Philosophy, M.A.
Philosophizing is sometimes equated with abstract discussions about the “big questions.” Although students will at times discuss what may be called the “big questions,” they first acquire, step by step, the essential tools needed to address them. This includes training in the art of rational argumentation and guided reading of key philosophical texts.
Programme facts
| Degree | Master of Arts (M.A.) |
|---|---|
| Duration | 4 semesters, 120 ECTS |
| Language of instruction | German |
| Required German | C1 |
| Study mode | Full-Time, Part-Time |
| Start | Winter semester, summer semester |
| Application | Directly to the university, winter semester until 30.09, summer semester until 31.03 |
| Admission | No admission restriction: every eligible applicant is admitted |
| Tuition fee | €1,500 per semester for international students |
| Semester contribution | €189.80 per semester |
What the tuition fee consists of
Will I get in
Every applicant who meets the formal requirements is admitted — but places can run out before the deadline, so apply at the start of the window.
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 →What you study
The master's program aims to expand students' knowledge and strengthen their competencies in dealing with philosophical questions. It is intended to enable students to engage in independent philosophical work and to develop their own philosophical profile. The seminar places particular emphasis on helping students gain an analytically differentiated understanding of philosophical controversies, engage with various solutions and argumentative strategies, both traditional and contemporary, and clearly understand their strengths and weaknesses. The program also trains students to justify their own judgments with convincing arguments and to present them clearly and comprehensibly both orally and in writing. At the core of the master's program in philosophy in Heidelberg are the study of classical texts from the history of philosophy and the engagement with systematic philosophical questions, for example in metaphysics, philosophy of science, or philosophy of language.
The full curriculum and the programme's parameters are part of programme selection: we compare them with your profile.
Pick programmesCost of study
| Tuition fee of the federal state (Baden-Württemberg), international students | €1,500 |
|---|---|
| Semester contribution | €189.80 |
Requirements and application
| Previous education | Bachelor's degree in philosophy or a comparable field |
|---|---|
| Language | German C1 — confirmed by a certificate when you apply |
| Application | Directly to the university, winter semester until 30.09, summer semester until 31.03 |
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 31.03Send 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 31.03.2027 (168 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.