Frequently Asked Questions

Here is the list of frequently asked questions. We recommend you to go through these questions. If you didn't find your answer, you can contact us at . More information is available at international office website .

Program Details

P1

My goal is to become a researcher in data analytics / machine learning / big data. Is this program for me? Will it prepare me for a PhD?
Yes, definitely, this program is exactly for you. During the program you will be qualified in all relevant aspects: you will learn deeply about methods, starting from the underlying optimization methods up to the bleeding edge models and methods in machine learning. You also will learn to turn your ideas into code and thus design, implement and run your own experiments. Training on a large-scale compute cluster and big data applications is part of the program, too. During your study project you will learn how to write research proposals, how to manage research projects as a team and how to present results to a critical audience. And finally, in your second and third term seminar papers and in your master thesis you will learn to conduct some research under the advice of our professors and postdocs.

P2

My goal is to learn how to apply proven and well established methods from data analytics in a commercial / industrial setting, not so much to learn to research. Is this program for me?
The way you ask, No, the program is not designed to train specific software and to provide best practices, case studies and recipes only. It is a research-oriented master program leading our students to the current frontier of knowledge in actual research in data analytics and machine learning. But having said this, we think that successful application of data analytics methods requires exactly this: knowledge of and capabilities to research. Data analytics currently develops so fast, that without constant refreshing your mind and knowledge, your knowledge will quickly get dated and prove less effective We have conducted many cooperation projects jointly with companies that taught us (and them) exactly this lesson. If we can convince you that this is the right way to apply data analytics in industry, then, Yes, this program is for you.

P3

I am an apt mathematician (or business student etc.) and interested in data analytics, but I cannot program. Can I still be admitted to the program?
No, you cannot be admitted as is. Programming is a crucial requirement of our program, e.g., for the Lab course, the study project and likely your master's thesis. But if you bring other qualifications, e.g., deeper methodological knowledge in mathematics or deeper application knowledge in business administration, we can admit you *conditionally on completing some additional Bachelor courses in programming* from our Bachelor program in Applied Computer Science during the first year of your master studies.

P4

I am an apt programmer, but I have no clue about maths. Can I be admitted to the program?
No, you cannot be admitted as is. Basic understanding of math, esp. calculus, linear algebra and stochastics, are a precondition for some of our Master courses, e.g., optimization, machine learning and planning. But if you bring other qualifications, e.g., be a very apt programmer, we can admit you *conditionally on completing some additional Bachelor courses in maths* from our Bachelor program in Applied Computer Science during the first year of your master studies.

P5

I am an apt computer scientist, but have no clue about applications. Can I be admitted to the program?
Yes, you can be admitted. Though studies of an application domain is a crucial part of our Master program and you will have to choose one, there are no requirements on prior knowledge in any of them.

Admission

A1

I did not complete my Bachelor yet, but will do so very soon. Can I be admitted nevertheless?
No, you cannot be admitted without a complete Bachelor degree. In case you have not completed your Bachelor before the *application deadline*, but are sure to complete it before the *enrollment deadline*, we can provide an "conditional accept". For a conditional accept, you need to provide:

1. at application time: enough evidence that your Bachelor will be completed in time and
2. before the enrollment deadline: a copy of your completed Bachelor degree certificate with at least 80% completed (for 180 ECTS Bachelor: 144 ECTS)
3. before the end of your first term: a copy of your completed Bachelor degree certificate

In this case, please provide during application:

1. a copy of your current transcript of records of your Bachelor studies, including the total number of credits achieved so far and your current average mark.
2. the total number of credits required to complete your Bachelor program.
3. the number of credits completed already.

If you have been admitted conditionally, but cannot provide the Bachelor certificate before the end of your first term, your admission will be canceled. This will also happen, if you completed your Bachelor in time, but the examination office of your university cannot provide your Bachelor certificate in English to you in time.

A2

What are the documents required for applying for admission in the Master's program in Data Analytics?
Following documents are required for applying for admission in the International Master’s Program in Data Analytics:

• A copy of bachelor, master, or diploma degree certificate, including the transcript of records (all documents must be in English or have English translation)
• English Language certificate (or equivalent)
• Curriculum vitae
• if you got your Bachelor degree in
  • China (not Hong Kong and Macao)
  • Vietnam or
  • Mongolia,
  please upload your APS certificate in one of the slots for the English language certificates (we do not have a dedicated slot for the APS certificate yet).

A3

How long will it take until I will be notified if I am accepted into the program?
We admit continuously and try to review applications as quickly as possible. But sometimes due to a large number of applications the reviewing process could take longer.

A4

I do not have an English translation of my Bachelor degree certificate. Can I send it in my native language? Can I translate it myself?
No, We need a English version of your Bachelor degree certificate. Please ask the examination office of your university to provide one to you.

A5

Masters Program in Data Analytics offered at University of Hildesheim is not listed at Uni assist? Where should I apply?
Currently, students can only apply through our online application portal . We do not use uni assist service for handling applications.

