How to apply
Tropical Forestry master program has a study start only in the winter semester with classes starting in October. Interested applicants may apply to the program through the different study options listed below. Each study option comes with a unique set of requirements and application procedures which is further elaborated. Depending on the chosen study option and individual cases, the whole process from application to admission may take around 6 months to one year to complete. So, please be advised to prepare your all application documents ahead of time and plan your arrival meticulously.
- Studying with your own funding (self-financed studies)
- Studying with a DAAD EPOS scholarship
- Studying with an Erasmus Mundus scholarship
- Studying with other scholarships
General requirements
You are eligible to apply to the Master program Tropical Forestry if:
- You hold a university degree certificate (at least B.Sc. or an equivalent degree) in forestry or in a related field.
- You have proficiency in English language. If English is not your native language, you must provide us with a certificate of English language proficiency. We accept:
- TOEFL certificate with minimum score of 80 for internet based test (iBT 80), 550 for Paper Based Test (PBT), 213 for computer based test (CBT) or
- IELTS certificate with minimum overall band score of 6.0 or
- Certificate of English language as medium of instruction during your bachelor’s education. This certificate must be issued by your previous University duly signed and stamped with official seal.
Self-financed studies is a study modal where students fund their own education and stay in Germany. There is no tuition fees for studying at TU Dresden, but all enrolled students pay to register for every semester of study. This payment is a contribution towards services offered by the Studentenwerk and the Student Council. This payment also enables the student to use public transportation in Saxony for the duration of the registered semester. However, you need to plan for funding your living costs (accommodation, food, books, insurance, clothing, etc.). This is especially necessary for non-EU citizens who need to prove their financial means to live and study in Germany while applying for a visa.
For more information, please proceed to: https://tu-dresden.de/studium/vor-dem-studium/internationales/informationen-von-a-z
https://tu-dresden.de/studium/vor-dem-studium/internationales/informationen-von-a-zStudent CouncilStudentenwerk
For study start in October of the same year, applications can be submitted online from 01 April. Deadlines are:
- 31 May for international applicants
- 15 July for German-citizens
1.1 List of required documents for applying (self-financed studies)
Prepare the following documents and have them ready in appropriate format before you start filling out the application form.
1. TU Dresden's online application form (Please note: Download the generated application form "Antrag auf Zulassung zum Studium" after your registration in SELMA, print it, sign it with date, convert to pdf format and upload here.)
2. Curriculum Vitae in Europass format (in English, two pages, hand-signed, and with recent date)
3. Letter of motivation (in English, two pages, hand-signed with recent date)
4. Copy of university degree certificate and related academic transcripts
- The original documents must be scanned and converted to pdf format with good resolution so that the content is clear and easy to read.
- If the original documents are in languages other than English or German, please provide certified translations in English or German language additionally.
- Please provide an explanation of grades and information about the grading scale additionally if not already included with the transcript.
- If you are a recent graduate and the original certificate is not issued yet, you can apply with a certified temporary certificate.
- For applicants from China, Vietnam and India, please submit APS Certificate from the Academic Evaluation Centre of the German Embassy.
5. Copy of secondary school graduation certificate / higher secondary school graduation certificate/ university entrance qualification certificate including transcripts; if applicable, higher education entrance exam transcript
- The original documents must be scanned and converted to pdf format with good resolution so that the content is clear and easy to read.
- If the original documents are in languages other than English or German, please provide certified translations in English or German language additionally.
- For applicants from China, Vietnam and India, please submit APS Certificate from the Academic Evaluation Centre of the German Embassy.
6. English language proficiency certificate. We accept:
- TOEFL certificate with minimum score of 80 for internet based test (iBT 80), 550 for Paper Based Test (PBT), 213 for computer based test (CBT) or
- IELTS certificate with minimum overall band score of 6.0 or
- Certificate of English language as medium of instruction during your bachelors education. This certificate must be issued by your previous University duly signed and stamped with official seal.
- The original documents must be scanned and converted to pdf format with good resolution so that the content is clear and easy to read.
7. Copy of passport or personal ID (in pdf format)
8. One recent photograph (in JPEG/JPG format)
1.2 Application steps (self-financed studies)
PLEASE NOTE: Links will be activated during the application period.
Step 1: Apply in SELMA.
SELMA is the online application portal of TU Dresden that supports applicants, students and lecturers in organising their everyday life at the university. Applicants must apply in SELMA first. After completing your online application in SELMA, print out the generated application form (Antrag auf Zulassung zum Studium) and sign it with date. Scan this document and convert it into a pdf file for uploading to the application portal of M.Sc. Tropical Forestry programme. Click here to be redirected to SELMA.
