FAQs

• Successful completion of the first legal examination, an equivalent foreign degree, or a Bachelor's programme in law. Graduates of a non-legal university course can be admitted if they can prove that they have sufficient legal knowledge.
• Work experience of usually one year (for recognition of internships, part-time jobs, etc., please contact us).
• Proven language skills in the languages of teaching and instruction at TU Dresden (English: B2 level) and at the respective partner university, if applicable.

Detailed information on the admission requirements can be found HERE!

Though our most typical applicants are law graduates, you are also welcome if you have graduated in engineers, computer scientists, media and other disciplines seeking to enhance your understanding of legal regulation, policies, and mechanisms of protection in the fields of intellectual property. If your previous field of study is not law, we may ask you to provide a short explanation of how your studies or professional experience is relevant to the specialization of this Master's Programme.

The basic knowledge can be acquired in different ways (on-line courses of WIPO or another recognized institution), also there is no need to take an exam. The only condition is that it is a course in the field of law and is evaluated with at least 5 ECTS or in the duration of 150 hours (1 ECTS = 30 hours). A letter from the lecturers stating that you have participated in a course is also usually sufficient.

It is recommended to attend basic legal courses in order to learn how to "think legally" and especially how to set arguments correctly. For the participation in the LL.M. "International Studies in Intellectual Property Law" it is also important to have an understanding of the functioning of the European Union and some basic knowledge of European law.

The English test is an admission requirement for enrolment at TU Dresden and some foreign partner universities. Exceptions are clarified in the FAQ question: "In which exceptional cases is an English test not required?”

TU Dresden:

TOEFL-IBT: Overall score 90 with minimum scores of 21 for writing, 21 for listening, 22 for reading and 23 for speaking. Cambridge Certificate in Advanced English: 176 overall, no less than 169 in any element. IELTS: Overall score 6.5. No less than 6.0 in any section.

Partner universities (wintersemester):

• Exeter: TOEFL-IBT: Overall score 90 with minimum scores of 21 for writing, 21 for listening, 22 for reading and 23 for speaking.'IELTS: Overall score 6.5. No less than 6.0 in any section.
  Cambridge Certificate in Advanced English: 176 overall, no less than 169 in any element.
• Krakow: English test see Exeter; knowledge of Polish is not required. However, as many IP lectures are held in Polish, we recommend that applicants with Polish language skills study in Krakow.
• London: IELTS: minimum 7.0 / TOEFL-IBT: 100 (Writing 27)
• Prague: English test see Exeter
• Seattle/Tokyo: TOEFL-IBT: minimum 92 / IELTS: minimum 7.0 / Cambridge Certificate in Advanced English: 185 overall, no less than 169 in any element.
• Strasbourg: proof of very good French language skills
• Szeged: English test see Exeter

We also accept a range of alternative qualifications to demonstrate your level of English Language proficiency.  

If you are a national of a majority English-speaking country (including Canada) you may be accepted without an English Language qualification if during the application process you have demonstrated that you are able to understand written and spoken English to the required level. You don’t need to prove your knowledge of English if you’ve completed a qualification equivalent to a UK degree in:

• Antigua and Barbuda
• Australia
• the Bahamas
• Barbados
• Belize
• Dominica
• Grenada
• Guyana
• Ireland
• Jamaica
• New Zealand
• St Kitts and Nevis
• St Lucia
• St Vincent and the Grenadines
• Trinidad and Tobago
• UK
• USA

You also don’t need to prove your knowledge of English if one of the following apply:

• you’re a national of Canada or any of the countries in the list above
• you have studied in the UK before as a Tier 4 (Child) student

Yes, the International Office of TU Dresden still requires that the language skills are proven by an appropriate test.

A certain language level is not required. Though knowledge of German language is not a pre-requisite for admission, it is certainly very useful for managing everyday life and studies in Germany. Therefore, we encourage our international students to learn some German before the beginning of the Programme and to take advantage of numerous language learning opportunities offered by TU Dresden while studying here. That´s why one unit/week will be mandatory for our students.

