents must apply for it at the family benefits office. Ask there which proof is needed for the waiting period, and keep your application documents and notices. The conditions that apply during studies themselves are set out in the article child benefit during studies (in German).
Frequently asked questions
How does waiting time work at university?
Waiting time runs from the moment you obtain your university entrance qualification, for as long as you are not enrolled at a university. In some procedures it improves your chances, in others it plays no role or only a small one. It does not automatically lead to a place. The current rules are published at hochschulstart.de and by the universities.
What is the difference between NC and waiting semesters?
The NC describes the admission limit at which someone was last admitted, usually as a grade. Waiting semesters are periods without enrolment after the Abitur, and in some procedures they were a selection criterion of their own. Today their significance depends on the degree programme and the state.
Can I get a place at university without a good Abitur?
Yes, there are several ways. You can choose degree programmes without admission restrictions, compare universities with lower admission limits, apply at several locations, or be admitted on the basis of work experience if your federal state allows it.
Do I get child benefit if I do not have a place at university?
Yes, up to your 25th birthday child benefit can also be paid while you wait for a place at university. It amounts to €259 per month and must be applied for at the family benefits office. Ask there which proof they require.
Related reading
- Child benefit during studies (in German)
- Doctorate in Germany: paths, titles and requirements (in German)
- University of applied sciences or university: what suits you better? (in German)
- Studying without the Abitur: paths, requirements and funding (in German)
Last updated: October 2026. This guide is general information, not individual advice. The German version is authoritative.
