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Master’s · Mechatronics, Robotics & Automation

Automation and Safety (ISE) M.Sc.

University of Duisburg-Essen · Duisburg · Official programme page

20 facts from 6 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 and German
Source
“lectures offered in German and English language of instruction (50% of the lectures in German, 50% of the lectures in English)”

www.uni-due.de/ise/ · checked 9 November 2026

UDE's course database labels the ISE programmes "Bilingual". The ISE programme page states the split: half the lectures in German, half in English. English is required to apply, German is required at enrolment and B2 German is the admission requirement for the German-taught modules, so the degree cannot be completed in English alone. Two profiles: Automation and Control Engineering, and Safe Systems.

Study mode
On campus
Source
“Studienort Campus Duisburg”

www.uni-due.de/studienangebote/studiengang.php?id=11 · checked 9 November 2026

Length
4 semesters
Source
“Dauer 2 Studienjahre bzw. 4 Semester”
“gängen nach § 1 Abs. 2 beträgt vier Semester” page

www.uni-due.de/studienangebote/studiengang.php?id=11 · checked 9 November 2026

Four semesters (two years) is the standard period of study for every ISE master's programme.

Credits
120 ECTS
Source
“Das Master-Studium umfasst 120 Credits.”

www.uni-due.de/studienangebote/studiengang.php?id=11 · checked 9 November 2026

90 credits of coursework plus a 30-credit master's thesis (processing time six months).

Intakes
Winter, Summer
Source
“Beginn Wintersemester und Sommersemester”

www.uni-due.de/studienangebote/studiengang.php?id=11 · checked 9 November 2026

Non-EU deadline
31 Jan 2027 (summer 2027)31 Jul 2027 (winter 2027)
Source
“Winter semester For courses with admission restrictions (NC): 01 May - 15 June For courses without admission restrictions: 01 May - 31 July Summer semester For courses with admission restrictions (NC): 01 November - 15 December For courses without admission restrictions: 01 November - 31 January”

www.uni-due.de/international/international-admissions-en.php · checked 9 November 2026

Standing annual application periods for applicants from non-EU countries published by UDE's admissions office (Einschreibungswesen); the page prints day and month, not the year. The International Office's older page (last modified 2025-09-19) gives later dates for programmes without admission restrictions (15 September for the winter and 15 March for the summer semester); the admissions office page is newer and runs the procedure, so its dates are recorded. Applicants who need a visa should apply as early as the period allows.

Non-EU tuition
None
Source
“The University of Duisburg-Essen does not charge tuition fees. However, all students must pay the student services and student body fees each semester.”

www.uni-due.de/international/international-admissions-en.php · checked 9 November 2026

Only the semester contribution is due; North Rhine-Westphalia charges no tuition fees at state universities and none that depend on nationality.

Application fee
Not stated by the university
3 pages checked, 9 Nov 2026

UDE publishes no application fee for applications made in its own portal, and does not state that none is charged.

Places
Unrestricted
Source
“Zulassung zulassungsfrei”

www.uni-due.de/studienangebote/studiengang.php?id=11 · checked 9 November 2026

"zulassungsfrei": no fixed number of places and no numerus clausus; admission depends only on meeting the access requirements.

Admission

What you need to apply

3-year bachelor’s
Case by case
Source
“Bachelor's degree in an appropriate subject area with adequate length of studies and with an average mark of at least 3.0 issued in Germany or a foreign equivalent.”
“chelorstudiengang "ISE" hat einen Umfang von 180 ECTS-” page

www.uni-due.de/ise/admission.php · checked 14 November 2026

Neither the programme page nor the joint examination regulations of 5 September 2024 set a minimum number of credits or years: § 2 (1) asks for an ISE bachelor's degree of UDE or an equivalent degree and leaves the equivalence decision to the examination board. UDE's own ISE bachelor's degree is six semesters and 180 ECTS, so a three-year 180-ECTS bachelor's degree is not ruled out by its length; the board still decides case by case, and it may impose up to two additional courses.

Subject background
A first professionally qualifying degree from an ISE bachelor's programme of UDE or an equivalent degree from another German or foreign university in an appropriate subject area, with an average mark of at least 3.0 on the German scale; the examination board decides on equivalence.
Source
“Bachelor's degree in an appropriate subject area with adequate length of studies and with an average mark of at least 3.0 issued in Germany or a foreign equivalent.”

www.uni-due.de/ise/admission.php · checked 14 November 2026

§ 2 (1) of the joint examination regulations names an ISE bachelor's degree of UDE or a degree recognised as equivalent under § 63a (1) HG; § 2 (3) allows the board to impose up to two additional courses when the field changes.

