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Master’s · Civil Engineering, Building & Construction

Civil Systems Engineering M.Sc.

Technische Universität Berlin · Berlin · Official programme page

22 facts from 11 official pages · last checked 8 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
“Instruction and examinations in compulsory modules are … conducted in English. The compulsory elective component … includes modules to teach students the language skills they need for the German job market.”
“Language of instruction English” page

www.static.tu.berlin/fileadmin/www/10000000/Studiengaenge/StuPOs/Fakultaet_VI/EN/CivilSystemsEngineering_M.Sc._2023_EN.pdf · checked 8 November 2026

Within the compulsory elective and elective components students may choose modules in English and in German; up to 18 of the 42 compulsory elective credits can be German language modules (A1 to B2) or Technical English C1.

Study mode
On campus
Source
“As a student of a Berlin university, your primary residence must be located within the university's catchment area.”

www.tu.berlin/en/studying/organizing-your-studies/re-registration-co · checked 8 November 2026

No TU Berlin page offers this programme as distance learning; enrolled students must register a primary residence in Berlin or Brandenburg. Students of extra-occupational (continuing education) master's programmes are exempt from that rule.

Attendance
Full-time
Source
“The program can be completed part-time. The respective advisory services can assist with drawing up an individual degree schedule.”

www.static.tu.berlin/fileadmin/www/10000000/Studiengaenge/StuPOs/Fakultaet_VI/EN/CivilSystemsEngineering_M.Sc._2023_EN.pdf · checked 8 November 2026

The regulation allows the programme to be completed part-time.

Length
4 semesters
Source
“Standard period of study 4 semesters”
“The standard period of study, including writing the master's thesis, is four semesters.” page

www.tu.berlin/en/studying/study-programs/all-programs-offered/study-course/civil-systems-engineering-m-sc · checked 8 November 2026

Credits
120 ECTS
Source
“Students must earn a total of 120 credits, of which 90 credits … are awarded for modules and 30 credits for the master's thesis.”

www.static.tu.berlin/fileadmin/www/10000000/Studiengaenge/StuPOs/Fakultaet_VI/EN/CivilSystemsEngineering_M.Sc._2023_EN.pdf · checked 8 November 2026

Intakes
Winter
Source
“The program starts in the winter semester.”

www.static.tu.berlin/fileadmin/www/10000000/Studiengaenge/StuPOs/Fakultaet_VI/EN/CivilSystemsEngineering_M.Sc._2023_EN.pdf · checked 8 November 2026

Non-EU deadline
15 May 2027 (winter 2027)Applications open 1 April 2027.
Source
“Application for English-language master's programs with restricted admission: 01.04.2027 until 15.05.2027”
“Applications with international academic credentials have the same deadlines as non-international applications (see below). To apply, you must also submit a VPD (preliminary review documentation) from uni-assist.” page

www.tu.berlin/en/studying/applying-and-enrolling/dates-deadlines · checked 8 November 2026

Applicants with foreign certificates have the same deadline as everyone else but must also hold a uni-assist VPD by then; uni-assist needs four to six weeks (it advises eight), so the VPD has to be requested well before. There is no conditional or provisional admission: every requirement must be proven by the deadline.

Non-EU tuition
None
Source
“There are no tuition fees to pay at TU Berlin. The only exceptions to this are continuing education master's programs.”

www.tu.berlin/en/studying/organizing-your-studies/financing-your-studies · checked 8 November 2026

Application fee
€75 one-off uni-assist handling fee for the first chosen course of study in a semester; the same fee applies to the VPD procedure TU Berlin uses€30 one-off 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 … he costs are the same for all forms of application, whether standard or VPD procedure”

www.uni-assist.de/en/how-to-apply/apply-online/pay-submit/ · checked 8 November 2026

TU Berlin charges no application fee of its own; applicants with foreign certificates must pay uni-assist's handling fee for the mandatory preliminary review documentation (VPD).

