For many applicants, a selection interview is the moment when the application suddenly becomes personal. Instead of a grade, a conversation with teaching staff or a selection committee also helps decide whether you get a place. The good news is that the questions are rarely secret, and anyone who prepares well enters the conversation with a clear picture.
Short answer: A selection interview is an oral procedure that feeds into selection alongside the grade. In the Saxon Higher Education Admission Act, an interview or other oral procedure is among the selection criteria for which the university awards 10 per cent of the remaining places. The university sets out how the interview is conducted. Last updated: November 2026.
The Most Important Points at a Glance
- A selection interview is a selection criterion, not an examination you must pass, unless the statute says otherwise.
- In the Saxon law, an interview is provided for as an oral procedure. It is one of the criteria used to award 10 per cent of the remaining places.
- The criteria must be standardised and structured. This protects you from arbitrary questions.
- The university may limit the number of invitees to at most twice the number of places.
- The exact questions and the procedure are set out in the statute of the programme, so check there first.
What Is a Selection Interview and How Does It Differ From an Aptitude Test?
A selection interview is a structured exchange with a committee that asks about your motivation, your understanding of the subject and sometimes your experience. It is a form of selection, not a test of knowledge as in an aptitude test. An aptitude test measures skills, whereas the interview looks at you as a person in the context of the degree.
The difference matters in practice. In an aptitude test, you can work with practice tasks. In an interview, what counts is the clarity of your thinking, your reasons and your ability to stay in a dialogue. Memorised answers are therefore not enough.
How Is the Interview Weighted in Selection?
Under the Saxon Higher Education Admission Act, an interview or other oral procedure is a selection criterion under § 3 para. 1 sentence 1 no. 2. Under § 3 para. 1, the university awards 10 per cent of the places that remain after the advance quotas (§ 2a of the Saxon act and the quotas named in the interstate treaty) have been deducted. This is one shared quota for all criteria of the provision, not a separate share for the interview alone. Besides the interview, the criteria include a subject-specific study aptitude test (no. 1), completed vocational training or occupational experience showing subject-specific aptitude (no. 3) and other special prior qualifications or out-of-school achievements (no. 4). At least one of the criteria in no. 1 or no. 2 must be taken into account. The law requires that criteria be applied in a standardised, structured and quality-assured way and sufficiently predict academic success.
There is a reason why an interview is regulated so precisely. It should not depend on chance which committee you are assigned to. Whether your state and programme apply the same rule can only be seen in the relevant statute.
How Does Pre-Selection Work?
Under § 3 para. 5 of the Saxon law, the university may limit the number of participants to at most twice the number of places and pre-select. That means not every application leads to an invitation. Not being invited cannot automatically be read as a rejection based on the interview, because other criteria count as well.
| Step | What happens | What you can do |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-selection | The university invites a limited number of applicants | Submit complete documents early |
| Invitation | Date and format are communicated | Check the date, clarify the format, ask questions |
| Interview | The committee asks about motivation and the subject | Write down your motivation and subject link in advance |
| Assessment | The result feeds into the ranking | Ask how the assessment was reached |
Which Questions Typically Come Up?
It is not publicly fixed whether a university asks the same questions. Experience suggests that interviews revolve around a few recurring themes. Treat these as areas you can prepare for, not as the wording of a question catalogue.
- Why you want to study this subject and what attracts you to it.
- What prior knowledge you bring and where you still see gaps.
- Which experiences prepared you for the degree, such as internships, projects or volunteering.
- How you deal with challenges, for example difficult learning content or time pressure.
- Which goals you pursue after graduation.
How Do You Prepare?
Start with the programme. Read the module overview, the study regulations and the profile description. Once you know the content, you can answer questions more concretely. Then write down three to five core statements about your motivation and consider how you would support them with examples.
Practise the conversation aloud and with someone who will give you honest feedback. Aim for clarity rather than perfection. A well-reasoned answer such as “I do not know, but this is how I would approach it” often convinces more than a memorised reply. Also clarify whether the interview takes place in person, online or in a group, because the preparation differs slightly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to pass a selection interview?
That depends on the statute. Often the interview is a criterion for the ranking rather than an examination with a pass mark. Read the section on selection procedures for your programme carefully, because it says how the result is weighted.
Can I prepare for the questions?
Yes, for the topics rather than the exact wording. Preparing for motivation, prior knowledge and career goals makes sense. Check the programme page to see whether the university publishes questions in advance.
May I ask questions after the interview?
It makes sense if you want to understand the assessment. Ask politely about the criteria and how the result was calculated. The university must apply selection criteria in a standardised way under the law, and you can refer to that in your request.
Does this also apply to master programmes?
Whether an interview is provided for a master is set by the statute of the individual programme. The University of Mannheim describes that, for admission-restricted master programmes, selection follows the selection criteria of the respective selection statute, so check the page of the specific master.
What if I am not invited?
Then you were not included in the pre-selection. This is possible when the number of invitations is limited. Ask which criteria count and check whether your application has better chances in another procedure.
Interviews rarely stand alone. They are usually weighted together with the grade average, waiting time and other criteria. Do not try to compensate in the conversation for everything missing from the application. A calm, comprehensible answer that shows why you chose the subject usually carries more weight than polished rhetoric without substance.
Your conduct matters, too. Arrive on time, find out about the format and prepare a question for the university. A well-chosen question shows genuine interest in the degree and often makes a good close to the conversation.
What to Do Next
- Read the statute of the programme, particularly the section on the selection procedure.
- Summarise your motivation in three to five core statements supported by examples.
- Practise the conversation with a person who will assess you honestly.
- Clarify format, date and length as soon as the invitation arrives.
- Ask about the assessment if you cannot follow the result.
Related Reading
- Motivation letter for university: structure, length and example
- Aptitude tests for study: what they assess and how to prepare
- Finding a study place
- Advice from the subject adviser at the university (in German)
Sources: Saxon Higher Education Admission Act, § 3 (version on Revosax, as of November 2026).
Last updated: November 2026. This guide is general information, not individual advice.
