Summer Semester in Germany 2027: Dates, Deadlines, Courses and How to Apply

Most students think of Germany's intake as autumn only. In fact, universities admit new students twice a year, and a smaller number of programmes start in the summer semester. This guide covers what we could verify on official university pages as of November 2026: the dates, the deadlines, the kinds of courses that start in summer, and what an Indian applicant must do, in order.

Summer Semester 2027 Dates

• LMU Munich: lectures run from 12 April 2027 to 16 July 2027, with lecture-free days from Maundy Thursday to the Tuesday after Easter and on the Tuesday after Whitsun, plus public holidays (university's own page).
• Technical University of Munich (TUM): lecture period 12 April 2027 to 16 July 2027 (university's own page).
• TU Berlin: lecture period 12 April 2027 to 17 July 2027 (university's own page).
• Other universities differ. For example, Stuttgart reports lectures from 12 April to 24 July 2027, and Halle and Hannover report 5 April to 17 July 2027 (from search results, so confirm on their pages).

The winter semester 2027/28 follows: LMU's first lecture day is 18 October 2027. Your visa and travel plans should be built around your own university's calendar, including any orientation or language courses that start before lectures.

Application Deadlines: What We Could Verify

There is no single national deadline. Each university and often each programme sets its own. A common date quoted online is 15 January for the summer semester, but many programmes close earlier. Examples we confirmed:

• TU Berlin: master's programmes with restricted admission accept applications from 1 December 2026 to 15 January 2027, and open-admission master's programmes until 28 February 2027. Bachelor's applications with restricted admission run from 1 December 2026 to 15 January 2027. Applicants with foreign degrees must also submit a preliminary review document (VPD) from uni-assist. The page says dates are subject to change.
• TUM: the master's and bachelor's deadlines depend on the programme, so check each programme's page. Its VPD grace period for the summer semester is reported to be 15 February.
• Philipps-Universität Marburg: for Computer Science, Data Science and Business Informatics master's programmes, applicants with a foreign degree could apply from 1 November to 31 December 2026 (reported from the university's page).
• Paderborn University: the Computer Science master's lists 30 November for non-EU applicants to the summer semester (reported from its DAAD listing).
• Brandenburg University of Technology Cottbus: the Artificial Intelligence master's lists 1 November to 15 January for non-EU applicants (reported from its DAAD listing).
• University of Münster: a university-wide deadline of 15 January 2027 for international applicants (reported).
• RWTH Aachen and Stuttgart: their pages gave conflicting or incomplete figures for English-taught master's programmes, so check the current page for your programme. Stuttgart says English-taught programmes have their own deadlines.

uni-assist says official information about applications to its member universities is only on the universities' own websites, so do not rely on any agency or blog for your deadline, including this one. If your university uses uni-assist, expect it to need several weeks to process your documents, so submit well before the deadline.

Which Courses Start in the Summer Semester?

Fewer programmes start in the summer semester than in winter, and for some programmes the university recommends the winter start even when a summer intake exists. Listings on the DAAD international programmes database and on university pages show some English-taught master's programmes with a summer start, including:

• Computer Science, Data Science and Business Informatics master's programmes at Marburg.
• Computer Science (Paderborn) and Artificial Intelligence (Cottbus).
• Data Science and other data programmes at several universities, some listed with both winter and summer starts.
• Business and management programmes at a number of universities, depending on the programme.

These are examples, not a full list. Engineering programmes in particular often start in winter only. Use the "Beginning" field on the DAAD listing, then open the university's own page to confirm the start semester, language of instruction, admission type and deadline for 2027.

How to Apply From India: Step by Step

• Shortlist programmes with a summer 2027 start and note each deadline. Check the language requirement (English or German) and whether admission is restricted or open.
• Start the APS certificate early. APS India is part of the Science Section of the German Embassy in New Delhi. The embassy's checklist treats the certificate as required for most Indian student visa applicants, with exceptions such as PhD applicants and holders of certain German or EU public scholarships. The fee and processing time were reported differently across sources, so check aps-india.de for the current figures.
• Apply to the university directly or through uni-assist, as the programme's page says. Where the university requires it, upload your documents and request the preliminary review (VPD) in time. Pay uni-assist only through its official portal.
• Prepare proof of English or German, your degree certificates and transcripts, a CV and a motivation letter, plus any programme-specific documents such as a letter of recommendation or a GRE or GMAT score if asked.
• On admission, apply for the national visa. The embassy's guidance says most student applications are made through VFS, and that attestation or apostille of Indian documents is not required for the visa. Book the appointment in the correct category.
• Prepare proof of funds (typically a blocked account, which was €11,904 for 2026; confirm the current figure with the embassy), health insurance and accommodation plans.
• Plan your arrival for the university's orientation and enrolment dates, not just the lecture start.

Is It Still Possible to Start in April 2027?

It depends on where you are today. If you already have an APS certificate, your English or German proof and your documents ready, and you pick a programme that closes in January or February, it can work. If you have not started the APS, have no language certificate, or your programme closed in November or December, a summer start is unlikely, because the APS, the university decision and the visa each take weeks and the visa appointment comes after the admission. In that case, use the next months to prepare for the winter semester 2027/28, when deadlines are typically in the spring and summer, and you have time to build a stronger application. Check the exact dates with each university.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Assuming the deadline is 15 January for every programme. Many close earlier.
• Starting the APS or uni-assist process in the last month.
• Applying to a programme that starts only in winter and finding out after paying.
• Treating a blog or agency deadline as final. Always confirm on the university's page.
• Booking a visa appointment before you have an admission letter.

IMA (International Multilingual Academy) in Faridabad counsels students on Germany. We can help you shortlist programmes with a summer start, check which deadlines are still open, prepare your documents and plan the APS and visa steps. If your plan needs more time, we also teach German in level-wise classes and can help you build a winter 2027/28 timeline. Admissions and visas are decided by the universities and the German authorities, and IMA does not guarantee them.