A6

I want to get a preliminary evaluation about my eligibility for the course. What should I do?
A preliminary evaluation is not possible. We can verify the eligibility of your profile, once you apply through our online application portal . We see the full list of program courses you took, together with the grades.The fit to our program will be determined based on various factors, including your BSc area, completed courses and projects, as well as working experience.

Eligible admissions are prioritized according to the following criteria:

• overall mark of your Bachelor (53%),
• amount and marks of Bachelor courses related to Data Analytics (incl. math and programming, 35%),
• prior research activities in Data Analytics (6%) and
• prior practical activities in Data Analytics (6%).

A7

If my Bachelor or Master degree is complete taught in English, do I still need to take English Language Test i.e. IELTS or TOEFL, etc.
We need a document of your university stating that your studies have been completely taught in English. Stamped and signed by your university. In case if it is mentioned on your official transcript, then while applying through our online application portal, you have to specify or point to the location where it is mentioned on your official transcript.

A8

I have applied through the online application portal. Should I also send hard copies of all the documents?
Hard copies of your documents are not required at this step of your application process. Please wait for the decision letter before you send anything.

Enrollment

E1

What is the difference between admission and enrollment?
Admission means, you got a place in the program. Enrollment means, you accepted the place and actually are in the program. For admission our professors check you application, if you are eligible, i.e.,have a Bachelor in computer science or a related field and sufficient English proficiency. For enrollment we check only formally if you have original Bachelor and English certificates and payed your social fees. Once your are admitted, it is up to you to get enrolled.

E2

Hurray, I got an admission! Now I have been asked to send more materials for enrollment / immatriculation. Will my application be reviewed again or can I be sure to get a place in the program?
-- Congratulations, once you got your admission letter, the review of your application has been completed and you can be sure to get a place in the program. To actually start your studies, you need to enroll formally into the program. For this we need some of your documents that we have reviewed already as PDFs now as paper copies. If your copies match your PDFs, you will be enrolled. If you cannot provide paper copies, your admission will be canceled and you will not be enrolled. -- Please be careful to send your copies as soon as possible so that they *arrive* here before the deadline. Alternatively, you can present them in person to our admission office.

E3

What documents do I need for enrollment?
You will need:

1. The filled in and signed enrollment form
   1. For filling in you will need the key table
2. copy of your secondary school certificate (in English)
3. copy of your bachelor degree, including transcript of records (in English).
4. copy of your English language certificate (if any)
5. Proof of your health insurance:
   1. The proof needs to be transmitted electronically by your public health insurance company. A paper based proof is not valid anymore and cannot be accepted.
   2. To do this, you need to contact your insurance company and request the so-called "Meldung 10" (M10). You need to specify the University's ID: H0000707
   3. If you are insured with a private company, please contact any public insurance company and request the "Meldung 10" (M10). They will notify the university about your exemption of public health insurance.
   4. If you are 30 years or older at the beginning of your studies (i.e., October 1 for winter term, April 1 for summer term), you do not need a health insurance. (In this case, and only in this case, please ignore the statement on the admission notice that says otherwise.) We still recommend you to have one, but you are not required to show us any proofs.
6. If you studied already at a German University:
   1. Proofs of all your studies so far, e.g., the respective enrollment certificates, and
   2. The de-registration certificate of your last university.
7. A passport photo for your student card, of height 4cm, width 3cm, with your application ID and full name on its backside. Please send an original photo, not a print out, neither stapled.

After admission, please be careful to send your paper copies as soon as possible so that they *arrive* here before the deadline. Alternatively, you can present them in person to our admission office.

E4

If I cannot start the program in the term I have been admitted to, can I defer my start to a later term?
No, your admission is for a specific term. In case you cannot start in the term you applied for, please send an email reply-to-all to the email containing your admission notice and state clearly that you withdraw your application. In this case we can use the place in the upcoming term for someone else and you are eligible to re-apply for a later term.
-- Please understand that we cannot guarantee that you will get a place in a later term in this case as this also depends on who else is applying.

Exmatriculation

M1

Exmatriculation (I-Amt)

Upon application, you may exmatriculate or deregister when you, e.g. complete your studies after passing all examinations, end your studies without an examination, want to change the university, etc.
Exmatriculation ends your status as a student of the university,

Important: After the beginning of the semester, if you exmatriculate within the first three month (summer term: 30.06., winter term 31.12), the administrative costs, at the moment 75€, will get refunded. Students who have successfully completed their studies can exmatriculate. A later refund of the administrative costs is not possible!
Students who do not wish to continue studying although they have not completed a degree in their course of study, are required to submit an application of withdrawal (see dates above for the refund opportunities).
Students who exmatriculate are no longer authorized to take part in the lectures/ examinations and to attain further qualifications. VERZICHTSERKLÄRUNG

M2

Exmatriculation (AStA)

If a student ematriculated within one month after the semester starts the amount for the semester ticket will be refunded. Therefore students have to hand in a copy of the exmatriculation certificate together with the refund application.
If the student has withdrawn his application he needs to hand in a copy of the application of withdrawal.
For winter term 2016/2017 an amount of 198,36€ will be refunded.