Fees from the start of the winter semester 2023/2024:

* Since study visits to Strasbourg, Tallinn and partly also to Prague are organised as part of the Erasmus program, our students receive an Erasmus scholarship of around €320 -420 per month during their studies in Prague or Strasbourg. However, there is no entitlement to funding, the Erasmus places are limited and a scholarship cannot be guaranteed on our part.

The payment of the fees for the TU Dresden will be handled by the International Office. Payment is made semester by semester. For the winter semester, the fees are to be paid by approx. mid-September, for the summer semester by approx. mid-March.

When studying abroad in the winter semester, the fees are requested directly from the partner universities. Experience shows that this takes place in the months of August/September.

Unfortunately, an installment payment is generally not possible.

Information on the exact start will be obtained directly from the partner universities. We recommend our students to arrive in mid-September, as some partner universities offer introductory events (e.g. London, Exeter, Prague). As a rule, most universities start their events around 20 September.

The summer semester starts on April 1. The courses usually start in the first or second week of April.

TU Dresden:  The individual modules (5 ECTS) are each completed with module examinations. In the first semester you take the first 6 module examinations, in the second semester another 3 and the Master's thesis. The following examinations are offered in the winter semester:

• Module Patent Law and Allied Rights: 90-minute written exam, mid-Dec/beginning of January
• Module EU Copyright Law: 90-minute written exam, mid-Dec/beginning of January
• Module Copyright and Patent Law in Practice: Portfolio, mid-January
• Seminar modules: presentation and seminar paper each, beginning of January, end of February
• Moot Court: pleadings and presentation during the semester, mid-January
• Internship: Confirmation of internship employer, portfolio, March (compulsory module, recommended in the 1st semester)
• Module Fundamentals of Research: Presentation, ungraded (compulsory module, recommended in the 2nd semester)

The following examinations are offered in the summer semester:

• Module Trademark and Design Law and Allied Rights: 90-minute written exam, mid-June/early July
• Module Data Law: 90-minute written examination, mid-June/early July
• Module Trademark, Design and Data Law in Practice: Portfolio, mid-July
• Seminar modules: Presentation and seminar paper each, beginning of July, end of August
• Module German IP Law: 120-minute written exam, mid-June/early July
• Internship: Confirmation of the internship provider, portfolio, September (compulsory module, recommended in the 1st semester)
• Module Fundamentals of Research: Presentation, ungraded (compulsory module, recommended in the 2nd semester)

University of Exeter : At University of Exeter you have the choice between postgraduate and undergraduate classes. You must take the postgraduate course "Copyright" (50% of the grade for the partner university). There is also the option of taking another postgraduate course (50%) or two undergraduate classes (25% each). If you take more exams than are required, the best result will be credited towards the master's grade.

Queen Mary University of London: The students choose a basic course in British Intellectual Property Law. In addition they have the option to partcipate in a course dealing with international or comaparative law in Copyright, Patent or Trademark Law. There exists the posibility to choose further lectures in IP Law. In both courses there is an examination at the end of the semester, which normally consists of a written exam lasting 90 minutes.

Université Robert Schuman Strasbourg/ CEIPI:  At the end of the stay in Strasbourg, students usually take two exams.

University of Washington/Law School/ Seattle: At the end of your studies, you will write a thesis on a topic of your choice in the field of intellectual property - in consultation with your mentor.

Charles University/ Prague: You will be examined in the subject IP Law and another elective subject at Master's level. The successful completion of the first semester in Prague also includes the preparation of a comprehensive final thesis (in English or, in exceptional cases, German) on a special topic in the field of intellectual property. The overall grade of the semester in Prague is composed of the results of the examinations of the two compulsory courses as well as the final thesis.

