Learners and trainees

• planet-beruf is provided by the Federal Employment Agency and provides information on all topics relating to career choice, applications and vocational training. The site helps pupils in secondary level I (aged 13 to 17) to clarify their career planning.
• What should I study? is the name of a website run by the University of Hohenheim. In around 20 minutes and free of charge, the Online test for prospective students determines which degree programme and career best suit their own inclinations and interests. The test consists of two parts. The first part determines a general interest profile, from which recommendations for degree subjects across different locations are derived. The second part concerns the interests relevant to the degree subjects offered by the University of Hohenheim.
• If the University of Hohenheim test has not produced the desired result, you can simply try again. The University of Rostock also offers an Online self-assessment test in which you can test your abilities and talents for a particular degree programme.
• The Higher Education Compass of the German Rectors’ Conference is a classic and indispensable resource for anyone looking for the right programme among the wealth of new, reformed or traditional degree programmes. Those eager to learn can search here for specific degree programmes, doctoral opportunities or international collaborations.
• studienwahl also lists all higher education institutions where a particular subject can be studied, thus helping with the search for the right place to study.
• bildung.de is a database and search service for educational opportunities. The study section currently contains a database of more than 9,000 degree programmes.

There are many possibilities here. A first overview can certainly be provided by www.chemie-studieren.de. There you will also find contact persons for student advisory services at the respective university. Some universities also offer taster days.
A comprehensive database of all chemistry degree programmes and further information can be found at www.hochschulkompass.de.

The GDCh also has various networks that could be of interest for further exchange about studying chemistry. Firstly, there is the JCF (JungesChemieForum), in which students are active regionally and organise various events. Secondly, there are the local sections, which organise, for example, scientific lectures at universities.

The internet portal AusbildungPlus provides a good overview of the more than 550 dual study programmes currently offered at universities of cooperative education, academies of public administration and business, universities of applied sciences and universities.
The database maintained there also contains many attractive training opportunities offered by companies in the chemical industry.

Unfortunately, it is not possible to recommend a specific university or higher education institution, as the choice of where to study depends on individual factors. These include, for example, the focus of the degree programme, possible subject areas and specialisations, personal interests and goals, living costs, and whether moving is an option or being close to family and friends is important.

For initial guidance on subject areas, course structure, higher education institutions and contacts for academic advice, www.chemie-studieren.de is recommended.

It may also be helpful to obtain information directly from higher education institutions, for example via their websites or academic advisory services. www.hochschulkompass.de and university rankings can also help with orientation. If some higher education institutions have already been shortlisted, open days, discussions with academic advisers and exchanges with students can provide additional insights. Student initiatives, alumni projects and the JungesChemieForum (www.jcf.io) may also be helpful.

The “Statistics for Chemistry Degree Programmes” also contains information on locations, bachelor’s and master’s degree programmes, student numbers and duration of study.

Studying with a Fachabitur is possible in two ways and depends on whether “Fachabitur” refers to the subject-specific higher education entrance qualification or the entrance qualification for universities of applied sciences.
With both the entrance qualification for universities of applied sciences and the subject-specific higher education entrance qualification, you can study all subjects at all universities of applied sciences (HAW) in Germany. With the subject-specific higher education entrance qualification, you can also study at universities the subjects listed on your school-leaving certificate.
The requirements for studying with a Fachabitur depend on the respective federal state. The academic advising services at the universities are available for information.

Further information on studying with a Fachabitur is available, for example, at

https://www.azubis.de/ratgeber/berufsleben-im-blick/718

https://www.mein-studium-karriere.de/studium/studienformen/studieren-mit-fachabi/

The Career Profiles section and the Personal Accounts on www.chemie-studieren.de, as well as the information provided by the GDCh Career Service, offer you an overview of the various fields of work in chemistry:

The most important keywords here are probably BAföG, scholarships and part-time jobs. Student loans could also be an option. The GDCh careers service provides a brief overview of this.