Step 2: Register, login, complete and submit your application in the online portal of M.Sc. Tropical Forestry programme.
M.Sc. Tropical Forestry programme has its own online portal to accept applications from interested candidates. Once you are in the application portal, register to create your user account. (Note: Your SELMA username and password will not work here.) Then log in to the online portal using your credentials, complete the application form, upload required documents and click on Finish and submit to send the application. Click here to be redirected to our online portal.
Step 3: Wait for the result notification in July.
Students from developing countries (see current list of eligible countries) are invited to apply for a DAAD EPOS scholarship. The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) offers a limited number of scholarships to highly motivated and qualified applicants. The current call for applications and necessary application documents for the scholarship for an EPOS study program can be found on the DAAD's website.
To be accepted for study start in October of the next year, an application must be submitted from 01 September to 30 October of the year prior. During this period, our application portal will open to accept applications. Only complete applications will be considered. Applications are not accepted via post or email.
2.1 List of required documents for DAAD EPOS scholarships
All required documents are listed on the DAAD’s website (under “Application procedure”). Additionally, please provide:
- Research concept note for a possible Master thesis topic (maximum two pages, must include the title, problem statement, research objectives, methodology, timetable, bibliography listing all cited publications)
- One recent photograph in jpg/ jpeg format
Please note:
- Certificate of English language as the medium of instruction should be issued on the official letterhead of the University where you studied. It must contain the signature and affiliation of the issuing authority and the official seal of the University.
- Certificate(s) of Employment from the employer(s) showing at least two years of relevant work experience after the Bachelor's degree up to the time of application. It should mention the period you worked at the institution and your position. If possible, a guarantee of re-employment from your current employer upon returning home.
- Letter of recommendation should be issued on the official letterhead of the institution. There must be a signature, official stamp, contact information of the referee and and must be of current date.
2.2 Application steps for DAAD EPOS scholarship
Please note: Links will be activated during the application period.
Step 1: Download and fill in the DAAD application form.
DAAD application form is available on the DAAD’s website under “Application procedure”. Download this form, complete the form, sign it, and scan it for upload.
Step 2: Register in the online application portal of MSc Tropical Forestry programme.
M.Sc. Tropical Forestry programme has its own online application portal to accept applications from interested candidates. Once you are in the application portal, first register to create your user account. Please note your username and password as it is required for logging in (see next step).
Step 3: Log in, complete the application, and submit
Log in using your username and password. Complete the application form, fill in all the mandatory fields (marked with *) and upload all the mandatory documents (marked with *) in pdf format. Submit the application.
Step 4: Wait for the result notification in March from the DAAD EPOS office.
Global Forestry (GloFor) is a two-year Erasmus Mundus M.Sc. programme that prepares graduates to deal with forestry’s tremendous contemporary challenges and potentials in medium and low-income countries. Our institute is one of the five European Universities that makes up the GloFor consortium. Through GloFor programme, you can study at our institute for a maximum of three semesters, conduct your masters thesis and obtain a specialization in Management and Policy. For more details, please visit GloFor website: https://globalforestry.eu/
Check out different funding opportunities available at TU Dresden here and in our list of funding bodies. TU Dresden cooperates with numerous partner universities abroad. International students come to TU Dresden for one or two semesters as part of the following scholarship programmes:
- DAAD Leadership for Africa
- Georgius Agricola Scholarships (degree studies)
- Georgius Agricola Scholarships (exchange students / non-degree studies)
- DAAD KOSPIE program (Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Mexico and India)
- Erasmus+ and Erasmus+ partner countries
- Research Experience Program (Australia, Canada, USA)
- DAAD/STIBET scholarship
- National Scholarship Program (Deutschlandstipendium)
The International Office of TU Dresden provides information to interested applicants and students. More information available here: https://tu-dresden.de/studium/vor-dem-studium/internationales/stipendien/stipendien
Tips for successful application
- In the online application portal of the Master program Tropical Forestry, make sure all the mandatory fields marked with * are filled in and all required documents are uploaded. Incomplete applications will not be considered in the selection process.
- After completing your application, click Save and close. To submit, click on Finish and submit.
- Your data will only be saved if you click the "continue" button or the "save and close" button. If you click the "back" button, your data will not be saved.
- You can stop the application process at any time and continue at a later point.
- All documents must be uploaded in pdf format, except for the photograph which must be uploaded in jpeg/ jpg format.
- Each file must be named based on its contents (e.g.: Name of applicant_CV).
- While preparing files for uploading, please use a scanner to prepare copies with good resolution. The content of the submitted documents must be clear and easy to read.
- While scanning, make sure the content of the whole document is captured.
- If the contents of submitted documents appear to be manipulated with, the application will be rejected.