University of Szeged: Students in Szeged can participate in the courses of the Postgraduate Programme of the Szeged Institute (IP in Practice, Development of Copyright Law, Copyright Law Policy, IP and Open Innovation, EU Competition Law) and, optionally, in the introductory courses to the Hungarian legal system of the International Office of the University of Szeged. Students in Szeged have to take three exams and write a research paper.

University of Krakow: Our students take two exams in the field of intellectual property law, European law or business law. At the end of the semester, they write an essay of about 20 pages. This can be written in Polish or English.

Keito University Tokyo: Students must pass 3 examinations from the field of industrial property rights and/or copyright.

TalTech University, Tallin:

The Master's thesis is usually written in the second half of the degree programme.

• Aim of the Master's thesis: Proof of the ability to conduct independent scientific research.
• Topic: freely selectable, in consultation with members of the institute.
• Processing time: 15 weeks
• Time: 2nd semester, at the latest 1 year after the start of studies
• Colloquium: During the processing time, opportunity to discuss open questions

We will provide you with more detailed information by the beginning of the winter semester, usually students have to find a position themselves. Basically you can do the internship all over the world. You can choose a position on your own, it has to be in the field of Intellectual Property Law and your supervisor has to be a professional lawyer/Judge, etc.

Students who chosse to spend their Wintersemester at Seattle do not have the obligation to do an internship.

More information about Internships can be found here.

Since our LL.M. programme is a full-time study programme, the courses are spread over the entire week and the preparation and follow-up takes up time, we advise against doing a part-time job.

The fee does not include the cost of books and materials. You will receive access to databases (Beck-Online, Hein-Online, Westlaw, Oxford Law Trove) and can use the library (SLUB). They are also provided with relevant legal texts.

The ECTS grading system is a Europe-wide grading scale which facilitates the comparability and transferability of student performance against the backdrop of different grading practices and cultures. The ECTS grade is a relative grade, not an absolute grade and is calculated by the comparison of a graduate's individual grade to the grades of a reference group.

The reference group is defined per degree program. Usually, the range of grades of a graduate graduates, but in the case of small programs, the grade distribution of the last few years can also be used as a reference for calculating the ECTS grades. In our case the last two academic years.

From the cohort :
the top 10% receive an A
the next 25% will receive a B up to 35
the next 30% will receive a C up to 65
the next 25% will receive a D up to 90
the last 10% receive an E up to 100

More detailed information can be found in the respective regulations for determining the ECTS grade on our website. The final grade must therefore be supplemented by an evaluation according to the ECTS- grading scale and to be shown on the certificate.

Students going to Strasbourg, Tallinn or Prague can apply for an ERASMUS grant of approximately 330-450 euros/month for the time they spend abroad. You will receive the necessary application information from us in due time after your study place has been accepted. The places supported by Erasmus are limited. The Erasmus grant is paid subject to the allocation of funds by the EU. Please note that you are not entitled to receive an Erasmus scholarship. Your application can only be considered if you have submitted all the required documents and applied online by the deadline. If there are more applicants for Erasmus places than places, a selection will be made by the TU.

If you have received a study place in Prague, Tallinn or Strasbourg, we will send you detailed information on the application process for the Erasmus scholarship. An online application is made via our Erasmus office, from where the further procedure, such as filling in the Learning Agreement, is coordinated. In order to receive the scholarship, you must be enrolled at TU Dresden. Only 7 Erasmus places can be awarded for Prague. If there are more applications than places, there will be a selection decision.

Unfortunately, we have no means of supporting our students in their search for accommodation abroad. For some partner universities we have collected tips from former students, which we can pass on. Please look for advices about accommodation on the homepages of the partner universities.

Each student is responsible for applying for his or her visa. We recommend that you get information regarding specific conditions and prerequisites as early as possible from the appropriate embassy or consulate in your home country because there are particular provisions for each country and the processing time can be lengthy (up to 3 months). We also recommend the references on the webpages of the International Office of the foreign partner universities.

