Your guide to applying to the Hertie School

We are so excited that you are interested in becoming a Hertie student, and hope that you are excited, too! The first and most important step is completing your application in our online application portal. We know the process can feel daunting, which is why we’ve broken down the application step-by-step to guide you through it. Before you know it, you will be ready to submit your application.   
 
Before we go any further, let’s take a moment to get familiar with our application deadlines.  
 
Early Bird – 1 December - Students who apply by this deadline will receive a discount of 2,000 euro from their tuition fees.  
Priority Deadline– 15 January - Students who require a visa to enter Germany and who wish to apply for partial and/or full scholarships should plan to apply by this deadline.  
Priority Deadline – 15 February - Students who do not require a visa to enter Germany and who wish to apply for partial and/or full scholarships should plan to apply by this deadline.  
Final Deadline – 1 May - This is your last opportunity to apply for Fall 2025 entry. 
 
*Our Executive Master of Public Administration follows a different set of deadlines – the priority deadline and the final deadline are 1 June and 1 August, 2025, respectively.    
 
Now, let’s get into the application. 

Introduction/Programme selection 

The first page provides instructions for filling out the online application, step-by-step. First, you will select the programme you are applying for. You should also indicate at this point if you are applying for one of our dual-degree programmes.

Personal info, education, professional experience, skills 

This section tells us more about you, your background, and your qualifications. Take your time with this section, and be honest and to-the-point!  
 
*If you are planning to apply to the Master of Data Science (MDS) programme, you will be asked to fill out a short section on your technical skills.  

References 

As of last year, we no longer require letters of recommendation for MPP, MIA and MDS programmes. However, if you feel as though they would strengthen and add to your application, please list your references in this section. 
 
Our Executive MPA requires two professional references. 

Documents 

In this section, you are asked to submit your updated CV, letter of motivation, academic transcripts, and English testing documents as required. Make sure to upload all of your documents in PDF format and use the suggested file names listed on the page.  
 
Visit the resources below to gather more information about each document: 

• Application tips: CV 
• Application tips: Letter of motivation 
• Application tips: Transcripts 
• Application tips: The English requirement

If you're applying to more than one programme, you'll need to upload a unique letter of motivation for each.

Further information and submission of application 

Keep going, you are nearly there! The further information section is all about you, we want to learn more! How did you find the Hertie School? What interests you about the Hertie School? What are your concentration or policy issue interests?  
 
There is only one more step after this: to sign and submit! We process applications on a rolling basis, so the sooner you send your completed application in, the sooner you will get your admissions decision.  

What about the funding application?

We’ve introduced a new funding application and process for the 2024-2025 application cycle. In short: you won’t need to apply for funding until after receiving an offer of admission. A detailed explanation of the new process can be found on our blog.

We are very much looking forward to receiving your application! Studying at the Hertie School is a unique experience, giving you the opportunity to learn in an interactive and international setting, while gaining the practical know-how you need before entering the industry. We know that you will be keen to receive an admissions decision, and we will work as fast as possible to get that to you.  
 
If anything is unclear, or you have any other questions about how to apply, please write to our Admissions team at grad-admissions[at]hertie-school[dot]org or attend one of our regularly scheduled Admissions Office Hours.  
 
From all of us at the Hertie School, we wish you good luck with your application!