How important are extracurricular activities and internships for German university applications?

For a bachelor's degree in Germany, extracurricular activities and internships barely matter at all, because public universities admit you almost purely on your grades and language scores. For a master's degree, the picture shifts: internships and research experience can bridge small gaps in your credit requirements and genuinely strengthen your application at programs that use interviews or motivation letters.

Germany vs US/UK: What Actually Gets You In

Where Internships Do Matter in Germany

• Consecutive master's programs sometimes accept relevant internships or research to fulfil specific prerequisite credit requirements.
• Practical or corporate linked programs, such as a Duales Studium, may require an internship as a mandatory entry condition.
• Some master's programs run selection interviews or ask for a motivation letter, where a strong internship or working student role helps you stand out.
• Private universities and interdisciplinary programs are more likely to weigh your broader profile than standard public bachelor's admissions.

My Advice

If you are applying for a bachelor's in Germany, stop worrying about your resume and put every hour into your grades and your German or English language test instead, since extracurriculars will not move the needle. If you are applying for a master's, pick one or two internships that map directly onto your target program's prerequisites, and mention them specifically if the program asks for a motivation letter or interview.