Heidelberg Medicine Faculty
Heidelberg
Germany’s oldest university and best-known medical school. As such, I can say that it is every student’s dream. The school has a respected reputation all over the world. Due to its traditional education quality and popularity since ancient times, it can also find itself in the top rankings outside of Germany. You can find my general introduction about the school in my Heidelberg University article.
Heidelberg University Hospital is one of the largest and most famous medical centers in Germany. Every year, its specialized clinics care for around 80,000 inpatients and more than 1,000,000 outpatients. The clinic’s close research collaboration with renowned institutes inside and outside the university, as well as with the German Cancer Research Center, the Max Planck Institute for Medical Research and the European Molecular Biology Laboratory, is probably unique in Germany. See here for a list of the best medical schools in Germany.
Heidelberg Semester Fee
The school and indeed the state has a disadvantage for foreign students like us. While education is free at public universities in almost all of Germany, in the state of Baden-Württemberg, where the school is located, foreign students have to pay 1500 Euros per semester. Since the state has many famous schools, it has turned this advantage into money.
The university is ranked among the top 50 in the world for its popularity in medicine and many other sciences. However, the faculties of medicine (due to the fact that the German Center for Cancer Research is located in this city) are especially prominent in the fields of radiology, oncology, surgery and public health.
The school has two independent medical schools. One in Heidelberg and the other in Mannheim, 15 minutes away. The Heidelberg Medical School in Heidelberg is the older one and follows a traditional curriculum (Regelstudiengang).
Heidelberg Medical School
The school is located in a huge hospital complex right next to the city. Although the school and the hospital complex do not fit the historical atmosphere of the city, it does not seem to be too much of a secret since it does not enter the city. (I have already written about my views and experiences about the city. You can access the article Studying in Heidelberg from the link) If you ask me, the only disadvantage of the faculty in the field of education is that it applies a traditional curriculum (of course, this is my opinion, there may be those who think otherwise), otherwise I have no doubt about the quality of education. The potential of the prospective students and the incredible competition for admission confirm this.
In traditional medical education, the first two years are the most difficult because of the theoretical and intensive basic sciences courses. Add to that the bell curve system and the super smart, hard-working people you are competing with, who may have studied basic sciences before, and Heidelberg Medical School can be one step more difficult. I’m telling you. I wrote an article about the structure and difficulties of medical education in Germany called “Is it Hard to Study Medicine in Germany?” I recommend you to read it.
Another issue I would like to touch upon is housing. The fact that the town is very small and the school is in high demand from outside the city or the country has put the housing problem at the top of the list. Housing is very expensive and even if you don’t want to pay for it, it can be very difficult to find a place. For this reason, most of the students stay in shared apartments. You can check my previous article about the city on this subject.
Mannheim Medical School
I mentioned that the school has two medical schools. The other medical school is in Mannheim, 15 minutes by train from Heidelberg. Mannheim is an industrial city, so it doesn’t have the historical atmosphere of Heidelberg. When you go, you will be surprised by the difference. The faculty applies a curriculum defined as a model course in medical education. I talked about these model medicine and traditional medicine programs in my article “Model Course in Medical Education in Germany“. In this program, which the school calls “MaReCuM”, students start practicing early, unlike in Heidelberg. However, Mannheim Medical School is not exactly a model course. Unlike other model course students, Mannheim students take the first state exam like students on a traditional course.
In contrast to Heidelberg, the faculty is located in an old and gloomy building. In addition, a former brewery has been converted for seminars and meetings. For laboratories it has a new and modern building. Although the faculty is nice, I can’t say the same for the city. Although my son was accepted from this faculty, he didn’t prefer it because of the city. I heard that his friends who preferred Mannheim also regretted it later because of the city life. However, I still consider it preferable because of its prestigious name and high quality of education.
How many points are required for admission to the Medicine program at Heidelberg?
Applications to Heidelberg Medical programs are very competitive, in line with the school’s popularity. Until 2021, you were initially asked to choose between Heidelberg or Mannheim Medical School. During the pandemic, it was possible to apply to both faculties at the same time, but I don’t know if this will continue.
Heidelberg Medical School seems to be more focused only on the NC score (they do not explain how effective the TestAS score is, and the experience of previous years creates the perception that they do not look very much) For the Mannheim Medical School, the TestAS results seem to be more important. However, the TestAS is compulsory for both faculties. If you want to know what the TestAS is and how to prepare for it, you will find various articles on https://recepdayi.com.tr/en/category/testas_en/
If you ask me, NC 1.0 is the only chance for you to be accepted to Heidelberg Medical School, but you can also try your luck with 1.1 or 1.2 if your TestAs result is 120 or above. You may think it is a high score, but for a prestigious medical school that is recognized all over the world and where the best from all over the world compete to get in, it should not be considered too much. I wrote an article called “Studying Medicine in Germany” about why Germany is the right choice for medical education, which you can read here.
When I said NC 1.0 is required, I did not mean that admission is guaranteed with 1.0. As in many universities in Germany, Heidelberg University is not very transparent about the admission criteria. Of course, there are universities that are transparent, but most of them are like this. Here, the question of which school I should apply to with how many points is based on a lot of research and consultation with experienced people. If you are wondering how the NC score is calculated, you can read the explanations here. The importance of the TestAs exam should not be underestimated, a score close to 130 from this exam can open the doors of many schools. So don’t underestimate it. ( https://recepdayi.com.tr/en/category/testas_en/ )
I said that Mannheim attaches more importance to the TestAS exam for the medical faculty. (Nothing official, just a prediction) If your TestAS score is 120 and above, you may have a chance even with 1.2 NC. (There are a few examples I know). The values I have given here reflect my personal experience and predictions. Otherwise, as I always say, there is no obstacle for application.
Application to Heidelberg Medical Programs
For medical applications, the University of Heidelberg will first ask you to apply for a VPD (Vorprüfungsdokumentation) through Uni-Assist. (See What is a VPD?) This process can take a long time, so apply to Uni-Assist as soon as you receive your diploma or university exam result.
Applications to Heidelberg Medical programs are made through the school’s portal. To enroll in the school, you must successfully pass the DSH-2 exam, which takes place every fall. You are exempt from the exam if you can present the following certificates at the time of application. In addition, you must also submit your TestAS exam result at the time of application.
In cases where your knowledge of German is not sufficient, you have the chance to apply on condition that you go to a preparatory school, but let me remind you that you have to be very lucky in practice. Because the quota is very small and immigrants have already filled them.
If you have any questions, please contact me recep[at]recepdayi.com.tr
