Privathochschulen - staatliche Anerkennung beantragen

Would you like to establish and operate a non-state educational institution as a university? To do so, you must apply for state recognition. With state recognition, the university may, within the scope of recognition

• use a university designation
• conduct university examinations,
• award degrees (Bachelor's, Master's) and
• issue certificates.

Note: Foreign higher education institutions from EU member states may operate as long as they offer their education recognized in the country of origin within the scope of the Hessian Higher Education Act, award their degrees recognized in the country of origin and this activity is in accordance with the legal regulations of the country of origin. The existence of these requirements must be proven and will be determined prior to the commencement of operations.

• Comprehensive concept based on a period of 4 - 5 years with the following details:
  • Name
  • Owner of the facility and its legal status
  • Location
  • Study programs with training concept
  • Personnel
  • Research
  • Management structure
• Draft admission, study and examination regulations with curricula for the planned degree programs
• Research concept (list of current and planned research projects)
• Teaching staff concept with the following information on the members of the teaching staff:
  • Qualifications
  • Type of employment relationship
• Employment contracts for full-time teaching staff
• Draft of basic regulations
• Detailed financing plan for a period of 4 - 5 years with the following information:
  • Personnel expenses
  • material expenditure
  • investment expenditure
  • Income to cover this expenditure
• Documents as proof of secured financing (e.g. proof of capital assets, a bank guarantee, a land charge in a sufficient amount) - including any official approvals that may be required
• Proof of the premises required to operate the university (e.g. lease agreements, land register extracts, building authority usage permits)
• At the request of the competent authority: expert opinion from an auditor to prove the economic viability of the educational institution
• Due to the necessity of a concept review procedure by the German Council of Science and Humanities, the content and structure of the application should be based on the requirements for an application for a concept review by the German Council of Science and Humanities.

The prerequisite for recognition is that the university is equivalent to state universities. This means that

• The course prepares students for a professional field of activity. It provides them with the knowledge, skills and methods required for this and for academic work. The range of courses is sufficient. The course of study is regulated by study and examination regulations. These correspond to the legal requirements for study and examination regulations for comparable degree programs at state universities.
  The following are important for the assessment of the study program:
  • Scope and structure of the course content (hours per week, subjects)
  • Duration of the course (years or number of semesters/trimesters)
  • Examinations (number, type, duration, scope)
• There are several coexisting or consecutive courses of study at the university alone or in conjunction with other educational institutions.
  Exceptions:
  • disciplines in which the scientific development and the corresponding professional field of activity do not suggest the establishment of several courses of study
  • ecclesiastical universities if they guarantee that the course of study is equivalent to a course of study at a comparable state university
• The private university may only admit persons to study who also meet the requirements for admission to a state university (university entrance qualification).
• The full-time teaching staff fulfill the recruitment requirements for corresponding positions at state universities. A sufficient number of professionally qualified professors working full-time at the private university cover the core subjects taught.
• The economic and legal status of the full-time teaching staff is secured The members of the university are involved in shaping the curriculum.
• The freedom to teach and study is guaranteed.
  • Sufficient capital,
  • a bank guarantee or
  • a land charge
• The sponsor of the university has sufficient financial resources and the necessary premises to ensure the operation of the university.
  If the university ceases to operate, you must ensure that the necessary funds are available for the enrolled students until they graduate. The provider must prove the following:
• You must prove the equivalence of the private educational institution with a state university as part of an institutional accreditation or concept review by the German Council of Science and Humanities.

State recognition: 2,500.00 - 7,500.00 euros

You must apply to the competent authority for state recognition. The written form is not required by law for the application. However, due to the extensive documentation required, you must submit the application in writing, sign it by hand or provide it with a qualified electronic signature.

If the requirements are met and the institutional accreditation/concept review by the German Council of Science and Humanities is successful, you will receive a notification of recognition.

Please note: If you wish to make significant changes at a later date (e.g. change of higher education institution), you must obtain the approval of the responsible body.

If all the necessary documents have been submitted, you should expect the process to take at least one year, including the procedure for institutional accreditation/concept review by the German Council of Science and Humanities.

• Application: at least one year before state recognition
• Notification of significant changes (e.g. change of registered office or of the responsible body): immediately

Miscellaneous

Revocation of state recognition

The Ministry of Science can revoke recognition if

• the requirements for recognition are no longer met and
• facts subsequently become known which would have resulted in the refusal of recognition.

To the Hessian Ministry of Science and the Arts.

You can also complete the procedure electronically via the Single Point of Contact.

A separate platform has been developed for online applications. On the so-called service platform, you can submit your applications electronically and much more! You are welcome to get your own impression of the application in advance without registering first. Use the simulation for this. To make full use of the online application, you must first register for the online application procedure.

Online application procedure of the Point of Single Contact Hesse