What are the typical application deadlines for Master's programs starting in the Spring intake in Ireland and Germany?

The original question assumed February is a standard master's start date in both countries, but the research shows that is not quite right for either. Ireland's spring postgraduate entry exists but is genuinely uncommon, and Germany's nearest equivalent is not called February at all, it is the Summer Semester, which generally begins around March or April.

Germany's Real Equivalent Is the Summer Semester, Not February

If you are targeting a spring style start in Germany, search specifically for Summer Semester programs rather than February intake. The common application deadline that uni-assist quotes is 15 January, but individual Master's programs frequently set earlier, course-specific deadlines, so you should not treat 15 January as a safe universal cutoff.

Ireland's Spring Postgraduate Options Are Limited and Vary by University

Most Irish postgraduate programs run on the standard September intake, and spring entry is offered only at select institutions for select courses. TU Dublin, for example, has run spring postgraduate rounds with non-EU deadlines in mid-December of the prior year, and it warns that individual courses can close earlier if they fill up. University of Galway notes that many taught postgraduate programs actually run on a rolling basis rather than a single fixed date.

A Realistic Application Timeline Working Backward From January 15

For Germany, plan to shortlist programs by September, prepare your APS certificate, transcripts and language test results by October or November, and submit by December so you have buffer before the mid-January deadline. For Ireland, start earlier still, around September, since spring seats are limited and some courses close well before any published general deadline.

This Information Is Also Available On

uni-assist e.V., the centralised application service for German universities. TU Dublin, official international student hub. University of Galway, official postgraduate key dates page.

My Advice

In my experience, students who wait until January to start a Germany or Ireland spring application are usually too late for the strongest programs, even when the headline deadline has not technically passed. Start your document preparation, including APS verification for Germany, at least four months before you intend to submit, since APS and uni-assist processing alone can take several weeks.