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Master’s · Biology & Life Sciences

Biological Resources M.Sc.

Rhine-Waal University of Applied Sciences · Kleve · Official programme page

20 facts from 8 official pages · last checked 14 November 2026

Reviewed by Dennis Maaß, admission and immigration expert
Published 8 November 2026 · Last reviewed 8 November 2026

Key facts

Length, deadlines and costs

Language
English
Source
“Language of instruction English”

www.hochschule-rhein-waal.de/en/biological-resources-msc · checked 14 November 2026

Study mode
On campus
Source
“All courses are offered at the designated campus.”

www.hochschule-rhein-waal.de/en/biological-resources-msc · checked 14 November 2026

The page names one physical campus and offers no online or distance variant; HSRW publishes no online-only degree programme.

Attendance
Full-time
Source
“Study mode Full-time / Part-time / Work integrated”

www.hochschule-rhein-waal.de/en/biological-resources-msc · checked 14 November 2026

A part-time (working) option extends the standard duration from three to six semesters, with the first two full-time semesters spread over four part-time semesters and about two days a week on campus.

Length
3 or 6 semesters
Source
“Standard study duration 3 semesters”

www.hochschule-rhein-waal.de/en/biological-resources-msc · checked 14 November 2026

Three semesters full-time; six semesters in the part-time (working professionals) mode, which the examination regulations also govern.

Credits
90 ECTS
Source
“Den Modulen eines Masterstudienganges sind nach Maßgabe des § 6 Absatz 5 in der Summe 90 Kreditpunkte zugeordnet.”

www.hochschule-rhein-waal.de/fileadmin/upload_redaktion/Dezernate/Rechtl_Akadem_Angelegenheiten/Regelungen_der_zentralen_Ebene/NGF_RPO_idF_d._4.%C3%84S_v._02.04.2024.pdf · checked 7 November 2026

Institution-wide figure from the General Examination Regulations (RPO); the programme pages give only the standard study duration of three semesters and no credit total.

Intakes
Winter, Summer
Source
“Start of studies 1 September 1 March”
“Exception: The Master’s programme in Biological Resources will not be offered in the summer semester of 2027.” page

www.hochschule-rhein-waal.de/en/biological-resources-msc · checked 14 November 2026

Both starts in general, but HSRW's master's application page states that this programme will not be offered in the summer semester of 2027, so the next intake is winter 2027/28.

Non-EU deadline
15 Jul 2027 (winter 2027)
Source
“Winter semester: 15 July Summer semester: 15 January”
“Exception: The Master’s programme in Biological Resources will not be offered in the summer semester of 2027.” page

www.hochschule-rhein-waal.de/en/biological-resources-msc · checked 14 November 2026

HSRW publishes one deadline for all nationalities; there is no separate non-EU deadline. The selection and admission statutes make 15 July (winter) and 15 January (summer) binding cut-off dates, with documents submitted late still considered until 20 July and 20 January respectively. No summer 2027 deadline is listed because HSRW's master's application page states that this programme will not be offered in the summer semester of 2027; the standing summer deadline is 15 January.

Non-EU tuition
None
Source
“For the 2026/27 winter term, the termly fee is €365.10. The termly fee comprises several components: Social contribution: €120.00 Student Union fee: €15.30 Deutschlandticket: €226.80”

www.hochschule-rhein-waal.de/en/study/all-about-university-life/costs-and-funding/tuition-fees · checked 14 November 2026

None of the components of the termly fee is a tuition fee, and HSRW's fee statute (Hochschulabgabensatzung) sets no tuition and no surcharge for non-EU students. The DAAD International Programmes entry for every Rhine-Waal programme states "No tuition fees". North Rhine-Westphalia charges no tuition for first degrees.

Application fee
€75 one-off uni-assist handling fee for the first chosen course of study, per semester€30 one-off uni-assist handling fee for each additional chosen course of study in the same semester
Source
“Cost for the first chosen course of study: EUR 75.00 For each additional chosen course of study: EUR 30.00”

www.uni-assist.de/en/how-to-apply/apply-online/pay-submit/ · checked 14 November 2026

HSRW charges no application fee of its own: its fee statute lists none, and applicants with a German qualification apply free of charge through the university portal. The fee is uni-assist's, which is the compulsory route for everyone whose university entrance qualification was obtained outside Germany; it is charged again for a new semester. Marked appliesTo "non-eu" because the uni-assist route follows from a foreign qualification, not from nationality.

Places
Unrestricted
Source
“Entry requirements Unrestricted admission (no Numerus Clausus)”

www.hochschule-rhein-waal.de/en/biological-resources-msc · checked 14 November 2026

No cap on places: applicants who meet the formal requirements are admitted (zulassungsfrei). The fact box explains the label as "Unrestricted: enrolment is possible for nearly every German Abitur; international qualifications require verification first."

