How to Apply to a Nuremberg Bachelor’s Program With a Foreign School Certificate

For a Nuremberg bachelor application with a foreign school certificate, the first practical question is which university will assess your Hochschulzugangsberechtigung (HZB), or university entrance qualification. TH Nürnberg and FAU’s School of Business, Economics and Society (WiSo) in Nuremberg use different portals, document routes, and review arrangements. A certified translation helps the school read your record; it does not determine whether your education qualifies you for admission.

• Applying to TH Nürnberg (Ohm)? Submit your foreign credentials through StudyOhm during the application process. The university says it does not work with uni-assist.
• Applying to FAU WiSo in Nuremberg? Apply through campo. For some restricted-admission programs, the signed application and required documents must be mailed to FAU’s Admissions Office in Erlangen, not the Nuremberg campus.
• Need a translation? Requirements differ by school. TH Nürnberg says its review relies on original-language documents and a translation never replaces them. FAU separately specifies how translated documents and certified copies must be prepared.
• May need a Studienkolleg? The route for TH Nürnberg leads to Coburg; the university route for FAU leads to Munich. Neither is a Nuremberg classroom location.

Who this guide is for

This guide is for prospective first-year bachelor’s students applying to TH Nürnberg or FAU WiSo in Nuremberg with secondary-school credentials earned outside Germany. It is especially useful if your file includes a school-leaving certificate, subject-and-grade transcript, grading scale, national entrance-exam result, prior study record, identity documents, or an APS certificate where required. The most frequent practical uncertainty is not simply “Do I need a translation?” but “Who reviews my HZB, which portal applies, and what copy or mailing format does this program require?”

Nuremberg does not publish a reliable ranking of applicants’ source languages or translation pairs. Your relevant pair is the language of your actual school record into a language accepted by your target institution. Do not assume that a particular language is locally dominant or that one provider covers every language combination.

Scope: The steps below focus on foreign secondary-school qualifications for first-year bachelor’s admission at TH Nürnberg and FAU WiSo. Master’s applications with foreign university degrees, transfers and ECTS credit recognition, and art or music admissions involve different evidence and review routes and should be checked separately.

Nuremberg Bachelor Application: HZB and Translation Routes

There is no single “Nuremberg university application” office. For these two public institutions, HZB review is mainly governed by the receiving university and Bavaria’s preparatory-college routes. The local difference is practical: StudyOhm versus campo, digital upload versus conditional postal submission, and the city where a preparatory course may take place.

Target	Application and HZB route	Local point to remember
TH Nürnberg (Ohm)	Upload your foreign credentials in StudyOhm as part of the application. The university reviews foreign qualifications during the application period; a separate recognition application is not required then. TH Nürnberg expressly says it does not cooperate with uni-assist.	Do not pay uni-assist to obtain TH Nürnberg’s credential review; use StudyOhm for that application. TH Nürnberg may request additional material by email, so check your applicant account and messages.
FAU WiSo Nürnberg	International bachelor applicants normally apply through campo. For restricted-admission first-semester programs, FAU’s instructions require a signed application and specified documents to be sent by post.	The posted address is FAU Admissions Office, Freyeslebenstraße 1, 91058 Erlangen. The WiSo teaching campus in Nuremberg is not the postal receiving address for these applications.

TH Nürnberg’s credential-recognition instructions explain its StudyOhm process, document list, translation rules, and when it may ask for post. FAU’s international undergraduate application page sets out the campo route, program-specific exceptions, document requirements, and the current Admissions Office address. Some FAU programs also have an additional procedure such as DoSV, so follow the instructions shown for the exact program and application cycle.

For FAU, an application to a program located at WiSo does not mean that every stage happens in Nuremberg. The WiSo International Office supports international students, but admission and HZB questions belong with the Admissions Office. Do not hand an application packet to a campus office unless FAU’s current instructions explicitly say that office accepts it.

