Application
What is MoBi?
An overview of the course content, structure, and selection process can be found in the linked document.
1. First-time applicants
For the 2025/26 winter semester
Study places: 83
Start of semester: October 1, 2025
Start of lectures: October 13, 2025
Freshers' week: Two weeks before lectures begin – information will be sent by email.
German and EU citizens, as well as foreign nationals with a German university entrance qualification, can apply from June 1, 2025 via the DOSV at the Hochschulstart foundation.
In addition, applicants must also apply to Heidelberg University online.
International prospective students (non-EU foreigners) without a German university entrance qualification do not participate in the Hochschulstart procedure (DOSV) and only need to apply to Heidelberg University. It is also advisable to contact the International Relations Office.
For foreign students, Heidelberg University offers a Foundation Semester (with preparatory courses) through the Studienkolleg.
German language skills (DSH 2) must be proven when applying.
How does the selection process (DOSV) work?
Applications to the Hochschulstart foundation can be submitted between June 1 and July 15.
All required documents must be uploaded digitally (e.g., as PDF files) to the University of Heidelberg's applicant portal. Paper documents may not be sent with the application.
Please do not forget to include official proof of extracurricular achievements.
All documents must be saved as a single PDF file with a meaningful file name (e.g., “Application Documents John Doe”).
To ensure that your online application is processed quickly and smoothly, it is advisable to upload the relevant documents as early as possible.
The selection interviews will take place on July 29, 2025.
The selection interviews will be held digitally.
Please note: The selection interviews will only take place on one day. There will be no exceptions or alternative dates, as the ranking will be determined immediately after the interviews.
Applicants will receive invitations to the interviews by email one week in advance. You can find a detailed schedule in the link on the right.
It is therefore essential that you provide your correct email address (please also check your spam folder!). Applicants must ensure that they have sufficient free capacity in their email inbox!
The best applicants will receive confirmation of a place at university from the Hochschulstart foundation shortly (within one to two weeks).
For data protection reasons, you will only receive an email from Hochschulstart informing you of a change in status. Applicants must check the status change online in the respective portals.
After that, the study place offer can be viewed at the Hochschulstart foundation. Applicants must accept the offer online and, after linking to Heidelberg University, will receive a letter of admission in their applicant account. The letter is stored there as a PDF file and must be downloaded and printed out. At the same time, online enrollment must be completed. Please note: no written admission letters will be sent in paper form.
If you are unable to take up your place at university until next year due to a voluntary social year or similar, you must print out your letter of admission, as it will no longer be available after a certain period of time. Only with a written letter of admission can you claim a place at university in the following year under the “anticipation” rule.
After online enrollment, all required documents must still be sent to the university in paper form and, in some cases, as certified copies.
Only applicants who have also participated in the selection interviews can take part in a possible replacement procedure. If a replacement procedure is necessary, it will not start until the end of September at the earliest.
Please pay attention to the prioritization! The prioritization can still be changed at the Hochschulstart foundation until August 21, 2025. An offer for a place at the university that was specified as the first priority will automatically be converted into an admission.
If you did not list our degree program as your first priority but still want to attend our university, please accept the offer immediately. Otherwise, it may be replaced by an offer from a higher priority in your Hochschulstart account. Please watch for an email announcing a change in your applicant status.
How are your application documents weighted?
We do not have an “NC” (minimum grade requirement). The selection process works as follows: A ranking list is created based on the average grade achieved in the Abitur (German university entrance qualification) and other achievements. Other achievements include:
- Successful participation in extracurricular science competitions in higher grades (at least grade 10), such as Jugend forscht, Science Olympics, Känguru der Mathematik, Bundeswettbewerb Mathematik, or similar.
- Relevant internships with a minimum duration of four weeks (no BoGy!).
- Social engagement (leadership role, e.g., in the church, Scouts, sports club, etc.)
- Federal voluntary service of at least six months.
The top 250 applicants (out of a total of approximately 800) in the ranking will then be invited to selection interviews. Here, each applicant will have two 15-minute opportunities to explain their motivation for the program in individual interviews with a lecturer. Current topics in biotechnology may also be part of the interviews.
For the final ranking, the results of the preliminary selection and the interviews are weighted equally, meaning that the average high school grade accounts for over a third (37.5%) of the overall score.
University transfer students and career changers
Before applying to the Student Administration Office at Heidelberg University, please contact our Study and Examination Office.
Otherwise, there may be difficulties in recognizing your previous academic achievements.
Please note: The application deadline for students changing universities and career changers is always
- July 15 for the winter semester and
- January 15 for the summer semester!
We have introduced the academic year, which means that we only have semesters 1, 3, and 5 in the winter semester and semesters 2, 4, and 6 in the summer semester.
Students transferring from other universities and career changers must swear an affidavit that they have not yet lost their right to take exams.