Studying without Abitur (Baccalaureate)

The Division of Student Affair's web page ‘Abitur and more’ offers:

• an overview of regulations and requirements regarding university entrance qualifications for various types of school and vocational qualifications.
• Information on taster programmes.

Legal basis

• Thuringian Higher Education Act (External linkThüringer Hochschulgesetz, ThürHG) External link effective from 10 May 2018, Sections 67, 70
• Thuringian Ordinance on the Equivalence of Further Vocational Training for Admission to Higher Education (External linkThüringer Verordnung über die Gleichwertigkeit beruflicher Fortbildung für den Hochschulzugang)  External link effective from 18 June 2009
• Enrolment Regulations of Friedrich Schiller University Jena ( deImmatrikulationsordnung der Friedrich Schiller Universität Jena)External link effective from 16 September 2019.
• Statutes on Alternative Access Routes to Higher Education for Vocationally Qualified Students at Friedrich Schiller University Jena (pdf, 33 kb · deProbestudium-Satzung) External linkof 24 February 2015

A general overview of the legal basis and procedures for applying for an assessment of your university entrance qualification is available in the University’s brochure ‘Hochschulzugang ohne Abitur in Thüringen’ [PDF, 662 KB] pdf, 679 kb · de (Higher Education Access in Thuringia Without a University Entrance Qualification, last edited March 2020).

• News of Friedrich Schiller University Jena, published 28 April 2015: ‘Vom Beruf ins Studium – auch ohne Abitur’ External link
• News of Friedrich Schiller University Jena, published 18 May 2017: "Für mich der perfekte Weg”External link 

Preparing for university always involves the question of how you will finance you studies. In addition to the usual financing options, professionally qualified students can benefit from additional funding possibilities:

• The Aufstiegsstipendium des BundesExternal link offers full-time and part-time study support for students with professional qualifications.
• BAföG state grant, independent of parents’ incomeExternal link
• Various degree programmes at Friedrich Schiller University Jena offer students the possibility to enrol for part-time studies. This offers students with vocational training the opportunity to combine part-time work with part-time studies. These students are not eligible to receive BAföG. However, they may be entitled to ALGII, housing benefit, or child allowance. Before starting your part-time studies, you should take advantage of the general social counselling services offered by Studierendenwerk Thüringen to find out which financing options are available to you.
• There are also various continuing education and certificate courses that you can complete alongside your employment.
• The Federal Ministry of Education and Research's Continuing Education Scholarship  External link offers government grants to help with the costs of specialist or cross-occupational continuing education and training up to a maximum of 8,100 euros, spread over three funding years. They also cover extra-occupational degree programmes that build on training or employment.
• Guidelines for the promotion of vocationally gifted persons during higher education studies, Federal Gazette of 24 December 2020 External link