Build a complete HZB file before ordering translation

Start with a checklist for your specific country, qualification, and program. A typical first-year bachelor’s file may include:

• Every page of the final school-leaving certificate, including the reverse side, attached pages, seals, and annotations.
• The full subject-and-grade record, not only a summary page, plus an explanation of the grading scale if the issuing school provides one.
• A chronological CV showing the length of schooling and any later university or vocational study. TH Nürnberg specifically asks applicants to give education periods.
• Passport or identity-document pages requested by the university. If you hold multiple nationalities, check whether the school asks for more than one passport.
• Entrance-examination results, a pre-university year, or university transcripts when relevant to your country’s HZB route.
• An APS certificate when the relevant credential pathway requires one. TH Nürnberg and FAU identify China, India, and Vietnam in their country-specific instructions; the requirement depends on the education documents and applicable exceptions, not just the passport you hold.

A translation is only one layer of the file. FAU distinguishes certified copies from certified translations, and TH Nürnberg lists certified photocopies in its credential materials. A certified translation does not authenticate a copy; a certified copy does not translate it. For this distinction, see our guide to sworn translation versus certified copies in German university applications.

What translation does each school ask for?

In Germany, applicants often see the terms beglaubigte Übersetzung or vereidigte Übersetzung. For FAU, the published instructions call for a court-certified translator for the relevant language; the translator’s seal must state öffentlich bestellter und beeidigter Übersetzer or similar wording. The translation must identify its source language, include a copy of the original document attached to it, and translate stamps and annotations. FAU accepts English or French translations in addition to documents in its accepted original languages. Read the current FAU document certification and translation instructions before commissioning work.

TH Nürnberg’s current German recognition page lists German, English, French, Italian, Spanish, and Romanian as languages that do not require translation for its review; its English page also lists Portuguese. Because the published language lists differ, applicants with Portuguese records should ask the responsible program or recognition contact for written confirmation before paying for a translation. For other languages, TH Nürnberg asks for a sworn translation. It also says review is based on original-language documents and an official translation never replaces the original. If the translation was made abroad, check TH Nürnberg’s legalization instructions or ask whether it needs to be prepared by a sworn translator in Germany.

If the qualification is a foreign university degree rather than a secondary-school certificate, the question is different: a ZAB Statement of Comparability does not itself grant admission. See our ZAB versus university admission overview. The basic difference between uni-assist and VPD is summarized in our VPD and uni-assist guide; the key local point here is that TH Nürnberg’s route does not use uni-assist.

Upload, mail, and ask in the right place

1. Choose the program and intake. Confirm first-year entry, language of instruction, deadline, and whether the program has an extra selection or DoSV step. Requirements and dates can change between cycles.
2. Check whether your school record can provide direct HZB. Country guidance and anabin can help you understand possible routes, but the receiving university makes the admission assessment. A translation provider or ZAB report cannot decide that question for the university.
3. Get the copy format right before scanning. For TH Nürnberg, prepare complete, legible PDFs and follow its instruction to upload credentials through StudyOhm. During the application period it reviews the foreign qualification there; additional documents may be requested. Monitor status and messages rather than assuming the upload is complete because the file appears on screen.
4. For FAU, follow the exact campo output. FAU says applications for unrestricted programs submit required documents in the portal; restricted programs require the signed application and stated supporting documents by post to Erlangen. Keep the signed form, a full copy of the packet, courier tracking, and proof of delivery. Never mail an irreplaceable original where FAU requests certified copies.
5. Ask a school before buying an uncertain service. If your language appears differently across TH Nürnberg pages, or you are unsure whether a foreign-issued certified copy or translation is accepted, write to the responsible admissions or recognition contact and include your program name, qualification country, document language, and a sample of the certification format with personal data hidden.

For TH Nürnberg’s German-language programs, the published recognition contact is Roxana Schwab, [email protected], +49 911 5880-4295. Consultations are by arrangement. The university directs applicants to program-specific contacts for English-language programs. Its recognition page says that outside the application period, applicants with HZB questions should contact the recognition office directly.

If you need a Studienkolleg, plan for another city

A foreign school credential may provide direct access, subject-restricted access, or require a preparatory route and the Feststellungsprüfung. If TH Nürnberg determines that a Studienkolleg is needed, it directs applicants to Studienkolleg Coburg and says to request its confirmation for the application. FAU’s university route points to Studienkolleg München. Bavaria describes the split as Munich for universities and Coburg for universities of applied sciences; the preparatory course is two semesters. These are meaningful logistics: budget for travel and potentially a different housing base during the preparatory year rather than assuming classes will be in Nuremberg. Check the Bavarian Ministry of Education’s Studienkolleg guidance and the target school’s route before making plans.

