This FAQ is for informational purposes only. Only the study regulations published in the official bulletin of the Humboldt Universität zu Berlin are legally binding. It is still under construction.
General Questions on the Program
There is no general online option for the Master in Statistics. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic currently all teaching is done online, but this will change as soon as the pandemic is over/under control.
The master program does not offer itself preparation classes for german. But the Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin offers courses as “German as a Foreign Language” in the Language centre. These courses are booked out very quickly.
There are several possibilities outside the university, for example Goethe Institut here, which is much more expensive than in most other countries. Volkshochschulen offer a cheaper way. And of course there are a lot of private schools which offer german courses.
The Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin offers a central information service (Compass).
The International office of the Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin offers a Guide for International Students.
Yes, if you apply for admission, you have to a approve that your level of German is at least B1. Which documents are valid, can be found under “Spezielle Kenntnisse 3” in the program specific admission rules (German: Fachspezifische Zugangs- und Zulassungsregeln des Master Statistik, non-official translation into English: Subject specific access and admission rules for the ZSP-HU).
The mandatory course Stochastik I is in German but almost all others courses are held in English.
Each winter term will be a fixed number of study places allocated. If you fulfill the admission requirements then
- a small number of study places will be allocated through special quotas, for example hardship cases with a separate application,
- a larger number of study places will be allocated by waiting time (full non-studying terms before the master), and
- the majority of study places will be allocated by grade.
For questions to 1. and 2. contact Compass.
Application
A self-assessment for fullfiling the requirements for the masters program is an obligatory part of your application documentation. All information given in the self-assessment has to be proven by adding corresponding pages from official module descriptions (e.g. “Studienordung” or “Modulhandbuch”). You have to list the courses and the corresponding number of ECTS which are necessary for fulfilling the master programs requirements. The Admissions Committee will then decide about crediting the courses. It is not possible to give information on specific courses beforehand.
- There have to be available studying slots in the higher study semester, which is seldomly the case.
- If you fulfil regular admission requirements and you have completed the necessary creditable courses at time of application you can apply for a higher study semester. For example, if you want to apply for the 2nd semester in summer, you need 30 completed ECTS from the Statistics Master program at time of application (usually in January) in addition to the credits needed for regular admission.
The application periods can be found on the “Academic calendars and deadlines” page of the HU Berlin for all study programs. The entry referring to the MSc. Statistics is “Master of Arts/Science mit Zulassungsbeschränkung”.
No. But you could register as guest student (“Nebenhörer”) to already take some courses in the summer semester and then apply for the winter term, for HU see the corresponding information of the course guidance centre on the HU website.
No. Your application will be evaluated only by the documents you provided till the application deadline.
Applicants from the People’s Republic of China, Vietnam and India need an APS certificate.
Yes. If you are missing ECTS, whether in Specialized knowledge 1 or in Selection criterion 2, you can use the time until the next application period to acquire the missing ECTS.
Acquire the missing ECTS in the winter term. Enroll in a bachelor program for this purpose, e.g. in a bachelor in mathematics. Or enroll as a guest auditor or a visiting student and take courses. Please note that only courses that have been completed with an examination at a recognized higher educational institution can be recognized.
In the summer semester, you can already take basic courses from the master’s program in statistics and have them recognized later if you have been accepted into the master’s program in statistics.
Yes, it is possible to apply for the program while you are still in your bachelor. Therefore, you have to verify that you need less than or equal to 30 ECTS to finish your bachelor. Additionally, you have to state the missing courses and the expected bachelor grade. If you are accepted to the program, you have to prove that you finished the bachelor till the end of your first master semester with the expected grad (or better). If your grade is worse, you might be exmatriculated since the expected grade is used in the admission process. You can find the regulations and needed document in the general admission regulations of the HU Berlin (German: Nichtamtliche Lesefassung der Fächerübergreifenden Satzung zur Regelung von Zulassung, Studium und Prüfung der Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin).
The following documents should be submitted with the application:
- Secondary school leaving certificate with an overview of subjects and
grades, please refer to the country information in the application portal - Overview of subjects and grades for your degree programme (Transcript
of Records / Diploma Supplement) - Module handbook (description of the learning content of your degree
programme to date) - Degree certificate from the university or, in the graduation phase,
confirmation of when you will graduate - Official translation of documents not issued in German or English
- Proof of the language skills required by the Subject-specific access
and admission rules for the Master’s programme (see
https://www.stat.de/wp-content/uploads/2.2.3.23.-2019-Statistik-E-3.pdf). - self-assignment form on admission requirements and selection criteria.
