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Master’s · Architecture & Urban Planning

Architecture and Urban Design M.Sc.

Leibniz University Hannover · Hannover · Official programme page

20 facts from 7 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
“Language of Instruction German, English”
“The degree programme can be studied entirely in English.” page

www.uni-hannover.de/en/studium/studienangebot/info/studiengang/detail/architecture-and-urban-design · checked 14 November 2026

LUH lists the programme among its English-language degree programmes, which it defines as needing only proof of English (B2 here) for the application; German skills are recommended but not compulsory. The programme page names both teaching languages.

Study mode
On campus
Source
“International Stay abroad possible, but not obligatory.”

www.uni-hannover.de/en/studium/studienangebot/info/studiengang/detail/architecture-and-urban-design · checked 14 November 2026

LUH flags its two distance-learning master's programmes as "Fernstudium" in the course type and charges additional fees for them; this programme is neither, and the page presents a stay abroad as the exception, so teaching takes place at the university in Hannover. No LUH page uses the words "on campus".

Length
4 semesters
Source
“Standard Course Duration 4 semesters”

www.uni-hannover.de/en/studium/studienangebot/info/studiengang/detail/architecture-and-urban-design · checked 14 November 2026

Credits
Not stated by the university
2 pages checked, 14 Nov 2026

Neither the programme page nor the admission regulations state the number of credit points; LUH publishes the curriculum only in the German examination regulations.

Intakes
Winter
Source
“Course Start Winter semester Language of Instruction German, English”

www.uni-hannover.de/en/studium/studienangebot/info/studiengang/detail/architecture-and-urban-design · checked 14 November 2026

First-semester students can only start in the winter semester; applications for a higher semester are also possible for the summer semester.

Non-EU deadline
31 May 2027 (winter 2027)Early deadline for applicants from non-EU countries; the application window opens on 15 April 2027.
Source
“First-year students from Germany and the EU 1 June - 15 July of the year for the winter semester First-year students from non-EU countries ( VPD from uni-assist is required ) 15 April - 31 May of the year for the winter semester”

www.uni-hannover.de/en/studium/studienangebot/info/studiengang/detail/architecture-and-urban-design · checked 14 November 2026

Applicants from non-EU countries have an earlier deadline than everyone else: six weeks before the regular one. The uni-assist VPD must be applied for at least eight weeks before that, so a winter 2027/28 application means starting at uni-assist by the beginning of April 2027 at the latest (and the APS certificate, for Indian applicants, before that). The portfolio and the proof of the pre-study internship must be in the application by the deadline.

Non-EU tuition
None
Source
“Although tuition fees are no longer charged in Lower Saxony, it goes without saying that costs are incurred at university, such as the semester fee, accommodation and living costs, and costs for learning materials.”
“Long-term tuition fees of €500 are due as soon as students exceed the standard period of study plus six "tolerance semesters".” page

www.uni-hannover.de/en/studium/finanzierung-foerderung/studienfinanzierung · checked 14 November 2026

No tuition fee, whatever the nationality; students pay the semester fee of 453.16 EUR (winter semester 2026/27). Long-term study fees of 500 EUR per semester start only after the study credit is used up - for master's students whose bachelor's degree was earned abroad, at a private or at a non-state-funded institution that is usually after 8 semesters.

Application fee
€75 one-off uni-assist handling fee for the first VPD application in a semester; 30 EUR for each further application in the same semester.
Source
“Pay the processing fee (€75 for the first application, €30 for each additional application in the same semester).”

www.uni-hannover.de/en/studium/vor-dem-studium/bewerbung-zulassung/voraussetzungen-zum-studium/vorpruefungsdokumentation · checked 14 November 2026

LUH itself charges nothing for the application in its own portal, but applicants from non-EU countries cannot apply without the uni-assist VPD, so the uni-assist fee is unavoidable. One VPD can be used for several master's applications in the same semester.

Places
Restricted (limited places)
Source
“Admission Restricted admission”
“For master's degree programmes with restricted admission , places shall be allocated according to the university's own selection procedure, if there are more applicants fulfilling the admission requirements than there are places available.” page

www.uni-hannover.de/en/studium/studienangebot/info/studiengang/detail/architecture-and-urban-design · checked 14 November 2026

Admission is limited; when more applicants meet the requirements than there are places, LUH ranks them with its own selection procedure (final grade 51%, portfolio 49%).