Local costs, waiting, and certified-copy reality

Do not confuse document-preparation costs with university fees. FAU states that from winter semester 2026/27 it charges a €100 application fee per application for certain applicants from non-EU countries; exemptions and the applicable applicant group should be checked on the current FAU page. This is not a translation fee or a universal charge for every Nuremberg applicant.

Nuremberg’s Bürgeramt Mitte document-certification service is at Äußere Laufer Gasse 25, 90403 Nürnberg. The city lists €5 per certified document copy, says the request must be handled in person, recommends booking an appointment, and allows urgent visits without an appointment on Wednesdays from 8:00 a.m. to noon. Its published scope is documents issued by a German authority or needed for submission to another German authority. That is not a blanket promise to certify every foreign school diploma for a university application. Ask the Bürgeramt and the receiving school whether it will certify your specific document and whether the school accepts that certification before traveling there.

Neither school publishes a single reliable processing-time promise for all foreign HZB files, and there is no dependable Nuremberg-wide translation price or turnaround benchmark. Build in time for translations, certified copies, international postal delivery, APS where relevant, and a possible request for more evidence. Ask providers for a written quote based on every page, language direction, paper delivery, and deadline; do not rely on a generic “standard document” estimate.

What local data and student reports can—and cannot—tell you

The Nuremberg Education Report records 3,511 students with foreign citizenship at local higher-education institutions in winter semester 2024/25; 2,776 had obtained their university entrance qualification abroad. This confirms that applicants with foreign education are part of the local student population. It does not measure the number of current applicants, admission rates, translation demand, or the most common source languages. The city’s higher-education data is a useful scale signal, not a forecast of your individual outcome.

Public firsthand accounts are limited and should not be treated as policy. In a Reddit applicant thread, FAU applicants discussed uncertainty about which papers must be mailed after using campo and how to confirm receipt. That is an applicant question thread, not a verified account of every program’s current process. An older TH Nürnberg International Business student review on StudyCheck describes StudyOhm as less intuitive after some student functions moved there; that review concerns a student’s later system use, not the HZB application itself. Read them as reminders to save upload confirmations and follow the program’s own status messages—not as evidence of a standard wait time or rejection pattern.

Local translation services and public help

The providers below are examples with a Nuremberg presence, not endorsements. Their websites describe their own services; neither the city nor either university endorses a commercial translator. Ask for the named translator and the exact format required for your target program before paying.

Commercial provider	Public local signal	Fit and questions to ask
Dolmetscherzentrale Nürnberg Fürther Str. 94, 90429 Nürnberg +49 911 253 863 03	Its site lists certified translations of certificates and documents, with English, Arabic, Russian, and French among its in-house languages and a wider translator network. It lists weekday hours and appointments by phone.	Ask whether the person assigned for your exact language pair is publicly appointed and sworn for the relevant language, whether the translation is into a language accepted by FAU or TH, and whether a copy of each original page will be attached. Testimonials on the provider’s own site are not independent evidence of university acceptance or market-wide quality.
ESO Translation and Interpreting Service at Euro-Bildungswerk Nürnberg Platenstraße 55, 90441 Nürnberg +49 911 287075-0	The local page lists translation and proofreading, including certificates, and says court-sworn translators can be arranged on request. It advertises a free quote.	“On request” matters: ask who will translate and certify your file, and confirm the person’s legal appointment for your language before assuming the delivered product meets a university’s sworn-translation rule.

To check a translator’s public appointment by name, language, or location, use the official state justice administrations’ translator and interpreter database. The listing helps verify status; the university’s own rules still decide which translation format it accepts.

For public or institutional help, contact the office that actually owns the decision. TH Nürnberg’s recognition service handles its own HZB questions; FAU’s Admissions Office handles FAU applications and receives specified restricted-program packets in Erlangen; Bavaria’s Studienkolleg guidance explains the state-level preparatory routes. The city’s Bürgeramt handles only the copy-certification service within its stated scope.

If a translation business misrepresented its qualifications, missed a contractual deadline, or refuses to address a billing dispute, the Verbraucherzentrale Bayern’s Nürnberg advice office is at Albrecht-Dürer-Platz 6, 90403 Nürnberg; its central phone is (089) 55 27 94-0. Use the official Verbraucherzentrale advice directory to select Bavaria and check current contact routes and fees. Consumer advice can help with a provider contract; it cannot reverse an HZB or admission decision. For a university decision, follow the contact and appeal instructions in the official notice.