Minimum grade
At least 3.0 ("befriedigend") on the German scale as the overall mark of the first degree.
Source
“Bachelor's degree in an appropriate subject area with adequate length of studies and with an average mark of at least 3.0 issued in Germany or a foreign equivalent.”

www.uni-due.de/ise/admission.php · checked 14 November 2026

§ 2 (2) of the joint examination regulations words the same requirement as "mindestens „befriedigend“ (3,0)". 3.0 is the middle of the German 1.0-4.0 pass range; foreign grades are converted before the comparison.

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

UDE publishes no conversion formula for foreign grades for the ISE master's programmes.

English
Level B2. No minimum IELTS or TOEFL score is published: UDE's admissions office accepts "a certificate (TOEFL, IELTS, Medium of Instruction)" for the CEFR level asked. Neither the TOEFL Home Edition nor Duolingo is mentioned on any UDE page, so neither is recorded as accepted or rejected.. Exemption: A Medium of Instruction letter is accepted instead of a test certificate.
Source
“When enrolling, applicants must prove that they have knowledge of the German and English language according to the completed level B2 of the European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). English language certificates must be submitted with the application documents.”
“Note: You cannot apply for the ISE courses at the University of Duisburg-Essen unless you have English language skills . You are expected to have English proficiency corresponding to CEFR level B1 (for bachelor's programmes) B2 (for master's programmes) which you acquired in your home country. Please provide proof in the form of a certificate (TOEFL, IELTS, Medium of Instruction).” page

www.uni-due.de/ise/admission.php · checked 14 November 2026

The English certificate must be handed in with the application; the German certificate may follow later.

German
When applying: None; the German certificate may be handed in after the application.. By enrolment: B2
Source
“When enrolling, applicants must prove that they have knowledge of the German and English language according to the completed level B2 of the European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). English language certificates must be submitted with the application documents. The German language certificates can be submitted later.”
“sen bei der Einschreibung englische und deutsche Sprach-” page

www.uni-due.de/ise/admission.php · checked 14 November 2026

German B2 is an enrolment requirement for every ISE master's programme, not only a recommendation: § 2 (4) of the joint examination regulations of 5 September 2024 requires English and German at B2 at enrolment. The certificate may be handed in after the application, but without it enrolment is not possible. The ISE programmes are exempt from UDE's general DSH-2 requirement.

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

No UDE page publishes a GRE, GMAT or GATE requirement for this programme.

Selection
None: the programme is admission-free (zulassungsfrei) and there is no interview, test or ranking - everyone who meets the access requirements is admitted.
Source
“Die Erfüllung der Zugangsvoraussetzungen vorausgesetzt, ist dieser Studiengang zulassungsfrei.”

www.uni-due.de/studienangebote/studiengang.php?id=11 · checked 9 November 2026

How to apply
Directly to the university
Source
“Master's Programs via UDE Application Portal For all other master's programs applications are submitted through the UDE's application portal”
“Applicants who would like to apply for a Master course as a part of the study program International Studies in Engineering (ISE) must use the application portal of UDE.” page

www.uni-due.de/international/international-admissions-en.php · checked 14 November 2026

India, Pakistan, Nigeria

Rules for applicants from India, Pakistan and Nigeria

English test waiver
Possible for applicants from India, Nigeria, Pakistan, with a previous degree taught in English
Source
“Note: You cannot apply for the ISE courses at the University of Duisburg-Essen unless you have English language skills . You are expected to have English proficiency corresponding to CEFR level B1 (for bachelor's programmes) B2 (for master's programmes) which you acquired in your home country. Please provide proof in the form of a certificate (TOEFL, IELTS, Medium of Instruction).”

www.uni-due.de/international/international-admissions-en.php · checked 14 November 2026

A Medium of Instruction proof is accepted instead of a TOEFL or IELTS certificate, i.e. a letter confirming that the previous degree was taught in English - the common case in India, Nigeria and Pakistan. The German mission may still ask for a test certificate for the visa.

Rules that name these countries
  • India: Applicants from India must hand in the APS certificate with the documents for enrolment.
    Source
    “APS certificate if you're from China, India or Vietnam”

    www.uni-due.de/international/international-admissions-en.php · checked 9 November 2026

    The certificate is listed among the attachments to the enrolment e-mail, i.e. after admission, not with the application. The German embassy requires the APS for the student visa in any case.

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.