Places for non-EU applicants
Not stated by the university
2 pages checked, 14 Nov 2026

The admission regulations set no quota or separate ranking for applicants from non-EU countries. LUH states a 5% non-EU quota only in the section of its central page that explains the selection procedure for restricted-admission bachelor's programmes (NC), which it says applies to applicants from Germany and the EU only.

Admission

What you need to apply

3-year bachelor’s
Case by case
Source
“a bachelor's degree or an equivalent degree in a suitable previous degree programme at a German university or at a university in a Bologna signatory country or - an equivalent degree in a suitable previous degree programme at a different university abroad”
“(2) In deviation to paragraph 1, applicants who have not yet completed their bachelor's or an equivalent degree at the time of application are provisionally eligible to apply if they have obtained at least 150 credit points in the case of a six-semester degree programme or at least 200 credit points in the case of an eight-semester degree programme” page

www.uni-hannover.de/fileadmin/luh/studium/ordnungen/zugang/englische_uebersetzungen/zo_m_EN_Architecture_and_Urban_Design.pdf · checked 14 November 2026

The regulations set no minimum number of semesters or credit points for the first degree: a bachelor's degree from a university in a Bologna signatory country counts, and for a degree from any other foreign university the selection committee decides on equivalence against the ZAB/anabin assessments. A three-year 180-credit bachelor's degree is the case the regulations are written around - applicants who have not finished yet are provisionally eligible with 150 credit points, described as 83.33% of a 180-credit programme - but nothing guarantees that a specific Indian, Nigerian or Pakistani three-year degree is accepted; the subject credits in the appendix must also be met, and up to 30 credit points (or at most four modules) can be imposed as conditions after enrolment.

Subject background
A bachelor's degree (or equivalent) in a suitable previous programme such as Architecture (B.Sc.), plus a completed pre-study internship under the programme's internship regulations and a portfolio of 9-12 DIN A3 pages of work samples. The selection committee decides whether a degree is suitable and may require missing modules within two semesters; a missing internship must be made up by re-enrolment for the 4th semester.
Source
“An undergraduate degree in a related field of study, such as Architecture (Bachelor of Science) Please note that in addition to the regular application documents, an application portfolio including work samples and proof of internship must be submitted for the application.”
“a bachelor's degree or an equivalent degree in a suitable previous degree programme at a German university or at a university in a Bologna signatory country or - an equivalent degree in a suitable previous degree programme at a different university abroad” page

www.uni-hannover.de/en/studium/studienangebot/info/studiengang/detail/architecture-and-urban-design · checked 14 November 2026

Minimum grade
Not stated by the university
2 pages checked, 14 Nov 2026

No minimum grade. The final or average mark counts for 51% of the procedural grade that ranks applicants, the portfolio for 49%.

How your grade is converted
Foreign grades are converted into the German grading system by uni-assist in the Vorprüfungsdokumentation (VPD); LUH's selection then uses that converted grade. LUH publishes no conversion table or formula of its own.
Source
“For applicants from non-EU countries , grades will be converted by uni-assist and listed in the VPD.”
“In addition, your grades are converted into the German grading system.” page

www.uni-hannover.de/en/studium/vor-dem-studium/bewerbung-zulassung/voraussetzungen-zum-studium/zulassungsarten · checked 14 November 2026

Applicants from Germany and the EU have their grades converted by LUH's own admissions team instead. The converted grade is what the ranking list is built on.

