The Latin term Numerus Clausus stands for “restricted number” and means that the number of applicants admitted must not be (much) higher than the number of available places (as calculated by the respective university).

Some Master's degree programs have an admission restriction. To see whether a study program has restricted admission, look out for the phrase “lokale Zulassungsbeschränkung (local admission restriction)” in the program description.

After deducting the preliminary quotas from the total number of places on a degree program with restricted admission, the remaining places are allocated in the following main quotas:

• 80% of places are allocated via the university quota. Which criteria are decisive for this quota and how they are weighted is defined in the admission regulations of the respective Master's degree program. The admission regulations can be found in the course descriptions.
• 20% of places are allocated according to waiting time. All semesters since the Bachelor's degree in which applicants were not enrolled at a German university count as waiting semesters. The maximum waiting period is 12 semesters

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NC-Tables showing the results of the last admission process (available in German only):

• Master (including teaching degrees) - in German only

1. Winter Semester
2. Summer Semester

The number of study places in the first semester is always decided anew for each semester with the admission regulations and published in the official gazettes of Freie Universität Berlin - in German only

Advance quotas 

Advance quotas apply to the following groups of applicants:

• Hardship quota: 5% of places are also allocated to hardship cases via an advance quota. Further information on hardship cases can be found on the application for immediate admission. 
• non-EU and stateless applicants: 5% percent of available places are reserved for non-EU and stateless applicants without German university degree: Selection is based only on the average grade of their university degree
• Top athletes: 2% of available places is given to applicants whose sponsorship is deemed as of public interest and who are, due to special circumstances, bound to a certain location, such as applicants who belong to one of the German Olympic Sports Confederation’s athletic squads at one of the Olympic training centers in Berlin or Brandenburg

Succession procedure  

If not all places were filled in the main procedure according to the above-mentioned quotas (e.g. because applicants did not accept the place), a succession procedure can be carried out.

If you would like to take part in the succession procedure, you must indicate this in the application portal.

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Lottery placement

Spots are finally awarded by lottery to applicants who have submitted a lottery application in due time prior to the start of the semester.