American High school Diploma
Basic diploma requirements
It is obligatory for your High School Diploma to be acquired after continuous attendance of the classes 9 to 12 at a US High School.
if forms 9 to 12 you need you comprise a total of 16 "academic units":
| Subject Area | Requirement | Minimum Grade |
|---|---|---|
| English | 4 units (e.g., English IV, Honors, or AP English) | C |
| Second Language | 2 units | — |
| Social Studies | 3 units | — |
| Mathematics | 2–3 units (e.g., Algebra II, Trigonometry, Precalculus) | C |
| Science | 2–3 units (e.g., Biology, Chemistry, Physics) | C |
| Electives | 2 academic units (free choice) | — |
One unit = One academic year
if forms 10 to 12 you need you comprise a total of 15 "academic units":
| Subject Area | Requirement | Minimum Grade |
|---|---|---|
| English | 3 units (e.g., English IV, Honors, or AP English) | C |
| Second Language | 2 units | — |
| Social Studies | 3 units | — |
| Mathematics | 2–3 units (e.g., Algebra II, Trigonometry, Precalculus) | C |
| Science | 2–3 units (e.g., Biology, Chemistry, Physics) | C |
| Electives | 2 academic units (free choice) | — |
| Total (Math + Science) | 5 units combined required | |
please note that some universities in Germany accept just Diploma with continuous attendance of the classes 9 to 12
Accreditation
Schools located outside of the USA that teach the US curriculum must be accredited by one of the following associations:
| Accrediting Body | Region or Notes |
|---|---|
| Middle States Commission on Elementary and Secondary Schools (MSA-CESS) | Mid-Atlantic |
| New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) | New England |
| Higher Learning Commission (HLC) | Since 2014. Previously: NCA / Cognia |
| Northwest Accreditation Commission (NWAC) | Now part of Cognia |
| Southern Association of Colleges and Schools – Council on Accreditation and School Improvement (SACS-CASI) | Now part of Cognia |
| Accrediting Commission for Schools – Western Association of Schools and Colleges (ACS-WASC) | Western U.S. |
| Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC – WASC) | Western U.S. – Junior/Community Colleges |
Grading
The overall grades for individual sections of study and for the entire course are calculated as follows: The "credits/hours" of each course are multiplied by the numerical value of the letter grade, which results in the "grade points" or "quality points" of the individual course. If the sum of the "grade points" or "quality points" of all courses in a study section is divided by the sum of the "credits/hours", the result is the average grade, the "grade point average" - GPA. Often at the end of the course list of each study section, the overall grade of the section with the term "term GPA" and the continuous grade of the entire course of study with the label "Cumulative or Cum GPA" are given. Also, the "Official Transcripts of Records" must show at the End an "unweighted cum GPA". mostly written "cumGPA( unweighted )". To be accepted in Germany your "unweighted cum GPA" should be from 3.0 and above.
U.S. Grading Scale (cumlative GPA Conversion)
A
4.0
B
3.0
C
2.0
D
1.0
F
0.0
Eligible Courses
The US High School Curriculum Eligible Courses, that should be in the "Official Transcripts of Records" are:
| Subject Area | Recognized Courses | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| English |
English I–IV (Grades 9–12), English 9–12, English Honors, English Literature, American Literature, English Language & Composition, AP English |
At least 3 years required. 11th–12th grade courses can be advanced or AP. |
| Social Studies |
American History, European History, US History, World History, World Societies, Geography, Government & Politics, Economics, Psychology, Humanities (9th grade) |
Introductory Humanities in 9th grade is recognized. |
| Mathematics |
Algebra I (9th), Geometry (10th), Algebra II/Trigonometry (11th), Pre-Calculus, AP Calculus (12th) |
At least 2–3 units required, including advanced courses from Grade 11–12. |
| Science |
Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Introductory Science (9th grade) |
Only Bio, Chem, and Physics are fully recognized. Excluded: Environmental Science, Forensic Science, Earth Science, Astronomy, Geology, Health |
| Optional Academic |
PE, Art, Fine Arts, Music, Religious Education, other public school subjects |
Accepted as electives or additional academic subjects. |
A GED (general equivalency diploma) issued by individual states in the US is not accepted.
Starting with the admission deadline for the winter semester 2019/2020, the admission options in connection with SAT and ACT do not apply any more. This means that SAT and ACT results do not lead to a better rating for admission to a German institution of higher education than the High School Diploma without additional certificates.
If not all "academic units" specified above included: The Admission for academic study in Germany is unfortunately not possible without additional proof of education!
if all "academic units" specified above are available in your High School Diploma: continue to the next table
Admission
| Scenario | Admission Possibility | Conditions |
|---|---|---|
| No college education | Preparatory course or assessment exam | High School Diploma with GPA ≥ 3.0 |
| 2+ years of U.S. college | Direct general admission (any subject) |
College-level courses + 5 general education subjects + 3 progressive course sequences + One of:
|
| AP Exams – STEM, Medicine, Pharmacy | Direct subject-restricted admission |
AP grade ≥ 3 in each:
Physics 1/2 not accepted. |
| AP Exams – Humanities, Law, Economics | Direct subject-restricted admission |
AP grade ≥ 3 in each:
|
- College-level courses
- 5 general education subjects
- 3 progressive sequences
- + One of:
- Junior standing
- 50% of bachelor’s credits
- Associate’s degree (academic/transfer)
- Math (Calc AB or BC)
- Science (Bio, Chem, or Physics C x2)
- One language
- One other subject (e.g., Econ, History, CS)
- Grade ≥ 3 in all APs
- Courses in Grade 11 or 12
- AP Physics 1/2 not accepted
- English (Lit or Lang)
- One foreign language
- One math or science
- One other subject (e.g., Econ, History, CS)
- Grade ≥ 3 in all APs
- Courses in Grade 11 or 12
Final Notes
If your High School Diploma does not conform to the US curriculum, then we will assess your educational certificate according to the guidelines from the "Zentralstelle für ausländisches Bildungswesen" (Central Office for Foreign Education - ZAB) to determine if you fulfil the subject-specific requirements to study in Germany.
If the requirements are met, then the following applies:
Successful completion of one year of studies at an accredited university qualifies you to attend the Studienkolleg (preparatory course). You may select a preparatory course in the same subject-area as your previous academic studies.
Successful completion of two years of studies at an accredited university qualifies you to take up a bachelor course. You may select a subject in the same subject-area as your previous academic studies.
Please note that the correct information can be found in the anabin of the ZAB (in german)