This Website uses cookies to improve your visit on our website. More Info
BUSINESS STUDIES NUMERUS CLAUSUS
The NC (Numerus Clausus) is often an important criterion for admission to Business Studies. On this page you will find helpful information about the study of Business and the NC in general.What is the Numerus Clausus?
The NC (Numerus Clausus, Latin for "closed quantity") indicates that the number of student spots for a particular field of study at a university or college is limited. The introduction of the Numerus Clausus limits admission to a subject in order to ensure the quality of studies. Each year, the Numerus Clausus gets determined anew and is based on a comparison of the performance of all applicants. The grade point averages and other factors of the applicants are compared, and a decision is made from which average the admission restriction can be set in order to accept a suitable number of students for the limited number of student spots. The higher the NC, the more difficult it is to get a place at a university. Nowadays, applicants often have to have a very good school-leaving certificate and excellent A-level grades to have any chance at all getting a place to study. The Numerus Clausus for the Business Studies Degree program is usually between 1.8 and 2.3. This means that only the best applicants with the highest A-level grades have any chance of getting a place to study. As a result, you cannot simply apply to any university or college and hope to be accepted there without a Numerus Clausus. There are various ways to get into a degree program, even if you do not have the necessary NC scores.
NC and its relevance for Business Studies
The number of applicants for a Business Studies Degree program has risen continuously in Germany in recent years. This is mainly due to the popularity of the course and the good economic situation in Germany. However, due to the increasing demand for Business Studies graduates, the admission requirements for this degree program have also become stricter. The Numerus Clausus is an important factor in the selection of Business Studies students. To get a place to study, you usually have to have a certain grade point average. Depending on the federal state and the subject, this grade can vary greatly.
NC values for the Business Degree program
The question of whether you will get a place to study is important for everyone who is interested in studying. The NC plays an important role for many. However, no one can say in advance what the NC will be next semester. It depends on how many places to study (supply) and how many applications there are (demand). The NC is only calculated once all applications have been received by the university - i.e. after the application deadline and after the universities have processed the applications.
Prospective students should therefore not rely exclusively on past NC values, as these are merely a benchmark. They reflect past application procedures and cannot simply be transferred to the coming semesters. One reason for a change in the NC values could be, for example, an increase in the number of places to study (this would probably lower the NC). Or it could also be due to a better ranking of the university, which would lead to more prospective students checking it out and applying. Consequently, the NC would increase.
| University/College | Semester | NC | Waiting Semester |
|---|---|---|---|
| TH Köln | Summer Semester 2023 | NC 1.9 | - |
| Uni of Cologne | Summer Semester 2023 | NC 1.3 | - |
| FU Berlin | Winter Semester 22/2023 | NC 1.5 | 4 |
| HTW Berlin | Summer Semester 2022 | NC 1.7 | 13 |
| Uni of Münster | Winter Semester 22/2023 | NC 1.5 | - |
| Uni Hamburg | Winter Semester 22/2023 | NC 2.3 | 5 |
| LMU Munich | Winter Semester 22/2023 | NC 1.9 | - |
| HFT Stuttgart | Winter Semester 22/2023 | NC 2.8 | 7 |
| Munich Business School | - | No NC | - |
NC Calculation: How the Numerus Clausus is calculated
Perhaps the most important thing first: The Numerus Clausus (NC) is not the same as the final grade! Many school graduates think that the NC exclusively means the final grade of the school report, but this is not quite true. The number of the NC definitely indicates the average grade, but NC restricted study programs are not only based on this criterion. Of course, the majority of places to study are often awarded to applicants with the best grade point average, but applicants with a certain number of semesters on hold are also admitted. The waiting semesters are therefore just as much a part of the NC as the final grade. Often, the rule of thumb is that one semester of waiting improves the applicant's average grade by a certain percentage. Thus, many semesters of waiting alone often do not lead to direct success in the admission process. In addition, institutes may take other factors into account, such as tests, practical experience etc.
