Preferential admission due to a period of service

If you were admitted to Paderborn University at the start of or during a period of service but were unable to accept your place on account of this, you will be entitled to reapply for admission after the end of your period of service. If you do not reapply at the latest by the second application deadline following the end of your period of service, this entitlement will expire.

The term “service” refers to:

  • The performance of compulsory military or alternative civilian service pursuant to Article 12a of the Basic Law of the Federal Republic of Germany (GG) and the assumption of such compulsory military or alternative civilian service and corresponding duties for a period of up to three years
  • The performance of voluntary military service as a special civic engagement pursuant to the German Legal Status of Military Personnel Act (SG)
  • The performance of a federal voluntary service pursuant to the German Federal Volunteer Service Act (BFDG)
  • A minimum of twelve months’ service as a development aid worker pursuant to the German Development Workers Act (EhfG)
  • The performance of a youth voluntary service within the meaning of the German Act to Promote Youth Voluntary Services (JFDG) or as part of a model project funded by the German Federal Government
  • The supervision or care of a child under the age of 18 or of another relative in need of care for a period of up to three years

Required documents to be uploaded within the special application*:

  • Acceptance letter from Paderborn University
  • A (provisional) certificate of service for voluntary military service or temporary military service
  • Certificate from the relevant body for the approved voluntary service within the meaning of the BFDG/JFDG or for the model project funded by the German Federal Government
  • Certificate from the development service body confirming that you have completed a period of service with them pursuant to the EhfG
  • Documents that provide information about the need for (full-time) care, e.g. birth certificate, registration certificate, medical certificate

*If the special application is not submitted with all the required supported documents, these can still be submitted until 20/01/2023 (cut-off date).   

You can find further information on the role of periods of service on hochschulstart.de. Local admission restrictions at the individual higher education institutions are based on the same criteria as degree programmes subject to national admission restrictions (central allocation procedure).

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