Admission

What you need to apply

3-year bachelor’s
Accepted with conditions
Source
“Wird der Abschluss eines Studienganges nachgewiesen, der weniger als 210-ECTS Punkte oder sieben Regel-Vollzeitsemester, aber mindestens 180 ECTS-Punkte oder sechs Regel-Vollzeitsemester umfasst, kann die Einschreibung abweichend von Absatz 1 mit der Auflage erfolgen, dass Module im fehlenden Umfang während des Masterstudiums nachzuholen sind.”

www.hochschule-rhein-waal.de/fileadmin/upload_redaktion/Dezernate/Rechtl_Akadem_Angelegenheiten/Regelungen_der_zentralen_Ebene/NGF_RPO_idF_d._4.%C3%84S_v._02.04.2024.pdf · checked 7 November 2026

A three-year, 180-ECTS bachelor's is admissible but not sufficient on its own: the normal requirement is 210 ECTS or seven full-time semesters. Applicants with 180-209 ECTS can be enrolled on condition that they make up the missing credits (at most 30 ECTS) during the master's, under a Learning Agreement concluded with the examination board; admission to the master's thesis is withheld until those credits are proven.

Subject background
A first degree in the natural sciences, agricultural sciences or economics, with at least 10 ECTS in the natural sciences, at least 10 ECTS in environmental or agricultural sciences, and at least 30 ECTS in total from mathematics/statistics, chemistry, biology, economics and social sciences, and environmental/agricultural sciences. Before registering the master's thesis, applicants must also prove at least 20 weeks of relevant practical experience or a semester abroad.
Source
“A “related field” within the meaning of Section 4a (1) RPO is defined as any degree programme in the following domains: a. Natural sciences b. Agricultural sciences c. Economics … they must have obtained at least 10 CP (ECTS) in the natural sciences as well as at least 10 CP (ECTS) in environmental sciences / agricultural sciences; altogether, applicants must have obtained at least 30 CP (ECTS) in total”

www.hochschule-rhein-waal.de/fileadmin/upload_redaktion/Dezernate/Rechtl_Akadem_Angelegenheiten/Pr%C3%BCfungsordnungen/PO_Fakult%C3%A4t_LS/Master/Biological_Resources/en/Exam_Regulations_BR_3rd_AS_21_Jan_2026.pdf · checked 14 November 2026

Minimum grade
At least 2.2 on the German grading scale (or an "A" or "B" on the ECTS grading scale) in the first degree.
Source
“applicants must have achieved a final mark of at least 2.2 on to the German grading scale (or alternatively an “A” or “B” on the ECTS grading scale)”

www.hochschule-rhein-waal.de/fileadmin/upload_redaktion/Dezernate/Rechtl_Akadem_Angelegenheiten/Pr%C3%BCfungsordnungen/PO_Fakult%C3%A4t_LS/Master/Biological_Resources/en/Exam_Regulations_BR_3rd_AS_21_Jan_2026.pdf · checked 14 November 2026

The programme page only says "A good final grade"; the 2.2 threshold comes from the examination regulations as amended on 21 January 2026. The grammatical slip "at least 2.2 on to" is HSRW's.

How your grade is converted
Not stated by the university
3 pages checked, 14 Nov 2026

The regulations give the German threshold and an ECTS-grade alternative but name no formula for converting foreign grades; RPO Section 4a (6) leaves equivalence of foreign degrees to the KMK/HRK equivalence agreements and, in case of doubt, to the Zentralstelle für ausländisches Bildungswesen.

English
Level B2. IELTS 5.5 · TOEFL iBT 72 · PTE 59. Cambridge: Preliminary English Test (PET) with Distinction, or First Certificate in English (FCE) grade B or C. B2 column of the institution-wide table: IELTS Academic 5.5, TOEFL iBT 72 (or 4 as of 21.01.2026), PTE Academic 59-75, TOEIC Listening and Reading 785-944 (Speaking 160-179, Writing 150-179), telc B2-Zertifikat, UNIcert II, Cambridge PET with Distinction or FCE grade B/C, BEC Vantage, ILEC, ICFE, Cambridge IGCSE 1st or 2nd Language with a B2 average. A secondary school diploma or a completed degree from the U.S., Canada, Great Britain, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland or a few Caribbean states is also accepted. Duolingo and TOEFL Home Edition are not listed in the table.. Exemption: On request only: applicants may ask the examination board to waive the B2 proof, and the regulations name one justified ground - a professionally-qualifying bachelor’s degree "that was taught in English in an English-speaking country as defined in Annex 1" (Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, the Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Ireland, Jamaica, Canada, New Zealand, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, the United Kingdom and the United States), which does not include India, Nigeria or Pakistan. The board decides on each request. The requirement counts as met automatically for anyone who completed their bachelor’s in English at HSRW itself. The institution-wide "Accepted English Language Proofs" table also accepts, in place of a test: a German university entrance qualification with English on the final diploma and at least the grade "ausreichend", or confirming B2 or B2/C1 skills; an IB Diploma including the subject "English" with at least 5 points; a secondary school diploma or a completed degree from the U.S., Canada, Great Britain, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland or a few Caribbean states; and, subject to approval, a completed degree in the subject "English Language".
Source
“Category: B2 C1 … IELTS IETLS Academic IETLS Academic (minimum score: 5.5) (minimum score: 7.0) … TOEFL iBT (minimum score: 72 or 4 as … PTE Academic (score 59 - 75)”

