Anyone who wants to study psychology quickly runs into the term NC and the question of whether a place is available at all. The answer depends on whether the programme at the chosen university is subject to admission restrictions and which criteria apply there. This guide explains the mechanics using the University of Kassel as an example and classifies them for other locations.
Short answer: For a restricted bachelor’s programme in psychology, a selection procedure run by the university decides. At the University of Kassel, according to the university, the admission score combines the high school grade average (38 percent), the percentile of the BaPsy-DGPs aptitude test (49 percent) and a psychology-relevant advanced course (13 percent). Last updated: November 2026.
The most important points at a glance
- Whether psychology is restricted at your preferred location is decided by each university for its own programme. This is set out in the programme information and the admission regulations.
- Where admission is restricted, the high school grade is rarely the only factor. Test results, advanced courses and sometimes waiting time also count.
- At the University of Kassel there is, according to the university, no fixed NC. The placement depends on how the other applicants in the same procedure perform.
- Applications run either through hochschulstart.de or directly through a university portal, depending on the institution. For foreign qualifications, uni-assist is often responsible.
- An admission notice is valid only if you meet the enrolment deadline. If you miss it, the notice loses its validity.
What the NC really means for psychology
The numerus clausus, or NC, is a grade threshold up to which applicants receive a place in a classic selection procedure. Many locations no longer work with a single fixed value but with a points system. This is where a look at the weighting pays off, because a single grade says little when the university balances several components against each other.
The University of Kassel describes its procedure as having no fixed NC, with placement depending on the other applicants. For you this means your result is placed in relation to a cohort. A very good average from a strong cohort can therefore look different from the same average in a weaker year.
Which criteria count at the University of Kassel?
The university names an admission score made up of three components. The table below reproduces the weighting as the university states it on its page. The page carries no update date, so check the current admission regulations before you apply.
| Component | Weighting according to the university | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Average grade of the higher education entrance qualification | 38 percent | Your high school average or the average of the entrance qualification |
| Result of the BaPsy-DGPs test (percentile) | 49 percent | Voluntary aptitude test; without taking part, a percentile of 0 percent enters the score |
| Psychology-relevant advanced course | 13 percent | Mathematics, physics, chemistry, biology, German or English; such a course counts as 1.0, otherwise as 3.0 |
The weighting shows that the test accounts for almost half of the admission score. The test is voluntary, but the university recommends taking it. Anyone who does not sit it enters this component with a value of zero.
The advanced course is not a side issue either. At 13 percent it carries weight, and the university scores a psychology-relevant course better than other courses. If you are still choosing subjects in the upper secondary years, you can align that choice with your application.
What does the aptitude test cost and how long is it valid?
The university names a test fee of 100 euros. According to a recommendation by the DGPs, the certificate is valid for at least five years. A repeat is possible at the earliest after two years. Registration runs through the dedicated test website to which the university refers.
For planning, this means that someone who sits the test early can use the result over several application rounds. Anyone who has not finished upper secondary school should align the date with their school schedule rather than rush.
How does the application for psychology work?
Whether you apply through hochschulstart.de or directly to the university is stated in the programme information. The Kassel page refers to the university’s own selection procedure for the application route and gives no deadline with a date. Foreign qualifications are handled via uni-assist.
The Dialogue-Oriented Service Procedure, through which many universities allocate places, allows up to twelve applications nationwide according to the University of Hamburg. The Hamburg page describes this in connection with medicine, dentistry and pharmacy and is dated 8 October 2026. For psychology, the rules of the specific location still apply, so the programme information remains the reference.
| Route | Typical process | What to watch |
|---|---|---|
| Hochschulstart (DoSV) | Application through a central portal, several programmes and locations possible | Set location priorities within one application |
| Direct application to the university | Application through the university portal or form | Note deadlines and documents separately for each university |
| Second degree | Separate quota, called the second-study quota at Kassel | Prove previous study periods and degrees cleanly |
How many waiting semesters can be counted?
The Kassel page states that up to seven waiting semesters can be credited. Internships or other completed studies have, according to the page, no effect on the procedure. Waiting time is therefore not a universal solution but a component whose effect can differ between universities.
The Hamburg page shows how far the rules diverge. There, for medicine, dentistry and pharmacy, waiting time has played no role in allocation since the summer semester 2022. Do not transfer that statement to psychology. Ask the study advice service of your preferred university instead.
Is psychology restricted everywhere?
No, that cannot be said across the board. The Kassel page describes its bachelor’s programme as restricted, but other locations can work differently. Check each location separately before you plan deadlines and documents. If you have several cities in view, a table with procedure, deadlines and criteria is the most practical tool.
It also helps to keep the terms apart. Unrestricted means that anyone with a suitable entrance qualification receives a place. Restricted means that the number of places is smaller than the number of applications and a procedure decides. Further details on quotas and procedures are in the guide on university admission and quotas.
What happens after an admission offer?
An admission notice states an enrolment deadline, and that deadline is binding. The University of Bielefeld states on its page that a notice loses its validity if the enrolment deadline is missed. In many universities enrolment runs entirely online, and documents must be uploaded completely and on time. Incomplete uploads are not processed. Bielefeld is only an example, and your university will set its own deadlines.
Anyone who is thinking about insurance after an offer will find an overview in the guide on disability insurance during a psychology degree. Insurance and admission are separate questions, which is why this guide keeps them apart.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need an excellent Abitur grade for psychology?
Not necessarily. The University of Kassel weights the high school grade at 38 percent of the admission score. Together with the test and the advanced course, it forms the overall picture. How strongly a grade counts depends on how the respective university designs its procedure.
Do I have to take the aptitude test?
At the University of Kassel the test is voluntary. The university recommends taking it, because without a test a percentile of zero enters the admission score. Whether the effort pays off depends on your starting point and on the weighting at your location.
Does waiting time apply at every university?
No. The rules differ by programme and university. In Kassel up to seven waiting semesters can be credited, while for medicine in Hamburg waiting time has played no role since the summer semester 2022. Ask each university directly.
Can I apply to several universities?
Through the Dialogue-Oriented Service Procedure up to twelve applications nationwide are possible, according to the University of Hamburg. How many applications each location allows is regulated separately by each university. An overview of multiple applications is in the guide on multiple applications to universities.
What happens if I miss the enrolment deadline?
According to the University of Bielefeld, the admission notice loses its validity, and enrolment in the relevant subject is then no longer possible. Anyone still looking for a place after a deadline should check the university’s follow-up procedures. Background is provided in the guide on enrolment after the deadline.
What to do now
- Check for each target location whether psychology is restricted, and read the admission regulations in the original.
- Note the application deadline, procedure and weighting for each university separately in a table.
- Decide whether you will take the aptitude test, and schedule registration so that your result arrives in time.
- After an offer, put the enrolment deadline in your calendar and upload all documents completely.
Related reading
- Finding a study place: free places and follow-up procedures at a glance (in German)
- University admission and quotas: pre-quota, waiting quota and selection quota (in German)
- Multiple applications to universities: is it worth it? (in German)
- Enrolment after the deadline: what late applicants can do (in German)
- Studying law: admission, NC and application at university (in German)
Sources: University of Kassel: FAQs on application and entry, bachelor’s programme in psychology (no date on the page, accessed November 2026) (in German); University of Hamburg: selection procedure hochschulstart (as of 8 October 2026) (in German); University of Bielefeld: enrolment (last updated 20 October 2026) (in German).
Last updated: November 2026. This guide is general information, not individual advice.