• letter of motivation in English
• Curriculum Vitae in English (in tabular form) with photo (preferably CV Europass)
• Certificates providing evidence of language skills
• university diploma including an overview of subjects and grades (transcript of records) and translations
• school leaving certificate including an overview of subjects and grades
• evidence of other qualifications (see application form)
• European and international students: copy passport
• Applicants from China, India, Mongolia and Vietnam: APS Certificate

Information on the application process can be found HERE!

In exceptional cases, individual documents may be submitted later. If you have not yet completed your current course of study at the time of your application, 80 percent of the examination achievements must already have been completed. We need your degree certificate before the start of the LL.M. programme.

The language test can be passed later. However, the registration for the language test (date) must be known at the time of application.

An unreserved aptitude assessment on our part is only possible if the complete application documents are available. Admission to the course of study is granted by the International Office if the requirements for enrolment at the TU Dresden are met.

A pre-application by email is possible. Please send your documents in a single PDF file and avoid sending your documents in several files:

As soon as we offer you a place to study, you have to send the original documents (officially certified copies, etc.) to us by post as soon as possible:

LL.M. International Studies in Intellectual Property Law
Institute for International Law, Intellectual Property and Technology Law (IRGET)
Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Social Science
Technische Universität Dresden
01062 Dresden
Germany

Officially certified copies must always contain the following:

• the original official stamp and
• the original signature of the certifying person

Officially certified copies consisting of multiple pages must clearly show that every page has been officially certified in the same process. This can be ensured in the following ways:

• Using the official stamp: The official stamp must be visible on all pages. In order to achieve this, the person who certifies the copy attaches the pages to each other in a staggered arrangement and then stamps them with the official stamp. This results in every page carrying a part of the official stamp. With this method, the certification declaration and signature need to be applied to only one page.
• Using a ribbon and an embossed seal: If a notary attests the copy using a ribbon and an embossed seal, the certification declaration and signature also need to be applied to only one page.

Standards for the language of certificates:
Submit your certificates in their original language, accompanied by a translation in German or English. This also applies to the overview of subjects and grades. If your country issues your certificates (additionally) in German or English, we do not need a translation (exceptions are listed under Info country by country). Certificates in French must be translated into German or English.

Standards for certified translations:
We accept translations of certificates from the following sources:

• persons or institutions authorised to make translations under oath or admissible in court,
• a department of the issuing school or university authorised to issue such translations.

We do not accept non-certified translations from standard translation agencies.

Copies of translations also need to be certified. Translators may put their original stamp on copies of translations made by themselves. However, they may not certify documents in their original language.

(Information from www.uni-assist.de)

In Germany, any public institution ("öffentliche Stelle") which has an official stamp ("Dienstsiegel") is authorised to certify documents. This includes:

• town halls / citizen centres,
• "Ortsbürgermeister" (local mayors),
• "Kreisverwaltungen" (local governments),
• parish offices,
• courts,
• notaries.

Important: Translators are not authorised to certify documents in their original language.

Public institutions in Germany are allowed to certify documents in a foreign language, but are under no obligation to do so. If you cannot find a public institution in Germany that will certify your documents, please contact the embassy of your country of origin.

(Information from www.uni-assist.de)

Outside of Germany, the following institutions may carry out official certifications:

• the issuing schools or universities,
• the ministry of education in your country of origin,
• German embassies and consulates,
• the department of cultural affairs of the embassy of the country in which the certificate was issued,
• public authorities and notaries which are authorised to supply official certifications in your country of origin.

Important: Translators are not authorised to certify documents in their original language.

If an authorised body in Pakistan is to certify your Bachelor certificate, a stamp in German or English must be used. If your documents are to be certified by the issuing institution, the university seal and the signature of the student secretariat, the head of the institute, the dean or the examination office must be included.

(Information from www.uni-assist.de)

Your officially certified copies must be sent to us. Scans / uploads of certified documents are not sufficient. We also do not accept simple photocopies of officially certified copies.

