All guides · Part of: Study questions
"IELTS mandatory hai?" is one of the most common questions under Qaiser's study videos. His experience is that many universities accept a medium-of-instruction (MOI) letter instead. When we checked the admission pages of engineering and computer science master's programmes one by one, the picture was mixed: some accept an English-taught bachelor's, several say outright that they do not.
The university decides, programme by programme
The DAAD says English-taught programmes need proof of English and that "the final decision is always made by the higher education institution itself". It says nothing about MOI letters. Source: daad.de · checked 7 Nov 2026 So there is no national rule to rely on. The only answer that counts is the language section of your programme's admission page.
What we found on official pages
| University | Programmes | English-taught degree accepted? |
|---|---|---|
| TU Munich | All master's | Yes, if more than half of your bachelor's was taught in English, shown on the transcript or degree certificate |
| Ulm University | English-taught programmes | Yes, if English was the only language of instruction |
| University of Augsburg | Master's for international applicants | Yes, if English was the primary language of instruction, with supporting documents |
| University of Stuttgart | Electrical Engineering (M.Sc.) | No |
| TU Hamburg (TUHH) | All international master's | No, unless the degree is from the EU, Iceland or Norway |
| Paderborn University | Computer Science, Electrical Systems Engineering | No |
| University of Freiburg | Embedded Systems Engineering | No |
| University of Bayreuth | Computer Science | No |
Source: tum.de · checked 7 Nov 2026 Source: uni-ulm.de · checked 7 Nov 2026 Source: uni-augsburg.de · checked 7 Nov 2026 Source: uni-stuttgart.de · checked 7 Nov 2026 Source: tuhh.de · checked 7 Nov 2026 Source: uni-paderborn.de · checked 7 Nov 2026 Source: uni-freiburg.de · checked 7 Nov 2026 Source: uni-bayreuth.de · checked 7 Nov 2026
Read the date on whatever you find. Stuttgart's current sheet (October 2026) rejects MOI, while an older letter from 2022 saying the opposite is still online. Rules change; old PDFs stay.
Why "English is official in Pakistan" may not help
Some universities waive the test only for countries where English is both an official language and the language of education, using a list published by uni-assist. Pakistan is not on that list, and it names India specifically as not included: English is an official language there, but not counted as the language of education. TU Ilmenau, for example, uses this rule. Source: uni-assist list · checked 7 Nov 2026 Source: uni-assist list · checked 7 Nov 2026
How to check a programme in ten minutes
- Find the programme in the DAAD international programmes database and open the university's own page.
- Go to the language requirements and search the page for "medium of instruction", "language of instruction" or "English-taught degree".
- If it is unclear, e-mail the admissions office with your exact degree and university, and keep the answer.
- If it is accepted, ask your university for an official letter stating that the whole programme was taught in English, on letterhead, signed and dated.
If you need a test after all
On the pages we read, the minimum IELTS score for a master's ranged from 6.0 to 7.0; TUHH, for example, asks for 6.5. Programmes taught at C1 level sit at the top of that range. Source: uni-stuttgart.de · checked 7 Nov 2026
Admission is not the visa
India: the German missions tell applicants not to submit exemption letters or language-of-instruction certificates, and say the visa section will not consider them. Source: india.diplo.de · checked 7 Nov 2026 For a bachelor's or master's, they generally expect C1, and they do not recognise Duolingo, PTE or the TOEFL home edition. Source: india.diplo.de · checked 7 Nov 2026 An Indian student admitted on MOI should plan for a test anyway.
Pakistan: the missions' student visa leaflet asks for "confirmation of sufficient language skills in the language of instruction" without saying which documents count; an older Karachi checklist names "IELTS (or similar)". Source: pakistan.diplo.de · checked 7 Nov 2026 The checklist that applies to you appears in the Consular Services Portal. Read it before you decide to skip the test.
The other admission requirements are in the Master's requirements guide, and the fees in what a student visa costs from Pakistan.
Related videos from Qaiser
This guide is written from official sources, not from one video. These videos (Urdu/Hindi) cover related questions.
- Master's admission requirements 2026 (Instagram)
- Studies (Master studies) in Germany: complete guideline (YouTube)
Questions people ask
Can I do a Master's in Germany without IELTS?
At some universities, yes. TU Munich, Ulm and Augsburg accept an English-taught bachelor's under conditions; Stuttgart (Electrical Engineering), TUHH, Paderborn (Computer Science, Electrical Systems Engineering), Freiburg (Embedded Systems Engineering) and Bayreuth (Computer Science) do not. Check your programme's admission page.
Which German universities accept an MOI letter?
Among the pages we read on 7 November 2026: TU Munich (more than 50% of the bachelor's in English), Ulm (English as the only language of instruction) and Augsburg (English as the primary language, with documents). Rules change, so check the date on the page.
Is MOI accepted for the German student visa?
Not in India: the missions say they will not consider language-of-instruction certificates. In Pakistan the leaflet asks for confirmation of sufficient language skills without naming documents; the portal checklist decides.
What IELTS score do I need for a Master's in Germany?
On the pages we read, the minimum ranged from 6.0 to 7.0, most often 6.5. Programmes taught at C1 level ask for 7.0.
Official sources
- DAAD: admission requirements
- TU Munich: language skill navigator
- uni-assist: language certificates
- German missions in India: national visa FAQ
- German missions in Pakistan: student visa leaflet
Read next
- Master's in Germany: requirements and documents
- What a German student visa costs from Pakistan
- Germany student visa: the two requirements
Questions about a video? Ask Qaiser in the comments on Instagram or YouTube.
General information, not legal advice. Rules change. Check the official source linked above; for your own case, the German mission decides.