Numerus Clausus (NC) Values
Admission restrictions, NC & waiting semesters
What is the NC?
The NC is colloquially known as the average grade of the (German) 'Abitur' with which a study place in a particular degree programme can be obtained. At Bielefeld University, any waiting semesters are also taken into account here. The staff, people who receive the last study place determine the NC value with their Abitur grade (including waiting period if applicable).
The NC is therefore not a predetermined value, but is only determined after an allocation procedure.
Note on medicine: There is a separate allocation procedure and different criteria.
Frequently asked questions
- Is my A-levels enough?
You can never say that in advance! The NC values are only ever calculated in the current news allocation procedure itself, so they are only ever finalised afterwards.
You should therefore always apply and not be put off! Theoretically, it is always possible for all (eligible) applicants to be admitted to a degree programme with admission restrictions. Admission restrictions only come into effect when the number of applicants exceeds the number of available study places.
- How many semesters do I have to wait?
Bielefeld University's application portal automatically calculates how many semesters you have been waiting for based on the data entered.
Waiting semesters are the half-years after completion of the (German) 'Abitur' in which an application was not enrolled at a German university and thus "waited" for the later degree programme. The periods from 1 April to 30 September and from 1 October to 31 March are counted as half-years.
Staff, people who are enrolled in part-time and distance learning degree programmes no longer receive a waiting period for the corresponding half-years. Due to the protection of legitimate expectations, periods of study completed before the 2014/15 winter semester in part-time and distance-learning degree programmes are still exempt from the waiting period.
- How do the waiting semesters affect my average A-level grade?
For 80% of admissions, the average Abitur grade is improved by a value of 0.1 for each waiting semester . Only a maximum of seven waiting semesters can be recognised.
- An Abitur average of 2.9 is therefore improved by a value of 0.3 with 3 semesters of waiting time. A ranking of 2.6 is then used in the admission procedure.
- An Abitur average of 3.2 is only improved by the maximum value of 0.7 with 10 semesters of waiting time. A ranking list value of 2.5 is then used in the admission procedure.
- Will my chances improve by applying for a higher subject related semester?
If you want to start a degree programme and cannot enrol in the first subject-related semester due to the NC (admission restrictions), you may be able to improve your chances of a study place and enrolment by having your previous academic achievements recognised and being placed in a higher subject-related semester.
- What is the difference between approval and admission?
approval
In addition to the General higher education entrance qualification, approval requirements describe the linguistic or subject-related aptitude. In other words, the knowledge and skills you need to have in order to be suitable for certain degree programmes. Hence the term "aptitude tests". Subject aptitude is tested before and during application and enrolment. For Master's degree programmes, this check is carried out by the respective Faculty, for all other degree programmes by the student office. The student office will also check any necessary German language skills.
You will be informed of the result of the access examination by the respective Faculty in the notice of approval for Master's degree programmes.
For applications to undergraduate degree programmes (Bachelor's, state exam(ination), 1st examination), the evidence will be checked as part of the enrolment process. Applicants will only be contacted if there are any further questions. Information on approval requirements and aptitude tests
admission
Have you been granted admission? This means that you have been offered one of the coveted study places and your average grade in your A-levels (including any waiting semesters) was good enough. You will be informed of the result of the admission procedure (s) in the notice of admission or in the rejection letter .
- Admission restrictions: Why are they necessary?
The number of available study places is limited in degree programmes that are in particularly high demand. This serves the quality assurance of the degree programme, as it is intended to ensure that sufficient teaching staff, laboratory workstations and rooms are available for students, for example.
- In detail: What criteria are used to select the applicants?
The selection of applicants for admission-restricted bachelor courses and the first state examination(ination) in Law is based on different criteria in the two main quotas as follows (for state examination courses in Medicine, see degree programme information):
- 20 per cent according to the average grade of the Abitur alone,
- 80 per cent according to the average grade in the Abitur and the number of semesters spent waiting.
Very important: The admission restrictions only come into effect when the number of applicants actually interested in a study place exceeds the number of available study places. Applicants are then selected according to the specified criteria.
In addition to the two main quotas mentioned here, there are also smaller special quotas.
- What other criteria and quotas are there?
A fixed number of study places are reserved for special groups. These include
- Second degree applications
- Special cases of hardship/hardship cases and disadvantaged applicants
- Applicants without (German) 'Abitur'
- Applications during a period of service
- Top athletes
- Minors
More information on special cases in the application process.
Open-admission degree programmes without NC
NC values for degree programmes with restricted admission
The values given here for undergraduate degree programmes are from the selection procedure at Bielefeld University. Waiting semesters are therefore included.
The values for Master's degree programmes are from the main quota. Different values may be available for non-EU applicants.
