Application to the program
The programme is open to German and international students. It is possible to enrol in the winter semester which starts in September, or the summer semester which starts in March.
Requirements
For admission to the programme, a professional academic degree (Bachelor or equivalent) is required in the areas of computer science, mathematics, natural sciences, or engineering.
Another requirement is sufficient knowledge of concepts, methods and tools in the field of computer science. Such knowledge is usually acquired in a four-year computer-science course with at least 65% computer-science content. Programme applicants who have already graduated from a first level degree course in mathematical/scientific subjects or engineering can be admitted to the programme provided that the course had a computer-science content of, as a rule, at least 50%. They must also perform additional assignments, to be specified on an individual basis, worth up to 30 ECTS credits.
The third admission requirement is an internship through a project contract with the "Fraunhofer Institute for Autonomous Intelligent Systems" or another appropriate institution with which the University cooperates, or a project contract that has been approved by the Applications Commission. The paperwork for this internship is found within the application. Students must maintain a project contract during the entire period of study. Should a student's project contract be terminated or not renewed during the period of study and not be replaced within three months by a project contract recognized by the Applications Commission, the student will not be permitted to continue the programme.
Finally, candidates whose language of instruction for their academic degree was not English, and for whom English is not their native language, must document their proficiency in English. A minimum TOEFL score of 557 paper-based or of 220 computer-based, or equivalent, is accepted. The TOEFL code for the university is 7977 ("Fachhochschule Bonn-Rhein-Sieg"). Alternatively, a minimum IELTS score of 6.5 is accepted. No German language skills are required for the programme.
Admission is based solely on credentials and academic excellence.
Fees
In pursuit of academic excellence and the highest possible caliber of the best applicants from all over the world, the programme charges nominal fees for tuition. Each semester, a semester contribution fee and the tuition fee are due. The semester contribution fee includes is mandatory and includes a student administration office fee, a student union's fee and a public transportation fee.
The current fees per semester are given below. These change slightly from time to time.
| Bonn Student Administration Office (Studentenwerk) fee | 57 € |
| Public transport fee (SemesterTicket) | 91 € |
| Students' Union fee | 8.80 € |
| Tuition fees | 500 € |
Textbooks for the coursework are available at the library for loan, and need not be purchased.
The university itself does not offer scholarships, however, information on external scholarships through DAAD can be found here.
Deadlines
For International students:
For the Winter Semester: 1st of December the year before the semester starts
For the Summer Semester: 1st of June the year before the semester starts
For German students:
For the Winter Semester: 1st of July the same year as the semester starts
For the Summer Semester: 1st of January the same year as the semester starts
Application process
To apply, please email our Student Registrar's Office including the following:
- Your name as it appears in your passport, clarifying which is your first name and which is your family name
- The semester you would like to apply to
- Your nationality and country of residence
- An email address to which all future correspondence may be sent
Your email should reach us sufficiently in advance of the application deadline. As a first step you will receive a proficiency test by email which should be completed and returned within 24 hours. Shortly thereafter, you will be contacted by the Registrar's office and informed of the documents required to complete your application. These documents include, among other things:
- Completed application form
- Proof of academic degree
- Academic transcripts
- Current Curriculum Vitae
- Statement of purpose
- Proof of English language proficiency
Detailed instructions will be sent to interested candidates with the application form.
After receiving your application, the committee will review it and a decision will be made as to your admission. You may be invited for a telephone interview.
Notification
Students are notified of their admission decision by the following dates:
For the Winter Semester: April 1st
For the Summer Semester: October 1st
Letter of Admission
Once you are admitted to the program, you will receive an official Letter of Admission ("Zulassungsbescheid") from the Hochscule Bonn-Rhein-Sieg (BRSU).
Guidance on possible outcomes and next steps
Once admitted, please proceed with obtaining a visa and finding accommodation as soon as possible. You will receive a welcome pack with useful information for planning your move. Students accepted into the program are also assigned a study buddy: a student currently participating in the course who can answer questions about the course or about living in Bonn prior to your arrival in the area. Once you arrive, the study buddy can show you around and help in making the move a smooth one.
