Studying without the Abitur (the German university entrance qualification) is possible in every federal state. If you hold a master craftsman’s certificate (Meisterbrief) or a comparable further-training qualification, you may choose any subject, under the 2009 resolution of the Standing Conference of the Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs (KMK). If you have completed a vocational training of at least two years and have at least three years of work experience, you gain access to closely related degree programmes. The access rules differ from state to state. For funding, BAföG often applies regardless of your parents’ income.
The key points at a glance
- A master craftsman’s certificate or an equivalent further-training qualification opens every subject. Vocational training plus work experience opens closely related degree programmes.
- How many years of work experience you need, and whether a trial study period or an aptitude assessment is added, differs from state to state.
- After a three-year vocational training and three years of employment, BAföG is paid independently of parental income. So far there is one exception to the BAföG age limit of 45 for students admitted on the basis of their vocational qualification. The reform draft would scrap it.
- The Upgrading Scholarship (Aufstiegsstipendium) pays 1,072 euros a month in full-time study and has no age limit.
- Student health insurance ends with the semester in which you turn 30. If you start later, you need a plan for your insurance.
Which routes lead to university without the Abitur?
There are two kinds of university access for people with vocational qualifications. The general university entrance qualification allows study in any subject. The subject-restricted university entrance qualification applies only to degree programmes that match your training. The basis is the KMK resolution of 6 March 2009, which the states implement and in some cases extend.
| Access route | Requirement | What you may study |
|---|---|---|
| Master craftsman’s and further training | Master craftsman’s certificate in a trade, further-training qualification under the Vocational Training Act or the Crafts Code with at least 400 teaching hours, or completion of a specialist school | Any subject |
| Vocational training plus work experience | At least two years of regulated vocational training, followed by at least three years of work experience | Degree programmes closely related to the training |
| Aptitude assessment | Required in some states in addition to the training | Depends on the state |
| Trial study | Offered in some states as an alternative to the aptitude assessment, at least one year | Depends on the state |
The states may set further rules. The portal studieren-ohne-abitur.de keeps an overview of all 16 states. The admission regulations of the university you apply to are binding in the end.
How much work experience do you need?
As a basic rule, after at least two years of vocational training, three years of work experience are needed. If you are funded through the Upgrading Scholarship, two years are enough. Some states require only two years of employment after the training. Berlin, Bremen, Rhineland-Palatinate, Hesse and Saarland even allow study with the vocational qualification alone, without further work experience, under certain conditions.
The states also set different rules on how work experience is proven and whether a counselling interview is compulsory. Ask the student counselling service of the university or check the admission regulations of your degree programme for the rules in your state.
Does a master craftsman’s certificate count as an entry qualification?
Yes. Master craftsmen in the trades are among the groups that receive the general university entrance qualification under the 2009 resolution. The same applies to holders of certain further-training qualifications with at least 400 teaching hours and to graduates of specialist schools, for example in health care or social pedagogy. With such a qualification you do not have to prove a subject-related link between your occupation and your degree programme.
Whether your qualification falls under this rule is shown in the state overview. The states may have their own rules for individual further-training courses.
What is a trial study and what is an aptitude assessment?
During a trial study (Probestudium), you study on probation for a set period. Under the 2009 resolution it lasts at least one year, and in the states it is usually two to four semesters. The performance you must achieve during this time, and how the university decides afterwards, is set by the state and the university.
In the aptitude assessment (Eignungsfeststellungsverfahren), the university checks whether you are suited to the degree programme you have chosen. Some states require it in addition to the training, others offer a trial study as an alternative. Where both are offered, ask the student counselling service about the differences.
How do you apply, and which deadlines and documents apply?
Each university sets its own application deadlines. They differ by degree programme and semester. Because people with vocational qualifications often have to go through a counselling interview or an aptitude procedure first, it is best to ask the university months before the deadline.
Typical documents are the final certificate of your training or the master craftsman’s certificate, and proof of your employment, such as employment contracts or references. The university’s admission regulations set out which documents it accepts. For degree programmes with admission restrictions, the basics are in the article NC and waiting time (in German). Whether a university or a university of applied sciences suits your path is explained in the comparison University of applied sciences or university (in German).
