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How international students get into German medical schools: the NC, hochschulstart, the TMS test, German language rules, Studienkolleg, and practising.
Canonical: https://www.prezumi.com/blog/study-medicine-in-germany
Germany has some of the most respected medical faculties in Europe, and tuition at public universities is free or close to it for most students. That combination makes medicine one of the most sought-after subjects in the country, which is exactly why it is also one of the hardest to get into. Places are limited, demand is high, and the selection process is unusual compared to most other degrees.
This guide explains how admission to human medicine (Humanmedizin) actually works, what role the TMS aptitude test and the NC play, why German language ability matters so much, and what the route to practising as a doctor looks like. For the wider picture on living and studying in the country, start with our Study in Germany overview and the list of top universities in Germany.
Several German medical faculties have a long international reputation for research and teaching. Naming the well-known ones is straightforward, but keep in mind that almost every public medical school in Germany is competitive, and a "lower-profile" faculty is not an easy backdoor.
| University | City | Known for |
|---|---|---|
| Heidelberg University | Heidelberg | One of Germany's oldest and most research-intensive medical faculties |
| Charité | Berlin | One of Europe's largest university hospitals, strong research output |
| LMU Munich | Munich | Broad clinical and research programme |
| TU Munich (TUM) | Munich | Medicine combined with a strong science and engineering environment |
| University of Tübingen | Tübingen | Historic medical faculty with strong biomedical research |
| University of Freiburg | Freiburg | Well-regarded teaching hospital and research |
Most undergraduate human medicine in Germany is taught in German. Full English-taught medical degrees are rare at public universities, so for the standard path you should plan for German-language study.
Human medicine is a nationally restricted subject. For applicants with a German school-leaving qualification, central allocation runs through hochschulstart.de, the national clearing house. The key concept is the Numerus Clausus (NC), which is essentially the grade threshold needed to win a place in a given round. The NC is not a fixed number set in advance; it is the cut-off that results once all applicants are ranked, so it shifts each year with demand.
Allocation is split across several quotas, including a top-grades quota, an aptitude quota, and a university-specific selection quota where institutions weigh things like the TMS test, prior training, and other criteria. Because the rules and percentages change, confirm the current structure on the official sites before you plan.
International applicants from outside the EU usually apply through a different track. Many universities reserve a limited number of places for international students and process applications through uni-assist or directly. The exact route depends on your nationality and where you got your school qualification.
Do not assume your home-country school certificate qualifies you for direct entry. Many international students need to complete a Studienkolleg preparatory year (medical/science track, the "M-Kurs") and pass its final exam before they can apply for medicine. Check recognition of your certificate via the official channels first.
If your secondary school certificate is not recognised as equivalent to the German Abitur for direct university entry, you typically attend a Studienkolleg. For medicine you would take the science/medical track, study for around a year, and sit the Feststellungsprüfung (assessment exam). Passing it gives you a qualification that lets you apply. Entry to the Studienkolleg itself is also competitive and usually requires German at roughly B1 to B2 before you start.
The TMS (Test für Medizinische Studiengänge) is a voluntary aptitude test that many German medical faculties weight heavily in their own selection quota. It tests reasoning, comprehension, memory, and scientific problem-solving rather than memorised facts. A strong TMS result can meaningfully improve your ranking at universities that count it, and because it can usually be taken once, preparation matters.
If you are aiming for universities that weight the TMS, check each faculty's selection criteria early. Some count it, some weight it more than others, and the test is offered on a fixed schedule, so register in good time. Confirm details on the official TMS information pages linked from the universities and hochschulstart.de.
This is the single biggest reality check for international applicants. Because clinical training involves talking to patients, German-taught medical programmes commonly expect a high level of German, often C1, and for clinical work and later licensing you generally need a recognised medical-German qualification on top of general language proof. Plan your language learning as a multi-year project that runs alongside everything else, not an afterthought.
The German medical degree leads to state examinations (Staatsexamen) across the course rather than a single final thesis like many other subjects. After completing the degree and the state exams, graduates apply for the Approbation, the licence to practise. For internationally trained doctors, or for those whose language certificates need to be supplemented, there is usually an additional medical-language exam (Fachsprachprüfung) and a recognition process. The exact steps depend on the federal state, so check the responsible state authority.
If the German-taught route is not realistic for you right now, an English-taught medical pathway elsewhere in Europe may be worth comparing. See Study Medicine in Italy, where English-taught medical programmes admit international students through the IMAT entrance test.
Even though medicine relies heavily on the NC, TMS, and language proof rather than a CV, you will still need a clean, professional application file for scholarships, hospital electives, research placements, and student-assistant roles once you arrive. You can build a free, ATS-ready resume with Prezumi's resume templates, check it with our free ATS resume checker, and produce a free Europass CV in the format many European institutions expect.
At public universities, full English-taught human medicine is rare; most undergraduate programmes are in German. Some private universities and specific programmes offer more English, but you should expect to need strong German for the standard public route and for clinical work later. Always confirm the language of instruction on the specific university's page.
There is no single grade because the NC is the cut-off that emerges each year after applicants are ranked, so it varies by university and round. Medicine is consistently one of the most competitive subjects, so very strong grades plus a good TMS result help. Check current allocation rules on hochschulstart.de.
The TMS is voluntary, but many faculties weight it in their own selection quota, so a strong score can improve your chances at those universities. It is usually taken once and offered on a fixed schedule, so prepare and register early. Check which universities count it before deciding.
A Studienkolleg is a one-year preparatory course for international students whose school certificate is not recognised as equivalent to the German Abitur. For medicine you would take the science/medical track and pass the Feststellungsprüfung to qualify. Whether you need it depends on your home qualification, which you can check through uni-assist.de.
Human medicine is a long programme that runs for roughly six years and concludes with state examinations rather than a single thesis. After graduating and passing the state exams you apply for the Approbation to practise. Exact durations and steps are set out on the official study-in-germany.de pages.
Public universities in Germany generally charge no tuition for medicine, though you pay a modest semester contribution and must prove you can cover living costs for your visa. Note that some federal states or private universities have different fee rules. Confirm current costs and visa financial requirements on daad.de and in our student visa for Germany guide.
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