This form(s) is available as a PDF document on the application portal. - Complete curriculum vitae (from the beginning of school education to
the date of application) - Copy of passport or identity card; if you have more than one
nationality, all supporting documents - If you are currently studying at a German/Austrian college/university:
Certificate of enrolment stating the subjects and semesters studied. - If you have already studied at a German/Austrian university:
Exmatriculation certificate/confirmation of leaving with details of the
subjects studied and the subject-related semesters. - For applications from China, Vietnam and India: Certificate of the
Academic Examination Centre (APS)
For further details see
https://www.hu-berlin.de/de/studium/bewerbung/bewerbung-und-zulassung/informationen-fuer-internationale-studieninteressierte/bewerbungsfristen-und-dokumente-zur-bewerbung-fuer-masterstudiengaenge
(in German).
Admission regulations
The admission rules contain no regulation concerning the date of the language certificates.
Yes, you can use the table on the comparison of language exams (English) of the Language centre HU to obtain the score that is needed.
There is no general information on the grades needed. It varies depending on the year you apply and the mathematics courses you took before, more information on calculating the application grade can be found in the program specific admission rules (German: Fachspezifische Zugangs- und Zulassungsregeln des Master Statistik, non-official translation into English: Subject specific access and admission rules for the ZSP-HU in the pdf document in III.b)). Information on the NC of previous years can be found on the HU website in the “Studienorientierungstool” esra.
Universities often allow you to exmatriculate after a short period of time following enrolment; in most cases, you will also receive a partial or full refund of the fees.
So enrol for the other Master’s programme. As soon as you receive an admission letter for the Master’s in Statistics, exmatriculate for the other Master’s programme and enrol yourself for the Master’s in Statistics.
1. You submit your application either directly to Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin or to uni-assist.
2. About a month after the application deadline, the Central Admissions office at Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin recorded your data, converted your Bachelor grade and checked your language certificates. After that, all documents (in German or English) are sent to the admission committee of the Master’s programme.
3. Within the next two or three weeks, the admission committee of the Master’s programme will check whether you have more than 30 ECTS for admission and determine your grade for the ranking.
4. The results will be entered in the online application system. For any
questions to your results use mscstatistics@lists.hu-berlin.de.
5. After a little more than two months, the admission or rejection notices should be sent out.
The time period between the end of the application period and the sending of the notification depends on the number of applications that the Central Admissions Office of Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin and the Admissions Committee of the Master’s programme have to process.
The calculation is done with the modified Bavarian formula and it requires:
1. the best possible grade Nmax,
2. the lowest grade Nmin at which you would still have passed, and
3. your grade Nd, which you received.
Your grade in the German system is then calculated as
x = 1+3*(Nmax-Nd)/(Nmax-Nmin)
The conversion is carried out by the Central Admissions Office at Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin. In individual cases, the calculation may differ from the modified Bavarian formula.
Example: In the Netherlands, the best possible grade is Nmax=10 and the lowest grade with which you can pass is Nmin=6. If your grade is Nd=8, then in the German system this corresponds to 1+3*(10-8)/(10-6) = 2.5.
If your bachelor program contains courses such that you fulfill the “Specialised knowledge 1” criterium then it counts as study program with a quantitative emphasis. Otherwise the admission commitee has to decide.
Yes, for example all degrees counting as a “degree in a study programme with a quantitative emphasis”. However, the admission commission decides whether specific degrees are accepted.
The admissions Committee has the final decision on whether a course is recognised as quantitative or not. Please provide a description on the content of the courses, especially if it is not clear.
You can indicate credit-bearing courses from all study programmes in the
self-assignment forms that you have taken, including from Master’s
programmes.
Courses that are usually recognised as quantitative:
- All mathematics, statistics and econometrics courses
- All courses that focus predominantly on mathematics, statistics or econometrics
- Computer courses in statistical software, e.g. R, STATA, SPSS
Courses that are partly recognised as quantitative:
- Computer science courses
- Logic courses
Courses that are not recognised as quantitative:
- Courses without an examination or without an existing examination result
- All courses that are not predominantly focused on mathematics, statistics or econometrics.
- Game Theory
- Operations Research
- Macroeconomics, microeconomics and other economics courses
- Logistics
- Internships
- Theses
- Activities as tutors or working students
- Courses from non-governmental accredited higher education institutions, e.g. EdX, Coursera, Udacity and others.
Financials
No, there is no specific scholarship program for the Master program. Although you could apply for general scholarship programs.
There are no tuition fees, but some administrative fee (ca 300 €) must be paid every semester which includes payment for a public transport pass for Berlin for 6 months. The exact fees are listed under payment of standard fees and dues on the HU Guide for international students.
Yes, if you are an international student and have to apply via uni-assist.de, you can find the fees on the website under handling fees.
In principle, yes. Jobs for students are offered at irregular intervals in the Moodle course for the Master’s in Statistics and on stat.de. Special rules may apply for foreign students. Details, further information and links can be found at HU International or at the student staff council (both in German).
During studies - Recognition of Classes
This has to be done with Mrs. Kaboub (kaboub@wiwi.hu-berlin.de). Send her the Examination Recognition Form together with the grades transcript for each course.
If the course is not taken from the study regulation list of courses or should be credited in the ÜWP, you first have to certify it as equivalent to a course from the study regulation. This has to be sent to the intructor of the equivalent course.