Applications may be rejected for a variety of reasons. Admissions criteria may not have been met with regard to the necessary computer science content in previous studies, or due to an insufficient level of English proficiency, for example. It may also be the case that the number of qualified applicants for the given semester far outweighed the number of seats in the course.
There are a number of steps you may take if your application was rejected. You may appeal the decision. In this case, the committee will re-examine your application. Please note that, in the vast majority of cases, the applications are once again rejected. If the reason that was given for the rejection is related to the minimum admissions criteria, you should remedy the problem before re-applying for admission to another semester. If there were not enough seats for all qualified applicants, you may write to the registrar and inform them that you would like to submit your candidacy for the following semester.
If you have any questions, please check the FAQ below. If your questions have not been answered, please contact the Registrar's office.
FAQ
Questions about the program:
Q: Is this course 'focused' only on robotics?
"Focused": yes; "only": no. We deal with *ALL* aspects necessary to build, program, operate, design and deploy robots. So, we cover some aspects of embedded systems, machine learning (as a facet which is good to have in a robot), localization and navigation (needed for GPS-based devices), neural networks, sensing (especially vision), risk estimation and many other topics. Yet, *MOST* of our examples and exercises are centered on application scenarios from robotics, such as in RoboCup: designing a filter that is able to detect the whistle of a referee reliably.
Questions about admissions:
Q: What if my TOEFL score is below the minimum requirement?
You will be asked to retake the TOEFL and apply once again.
Q: The requirements say I need an internship with Fraunhofer Institute. Do I have to apply for this internship separately before I arrive?
No you do not. Your application form itself serves as the request for internship.
Q: Can I apply to the MAS program if I don't speak any German?
Yes, you can apply for the course even if you speak no German. For your university life it is not necessary to speak German. You may want to take *SOME* courses in order to better understand and appreciate the local culture. You can take advantage of the free German courses offered to international students of the university.
Q: How and when will I be notified if I am admitted?
If you are admitted, you will receive an e-mail informing you that you were admitted, and the welcome pack will be attached. This will be followed by a post package with your formal acceptance letter and other important information on the program. All applicants will receive notification of their status at most four months after the application deadline. We realize that waiting is very difficult; however, we request that you do not call or email our offices to inquire about the status of your application.
Q: Can I get my acceptance letter in less than four months?
Yes, this is occasionally the case. You will be notified as soon as the decision has been made.
Q: I was accepted to the program for a given semester but am unable to come. Can I start my studies in the next semester without resubmitting my entire application?
You may "defer" admission to the following semester by sending an email to the Registrar's Office with the request along with a detailed explanation of the need to defer admission. You may only defer admission once and only to the following semester. If you need to attend after this, you must resubmit a full application.
Q: How do I know if I need preparatory courses?
Your admission letter may state that you would be required to take additional course work which may total a certain number of credits. You may not obtain "course credit" towards your degree with these courses.
Q: How do I get a letter indicating the cost of living for my bank loan?
The living expense per month for college students in Germany will be about Euro 650-750. It includes housing rent (student dormitory), meals, medical insurance, registration fee, transportation, books, stationary, living articles and others. This sum does not include tuition and fees. The tuition fees are between 600 and 700 Euros per semester. You may also wish to use the link of the Deutsches Studentenwerk: <http://www.internationale-studierende.de/en/prepare_your_studies/financing/costs_of_living> which lists the average cost at 770 Euro/month.
Q: In my rejection letter, it stated that I did not get a place for the internship. What is the reason for this?
If the number of qualified students exceeds the available number of internship seats for a given semester, it may be necessary to reject applicants. If you are still interested, you may re-apply for the following semester. However, a place is still not guaranteed.
Questions about the university:
Q: Are there German courses at the university that I can attend?
Yes, the university offers free German language courses to all enrolled students. Classes at several levels are provided each semester. Once admitted, you will be asked if you wish to participate in the classes and what your current level of German is.
Q: Are there any scholarships available to assist students?
The university and the program do not offer scholarships, however, you may find some here.
Q: Can I work while I study?
The program is very demanding and you will find that you need most of your time to study and keep up with the course and project work. Opportunities for student jobs at the university are limited and are generally offered to excellent students in their second semester. There are strict laws in Germany governing a student's ability to work and the time that may be invested in this. Be sure to familiarize yourself with them so as not to risk losing your "student status".