Common Nuremberg bachelor-application pitfalls

• Sending a TH Nürnberg file to uni-assist. Ohm says it does not work with uni-assist; use StudyOhm for the TH route.
• Sending FAU papers to the Nuremberg campus. The signed application for a restricted program goes to the Erlangen Admissions Office when the program instructions require postal submission.
• Translating only the front page. Missing grade tables, reverse-side seals, handwritten notes, or an explanation of the grading scale can leave the reviewer without relevant information.
• Assuming a certified copy and a certified translation mean the same thing. One confirms a copy; the other certifies the translation. Follow the school’s instructions for both.
• Assuming a city office’s €5 service solves every copy problem. The municipal eligibility statement is limited; get confirmation before relying on it for a foreign-issued document.
• Assuming a Studienkolleg will be local. TH Nürnberg’s route is Coburg; FAU’s university route is Munich.
• Ordering before confirming the accepted language and translator status. This is particularly important if the source language is on conflicting TH language lists or the work will be certified outside Germany.

No reliable local statistics establish a Nuremberg-specific wave of university-translation scams. A sensible check is to ask for the translator’s full name, language pair, certification wording, delivery format, complete price, and promised date in writing. Verify that against the target university’s instructions; a label such as “official translation” alone does not establish that a document meets FAU or TH Nürnberg’s specific rules.

FAQ: foreign school certificates and translation in Nuremberg

Does TH Nürnberg use uni-assist for a bachelor application?

No. TH Nürnberg says foreign qualifications are reviewed through the university’s own process and applicants upload the documents through StudyOhm during the application period. A separate recognition request is not needed during that period.

Where do I mail documents for FAU WiSo in Nuremberg?

For restricted-admission first-semester programs where the current instructions require postal documents, use the FAU Admissions Office address in Erlangen: Freyeslebenstraße 1, 91058 Erlangen. Do not send the packet to the WiSo teaching campus. For programs that are fully digital, follow the portal instructions instead.

Can I submit my FAU application at the WiSo office in Nuremberg?

Do not assume so. The FAU application instructions identify the Admissions Office in Erlangen as the postal destination for relevant restricted programs. Use the office and method stated in your current campo application.

Can Nuremberg Bürgeramt Mitte certify my foreign high-school diploma?

Do not treat it as automatic. The city describes its service for documents issued by a German authority or required by another German authority. It charges €5 per certified copy and requires an in-person visit. Ask the city and the university about your specific foreign-issued document before booking.

Which languages need translation for TH Nürnberg or FAU?

FAU’s published list accepts German, English, and French originals without translation; for other source languages it requires a certified translation, and it accepts English or French translations. TH Nürnberg lists German, English, French, Italian, Spanish, and Romanian as exempt on its German page, while its English page also lists Portuguese. Confirm the Portuguese case with TH Nürnberg before ordering.

If I need a Studienkolleg, will I study in Nuremberg?

Not on the routes described here: TH Nürnberg directs applicants to Studienkolleg Coburg, and the FAU university route points to Studienkolleg München. The target university and the Bavarian state guidance determine which route applies.

Does a certified translation guarantee HZB recognition or admission?

No. Translation makes the record readable in the required format; the university assesses the original credential and decides whether it gives direct or subject-restricted access, requires a preparatory route, or meets the program’s other admission criteria.

Prepare your documents before submission

CertOf can help translate school-leaving certificates, complete transcripts, grading explanations, and attached pages, while keeping document order and visible annotations clear. Submit your documents for a translation quote and identify the target school, program, source language, desired translation language, and deadline. Our online upload and order guide explains how to send a readable file; the translation quality overview and certificate-signature guide explain CertOf’s document process.

CertOf’s role is document translation and preparation. We do not assess HZB, certify copies, arrange an application, or guarantee admission. If your university requires a German court-certified or sworn translator, confirm that exact qualification and format before ordering; do not assume that an English-language “certified translation” label is equivalent to a German vereidigte Übersetzung.

Disclaimer: This is a practical document guide, not an admission decision or legal advice. University requirements, program routes, fees, accepted languages, and deadlines can change. The receiving institution decides whether your credential and submitted documents meet its current requirements.