Is there BAföG if you study without the Abitur?
Yes. The study is eligible for funding, and for people with vocational qualifications the rules are often favourable. The funding is half grant and half interest-free state loan. The maximum you have to repay is 10,010 euros.
When is BAföG paid independently of parental income?
In that case, your parents’ income does not count. Several routes lead there, and for people with work experience one of them usually fits.
| Requirement | What counts |
|---|---|
| Age | Starting study at 30 or older (ask the BAföG office if in doubt) |
| Five years of employment | Periods from your 18th birthday, full-time or part-time or self-employed; training periods and holiday jobs do not count; the five years must be completed before the start of study |
| Vocational training plus work | Three-year vocational training and then three years of employment; with a shorter training, the employment period is extended, for example two years of training plus four years of work |
| Second educational pathway | Evening high school (Abendgymnasium) or college (Kolleg) |
You must have financed yourself during your employment. The BAföG office will tell you the minimum income it applies. More on the rules and the application is in the article on BAföG independent of parental income (in German).
Example: Tom, 26, mechanical engineering after a mechatronics apprenticeship
Tom completed a three-year apprenticeship as a mechatronics technician and then worked full-time for three years. Access: he meets the minimum values for the subject-restricted university entrance qualification (at least two years of training, three years of practice) and can take a closely related degree programme such as mechanical engineering. Funding: three years of training plus three years of employment make six years, so he receives BAföG independently of parental income. With his own flat and his own health and long-term care insurance, the maximum rate is 992 euros a month. The actual amount depends on his own income and assets. Up to 603 euros gross a month of earnings has no effect, and the asset allowance is 15,000 euros up to age 29.
What applies to the age limit?
Funding requires that you have not yet reached your 45th year when you start study. There are exceptions to this limit. One applies to students who were enrolled without a university entrance qualification because of their vocational qualification. Under the draft BAföG reform, the exceptions are to lapse from 1 April 2027. This has not been decided. If you start late, ask the BAföG office beforehand. From age 30, the maximum rate is 1,088 euros and the asset allowance is 45,000 euros.
Upgrading BAföG or BAföG: what is the difference?
Upgrading BAföG (Aufstiegs-BAföG) is a separate funding scheme for further training such as the master craftsman’s qualification. For university study, the BAföG rules in this section apply. You submit the application online via BAföG Digital to the responsible BAföG office, and the BAföG FAQ of the student services organisations answers the most common questions.
What other funding is there besides BAföG?
Besides BAföG, scholarships and loans are possible.
| Funding | Amount | Requirement |
|---|---|---|
| Upgrading Scholarship | 992 euros plus 80 euros book allowance a month in full-time study, 3,045 euros per calendar year alongside work | Vocational training, at least two years of employment, outstanding professional achievement; no age limit |
| Education loan (Bildungskredit) | 100, 200 or 300 euros a month, for up to 24 months; 4.09 percent effective interest | Study at an advanced stage, application before the 36th birthday |
| KfW student loan | 100 to 650 euros a month; 6.38 percent effective interest for new contracts | Age 18 to 44 |
| Germany Scholarship (Deutschlandstipendium) | 300 euros a month | Selection by the university based on performance and commitment |
The Upgrading Scholarship is aimed at people with work experience and a first degree. Outstanding professional achievement includes a very good vocational qualification, an upgrading qualification such as the master craftsman’s, a place among the top three in a national competition, or a reasoned proposal from the employer. Your school-leaving certificate plays no role. Funding usually runs until the bachelor’s degree, full-time or alongside work, including distance learning. The current application round runs until 30 November 2026, and dates are kept by the Foundation for Vocational Education Scholarships (Stiftung Begabtenförderung berufliche Bildung).
Loans supplement BAföG and scholarships, but they do not cover a whole degree. An overview of further scholarships is in the article Scholarships during study (in German). If you start later, the age limits and combinations are covered in Financing study over 30 (in German).
And child benefit?
