English-Taught Master's in Germany Without German: Requirements and Application

Short answer: Yes, there are English-taught Master's programmes in Germany that you can apply to without German. Admission depends on two separate things: the academic background the programme asks for (subject of your Bachelor's, modules, grade) and the proof of English it asks for. Each programme decides which tests and scores it accepts and whether a previous degree taught in English can replace a test. Some English-taught programmes also expect basic German at a certain stage.

#Can you do an English-taught Master's without German?

Yes. TU Berlin's Computer Science (Informatik) M.Sc., for example, is taught in English and its official page states no German requirement for admission. But "taught in English" is not the same as "you will never need German":

• Part of the courses can be in German. In TU Berlin's Civil Systems Engineering M.Sc., some modules are taught in German; German is not an admission requirement there, but it helps.
• Some programmes ask for German at a specific stage. TUM's English-taught Aerospace Bachelor's requires a German certificate of at least A2 by the end of the application deadline.
• In everyday life, student jobs and the job search after graduation, German often makes a real difference.

So check the language of instruction and any extra German requirement on each programme's page.

Context: In the 2024/25 winter semester, 46.7% of all international students enrolled at German higher education institutions were studying for a Master's degree. This share covers all international students enrolled at the time, not new applicants, and is not specific to any country.

Source: ApplyToGerman Germany Student Statistics Report 2026 (prepared by the ApplyToGerman team), p. 3; Wissenschaft weltoffen kompakt 2026, Figure 11.

#Academic fit and language requirement are separate

Your application answers two different questions:

1. Are you academically eligible? Programmes usually expect a Bachelor's in a related subject, certain modules or credits and sometimes a minimum grade. Some add an aptitude assessment or an entrance exam; TU Darmstadt's Computer Science M.Sc., for example, has an entrance exam.
2. Do you meet the programme's language requirement? An excellent English certificate does not make up for missing academic requirements, and the other way round.

How a foreign Bachelor's degree is assessed and when uni-assist or a VPD is needed is covered in our guide to doing a Master's in Germany.

#Which English certificates are accepted?

There is no single rule for Germany. The programme or the university decides which tests and scores it accepts. The examples we checked on official pages show how much this varies:

Source: the programmes' and universities' official pages, checked on 10 October 2026. Scores can change between intakes.

Programmes at the same university can ask for different levels: at TU Berlin, Computer Science asks for B2 and Civil Systems Engineering for C1. Don't treat one university's score as a minimum for all of Germany.

IELTS Academic or General Training? According to IELTS, the Academic test is the usual choice for study at university level; General Training is meant for migration and for training below degree level. RWTH Aachen's Data Science M.Sc. explicitly requires the Academic test.

How long is a TOEFL score valid? ETS states that TOEFL iBT scores are valid for two years from the test date. Make sure your result will still be valid when you apply.

#Applying "without IELTS": medium of instruction and other routes

If your Bachelor's was taught in English, some programmes accept this instead of a test. This is often called a medium of instruction (MOI) certificate. It is not a right; the university and the programme decide:

• TUM: a previous degree taught at least 50% in English can count. If your documents don't state the language of instruction, you can submit an official confirmation from your previous university.
• Universität Heidelberg, Scientific Computing: if you studied in a system with English as the main language of instruction, a short personal statement can replace the certificate.
• Universität Bremen, Space Engineering: a school-leaving certificate or most recent degree obtained in English counts.
• TU Berlin, Computer Science: a Bachelor's taught in English counts only if it was completed in an English-speaking country.
• RWTH Aachen, Data Science: MOI certificates are generally not accepted.

So applying "without IELTS" does not mean applying without any proof of English. A degree taught in English in a country where English is not an official language will not meet a rule that asks for a degree from an English-speaking country, even if it meets a rule based on the language of instruction. Check this for each programme.

#Extra German requirement: at application, enrolment or during your studies?

An English-taught programme can still require German. What matters is the stage:

• At application: TUM's Aerospace B.Sc. is taught in English but requires a German certificate of at least A2 by the end of the application deadline.
• At enrolment and during your studies: TU Braunschweig's bilingual Bachelor's in Sustainable Engineering of Products and Processes lets you start with A2 at enrolment; you need DSH-1 or TestDaF 4x3 by the end of the third semester.
• Not required, but useful: in TU Berlin's Civil Systems Engineering, some modules are in German.

These rules belong to individual programmes. Don't assume another programme works the same way.

#Find a programme → check the requirements → apply

1. Find a programme. On our English-taught programmes page you can filter fully English and bilingual Master's programmes separately. If you'd rather start with a university, universities with English-taught programmes shows examples checked on official pages. The DAAD's international programmes database is another good starting point.
2. Read the programme's official page. Language of instruction, academic requirements, proof of English, any extra German requirement, application route (uni-assist or the university's own portal) and the deadline for your applicant group.
3. Prepare your documents. Degree certificate and transcript with translations if needed, the English certificate or the alternative the programme accepts, and the motivation letter, CV or references the programme asks for.
4. Apply and follow up. Check on the programme page which portal to use and when each document is due. Whether the language certificate is needed at application or at enrolment differs between programmes.

For German certificates (TestDaF, DSH, telc, Goethe), see German level and language certificates for university.

#English-taught programme, everyday life in German

Even when your programme is in English, flat hunting, official letters and many student jobs work in German. Starting German early makes this much easier. Visa process and life without German: Visa process for an English Master's and life in Germany.

#Frequently asked questions

#Do I need IELTS for an English-taught Master's in Germany?

There is no single rule. The programme decides which tests it accepts (IELTS, TOEFL or others) and with which scores, and some accept a previous degree taught in English instead. In the official examples we checked, the required level ranges from B2 to C1.

#My Bachelor's was taught in English. Is that enough?

It depends on the programme. TUM accepts a degree taught at least 50% in English, RWTH Aachen's Data Science generally does not accept MOI certificates, and TU Berlin's Computer Science only counts an English-taught Bachelor's from an English-speaking country.

#Will I never need German in an English-taught programme?

For admission, often not. But some programmes require basic German at a certain stage and some modules can be in German. German also makes everyday life easier.

#Can I apply with a lower GPA?

Academic requirements and the language requirement are separate. Grade thresholds, places and selection criteria differ from programme to programme; check the programme's admission regulations or application page.

#Sources

Checked on 10 October 2026.

• TU Berlin – Computer Science (Informatik) M.Sc. and Faculty IV English requirements
• TU Berlin – Civil Systems Engineering M.Sc.
• TU Darmstadt – Computer Science M.Sc.
• TUM – Data Engineering and Analytics M.Sc., TUM – language certificates and TUM – Aerospace B.Sc.
• Universität Heidelberg – Scientific Computing M.Sc.
• Universität Bremen – Space Engineering M.Sc.
• RWTH Aachen – Data Science M.Sc. application
• TU Braunschweig – Sustainable Engineering of Products and Processes B.Sc. application
• IELTS – test types and ETS – TOEFL iBT score validity