Our postal address:
LL.M. International Studies in Intellectual Property Law
Philosophische Fakultät
Technische Universität Dresden
01062 Dresden
Germany

Yes. After receipt of your application you will receive a confirmation email as well as an indication of when you can expect an answer. In exceptional cases we grant a Rolling Admission in order to give the applicants planning dependability. This can only be done if all complete application documents are available. For the placements in Seattle and Tokyo we cannot distribute a Rolling Admission, here we will await the end of the application period (January 15^th).

No, you are not entitled to participate in the course until you have successfully enrolled at TU Dresden.

The APS is an institution of the Cultural Department of the German Embassy in cooperation with the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD).  The APS checks the authenticity of educational biographies and the corresponding certificates and issues a certificate if the result is positive. The certificate is absolutely necessary for these countries for a study application in Germany, if your first vocationally qualifying university degree recognized in Germany was obtained in these countries, even if you can show further degrees in other countries later.

After a positive assessment of your aptitude, we will offer you a place to study. As soon as you have confirmed the acceptance of your place of study, we will send you detailed information on online enrolment at the TU Dresden via Selma-Portal. Please note that you must be enrolled at the TU Dresden both in the summer semester and in the winter semester, even if you are studying abroad in the winter semester.

Even if you are studying at a foreign partner university in the winter semester, enrolment at the TU Dresden and payment of the semester fees are mandatory.

Please note that participation in the programme is not possible without enrolment at the TU Dresden.

Students who started our programme in the summer semester and are already enrolled can take a leave of absence for the winter semester if you are studying abroad and thus pay a reduced semester fee.

The payment of fees for the TU Dresden is handled by the International Office. Payment is made semester by semester. For the winter semester, fees are due by approx. mid-September, for the summer semester by approx. mid-March.

When studying abroad in the winter semester, the fees are requested directly from the partner universities. Experience shows that this takes place in the months of August/September.

Unfortunately, an installment payment is generally not possible.

Once you have completed your online enrolment the International Office will confirm your admission to the program. Subsequently you will receive a request to transfer the semester fees of the TU Dresden as well as a proof of the membership of a health insurance company to submit. After receipt of payment you will receive the enrolment documents. Please note that this process can take several weeks.

We can only give very general advice on visa applications, because the situation is individual for each student and is their responsibility. Generally, students on your desired degree programme first apply for the visa for the country in which you will first study locally. We cannot give you more detailed information. Please contact the responsible diplomatic missions.

The following general advice can be given for continuing your studies in Dresden:

If you want to study at TU Dresden, you will usually require a visa. This does not include EU citizens and citizens from certain non-EU countries. You will find an overview of the states exempt from the visa requirements on the Federal Foreign Office pages. Citizens from these countries only need a residence permit for study purposes. This residence permit must be applied for within three months of arrival at the relevant immigration authorities. Citizens from all other countries have to apply for a visa in their home country with a German representative – the embassy or a consulate (Student visa)

Please do not travel to Germany with a tourist visa under any circumstances. Converting a visa for the purpose of studying or learning the German language is not possible after arrival!

Prerequisites for a visa: We recommend that you get information regarding specific conditions and prerequisites as early as possible from the German embassy or consulate of the Federal Republic of Germany in your home country because there are particular provisions for each country and the processing time can be lengthy (up to 3 months).

You usually have to meet the following conditions for a visa: You must have enough financial resources for the entire duration of your stay in the Federal Republic of Germany to cover your livelihood as well as the costs of the language course/studies. Evidence for this must potentially be produced at the embassy or consulate. All necessary application documents must be complete. Please gather all information about the required documents at the respective responsible embassy or consulate general.

STUDENT VISA: If you have already been approved for studying at TU Dresden, you must then apply for a student visa at the German embassy or consulate in your home country. Applicants from countries for which there are no visa requirements for travelling to Germany (see above) only require a residence permit for the purpose of studying. This residence permit must be applied for within three months of arrival at the relevant immigration authorities.