If you are under 25 and have already completed a first training, your parents keep receiving child benefit for the study only if you are not in gainful employment. Regular working hours of at most 20 hours a week, a training employment relationship and a mini-job are harmless. The contractually agreed weekly working time is decisive.
How are you health insured at the start?
Anyone enrolled at a university is compulsorily insured with a statutory health insurer (gesetzliche Krankenversicherung, GKV), unless a higher-priority insurance applies, for example through an employment relationship. This is student health insurance. Before enrolment, the university requires a digital confirmation from a statutory health insurer. For 2026, the contribution for childless students aged 23 and over is 123.29 euros plus the insurer’s additional contribution. At an additional contribution rate of 2.9 percent, the 2026 average, this comes to about 148 euros a month (855 euros times 2.9 percent = 24.80 euros, plus 123.29 euros).
For people with vocational qualifications, the age limit comes into play sooner than for school leavers. Compulsory student insurance ends with the semester in which you turn 30. Beyond that, it applies only if the type of training or personal reasons justify going beyond that. Whether your path counts is decided in each case by the health insurer. Family insurance through your parents is generally possible only up to 25. If you remain employed alongside your studies, the role of working student may apply, in which study must predominate in time: this is described in Working student and health insurance (in German). If you enrol in distance learning, the particularities are in Health insurance for distance learning (in German). All the basics are in Health insurance for students (in German).
What hurdles are there?
- Subject link: with training and work experience you may only choose degree programmes that match your occupation. Only the master craftsman’s qualification or an equivalent further-training qualification opens every subject.
- State rules: work experience, counselling interview, aptitude assessment and trial study differ by state. Check the rules for both the state and the university before you plan.
- Living costs: your salary falls away. BAföG, a scholarship and possibly a loan must cover the months.
- Age limits: for student health insurance the limit is 30 years, for BAföG it is 45, and for the education loan it is the 36th birthday.
Frequently asked questions
Can I study without the Abitur?
Yes. With a master craftsman’s certificate or an equivalent further-training qualification you can choose any subject. With at least two years of vocational training and at least three years of work experience, you can take degree programmes that match your occupation. Some states add an aptitude assessment or a trial study, or shorten the required work experience.
How much work experience do you need?
As a basic rule, three years after at least two years of vocational training, or two years with the Upgrading Scholarship. Some states require only two years. In Berlin, Bremen, Rhineland-Palatinate, Hesse and Saarland, study with the vocational qualification alone is possible under certain conditions. The exact figures are in the admission regulations of your university.
Is there BAföG if I study without the Abitur?
Yes. After three years of vocational training plus three years of employment, BAföG is paid independently of parental income. The same applies after five years of employment and when study starts at 30. The maximum rate is 992 euros a month, and from age 30 it is 1,088 euros. Half of it is a grant and half an interest-free loan.
What is a trial study?
A trial study is study on probation, which some states offer instead of an aptitude assessment. Under the KMK resolution it lasts at least one year, in practice usually two to four semesters. The performance required and the decision afterwards are set by the state and the university.
Does a master craftsman’s certificate count as an entry qualification?
Yes. Master craftsmen in the trades receive the general university entrance qualification and can study any subject. The same applies to certain further-training qualifications with at least 400 teaching hours and to specialist school graduates. Some states go further with their own rules.
So what do you do now?
- Find the access rule for your state in the state overview and read the admission regulations for your target degree programme.
- Ask the student counselling service about proof, counselling interview, aptitude assessment or trial study, and note the application deadline.
- Clarify the financing early: apply for BAföG online, check the application round for the Upgrading Scholarship and plan a loan as a supplement if needed.
- Obtain confirmation from a statutory health insurer before enrolment, and build the age limit of 30 into your planning.
Related articles
- Financing study over 30: BAföG, scholarship, loan and part-time job (in German)
- Studying at 30: opportunities, funding and everyday life (in German)
- Finding a scholarship during study: types, providers and requirements (in German)
- University of applied sciences or university: what suits you better? (in German)
Last updated: October 2026. This guide is general information, not individual advice. The German version is authoritative.