Places
Restricted (limited places)
Source
“Admission Restricted admission”
“The number of eligible candidates for the selection process can … be restricted. It must be at least double the designated number” page

www.tu.berlin/en/studying/study-programs/all-programs-offered/study-course/civil-systems-engineering-m-sc · checked 8 November 2026

A lottery for leftover places was held for winter 2026/27 in this programme, so the cap is not always binding.

Places for non-EU applicants
Separate quota · 8% of the available study places (preliminary quota under § 15 BerlHZG) · inside the quota as in the main procedure: 80% of places by the faculty's selection-procedure score, 20% by waiting time
Source
“8% of the available study places are reserved for applicants of foreign nationality and stateless persons who meet the academic requirements, provided they are not considered equivalent to German citizens. … 80% of the available study places will be allocated by the result of the selection process and 20% by waiting time”

www.tu.berlin/en/i-a-office-of-student-affairs/masters-application-enrollment/allocation-of-study-places · checked 8 November 2026

Applicants who hold EU, Icelandic, Liechtenstein or Norwegian nationality, and non-EU nationals treated as equivalent to Germans, are ranked on the main list instead. A master's applicant may submit only one master's application per semester at TU Berlin.

Admission

What you need to apply

3-year bachelor’s
Case by case
Source
“The department in the Central University Administration … responsible for enrollment and admissions decides on the subject relevance of programs within the meaning of Section 3 (1) no. 1 and Section 3 (2), as well as the equivalence of the … credits required to fulfill the requirements specified in Section 3 (1) no. 2 and 3 on the basis of a vote by the examination board … responsible for the study program.”

www.static.tu.berlin/fileadmin/www/10000000/Studiengaenge/StuPOs/Fakultaet_VI/EN/CivilSystemsEngineering_M.Sc._2023_EN.pdf · checked 8 November 2026

The Application and Admission Regulations set module credit minima but no minimum total number of credit points or semesters for the first degree, so a three-year 180-ECTS bachelor's is not excluded; the central administration decides on the examination board's vote.

Subject background
A bachelor's or equivalent university degree in civil engineering, architecture or a related programme, containing at least 12 credit points in constructive mechanics, at least 6 in a design project for a structural engineering system and at least 6 in computational design or computer science.
Source
“1. A bachelor's or equivalent university degree in a degree … program in civil engineering, architecture, or a related … 2. Technical knowledge amounting to … At least 12 CP in constructive mechanics … At least 6 CP acquired in a design project for a … structural engineering system … At least 6 CP in the area of computational design or”

www.static.tu.berlin/fileadmin/www/10000000/Studiengaenge/StuPOs/Fakultaet_VI/EN/CivilSystemsEngineering_M.Sc._2023_EN.pdf · checked 8 November 2026

Applicants also submit two academic letters of reference written in English by professors, a motivation letter of at most two pages and their previous academic record.

Minimum grade
Not stated by the university
2 pages checked, 8 Nov 2026

No cut-off grade; the overall grade of the previous programme is the first of the ranking criteria, alongside a selection interview conducted in English.

English
Level C1. IELTS 7 · TOEFL iBT 95 · TOEFL band 5 · PTE 76. Cambridge: C1 Advanced with grade A, B or C. Also accepted at this level: UNIcert III, Oxford Test of English C1 (at least 141 points in every competence area), DAAD ZEMS language assessment C1 in all competence areas, ZEMS English-LV C1.2 (grade 2.0 or better). TOEFL test centre code for TU Berlin applications: 2727.. Exemption: Only the German Abitur is listed as an exempting qualification (advanced English course with at least 11/15 points for C1, or English taken for at least seven years with at least 11/15 points for B2); beyond that "further exempting proofs may be determined and checked by the persons responsible for the study programme", for example an English-language school-leaving certificate giving access to higher education
Source
“The master's program is taught in English. Applicants are therefore required to provide proof of English skills at level C1 according to Common European Framework of reference for Languages (CEFR) or an equivalent level.”
“Min. 4.5 (87+) Min. 5 (95+) … B2 First (min.B) C1 Advanced (A-C) … Min. 6.5 Min. 7 … 65 76 approx. $250 US … All certificates should not be older than 2 years.” page

www.tu.berlin/en/studying/study-programs/all-programs-offered/study-course/civil-systems-engineering-m-sc · checked 8 November 2026

