Heidelberg Campus Online FAQs - Applicants

NEW - Do I have to enter my birth name when registering with heiCO?
Please only fill in the ‘Maiden name’ field if your name has changed, e.g. due to marriage.

NEW - Do I have to submit any documents by post for the application process?
No. Since June 1st 2025, the application and enrolment process are digital only.

NEW - Do documents for enrollment need to be certified?
Yes. It is not sufficient to upload a scan of the original. A copy of the original must be made and certified by an official body (e.g., the citizens' office). Upload this certified copy as a scan in PDF format (for information on certifying documents, see the link on the right).

NEW - What do I have to do if I want to change content in my submitted application?

• If documents are not correct, you can change them yourself in the application status. The exception to this is the university entrance qualification. Follow the instructions in the application status.
• Details of the university entrance qualification (such as the name of the school and grade etc.) will be corrected by Student Administration when the documents are checked.
• You can change your study and home address in the ‘Current/Home Address’ application.

Please only withdraw your application if you really do not wish to submit an application!

NEW - What is meant by a certified copy and what needs to be taken into account?
A certified copy must be identified as a copy of the original and requires an official seal with the signature of an institution authorised to issue seals (these include, for example, local authorities, schools or parish offices). Please ensure that all pages are sealed and signed. 

NEW - Can relatives (e.g. parents) get in touch with heiCO Support?
We recommend that applicants contact the support team themselves and do not use intermediaries. For data protection reasons, the support team can only discuss a person's specific application details with the applicants themselves.

NEW - How can I tell if my acceptance of the study place was successful?
After clicking on the “Accept study place offer” button, the new “Enrollment” section with the next steps will appear directly below it. This means that your acceptance of the study place was successful. If nothing changes on the screen even though you have clicked on the button, please contact the heiCO Support.

NEW - I have received an automatic email from heiCO stating that there is a document in my student dossier. However, I am unable to log in to heiCO to access the document. What can I do?
If you have already applied via heiCO in the past, you can reactivate your basic profile by clicking on ‘Forgot password? Request a new one here’ on the heiCO login page and resetting your password using the ‘For applicants’ option. Please enter the private email address you used for your application. If you did not apply via heiCO, please register for a basic profile via the link ‘Go directly to the online application here’ and follow the steps described in the instructions ‘Registration in heiCO’ (see instructions on the right).

Is there any information about the application process?
We have provided a step-by-step guide for the application process. You can find it on the right under “Instructions for the application process in heiCO” or further down under Downloads. We have also provided a video tutorial on how to apply for admission-free degree programs.  You can find this on our video tutorial page by clicking on heiCO Video Tutorials on the right-hand side. 

I get an error message in some dialogues. Is there anything I can do?
In the past, problems have occurred in some cases when using the Safari browser. If you are using the Safari browser and encounter technical difficulties with your application, we recommend that you first use a different browser for your application. Please note: On mobile devices with older versions of the iOS and iPadOS operating systems, third-party browsers such as Chrome, Firefox or Edge also use the Safari web engine and therefore behave in exactly the same way as a Safari browser.

How can I view the course catalogue in heiCO without logging in?
Go to the homepage of the heiCO website. Under “Offer - Courses” you will find the course catalogue.

I am an applicant and do not have a university ID (Uni-ID) yet. How can I log in?
As an applicant, you will receive a user name during registration, which you can use for log in. You can also use the email address you entered during the registration process for logging in.

I have chosen “German University Entrance Qualification [aHR]” as my higher education entrance qualification and cannot select “Germany” under "Place of school". What do I have to do?
The “German University Entrance Qualification [aHR]” only applies to qualifications from German schools abroad. For a degree from a German school in Germany, select the degree that corresponds to the type of school that issued the certificate, for example "Gymnasium (allgemeine Hochschulreife) [aHR]".

My university is not on the list. What should I do now?
All universities accredited in Germany are available in our selection. If you studied at a non-german university, it is possible that this university is not listed. In this case, please enter your university in the free text field.

I would like to choose “Germany” as my second citizenship. Why is it not shown in the list?
For technical reasons, “Germany” always has to be set as the first citizenship.

I would like to apply for the Studienkolleg. Is this possible in heiCO?
Yes, it is possible to apply to the Studienkolleg in heiCO. Select it as “Type of studies” at the beginning of the application process.