You will find an overview of the visa requirements on the Federal Foreign Office’s website.

Third-country nationals holding a national residence permit issued by a Schengen State may also stay in the territory of the other Schengen States for up to 90 days within a period of 180 days within the limits of its validity. This also applies to holders of a "national" visa issued by a Schengen State (visa category "D"). (see: https://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/de/service/visa-und-aufenthalt/schengen/207786

We kindly ask you to refrain from inquiries about visa formalities, as we have no influence on these procedures. In this case, please contact the responsible authorities.

To apply for a student visa you must be registered at the TU Dresden. Once you have been admitted to the programme, you should apply for a visa as soon as possible, because the procedure takes time (at least 3 months). It can only be faster for students who receive a scholarship from German funds (e.g. DAAD scholarship).

Each student is responsible for finding his/her own accommodation. Please understand that we cannot help in this matter.

The Studentenwerk Dresden’s halls of residence provide the best opportunity for living together with fellow students in close proximity to the University. Living here also avoids unexpected costs. You will find offers for both individualists and shared-accommodation enthusiasts here.

Comprehensive information about the halls of residence, their facilities, their location, and about how and where to apply for a room in a hall of residence is available at Geschäftsbereich Wohnen, the department dealing with accommodation.

The Studentenwerk Dresden allows the subletting of rooms in student halls of residence. Rooms to be sublet can be found on the online platform Subletting Exchange (Untermietbörse).

Accommodation on the Private Market: Many flats and flat shares (“WGs”) are available in Dresden. Rooms in student flat shares are often furnished and rented out for short periods as “temporary lets”. This form of accommodation can be a convenient alternative, allowing you to get to know other students quickly and to become integrated into Dresden student life.

The internet is a good place to check what is on offer on the accommodation market:
http://www.dresden.de - Click on “Living & Working”
http://www.sz-online.de - Click on “sz-immo” (Property and letting section)

If you enter the phrase "Wohnungssuche Dresden", search engines will provide enough additional results for individual searches, including flat shares (“WGs”).

Adverts for Available Flats: The newspapers "CAZ – Die Campus-Zeitung" and "ad rem" list available rooms in shared flats and requests to take over tenancy agreements in the small ads section or on the pin boards of their print and online editions. It is also worth taking a look at the bulletin boards in the university cafeterias, in the “Hörsaalzentrum” or in other TU buildings.

Accommodation for When You Arrive: If you do not yet have accommodation when you arrive and are looking for an inexpensive place to stay for the first few days, then we recommend you take a look at the following platform: http://www.hostelscentral.com/en/hostels/germany/dresden?defaultCurrency

Student services are mostly offered by the Studentenwerk, please find all necessary information to student accomodation and the application on the webpage of the “Studentenwerk”.

For enrolment at a university in Germany, you have to provide a proof of health insurance. For the winter semester, if you are studying at the foreign partner university, an exception to this regulation is made for students who have their residence or habitual abode outside of Germany, according to § 5 para. 1 no. 9 SGB V (German Social Security Code). However, students are responsible for checking which health insurance regulations apply to the partner university. You do not need health insurance, if you are older than 30 years.

Travel health insurance cannot be accepted.

If you have any questions on this topic, please contact the International Office.

To be able to transfer money easily it is advised to open a bank account with a German bank. A lot of banks offer Student’s Bank Accounts that you can apply for with your matriculation receipt and your receipt of residence that you receive when you register at the Local Registration Office.

Required documents for opening a bank account:

• passport or personal ID
• confirmation of registration from the Residents' Registration Office
• acceptance letter or enrolment certificate of TU Dresden

Mensa:

Students eat for a student-friendly price in cafeterias (Mensen) of the Studentenwerk. You receive the so called MensaCard to pay for your meals in the cafeterias when. You need to deposit 5.00 € for the MensaCard, you can get one at the info-point in "Alte Mensa", you will need proof of enrollment (the paper where you got your Semester-Card to do so. 

