Applying to Business Management or an MBA in Germany: An Application Documents Checklist

Get Your Documents Ready for Your Next Academic Step

You have found a program that interests you and started imagining life as a student in Germany. Now comes the practical part: preparing your application. Which certificates should you submit? Does your transcript need a translation? Will you need an English-language test, a motivation letter or an academic reference?

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Preparing these documents becomes easier when you understand what each one is for. The exact requirements depend on your university, chosen degree and educational background, so use this checklist as a starting point and adapt it to your application.

For the complete process, from choosing a program to planning your arrival, read How to Apply to Universities in Germany: A Step-by-Step Guide for International Students.

Begin With the Requirements for Your Chosen Degree

Before collecting documents, confirm the program, intake and deadline you are applying for. Check the application route, accepted document languages and submission format.

A bachelor’s application and a master’s application require different academic evidence. Additional requirements can also depend on where you completed your previous education. www.uni-assist.de

Create a separate checklist for each program. Record what you need, who will provide it and when it will be ready. This makes it easier to identify tasks that need advance planning, such as requesting transcripts, arranging translations or contacting a referee.

1. Complete Your Application Form

Your application form brings together your personal details, educational history and choice of program. Enter your name consistently with your identification documents and check your email address carefully. If your name differs between academic records and your passport, ask Admissions what supporting explanation is needed.

At Touro Berlin, you apply through the online application portal. Follow the application link for your chosen program and review your information before submitting. Keep your submission confirmation and application number, if issued, so you can refer to them when contacting the university.

2. Prepare Your Academic Certificates

For a bachelor’s degree, you will generally need your school-leaving qualification and the associated record of grades. For a master’s degree, prepare the university qualification required for admission and its supporting records.

Depending on your educational background and application route, you may also need evidence of a university entrance examination or previous university studies. If you are still completing your qualification, ask whether you can apply with provisional results. Confirm which documents are accepted at that stage and when your final certificate must arrive.

Request missing records early rather than waiting until you begin uploading your application.

3. Include Your Complete Academic Transcript

Your certificate confirms a qualification. Your transcript shows the subjects you studied and the results you achieved.

Include every required page and make sure course titles, grades, stamps and signatures are readable. You may also need information explaining your university’s grading system.

For graduate study, your transcript can help establish whether you have completed the necessary academic preparation. For example, applicants to Touro Berlin’s MBA need evidence of prerequisite coursework in accounting or finance, microeconomics or macroeconomics, and statistics or calculus. If you have not completed the required subjects, preparatory coursework may be necessary.

Ask Admissions about any uncertainty concerning your previous courses.

4. Arrange Your Language Evidence

The language of your program determines which language skills you need to demonstrate.

At Touro Berlin, Business Management and the MBA are taught in English, with no German-language requirement. Applicants whose first language is not English need to demonstrate English proficiency unless they qualify for an exemption.

For Business Management, completing an English-language high school curriculum can qualify you for an exemption from submitting English test scores. For the MBA, an English-language high school or bachelor’s curriculum can qualify

If you need a test, check the accepted qualifications, minimum scores and required validity period for your chosen degree. Also confirm whether the testing institution must send your official results directly to Admissions. Language requirements can differ between programs, including within the same university.

5. Obtain Translations in the Required Language

If your certificates are in a language the university does not accept, arrange the required translations. For Touro Berlin’s Business Management and MBA applications, certificates and transcripts issued in languages other than English must be accompanied by an official English translation

If you are applying through uni-assist, submit your educational documents in their original language with certified German or English translations, unless an accepted exception applies.

Keep both versions of each document. Check that every required page has been translated and that names, dates and qualification titles are consistent. Before commissioning the work, confirm which translators are accepted. Also check whether you need certified copies: certification of a copy and certification of a translation are different requirements.

6. Prepare Your Identification and Photograph

Prepare a clear copy of the passport or identity document accepted for your application.

For Touro Berlin’s Business Management and MBA programs, you need a copy of your passport or national identity card and a passport-size photograph.

Make sure the document is readable and includes the requested information. Check any specifications for the photograph, such as dimensions or file format, before uploading it.

Use the university’s designated submission channel for your application documents.

7. Update Your CV or Resume, If Required

A CV helps the university understand your educational background and relevant experience. For Touro Berlin’s Business Management application, include a CV or resume. Organize your education and activities with clear dates, and add relevant employment, internships, volunteering or projects.

If you are applying directly from school, focus on your studies, interests and activities that help explain your preparation for university. Check whether your chosen program requires a particular format or length. Keep the information accurate and easy to follow.

8. Write Your Motivation Letter

When a motivation letter is required, use it to explain your interest in the subject and your reasons for choosing the program. Connect your plans with specific aspects of the curriculum. A relevant project, academic interest or professional experience can help explain what you want to study and why.

For Touro Berlin’s Business Management, MBA and Holocaust Studies applications, prepare a motivation letter. Check the required length and any questions you have been asked to address. Review the final version for clarity, spelling and the correct university and program names.

9. Request Your Academic Reference

An academic reference can provide insight into your previous studies and preparation for further education. For Touro Berlin’s Business Management, MBA and Holocaust Studies applications, you need an academic reference letter.

Approach your referee early. Explain which degree you are applying for, provide the deadline and share any instructions about the letter. Confirm whether you should upload the reference yourself or whether the referee needs to send it separately. Give them enough time to prepare and submit it.

Your Application Documents Checklist

Adjust this list to the requirements of your chosen program.

Document	What to check
Application form	Correct personal details, program and intake
Academic certificate	Required qualification and accepted format
Transcript	All required pages, subjects and results
Language evidence	Accepted test or exemption and submission method
Translations	Correct language and accepted translator
Identification	Accepted document and readable copy
Photograph	Whether required and correct specifications
CV or resume	Whether required and requested format
Motivation letter	Relevant content and required length
Academic reference	Appropriate referee and correct submission route
Additional documents	Any program-specific or country-specific evidence
Submission	Deadline, required fees and confirmation

Review Your Files Before You Submit

Open each file and check for missing pages, blurred text or cropped information. Follow the application portal’s instructions for file formats, size limits and document grouping.

Use clear filenames, such as Academic-Transcript.pdf or Motivation-Letter.pdf, and keep a copy of the documents you submit.

Allow time for questions and corrections. If a required document is missing, contact Admissions before the deadline to discuss your situation. After admission, check the separate requirements for enrollment and any necessary visa procedures. Some documents may be useful at more than one stage, but each process needs its own checklist.

Take the Next Step With Touro University Berlin

Ready to prepare your application? Explore Business Management, the MBA or Holocaust Studies, and check the current entry requirements for your chosen degree.

For questions about your qualifications, translations or English-language evidence, contact admissions@berlin.touro.edu.

Preparing a complete application gives you time to focus on the next stage of your plans: beginning your studies and becoming part of an international academic community in Berlin.

Note: This blog provides educational and editorial content on a variety of topics. The views and interpretations expressed in individual articles do not necessarily reflect the official position of Touro University Berlin or Touro University.