During the application process, I receive the error message "An academic background is required for this degree programme". What do I have to do?
At least one entry for academic background must not have the status “not scheduled” in the section “Status” for the section "Final examination". Please select “not finished” if you are still studying or have not yet received your degree certificate, or “passed on the whole” if you have already completed your studies. If you did not have to take an intermediate exam during your study programme, you can leave “not scheduled” as a status and leave “Grade” and “Date” empty.

I can not chose my university in the dialogue “academic background” because it is not on the list. What should I do now?
All universities accredited in Germany are available in our selection. If you studied at a university abroad, it is possible that this university is not listed. In this case, please enter your university in the free text field.

When I tried to register, it didn't work and I got an email with an error message. What do I have to do now?
The reason for this is that you are already registered as a person in the system because you have already been enrolled as a student or an employee at the University of Heidelberg. Please forward this email including the registration code to heico-support@uni-heidelberg.de and attach proof of identity (e.g. a scan of your ID card). We will then merge your applicant account with your existing account so that you can continue the application process. 

During the application process, my academic record contains incorrect, incomplete or out-of-date data. I cannot change this data. What can I do?
The reason for this is that you are already registered in the system because you have attended Heidelberg University as a student or were employed at Heidelberg University in the past. The data was recorded in this way at that time. Please exactly list the incorrect data and state the correct version in an e-Mail to the student administration at studierendenadministration@uni-heidelberg.de. 

How do I find out whether I have been admitted or rejected to a degree programme?
If there are any changes to the status of your application in heiCO, you will receive a notification by e-mail. You can check the current status of your application at any time by logging into heiCO and clicking on the application "My Applications / Create new application". 

How can I check the status of my application in heiCO and how can I upload additional documents?
Open the application “My Applications” in heiCO and click on the paper and magnifying glass icon on the right next to the relevant application in the “Actions” section. Here you can see the detailed status of your application and upload/reupload requested documents. A quick guide is available for download next to these FAQ on the right.

I have detailed questions about my application, e.g. which deadlines apply, which documents do I have to submit exactly or questions about the content of the application and the degree programme. Who should I contact?
For these kinds of questions, please contact the Service Portal for Students. They can be contacted by e-mail at studium@uni-heidelberg.de or by phone at +49 6221 545454. Office hours are Monday - Thursday from 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. and Friday from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. 

I can't enter all my semesters at the university where I studied, but only up to or from a certain point in time.
From time to time, universities change their name or relocate to another city. Please check whether you can find your university under a different name or study location.

NEW - How can I tell if my acceptance of the study place was successful?
After clicking on the “Accept study place offer” button, the new “Enrollment” section with the next steps will appear directly below it. This means that your acceptance of the study place was successful. If nothing changes on the screen even though you have clicked on the button, please contact support.

NEW - Do I have to submit any documents by post for the application process?
No. Since June 1st 2025, the application and enrolment process are digital only.

NEW - Do documents for enrollment need to be certified?
Yes. It is not sufficient to upload a scan of the original. A copy of the original must be made and certified by an official body (e.g., the citizens' office). Upload this certified copy as a scan in PDF format (for information on certifying documents, see the link on the right).

NEW - What is meant by a certified copy and what needs to be taken into account?
A certified copy must be identified as a copy of the original and requires an official seal with the signature of an institution authorised to issue seals (these include, for example, local authorities, schools or parish offices). Please ensure that all pages are sealed and signed. 

Do I need health insurance?
New students admitted to Heidelberg University are required to contact a German statutory health insurance before enrolling. This applies regardless of your current insurance status, i.e. even if you are exempt from compulsory insurance because you are insured with a private health insurance company or a non german insurance company.
The obligation to contact the statutory health insurance company does not apply to doctoral candidates, applicants to pre-subject students (German course, preparatory course, preparatory semester) and to guest students.

What do I have to do to demonstrate to Heidelberg University that I am covered by health insurance?
Please contact a German statutory health insurance before you enrol, even if you are exempt from compulsory insurance because you are privately insured or insured abroad. The statutory health insurance fund will check whether you have sufficient insurance in accordance with the legal regulations and will arrange for an electronic notification to be sent to Heidelberg University. The health insurance notification must be received by Heidelberg University before the end of the enrolment period. Without this notification, you cannot be enrolled at the university.

Are there any degree programmes for which I cannot apply via heiCO?
Guest students must apply to Heidelberg University in paper form.