The most important degrees in the German education system are the undergraduate Bachelor's and the postgraduate Master's degree. For an undergraduate degree you must be eligible for admission to German higher education institutions; postgraduate means that you must hold a university degree.

Germany is a federal country consisting of 16 individual states or Bundesländer. The state you choose to study in may be important as educational matters are the responsibility of the government of each individual state.

Germany is a federal state consisting of 16 individual states, or Bundesländer. In which of these states you choose to study may be important for you, as educational matters fall within the remit of the governments of the respective federal states.

Degree programmes in Germany are generally organised into semesters with most degree courses starting in the winter semester. The winter semester officially begins in September, and the summer semester in March and this is when the classes at the universities of applied sciences normally start. However, at many universities the first classes of each semester often start a month later in October/April.