How and when do I apply online? Which documents do I need?
You can submit your applications for the winter semester every year.
Please note that we only accept applications via our Apollo for applicants who completed their Bachelor’s degree in Germany and via uni-assist for applicants with international Bachelor’s degrees. Kindly be informed that uni-assist will charge a handling fee.
Applications that are sent otherwise (i.e. via mail, fax, e-mail, etc.) will not be considered.
How to use uni-assist
1. Please click the link to go to uni-assist. To change the language settings to English, please select 'English' in the drop-down menu in the top right corner.
2. Please type International Media Studies into the search box to find the program. Additionally, select winter semester 2026/2027, Hochschule Bonn-Rhein-Sieg as the university, Nordrhein-Westfalen as the federal state and master as the type of degree.
3. Registration is required to apply, so please create an account before starting your application.
4. Please follow the standard procedure. Preliminary review documentation (VPD) is not required for our program. Kindly note that your application will only be processed after uni-assist receives your handling fees.
5. Our program accepts online-only applications; therefore you do not need to send your documents via postal mail.
Why do I have to pay handling fees to apply via uni-assist?
Uni-assist is a non-profit association that processes and evaluates international student applications on behalf of over 180 German universities. It is funded through handling and membership fees.
Due to financial and personnel constraints, Hochschule Bonn-Rhein-Sieg (H-BRS) has partnered with uni-assist to more efficiently manage international applications. As a result, all applicants with international degrees must pay uni-assist’s handling fees to cover the cost of processing their applications.
For more details, visit uni-assist’s official profile.
How to use Apollo
1. Please click the link to go to the Apollo application platform.
2. To change the language settings to English, please select 'English' in the drop-down menu in the bottom right corner.
3. Please select “Application Master’s degree” in the menu at the top, then “Admission-free Master's degree programs” on the next page to get further information on the application process.
4. Registration is required to apply, so please create an account before starting your application. You will receive login credentials for the portal via email. Please note that at the end of each application period, all application-related data and inactive accounts are deleted. An account is considered inactive if there are currently no applications and the last successful login was more than six months ago.
5. When you log in for the first time, you can select whether you would like to receive automatic updates if the status of your application changes or if you would like to check your status manually. We strongly recommend you activate the update notifications. You can always change your notification settings in the application overview box on the right-hand side.
6. In the next step, please select the current “Winter Semester”. You can change the semester in the drop-down menu at the top of the application overview page.
7. You can now start your application by clicking “Add a request”. Select “Master of Arts” as the degree, then "International Media Studies" as the course of study and “1. study program semester” for when you would like to begin your studies.
8. Now enter your personal data in the designated fields. Please note that fields marked with "*" are mandatory and you must upload all corresponding documents before you proceed to the next step. If the mandatory fields have not been filled in or a document is missing, you will receive a red error notification and the respective fields will be marked in red as well. Next to each yellow information icon, instructions or additional information are provided. On the right-hand side you will see your personal information including your applicant number as well as further information on how to use the application portal and the registrar’s office contact.
9. After filling in all sections of the application and uploading all required documents, you will be asked to check and confirm your entries before submitting your application. Please ensure all your entries are correct and the documents you uploaded adhere to the program’s requirements.
10. After submitting your application, you will see it listed under “submitted requests” and the status will read “received”. Please note that after your application has been reviewed and deemed to be complete, you will not be able to make any amendments. If you are asked to revise certain entries or uploads, please select “withdraw and edit request” to make the necessary corrections and resubmit your application. If you would like to withdraw your application entirely, please select “withdraw request”.