In the ÜWP all modules can be recognised that are identified as ÜWP and are in module catalogues of other programs of HU or institutions that participate in the Statistics Masters program. Also, other external courses, such as language courses taken abroad, can often be recognised. You then need to provide proof of how many ECTS were achieved and it needs to be approved by the examination committee.
For the Überfachlicher Wahlbereich (ÜWP), there exists a module that can be used to credit courses from other universities, e.g. a Chinese culture class in Hong Kong. This can be done for all ECTS in the ÜWP.
All courses that
- non-state-recognised higher education institutions. This includes e.g. courses from Udacity, Coursera, etc.
- have not been completed with an examination.
A course can be recognised
- as equivalent to an existing course in the Master’s Programme in Statistics,
- as a non-equivalent course in a specialisation area in the Master’s Programme in Statistics,
- as a non-equivalent course outside a specialisation area in the Master’s degree in Statistics, and
- in the Interdisciplinary Compulsory Elective Courses (Überfachlicher Wahlbereich/ÜWP).
Case:
- (1) If the course is equivalent to an existing course of the Master’s degree in Statistics, fill in the form https://www2.hu-berlin.de/mscstat/wp-content/uploads/Aequivalenz.pdf. Have the lecturer of the equivalent course sign the form to certify the equivalence. Submit the signed form WITH a grade certificate to Ms. Kaboub. Example: You want to have the course “Modern Methods of Data Analysis” at Heidelberg University credited as “Data Analysis I” (I.2.2). Then the lecturer of “Data Analysis I” must sign your form.
- (2 + 3) If the course is NOT equivalent to an existing course of the Master Statistics, then fill in the form https://www.stat.de/wp-content/uploads/Anerkennung-Pr%C3%BCfungsleistung-SO-2016-1.pdf. Submit the form WITH a grade certificate to Ms. Kaboub. She will forward your application to the Examination Committee for approval.
- (4) If the course is to be recognised in the interdisciplinary elective area (ÜWP), then complete the form https://www.stat.de/wp-content/uploads/Anerkennung-Pr%C3%BCfungsleistung-SO-2016-1.pdf. Submit the form WITH a certificate of the ECTS earned to Ms Kaboub. She will forward your application to the Examination Committee for approval.
You can attand an equivalent course during your master. The lecturer of the mandatory course decides which courses are equivalent and you need an equivalence form signed by her.
In the case of Stochastik 1 you could do the following: 1) show that you attanded an equivalent Stochastik 1 course during your bachelor 2) attend e.g. Stochastics 2 and count it as your Stochastik 1 grade in the master program.
During Studies - General
No, after a positive admission decision and a successful enrollment at the assigned university, you have to apply for registration at the two other participating universities. The relevant information will be made available to the applicants in the course of the application procedure via the admissions portal.
The relevant information will be made available to the applicants in the course of the application procedure via the admissions portal.
During Studies - Semester Abroad
If you are unable to write an exam locally due to a stay abroad, then there is the possibility of organising an invigilation via the local examination office at the host university and writing it there at the same time.
Yes. You can apply for a semester (or a full academic year) abroad through all four universities:
Please contact the corresponding international offices for possibilities and details.
HU Berlin International Office at the School of Business and Economics
FU Berlin Division International Affairs
TU Berlin Student Mobility & International Students
Charité International Cooperation
If you plan to take courses for credit, you should prepare a Learning Agreement before the semester abroad. There is no guarantee of credit for courses taken afterwards.
For credit transfer as
- an equivalent course in the Master’s programme, please contact the lecturer and have him/her sign the Learning Agreement and the Course Equivalency Form,
- a course in a specialisation area, please contact a lecturer from the specialisation area and have him/her sign the Learning Agreement and the Examination Recognition Form,
- a course in the elective area, please contact the study advisor for the Master’s programme and have him/her sign the Learning Agreement and the Examination Recognition Form.
After the semester abroad please hand in the transcript, the Examination Recognition Form for each course, as well as the Course Equivalency Form if applicable to Ms Kaboub.
Master's Thesis & Graduation
Send by the deadline at the latest:
- 2 paper copies (with signed declaration of academic honesty) to
Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Lehrstuhl für Ökonometrie, z.Hd. Fr. Kaboub, Spandauer Str. 1, 10099 Berlin - the electronic version of the thesis in pdf format by e-mail to Ms Kaboub: econome1@wiwi.hu-berlin.de
No, the timing of the examinations in the modules is decisive. If a module is no longer required in the chronological sequence, it will be entered in the transcript as surplus.
The first supervisor of a master thesis has to be from one of the institiutions participating in the program, e.g. the School of Economics FU Berlin. Preferably, the first supervisor gives courses from the Statistics Master program. The second supervisor might be external but needs to be approved by the examination board.
You have to send an email to Mrs. Kaboub (kaboub@wiwi.hu-berlin.de) with the Registration Form Master Thesis.