Food Chemistry, State Examination
Food Chemistry (Staatsexamen) at Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Germany — a state-examination program leading to the nationally recognized professional qualification for food chemists in Germany, combining intensive natural-science foundations in chemistry, biochemistry, physics, and biology with advanced food-specific disciplines including nutritional physiology, food technology, microbiology, food law, toxicology, and forensic analytics. Laboratory practicals are integrated throughout, covering organic synthesis, instrumental analytics, and bioanalysis alongside theoretical coursework.
Programme facts
| Degree | State Examination |
|---|---|
| Duration | 9 semesters, 270 ECTS |
| Language of instruction | German |
| Required German | C1 |
| Study mode | Full-Time |
| Start | Winter semester |
| Application | Directly to the university, winter semester until 15.07 |
| Admission | Admission restriction (NC): a competition of school grades |
| Tuition fee | Set by the university for international students — the amount is on the programme's official page |
| Semester contribution | €82 per semester |
| Campus | Erlangen |
What the tuition fee consists of
Will I get in
The programme has an admission restriction: the average grade of your certificate, converted to the German scale, decides. The cut-off changes every year — last year's value shows the order of magnitude, not a promise.
- ✓Those with a deep interest in the chemistry of food — how substances are formed, transformed, and detected in complex matrices
- ✓Students who enjoy laboratory work and want analytical technique to be a core part of their education, not an occasional add-on
- ✓Those drawn to the intersection of chemistry, biology, and law — where scientific analysis meets regulatory frameworks and consumer protection
Read moreShow less
- ✓People who see themselves working in roles that require rigorous, defensible scientific judgment — whether in public health monitoring, quality assurance, or research
- ✓Students who are comfortable with a structured, state-examination curriculum and value the clarity of a defined professional qualification at the end
- ✓Those interested in a broad spectrum of future options — from official food surveillance to pharmaceutical or forensic analytics — and want a degree that opens multiple doors
- —The state-examination format means the program follows a nationally regulated curriculum with fixed examination points; there is comparatively little flexibility to customize the course of study compared with a modular bachelor's program
- —The workload in the Grundstudium is intensive: students simultaneously attend lectures in chemistry, physics, mathematics, and biology while completing substantial laboratory hours — effective time management is essential from semester one
- —The program is taught entirely in German; all lectures, practicals, seminars, and examinations require a high level of academic German proficiency
Read moreShow less
- —The full program duration is nine semesters, which is longer than a typical three-year bachelor's; students should plan their finances and personal timeline accordingly
- —Admission is restricted to the winter semester only, so a missed application cycle means waiting a full year
- —The professional qualification obtained (Lebensmittelchemiker/-in) is recognized across Germany but may require additional procedures for recognition in other countries
How the selection works and how strong the competition is — we go through it against your certificate when we select programmes for you.
Programme selection →About the programme
The Food Chemistry program at Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg leads to the First State Examination (Erste Staatsprüfung), the nationally recognized professional qualification for food chemists in Germany. The program spans nine semesters and is structured in two clearly defined phases.
Read moreShow less
The Grundstudium (semesters 1–4) provides an intensive natural-science foundation across general and inorganic chemistry, analytical chemistry, organic chemistry, physical chemistry, biochemistry, mathematics, physics, and biology/botany. Each theoretical module is directly paired with substantial laboratory practicals: students work in inorganic chemistry, analytical chemistry, botanical microscopy, physics, organic synthesis, physical chemistry, instrumental analytics, and biochemistry. This phase concludes with the First Examination in physics, chemistry (oral), and biology.
The Hauptstudium (semesters 5–8) shifts the focus to food-specific disciplines: nutritional physiology, food technology, food microbiology, food law, biotechnology, toxicology, forensic analytics, quality management, and the chemistry and analysis of cosmetics. Advanced practical courses cover bioanalytical and instrumental methods applied directly to food matrices. Every semester includes excursions to industrial facilities and official food safety monitoring agencies, giving students direct insight into professional environments.
The program concludes in semester 9 with a six-month scientific thesis on a current research topic. The thesis can be conducted at an external institution or abroad, offering genuine flexibility for students wishing to connect with industry or international research groups.
Throughout the program, practical laboratory training is not supplementary but structurally central: practicals account for a significant share of contact hours from semester one onward, ensuring that analytical skills are built systematically alongside theoretical knowledge.
What you study
Grundstudium — Semester 1 (Winter)
- General and Inorganic Chemistry: lecture (4 SWS) and seminar (4 SWS) covering fundamental chemical principles and the chemistry of inorganic compounds
- Mathematics: lecture (2 SWS) with exercise class (1 SWS)
- Physics: lecture (4 SWS) with exercise class (2 SWS)
- Biology/Botany: introductory lecture (1 SWS)
- Practicals: General and Inorganic Chemistry (9 SWS); Introduction to Analytical Laboratory Work (2 SWS)
The full curriculum and the programme's parameters are part of programme selection: we compare them with your profile.
Pick programmesCareer
Graduates are qualified to work as food chemists across a wide range of sectors:
Read moreShow less
- Official food surveillance and public health monitoring — positions at state-level authorities such as Landesämter für Gesundheit und Lebensmittelsicherheit
- Food industry — quality assurance, product development, and analytical roles at food manufacturers
- Pharmaceutical and cosmetics industries — analytical chemistry and regulatory compliance roles
- Medical and forensic analytics — positions at institutions such as state criminal investigation offices (LKA) and anti-doping agencies (NADA)
- Research and academia — roles at institutes such as the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft, the Max Rubner-Institut, and universities
Cost of study
| Semester contribution | €82 |
|---|
Requirements and application
| Previous education | Admission to the program requires a German university entrance qualification (Abitur or equivalent). |
|---|---|
| Language | German C1 — confirmed by a certificate when you apply |
| Application | Directly to the university, winter semester until 15.07 |
The procedure and the set of documents depend on your certificate. We check the university's requirements against your documents and give you a list: what to submit, how to certify and translate it, where and when to apply.
Check the requirementsHow to get into this programme
- 1Check your certificate and its recognitionDirect admission, a year at a university at home, or Studienkolleg first — this decides the whole plan.
- 2German up to C1 and a certificateDSH or TestDaF has to be passed before you apply.
- 3Documents and translationsCertified translations of the certificate and transcript, an APS if required. 3–4 weeks.
- 4Application directly to the university until 15.07Send the documents well before the deadline — an incomplete application cannot be completed after it.
- 5Admission, visa, movingPlan 2–3 months for the visa and the blocked account in parallel.
How to apply
You can submit the application yourself or with our help — the university decides on admission in both cases.
Applications go through the university's portal or uni-assist. Typical mistakes:
- ×incorrectly made certified copies and translations
- ×a wrong set of documents
- ×the application submitted the wrong way
- ×errors or gaps in the application form
- ×the application submitted at the wrong time — too early or too late
An incomplete or incorrectly prepared application is excluded from the selection — it can no longer be corrected after the deadline.
StudyInFocus does not represent the university and does not influence the admission decision. We do not sell study places and do not guarantee admission — this is a service for preparing and submitting documents on the applicant's side.
If your level is not enough yet
The two most common stoppers are a language level below the requirement and a certificate without direct admission. Both can be solved, but they take months — plan them now, not after a rejection.
Questions about this programme
How much does the programme cost?
What language level do I need?
When do I need to apply?
Don't postpone the application
The deadline is 15.07.2027 (274 days left). Language, translations and the document check take months, not weeks. In 30 minutes we will build a plan backwards from the deadline and tell you honestly whether you can make it.