Library/SLUB (Sächsische Landes- und Universitätsbibliothek):

To do research at the Library of the State of Saxony and the University (SLUB) you should request a member card in one of its sites, you can register online.

Sports:

The Dresden University Sports Center offers over 600 courses in more than 100 sports. You can inscribe for courses always on the first Tuesday of the semester and you need to be fast!

Language courses:

Inscribe yourself online for one of the language courses offered by the university. Further information: LSKonline.

Career Service:

The Career Service offers trainings for students of TU Dresden. You can work on your soft skills and gain knowledge in different areas that might help you enter the professional world after your studies. Check out the events: Veranstaltungsprogramm

Cultural activities:

Dresden has to offer a lot of cultural events. As a student you benefit from reduced prices in a lot of theatres, the opera or museums.

Ticket for the local public transport  / Semesterticket:

Your student card is also your ticket for the public transport in Dresden and parts of Saxony. In your free time you might think about discovering places outside of Dresden or go for a hike in Saxony Switzerland. You can check how far you can get here: StuRa.

Information about childcare at TU Dresden you can find here!

Our graduates each receive an officially certified copy together with their certificate/testimonial. If further certified copies are required, the graduate should contact the relevant office of TU Dresden himself/herself:

The TU Dresden does not issue apostilles. In Saxony, the Landesdirektion Dresden is the right place to go for the issuing of apostilles. Please use a translation help, as the page only appears in German.

To practice as in-house lawyer in Germany you don´t need to be admitted to the (German) bar. Further jobs are also available in management consulting or in industry associations. However, to either appear in front of a court, to become judge, prosecutor or attorney, or partner of a partnership of lawyers, you need to be admitted to the German bar.

Admission to the Bar shall become effective upon delivery of a certificate issued by the Bar Association of the respective federal state in which the Rechtsanwalt is domiciled. The certificate may only be handed over if the applicant

• has been sworn in, and
• has provided proof that professional liability insurance has been taken out or has submitted a provisional confirmation of coverage.

Upon admission, the Rechtsanwalt becomes a member of the admitting Bar. After admission, the activity may be exercised under the professional title of "Rechtsanwalt".

If you were admitted to the bar and practicing as an attorney in a state of the European Union (EU), in another state party to the Agreement on the European Economic Area (EEA), or in Switzerland you can work in Germany as an established lawyer under the professional title of your country of origin if the competent German Bar Association admits you.

Requirements for admission are:

• Citizenship of an EU/EEA state or Switzerland.
• Professional affiliation in the country of origin: This means that you must be registered as a European lawyer with the competent authority in your country of origin.
• Professional liability insurance

Further information about the exact requirements can be found in §§ 3-8 of the Act on the Activity of European Lawyers in Germany (EuRAG).

1. Lawyers from member states according to § 206 BRAO

Lawyers from a member state of the World Trade Organization as well as from Serbia, who practice a profession which corresponds to the profession of a lawyer according to this law in terms of training and powers, also have the possibility in principle to be admitted to the bar according to §§ 206f. BRAO (Federal Lawyers' Act) to be admitted to the bar association responsible for their place of establishment in Germany. After successful admission, they are entitled to establish themselves in Germany under the professional title of the state of origin, but only to provide legal services in the fields of the law of the state of origin and international law. The states that are covered by this can be found in the Ordinance on the Implementation of Section 206 of the Federal Lawyers' Act (Bundesrechtsanwaltsordnung).

Lawyers from these states can also become members of the state bar associations.

Lawyers from other states than member states according to § 206 BRAO

Unfortunately, lawyers from other countries cannot become members of the federal bar associations.

However, they can be registered as legal experts in a foreign law for the provision of legal services in the area of that law (Section 10, Paragraph 1, Sentence 1, No. 3 RDG). The competent authorities for granting such a permit are usually specially designated district courts in the individual federal states.