www.hochschule-rhein-waal.de/fileadmin/upload_redaktion/Dezernate/Studierendenangelegenheiten/Studierendenservice/Accepted_English_Language_Proofs__15_.pdf · checked 14 November 2026

Scores come from HSRW's institution-wide "Accepted English Language Proofs" table, which has one B2 and one C1 column. The table does not mention Duolingo or the TOEFL Home Edition, and no HSRW page says whether either is accepted, so neither is recorded as accepted or rejected. RPO Section 4a (6a) sets B2 for every English-taught master's programme and lets the individual examination regulations ask for C1 instead: "Für Masterstudiengänge, die in englischer Sprache stattfinden, ist die erforderliche Sprachkenntnis durch ein Zertifikat der Niveaustufe B2 gemäß Common European Framework (CEF) nachzuweisen. Die Prüfungsordnungen können ein höheres Sprachniveau mit Stufe C1 fordern." This programme's regulations add an exemption on request: "These requests are justified, for example, for persons applying on the basis of a professionally-qualifying bachelor’s degree that was taught in English in an English-speaking country as defined in Annex 1." and the requirement counts as met for anyone who completed their bachelor's in English at HSRW itself.

German
Not needed when applying
Source
“Proof of German language proficiency is not required for English-taught degree programmes.”

www.hochschule-rhein-waal.de/en/study/before-starting-university/application-process/guide-for-international-applicants · checked 14 November 2026

HSRW sets no German level for its English-taught programmes at application, during the degree or at graduation; German courses are optional and offered by the Centre for Internationalisation and Languages.

GRE / GMAT / GATE
Not stated by the university
3 pages checked, 14 Nov 2026

Neither the page nor the regulations mention GRE, GMAT, GATE or TestAS; recorded as not stated rather than inferring "not required" from silence. The Master's degrees page lists an extra aptitude test only for Bionics, Mechanical Engineering and Information Engineering and Computer Science.

Other required tests
Relevant practical experience of at least 20 weeks, or a semester abroad (before registering the master's thesis)
Source
“Further entry requirements: For the Biological Resources, M.Sc. programme, you must provide evidence of 20 weeks’ relevant professional experience or a semester spent studying abroad.”

www.hochschule-rhein-waal.de/en/study/before-starting-university/application-process/masters-degrees · checked 14 November 2026

Not an admission test: the proof is due by the time the master's thesis is registered, not at application. The fields accepted are agricultural, environmental or natural sciences and the bioeconomy.

Selection
Open admission (no Numerus Clausus): applicants who meet the formal requirements are admitted without a selection process. For applicants with a foreign qualification the uni-assist assessment and HSRW's final decision still apply.
Source
“Entry requirements Unrestricted admission (no Numerus Clausus)”

www.hochschule-rhein-waal.de/en/biological-resources-msc · checked 14 November 2026

India, Pakistan, Nigeria

Rules for applicants from India, Pakistan and Nigeria

English test waiver
Not stated by the university
4 pages checked, 14 Nov 2026

The examination regulations let applicants request an exemption from the B2 proof, but the only justified ground they name is a bachelor's degree "that was taught in English in an English-speaking country as defined in Annex 1", and Annex 1 lists only Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, the Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Ireland, Jamaica, Canada, New Zealand, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, the United Kingdom and the United States, not India, Nigeria or Pakistan. The examination board decides on each request, so HSRW does not state whether an applicant from those countries can be exempted.

Rules that name these countries
None named on the pages checked

The rules for your country across all universities, and the visa rules on English tests, are on the India, Pakistan and Nigeria pages.

More on this programme

Every value was read on an official page and is stored with a verbatim quote; open “Source” to see it. “Not stated by the university” means none of the pages we checked says, and lists those pages. Rules change: confirm with the university before you apply or pay.