Basically: The Numerus Clausus (NC) is a number that indicates which first-year students are admitted per degree program and semester. The NC is calculated on the basis of the number of applications and the admission restrictions of the respective study program. In Germany, there is no general NC, but each university calculates the NC for its own degree programs. If you want to apply for a degree program, you should therefore first find out about the admission requirements for the desired program. This also includes knowing the applicable NC.
NC calculation example
The university establishes a ranking of applications for a degree program. This ranking is based on the candidates' grades (and the number of semesters they have been waiting). The top 200 applicants are admitted, since that is how many places are available in the program. An applicant in list position 200 has a grade point average of 2.0, resulting in an NC for this program of 2.0. All applicants with a lower grade point average will not be admitted to the program. In the event that several applicants are tied (same grade or same number of waiting semesters), admission is decided by lot. All remaining applicants are then placed on a waiting list. If someone decides against the university after all, places may become available again.
Business Studies without NC - is that possible?
Yes, it is possible! There are some universities where you can study Business Studies without having to fulfill an NC. One possibility is to study at a private university. To study Business for a Bachelor's degree without NC at Munich Business School, the Numerus Clausus is not relevant. Admission to the university takes place via selection interviews and a personal interview with professors and the head of the study program. However, it is important to remember that the number of places to study is limited. Therefore, applying for a place early is advisable.
DID YOU KNOW?
The Business Studies program at MBS has been awarded! The Munich Business School is the best private University of Applied Sciences in the field of business in Germany (WirtschaftsWoche ranking 2022).
Important questions about the NC for places to study
What is a waiting semester?
The waiting semester is a semester that you do not spend at the university or college, but in which you prepare for your studies. This can be done, for example, through an internship or a language course. The waiting semester will be credited to your application for the business studies and can therefore help you to achieve a better NC.
Many students underestimate the importance of waiting semesters. Depending on the university, these can be decisive for a place to study. The waiting semesters are often confused with the Numerus Clausus, but there is a significant difference: While the Numerus Clausus is awarded on the basis of A-levels, a portion of the available places is awarded via waiting semesters. This is particularly helpful for school graduates who have not achieved an outstanding A-level.
A calendar year includes two waiting semesters (summer semester and winter semester). The number of waiting semesters is calculated from the time you left school until the semester for which you apply for a place to study. During this period you can, for example, do an apprenticeship, but you must not be enrolled at any university for a course of study - regardless of the degree program. A three-year apprenticeship can therefore earn you six semesters of waiting time in the best case, a two-year stay abroad earns you four semesters of waiting time, and a six-month internship still earns you one. Currently, a maximum of 15 waiting semesters is taken into account, but the concrete number depends on the federal state and other factors.
What is the move-up procedure, and how does it work?
The move-up procedure is a process by which applicants can move up to the program if other applicants do not take their place or give it up. This procedure is usually used when new places arise, but usually when there are more applicants than places to study.
If you have applied for a course of study with admission restrictions and did not get a place in the main procedure, you can be placed on a waiting list as part of the move-up procedure and thus have the chance to gain admission after all. In the main procedure, all students are initially classified according to their best final grade and the number of semesters they waited. If, for example, there are 100 free places for a course of study, the suitable applicants are allocated for the places according to the NC procedure. After this first round, students have a certain period of time in which they have to accept or decline the offer. If places to study are rejected or there is no response to an admission, these places will be available again, and other applicants can move up.
What is the lottery process?
The lottery procedure is a process in which the admission of applicants to the study program is decided by lot. This procedure is usually used when there are more applicants than there are places available. Some universities do not rely on the allocation of places by means of NC, but decide directly on a lottery procedure. In this process, applicants are randomly selected for places to study which become available or which have not yet been awarded according to the NC. If, for example, more applicants have the exact cut-off mark of the NC than there are places to study available, then the remaining places can be drawn by lot among the applicants with this average.