Is it normal for German university master's admission decisions to take more than two months after the application is forwarded?
Yes, a wait of more than two months after your application is forwarded is entirely standard. Universities do not begin reviewing files until the deadline closes, capped programs must rank the full pool, and faculty boards check module compatibility, so count from the deadline date.
If more than two months have passed since your application was forwarded with no decision, that timeline is genuinely standard for German master's programs. Review only starts once the application deadline closes, and several structural steps after that can each add real weeks before a decision lands in your inbox.
What Adds Time After The Deadline
| Stage | Why It Takes Time |
|---|---|
| Deadline first rule | No file is reviewed until the whole pool closes |
| Capped program ranking | Every application must be scored against every other |
| Faculty compatibility check | A board manually verifies your module alignment |
| Waitlist waves | Later rounds can extend into late August or September |
What To Do While You Wait
- Count your waiting period from the actual deadline date, not from when your application was forwarded to you.
- Check your university's internal portal regularly, since status changes there before any email notification goes out.
- Search your spam folder, since acceptance letters with PDF attachments often get filtered automatically.
My Advice
Give the process a full eight weeks from the deadline before you worry. If that window passes with total silence, send one polite, well documented email to the student secretariat with your applicant numbers attached, rather than repeated short follow ups that add to their workload.
September or January: which intake can you still make?
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