• Student fee: 12,50 €
• Cultural ticket: 4,00 €
• Semesterticket: 181,86

More Info

Financing and Living

F1

Is there any scholarship available to cover my living expense?
Unfortunately, we do not provide scholarships currently.

F2

Are there any teaching assistant positions available that can help me cover my living expense?
Unfortunately, we do not have any open teaching assistant positions currently.

F3

How expensive is studying at University of Hildesheim?
German universities do not have tuition fees. The only fees you have to pay to the university are so called social fees, €416,32 per semester. The social fees entitle all students to

• inexpensive meals in the mensa of our university,
• free public transport in the region of Hildesheim / Hannover,

Social fees are mandatory and you cannot opt out.

F4

How much money do I need to finance my life and studies in Germany?
At present, the German authorities assume that a student in Hildesheim will need approx. €720 per month (for a visa to be issued you must produce evidence of financial security, i.e. you have to prove that you will be able to finance your studies). Please note, however, that for each semester you will further have €416,32 student association contributions to pay.

F5

Am I allowed to work on a study visa?
Yes, you are allowed to work but working hours are bounded by legal regulations.

• If you are from one of these countries, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Sweden, Switzerland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain or the United Kingdom, then you can work up to maximum 20 hours per week, just like German students.
• But if you are from country not listed above then you are only allowed to work 120 full days or 240 half days per year.
Here are some job portal which regularly advertise job openings.
• Carrier.stackoverflow
• StepStone
• Indeed

Fail to comply to the regulation will result in termination of your visa. In case you are not sure you can contact your local Alien Registration Office for further details.

F6

How can I find accommodation in Hildesheim?
There are several halls of residence in Hildesheim. You can find detailed information here .
Many students live in shared flats. Offers of room vacancies can be found on the notice-boards in the university or in WG-Börsen (shared flat marketplaces) online. The student organization for Eastern Lower Saxony (Studentenwerk Ostniedersachsen) also has a room marketplace online.
One can pre-register for a room in a student dormitory Apply Online

F7

When should I arrive in Hildesheim to start my studies?
You need to enroll before the enrollment deadline. For this you either need to send copies of your documents to our admission office or present them there in person. If the latter and you come from far away, plan to be in Hildesheim at least a week before the enrollment deadline. If you are successfully enrolled, we recommend to arrive at least a week before term starts, ... October, to get yourself acquainted with local accommodation, the computing center, the library and enjoy the city and its surroundings a little bit, before term starts.

F8

For enrollment, I have been asked to provide proof for my health insurance. How can I get such a health insurance? What is the cost ?
To study at a German university, it is absolutely necessary for you to present valid proof that you have health insurance. If you are covered under EU regulations, please make sure you bring your international health insurance or European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) (formerly E111 or E128) with you. If you can provide proof of this kind, you have sufficient health insurance in Germany.
If you come from a country which is not part of the EU social insurance agreement or you do not have prior health insurance, you should have a German statutory health insurance. You can apply for health insurance at a local health insurance company such as the AOK or TK .
Getting Health Insurance: If you dont have a residence address in Germany and are struggling to get a Health Insurance for enrollment purposes, please contact Mrs. Steffi Dannenberg If you are 30 years or older at the beginning of your studies (i.e., October 1 for winter term, April 1 for summer term), you do *not* need a health insurance for the University enrollment. (In this case, *and only in this case*, please ignore the statement on the admission notice that says otherwise.) But we still recommend you to have one.

Visa Processing

V1

Do I need a student visa?
It depends on your country of origin. If you are citizen of EU or the EEA then you do not need student visa. If you are from Australia, New Zealand, the US, Canada, Japan, South Korea, Switzerland or Israel than you only need to register for a residence permit upon your arrival. If you citizenship is from Andorra, Brazil, El Salvador, Honduras, Monaco, San Marino or Taiwan, than you only need visa if you plan to work in German. If you do not belong to these country then you need a student visa.

• Please check "Table of countries whose citizens require/do not require visas to enter Germany" to see if you need a visa to enter Germany.
  
• A comprehensive information about visa processing and requirements is available at Federal Foreign Office website
• FAQs related to student visa at Federal Foreign Office website
• List of German foreign mission is available here

V2

Is Schengen Visa (tourist visa, visitor's visa) sufficient to enter Germany for study purpose Or can Schengen visa be converted into student visa?
No Schengen visa is not sufficient to enter Germany for study purpose and it can neither be converted into student visa. You must apply for student visa from your home country.

V3

How long will it take to get visa?
On average it takes three months from time of your application at the embassy. However, time period also depends on case-to-case bases. Also note that University administration has no control over visa processing.

Examination

E1

Can I improve my grades?
Repeating exams for improving grades are only possible at the next offered exam date and if the module is not a project seminar,Seminar, Praktikum or thesis. In the Master's program, at most three modules or partial module examinations can be repeated to improve grades.