Scores come from TU Berlin's central overview of accepted English certificates, which has two columns: "Recommended score for level B2+" (TOEFL iBT 4.5 / 87+, IELTS Academic 6.5, PTE 65, Cambridge B2 First grade B, Oxford Test of English B2.2 with 126 points, UNIcert II) and "Recommended score for level C1" (TOEFL iBT 5 / 95+, IELTS 7, PTE 76, Cambridge C1 Advanced A-C, Oxford C1 with 141 points, UNIcert III). Neither the TOEFL iBT Home Edition nor the Duolingo English Test appears anywhere in TU Berlin's list, so toeflHomeEdition and duolingoAccepted are left undefined rather than set to false. For a TOEFL certificate TU Berlin asks applicants to use uni-assist test centre code 2727. Certificates must not be older than two years. The Application and Admission Regulations confirm C1: "English language proficiency at Level C1 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages or an equivalent standard".

German
Not needed when applying. During studies: German language modules from A1 to B2 can be taken as compulsory elective credits. By graduation: German at B1, confirmed by the examination board, is required to register the master's thesis
Source
“Proof of sufficient German skills at B1 level must also be presented. The examination board is responsible for the recognition of language skills. A confirmation of language level from the examination board is to be submitted along with the application for admission to the master's thesis.”
“Knowledge of German is useful as some courses/modules are offered in German. However, this is not a condition for admission to studies.” page

www.static.tu.berlin/fileadmin/www/10000000/Studiengaenge/StuPOs/Fakultaet_VI/EN/CivilSystemsEngineering_M.Sc._2023_EN.pdf · checked 8 November 2026

The only English-taught programme in this dataset that makes German a condition of graduating: B1 is needed before the master's thesis can be registered. The regulation also states that the programme aims for "Sufficient German language skills to work for German employers".

Selection
Ranked selection with a selection interview conducted in English by two members of the selection committee, at least one a TU Berlin professor, on the applicant's aptitude, motivation and reasons for choosing the programme. Criteria: overall grade of the preceding programme, the interview, and the total number of points. Applications must include a motivation letter of about one A4 page and two letters of reference written in English by professors in relevant disciplines.
Source
“The selection interview is conducted in English by two members of the selection committee authorized to conduct exams in accordance with Section 6 (1) no. 2. At least one of the interviewers must be a professor at TU Berlin.”
“two academic letters of reference written by professors of a recognized university, a motivation letter in max 2 pages explaining why the offered program is of interest” page

www.static.tu.berlin/fileadmin/www/10000000/Studiengaenge/StuPOs/Fakultaet_VI/EN/CivilSystemsEngineering_M.Sc._2023_EN.pdf · checked 8 November 2026

India, Pakistan, Nigeria

Rules for applicants from India, Pakistan and Nigeria

English test waiver
No waiver stated for India, Nigeria or Pakistan: plan for an English test
Source
“English language skills are required for all English-language degree programs.”

www.tu.berlin/en/i-a-office-of-student-affairs/masters-application-enrollment/admission-requirements/language-skills · checked 8 November 2026

TU Berlin's central list of exempting proofs covers only the German Abitur and, at the programme's discretion, an "English-language school leaving certificate opening access to higher education"; it does not give applicants from India, Nigeria or Pakistan a country-based waiver, and a medium-of-instruction letter is not on the list. The Urban Management programme states the point explicitly: applicants from countries where English is the official language or the language of instruction still have to take a test. Individual programmes differ (Ecology and Environmental Planning, Urban Ecosystem Sciences, Geodesy, Computational Neuroscience and Global Production Engineering publish their own rules), so check the programme record.

Rules that name these countries

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.