- Application for the summer semester
Subject Variant 2024 2023 Law First examination A.z. A.z. English Studies: British and American Studies Combination: KF A.z. A.z. English Studies: British and American Studies Combination: NF A.z. A.z. Educational Science Combination: KF A.z. A.z. Educational Science Combination: NF A.z. A.z. Law Combination: NF A.z. A.z. Educational sciences GymGe: NF A.z. A.z. German studies GymGe: KF A.z. 2,7 German Studies GymGe: NF A.z. A.z. Pedagogy subject GymGe: NF 2,5 1,9 Educational sciences HRSGE A.z. A.z. German Studies HRSGE A.z. A.z. Educational sciences G A.z. A.z. Educational sciences - Integrated Teacher Training for Special Education G-ISP A.z. A.z. Sociology Master A.z.z. A.z.z. Sports Science, Organisational Development and Management Master's degree A.z.z. A.z.z. Economic Sciences Master A.z.z. A.z.z. - Application for the winter semester
Subject Variant 2024/25 2023/24 Law First examination 3,7 3,6 Biochemistry 1 subject 3,3 2,5 Bioinformatic Genome Research 1 subject 3,3 - Biology 1 subject 2,8 2,8 Clinical Linguistics/ Speech Therapy 1 subject 2,7 2,9 1 subject A.z. A.z. Molecular Biology 1 subject 2,6 1,9 Molecular Biotechnology 1 subject 2,8 2,0 Psychology 1 subject 1,3 1,3 Law and Management 1 subject 2,4 2,6 Sports Science 1 subject 2,5 3,6 Environmental Sciences 1 subject 3,6 2,7 Economic Sciences 1 subject 3,2 A.z. English Studies: British and American Studies Combination: NF A.z. A.z. Biology Combination: KF A.z. A.z. Biology Combination: NF A.z. A.z. Educational Science Combination: KF A.z. 3,4 Educational Science Combination: NF A.z. A.z. Genome Research Combination: NF A.z. A.z. Fundamentals of Cognitive Systems Combination: NF A.z. A.z. Psychology Combination: NF 1,8 1,6 Law Combination: NF A.z. A.z. Economics Combination: KF 1,6 1,9 Educational sciences GymGe: NF 2,9 2,5 German Studies GymGe: KF 2,8 2,2 German Studies GymGe: NF 2,8 2,5 Sports Science GymGe: KF 2,8 3,0 Sports Science GymGe: NF 2,3 2,1 Pedagogy as a subject GymGe: NF 2,5 2,3 Educational sciences HRSGe A.z. 3,3 German Studies HRSGe A.z. 3,2 Sports HRSGe A.z. A.z. Educational sciences G A.z. 2,7 Educational sciences - Integrated Teacher Training for Special Education G-ISP A.z. 3,3 Sports G A.z. 2,4 Behaviour: From Neural Mechanisms to Evolution Master A.z.z. A.z.z. Ecology and Enviromental Change Master A.z.z. A.z.z. Genome Based Systems Biology Master A.z.z. A.z.z. Master 2,0 1,9 Molecular Cell Biology Master 10 pts. A.z.z. Molecular Biotechnology Master 10 pts. A.z.z. Data Science Master A.z.z. A.z.z. Public Health Master A.z.z. A.z.z. Sociology Master A.z.z. A.z.z. Applied Psychology: Diagnostics, Counselling and Training Master 16 pts. 18 pts. Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy Master 1,6 1,69 Psychology with a focus on Experimental Psychology Master 7 pts. 9 pts. (BA grade 1.8)
legend
- A.z. = All applicants were admitted
- A.z.z. = All eligible EU-applicants were admitted
- TBA = To be announced
- 1-subject = 1-subject Bachelor (academic Bachelor)
- Kombi-KF/ Kombi-NF = core subject/ minor subject in the combined bachelor's degree
- GymGe: KF/ NF = advanced secondary/ minor subject in the combined bachelor (Advanced Secondary and Comprehensive Schools))
- HRSGe = combined bachelor's degree for the teacher-training programme at Hauptschule, Realschule, Sekundarschule and Gesamtschule
- G = combined bachelor's degree for the primary school teacher-training programme
- G-ISP = combined bachelor's degree for Primary Schools with a focus on Special and Inclusive Education
Does a particular degree programme not appear in these lists? Then it is open admission, i.e. without NC.
Study places are allocated in accordance with the NRW allocation regulations.
NC Values 2021-2024
These overviews show the NC values of the subjects with local admission restrictions in the allocation procedures of the last three winter and summer semesters.
| Winter Semester | Summer Semester |
|---|---|
| 2024/25 (main procedure) | |
| 2023/24 (1ST NRV) | 2024 (main procedure) |
| 2022/23 (2ND NRV) | 2023 (main procedure) |
| 2021/22 (2ND NRV) | 2022 (2ND NRV) |
*NRV = succession procedure
The allocation of study places was carried out in accordance with VergabeVO NRW.
