Written byFizza Butool ZaidiIELTS teacher for 10+ years, PTE for 5Updated 4 November 2026
English requirements by master's programme
Figures are from h_da's English proficiency page and the Electrical Engineering admission page.
| Programme | IELTS | TOEFL iBT / other |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical Engineering and Information Technology (MSE) | 6.5, no band below 6 | TOEFL iBT 88 |
| MBA | 6.5 | TOEFL 88; Cambridge FCE |
| Mechatronics (M.Sc.) | 6.0 | TOEFL iBT 80; or 10 credit points of English-taught modules abroad |
| Industrial Engineering (M.Sc.) | 6.0 | TOEFL 80; telc B2 |
| Animation and Game; Expanded Media (M.A.) | B2 level; page gives a 5.0 to 6.5 range | Expanded Media also accepts a medium of instruction certificate |
Tests and waivers
The page says the Duolingo test is excluded. The Electrical Engineering page also lists as not recognised: language of tuition, IELTS One Skill Retake, PTE Academic, Cambridge O-Levels, TOEFL iBT Home Edition and the older TOEFL paper and computer formats. Results must be no more than two years old.
For Electrical Engineering, school English is not enough and only native speakers from the USA or Great Britain are exempt. The programme needs no German certificate for admission, and it is a winter-semester start with applications from 1 December to 31 March.
Two master's programmes, Media, Technology and Society and International Media and Cultural Work, ask for no language proof at all. The page lists no PTE Academic route for any programme.
Free test: are you at Hochschule Darmstadt (h_da)'s score yet?
Take a free AI-scored IELTS mock test and get a band for each skill, so you know how far you are from the requirement before you book the real test. Free account, no card.
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Before you book a test
Match the programme first, because the same university asks 6.0 for one master's and 6.5 for another. The 5.0 to 6.5 range for the media master's is wide, so confirm the exact figure with the programme office. The contact on the page is international@h-da.de.
English requirements in Germany are set per programme and can change between intakes. The score that binds you is the one on your Hochschule Darmstadt programme page and in your admission letter, so check it there before you book a test.
Minimum vs competitive score
Where Hochschule Darmstadt (h_da) publishes an IELTS score, it is the minimum: the floor an application has to meet to be considered, not a score that guarantees an offer.
Competitive programmes, and courses with far more applicants than places, may expect more than the minimum, and some departments set their own overall or per-skill scores, often for writing or speaking. The course page has the final word, so check it before you book a test.
If you are close to the line, aim for a margin above it: one weak skill can miss the requirement even when the overall band clears it. Not sure where you stand? Take a free IELTS mock test and get a band for each skill.
Frequently asked questions
What IELTS score does Hochschule Darmstadt need?+
6.5 for Electrical Engineering (no band below 6) and the MBA, and 6.0 for Mechatronics and Industrial Engineering.
Does h_da accept PTE Academic?+
The Electrical Engineering page lists PTE Academic as not recognised. The general page names no PTE route.
Does h_da accept Duolingo?+
No. The English proficiency page says the Duolingo test is excluded.
Is Hochschule Darmstadt the same as TU Darmstadt?+
No. They are separate universities with separate admission rules.
Keep reading
Related
- Universities in Germany accepting IELTS 6.5
- TU Darmstadt IELTS requirement
- Fulda University of Applied Sciences IELTS requirement
- Duolingo vs IELTS for universities
- IELTS band score calculator
- All 5669 guides
Guide updated on 4 November 2026. Individual prices and policies may have earlier observation dates. Confirm current details on the linked official pages before you book or apply.
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