Change of major for international students

If you're a student with a residence permit for study purposes, the reason for your stay is generally determined by your field of study (degree program and, if applicable, subjects) (Section 28.5.2.4 of the General Administrative Regulation on the Foreigners Act).

A change of field of study (= change of subject) always constitutes a change in the purpose of the stay.

A change of degree program or major within the first 18 months after beginning the specialized studies is permitted, even though this constitutes a change in the purpose of residence.

Any change of degree program or major at a later date must be approved by the Immigration Office. The Immigration Office will only grant approval if the previous academic achievements can be credited to the new degree program and the total duration of study is not extended by more than 18 months. A certificate from the University of Mainz is required for this purpose.

You can find more details about changing subjects here: Change of subject

  • Approval from the Immigration Office is also required if the change is made within the same degree program between different types of higher education institutions, e.g., from a university of applied sciences to a university. Exceptions: There is no change of subject, but rather a shift in focus within the degree program if
    • the relevant training regulations stipulate that the degree programs concerned are identical up to the point of change, or if they stipulate that the semesters completed in the initial degree program are fully credited to the other degree program.
    • the student presents a certificate from the competent authority confirming that the semesters spent in the initial course of study will be predominantly credited to the other course of study.
    • for organizational reasons relating to the course of study (e.g., admission only in the winter semester), it is not possible to start the desired course of study immediately after the preparatory phase and therefore the time is bridged by studying another course of study for one semester.