You might find it helpful contacting the Foreign Lawyers Association of Germany (AAV).

As a patent attorney, you work in an advisory capacity and specialise in the field of industrial property protection. To practice as a patent attorney, you must have a university degree in natural sciences or engineering and one year of (work) experience in this field.

1. In Germany

The educational period is followed by a three-year training at a patent attorney, at the DPMA and the Federal Patent Court as well as by the patent attorney examination.

Before beginning your patent attorney training, you must be admitted to the training by the DPMA. This is subject to a written request. Furthermore, you must have found a training place at a patent attorney. The website of the German Chamber of Patent Attorneys offers an electronic register of patent attorneys allowing you to search for training places.

Responsible for patent attorney matters is the German Chamber of Patent Attorneys. This concerns admission to practice as patent attorney including the swearing-in and entry into the electronic register of patent attorneys, revocation of admission, appointment of a liquidator, appointment of a deputy as well as exemption from the duty to have a law firm.

2. European Patent Attorney

To represent applicants before the EPO attorneys must hold the title of an European Patent Attorney. The European qualifying examination (EQE) tests candidates' knowledge and aptitude to represent applicants in EPO proceedings. Established in 1979, it is widely regarded as one of the most demanding professional examinations having been passed by more than 10 000 candidates already.

Candidates for the European qualifying examination must possess a scientific or technical qualification - for example, in biology, biochemistry, chemistry, electronics, pharmacology or physics. Decisions on qualifications are based on Article 11(1)(a) of the Regulation on the European qualifying examination (REE) and Rules 11 to 14 of the Implementing provisions to the REE.

At the date of the examination, candidates must have trained for three years (two years for the pre-examination) under the supervision of a professional representative or as an employee dealing with patent matters in an industrial company established in one of the contracting states. The mandatory practical training is very important, since a great deal of the knowledge required by a European patent attorney is gained during this period. During this period the candidates must take part in a wide range of activities pertaining to patent applications or patents.

Please find more information on courses, requirements, e.g. on  https://www.epo.org/learning/eqe/faq.html

The TU Dresden Career Service supports you in finding professional orientation. They offer workshops to equip you with professional skills and aid you to optimize your CV. Moreover, they can help you to network with potential employers.

We must admit that there is no such thing as PhD-program yet. Nevertheless, a few of the best students get the opportunity to obtain doctoral studies after completing the LL.M. program. However, this depends very much on the results achieved during their LL.M.-studies and the chosen topic and need to be discussed individually with the professors.

However, you can prepare yourself by studying the pages of our Graduate Academy, which may be able to provide helpful tips.

After successfully completing their studies, graduates can apply for a residence permit for the purpose of seeking employment in the field of their study (§ 20 Para. 3 No. 1 AufenthG). This can be granted by law for up to 18 months.

However, the website of the Foreigners' Registration Office in Dresden states that such a residence permit can only be applied for for one year. Therefore, we assume that this is the standing administrative practice in Dresden.

See information:
https://www.dresden.de/de/rathaus/dienstleistungen/aufenthaltserlaubnis_d115.php

During the search for a job that corresponds to the qualification of the graduates, the graduates are allowed to pursue any kind of employment. However, the residence permit for job search itself cannot be extended.

It is important to prove again that you can secure your livelihood through savings or other income (employment contracts) when you apply.

As soon as graduates have found a job that corresponds to their qualification, they must then reapply for a residence permit to work for skilled workers.

Helpful information can also be found here:
https://www.make-it-in-germany.com/de/studium-ausbildung/studieren-in-deutschland/perspektiven-danach

In Germany, you have to study law for at least 3 years, depending on the federal state. You also have to meet the relevant requirements and prove that you have passed exams in public law, civil law and criminal law. The simple LL.M. degree will not replace this, it is more of a specialisation than a basic legal education.