Application

Source: https://humboldt-llm.hu-berlin.de/application Parent: https://humboldt-llm.hu-berlin.de/

Photo: S. Klenke

If you are applying with a first degree from an international university, applications will have to be submitted online through an external partner platform (Uni-Assist).

If you are applying with a first degree from a German university, applications will have to be submitted online through the Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin's application portal.

Note for both application portals: A drop-down menu in the application portals will ask you to select the start semester for which you are applying. Please select 'Winter semester 2026/27'. Otherwise, the Humboldt Master of Laws programme will not appear in the list on the next page.

The deadline for all applications has been shifted to 31 March 2026.

Application Document Checklist

- The required documents must be submitted to and in accordance with the Uni-Assist guidelines.
Uni-Assist requires translated and notarised copies of certain documents. You must check in advance on the Uni-Assist website which documents these are.

Applicants are also asked to familiarise themselves with the country-specific requirements of Uni-Assist.

The following documents shall be submitted with the application:
- Copies of all relevant university degrees and diplomas
- Copies of all relevant university transcripts
- All transcripts shall include a list of courses that are required in order to obtain the relevant university degree or diploma. The transcript shall also detail the type, title, and grade achieved for each course, as well as the applicant's overall Grade Point Average (GPA).
- Optional (if provided by the university): module handbook (that is a description of the learning content taught during the degree course)
- Optional (if provided by the university): Diploma supplements and grading system chart
- 2 (two) signed and dated letters of recommendation in support of the application to the Humboldt Master of Laws
- The reference letters are in particular useful to prove that the applicant meets the professional work experience requirement.
- Internship, employment or other professional work experience confirmation/certificate/evidence that the applicant fulfils the work experience requirement, including start and end dates and number of hours per week (if not fully covered by the applicant's reference letters)
- Documentation proving English language proficiency at a Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) level of B2 or higher
- Copy of passport(s) or identification card(s)
- A curriculum vitae (CV)
- A signed and dated letter of motivation, with a maximum of 4,000 characters (excluding spaces)
- If applicable also: certificate from the academic testing center (APS) (for applications from China, Vietnam and India)

Application Period

- The application period opens on 1 December 2025 and closes on 31 Mach 2026 for entry in October of the same year.
Applicants are recommended to organise their application documents before the application period begins, to ensure they are fully prepared when applications can be submitted. This is because uni-assist takes time to review documents and missing documents can only be submitted before the application deadline.

Application Requirements

- - Professional degree equivalent to 240 ECTS credits
- Applicants holding a 180-ECTS bachelor's degree are also welcome to apply. The Master's degree obtained will be fully valid, but applicants should be aware that having fewer than 300 ECTS in total may limit access to certain follow-up qualifications (e.g., PhD admission, regulated professions and careers in public-sectors).
- Knowledge of foreign (non-German) law equivalent to 120 ECTS credits – as part of a law degree programme. Competences relating exclusively to European law and/or international law are not taken into account.
- Qualified practical professional experience of not less than one year, completed after obtaining the degree and before the application period.
- Proof of English language skills at a minimum level derived from level B2 of the "Common European Framework of Reference for Languages: Learning, Teaching, Assessment" (CEFR) can be provided by for example the following language certificates (non-exhaustive list):
- UNIcert® II-Certificate (minimum score of 3.0)
- DAAD Language Certificate with four stars in all areas and no less than a C in any area
- Cambridge First Certificate in English (FCE)
- Cambridge English: Business Vantage (BEC V)
- Business Language Testing Service (BULATS): 60
- Linguaskill: B2 in all skills
- Oxford Test of Englisch: B2 in all skills
- International English Language Testing System (IELTS): minimum score of 5.5
- Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), Internet-based: minimum score of 72
- London Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) English for Business (EFB): Level 3
- Test of English for International Communication (TOEIC): Speaking and Writing: 310 in combination with Listening and Reading: 785
The required language level can also be demonstrated in particular by one of the following certificates:
- UNIcert® III- or IV-Certificate
- Cambridge English: Advanced (CAE)
- Cambridge English: Proficiency (CPE)
- Cambridge English: Business Higher (BEC H)
- International Certificate in Financial English (ICFE)
- International Legal English Certificate (ILEC)
Applicants with a language certificate not listed above may contact hu.master.of.laws@hu-berlin.de to enquire about the eligibility of this specific certificate.

A language certificate is not required in the following situations

- - Native speakers who can show that they have spent eight out of the first twelve years of their lives in a country where English is the official language
- Applicants who can provide an English-language High School Diploma or English language undergraduate degree (180 ECTS or equivalent)
- Applicants who can provide proof of English-language coursework and examinations amounting to at least 20 ECTS credits (or equivalent), each of which was acquired as part of a course of study at a state or state-recognized higher education institution
- Applicants who can provide proof of the subject English as a continued foreign language in the last four semesters of the Abitur (qualification phase) and a performance level of at least 5 grade points or a performance level corresponding to this

Admissions Timeline

- May - The application process concludes with a decision regarding your application. You can expect to receive the decision in May. This timing leaves the successful applicants with more than 4 months to organise their arrival in Berlin before the start of lectures in mid-October.
All applicants are strongly encouraged to start taking care of what is needed to be able to study in Germany as soon as possible. This is especially true if the applicants require a study visa or external financing. Start planning early!

May/June - Within two weeks after receiving the admission decision, the successful applicants will be required to make an initial payment of 2,250.00 € to secure their place in the programme. This payment is non-refundable. However, do not worry, once successfully enrolled as a student, it will be counted toward the tuition fee due for the current academic year.

August - In order to become a student at Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin the successful applicants will need to be formally enrolled. The enrollment is a formal step that can be completed online. Once enrolled, you will receive a letter with access details to the university's online platform AGNES. It will allow you to generate a personal QR code, which is needed to obtain your student card (Campus-Card). To receive this letter you need an address suitable for delivery within Germany before 15 September (a P.O. Box address is possible).

October - The Humboldt Master of Laws lecture period starts in mid-October each year. Admitted students are welcome to join orientation event activities shortly before the start of classes.