English
Level B2. IELTS 5.5 · TOEFL iBT 72 · TOEFL band 4 · Home Edition accepted · PTE 59. Cambridge: B2 First (previously FCE). telc English B2/C1 University and UNIcert II are also accepted. TOEFL, IELTS and PTE certificates are valid for two years; telc, Cambridge and UNIcert certificates have no expiry date.
Source
“Test of English as a Foreign Language ( TOEFL® iBT or Home Edition ) with a result of 4.0 or 4.5 (previously at least 72 points) International English Language Testing System ( IELTS Academic, paper-based, digital or online) with a result of 5.5 B2 First (previously FCE ) Pearson Test of English ( PTE Academic, paper-based or digital) with a result of at least 59 points telc English B2⋅C1 University UNIcert ® II”
“(4) As an alternative to paragraph 3, proof of English language proficiency at least at level B2 CEFR is also a prerequisite for admission to the Master's degree programme in Architecture and Urban Design.” page

www.uni-hannover.de/en/studium/vor-dem-studium/bewerbung-zulassung/voraussetzungen-zum-studium/sprachnachweise · checked 14 November 2026

English at B2 is the level for the English-language route. The minimum is the CEFR level in the admission regulations; the accepted certificates and scores come from LUH's central list of language certificates (edition 02/2026). TOEFL iBT Home Edition is accepted and the TOEFL minimum is given on both scales (old 0-120 score and the 1-6 band scale of January 2026). The Duolingo English Test appears on no LUH page, so it is not among the accepted certificates, but LUH does not say it is refused either; the central page warns "The information provided here is not exhaustive." TOEFL scores can be sent electronically, for which the web page gives DI code 7122 and the PDF list DI code 7211 - ask the Admissions Office which is current.

German
When applying: None on the English-language route: proof of English at B2 can be presented instead of German C1
Source
“(3) Applicants who cannot present evidence of either a German university entrance qualification or a bachelor's degree completed at a German university must additionally provide evidence of sufficient German language pro- ficiency for the degree programme (level C1 CEFR).”
“Instruction language: German German HZB: none International application: German C1 Instruction language: English English B2” page

www.uni-hannover.de/fileadmin/luh/studium/ordnungen/zugang/englische_uebersetzungen/zo_m_EN_Architecture_and_Urban_Design.pdf · checked 14 November 2026

Applicants with a foreign school certificate and a foreign bachelor's degree need German C1 for the German-language route; the regulations and the programme page put proof of English at B2 in its place for the English-language route. The regulations call it an alternative to the German requirement, but phrase it as English B2 "is also a prerequisite" - ask the Admissions Office if you want to be sure that German is not additionally checked.

Selection
Ranking by a procedural grade made up of the final or average mark (51%) and the graded portfolio (49%); ties are drawn by lot. The portfolio holds 9-12 DIN A3 pages of work samples from the previous degree and is graded 1-5 by the selection committee for design, planning, scientific and method-oriented ability.
Source
“§4 Admissions procedure (1) Selection shall occur according to a ranking list which shall be established based on the final or average mark as per section 3 paragraph 2 letter a) and the valuation of the portfolio as per paragraph 2.”

www.uni-hannover.de/fileadmin/luh/studium/ordnungen/zugang/englische_uebersetzungen/zo_m_EN_Architecture_and_Urban_Design.pdf · checked 14 November 2026

A compulsory pre-study internship is part of the requirements; the selection committee decides whether it meets the internship regulations and can require it to be completed by re-enrolment for the 4th semester.

India, Pakistan, Nigeria

Rules for applicants from India, Pakistan and Nigeria

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

The admission regulations name no exemption from the English certificate - no route for a degree taught in English, a school certificate in English or an English-speaking country - so applicants from India, Nigeria and Pakistan should expect to need one of the accepted test certificates. LUH's central language page lists no exemption either.

Rules that name these countries
  • India: Applicants with Indian school or university transcripts must submit an individual APS certificate with their application, and need it before they can apply for the uni-assist VPD; group APS certificates are not accepted.
    Source
    “Applicants with school or university transcripts from Vietnam, India, and China (excluding Macao and Hong Kong) must submit an individual APS certificate or an APS certificate with their application. This is required in order to apply for the VPD .”

    www.uni-hannover.de/en/studium/vor-dem-studium/bewerbung-zulassung/voraussetzungen-zum-studium/aps-bescheinigung · checked 14 November 2026

    China and Vietnam are named in the same rule. LUH exempts applicants from India who already live in Germany without a visa procedure, who earned their highest relevant university degree outside India, who passed a Studienkolleg assessment test, or who hold a German or EU scholarship. No rule on LUH's pages names Nigeria or Pakistan.

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.