Further FAQs and Answers
FAQs by applicants
You can find some information on the "three excellent reasons to study at the University of Stuttgart" webpage. We believe that the webpage "Numbers, data, facts and rankings" could be helpful when you are making decision. In general, University of Stuttgart is one of the highly ranked German universities, particularly in the engineering fields. According to the QS World University Ranking 2018, it is ranked 1st place in Civil Engineering among German universities. Note that the COMMAS is also part of the faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering. You can find more information and some details of this ranking in the booklet called "Focussing on the Future. Thinking Ahead".
Graduates of the COMMAS program can pursue their careers both in various industrial sectors as well as in academia. COMMAS is a strongly research oriented program. Therefore, the students are also ideally prepared for a university career at faculties of Mechanical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Biomechanical Engineering, and in the related fields of Computational and Applied Mechanics.
In general, with their knowledge in material theory and modeling, simulation technology, and numerical methods, our graduates can apply their knowledge in following areas
- in the areas of simulation technology such as FEA engineer, CAE analyst, research and development engineers;
- design of finite elements and complex discretizations;
- development and testing of complex structures involving beams, trusses, plates and shells;
- modeling of different mechanical processes, for example, deep drawing of sheet metals, rolling processes, necking of bars;
- design and simulation of machine parts and equipments giving optimal responses under the considered loading condition;
- prediction of the response of the heterogeneous materials and complex structures such as modeling of fiber-reinforced composites, granular materials, asphalt as well as determination of the failure loads of structures and materials, predication of the onset of cracks and damages and damage patterns under various loading;
- development of man-made artificial materials, for example functional materials, composites with required responses or electro-active polymer composites, magnetorheological elastomer, shape memory alloys which has various application areas as energy harvesters, artificial muscles in robotics among others;
- simulation of automobile crash tests and complex contact problems;
- modeling of biological tissues such as human arteries, human hearts and human brains in order to improve and help the understanding of the surgical treatments or injuries such as angioplasty, ligament tear, ruptured aneurysm, drug delivery processes among others.
just to mention a few.
One of the requirements to be admitted as a regular graduate student, an applicant must have earned a bachelor’s degree or its equivalent from a college, university, or technical school of acceptable standing in Engineering or Natural Science or a related field.
Some of our students have completed their previous educations in one of the following areas:
Civil Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Structural Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Material Science Engineering, Industrial & Manufacturing Engineering, Production Engineering, Automobile/Automotive Engineering, Electromechanical Engineering, Mechatronics, Biomedical Engineering, Applied Mechanics, Applied Mathematics, etc.
Please refer to the admission requirements for more information.
Students wishing to take the test after December 31 will face issues such as not being able to submit the scores prior to the application deadline February 15. Therefore you should take the exams at least 2 months prior to the application deadline.
We accept all 3 types and minimum requirements are 550 for paper-based, 213 for computer-based, and 79 for internet-based.
GRE is not required for admission but it may have an added value during the selection process. If you wish to include your GRE score with your application, please upload a scanned copy in the addional documents section in C@mpus.
Yes, you may. If you get selected, we will issue you a conditional letter of admission that allows you to enter the program. However, prior to registration you must provide all the required documentation.
The recommendation letters should be uploaded in C@mpus online system along with your application.
The motivation letter should be very concise and not longer than 1-2 pages. In general, we recommend a motivation letter of one page. Please do not repeat your resume in the motivation letter, but let us know why you would like to study in Germany, why you are applying to COMMAS, what makes you a good candidate and how you will benefit from the program and further information that will give us an impression about your aims and person.
No, we do not have anymore fixed forms for the recommendation letters. Applicants can get recommendation letters from their professors according to their university's style (when possible). Please make sure that your recommendation letters have been signed by your professors and verified (when possible) by your university.
No, COMMAS is designed to be a full-time graduate program.
No, it is not compulsory but highly recommended. Yes, you may enter the program directly without attending the intensive course in September.
No, the online application in C@mpus is sufficient.
FAQs by applicants about C@mpus
During application process, applicants might encounter some sections in C@mpus portal which might not be clear at first glance. However, some of these sections have the symbol 
. Clicking on this symbol will give you an explanation. Please go through it and choose the best option that suits you.
For German applicants Higher Education Entrance Qualification is for example "Abitur".
A foreign Higher Education Entrance Qualification is the formal term for your "school leaving certificate" as for example a high school degree. As a general rule, all the requirements that students have to fulfill in their home country to be admitted to study an academic subject at a university also apply in Germany. Further information can be found https://www.uni-stuttgart.de/en/study/application/first-semester/qualification/.
Please do not enter your university degree information here.
No, you may enter your GPA according to your transcript.
Please make sure that you have also filled the "Final exam" section, which needs to be "passed on the whole" (or "not finished" for applicants who have not finished at the time of application) in order to continue with your application. See also the instruction for application.
We start evaluating the applications after deadline once we got all the applications. We inform all the applicants about the admission/refusal as soon as we have evaluated all the applications.
If your "Bachelor's Degree Certificate" is marked as provisionally complete (usually appears as yellow in C@mpus), it is because you have not graduated at the time of application and this document will be required in case of admission. If all other documents of the applicant are according to the requirements, his/her application will be considered during selection process.
FAQs after getting admitted
Yes, after admission, we contacts the students if they are interested to have a room in the student dormitory of the University of Stuttgart. This also depends on the number of students, but usually all the students get a room.
Before the program starts, usually in September, coming students can attend an intensive German course according to their language skills, though it is not compulsory. This course is paid by the students themselves, however the fee is not high. Interested students are encouraged to take further German courses during the semester from the Language Center of the University of Stuttgart, which is free for the students of the University of Stuttgart.
COMMAS students use different programming languages and computing environments and Computer Algebraic Systems (CAS) during the course of their studies depending on the modules. These include mainly Python, Matlab, Fortran, C++ and Maple. Prior knowledge of the corresponding tools are advantageous, but usually not necessary. Students will usually learn these tools during their studies.
A soft copy of the Examination Regulation (in German) can be accessed from the following link:
At the begining of the semester, we provide the students with a booklet called "Study Guide" which contains an English translation of Examination Regulation.
Yes, COMMAS students are allowed to take modules from other study programs with maximum amount of 12 ECTS credits. However, the modules should be related to the compuational mechanics and approved by the Examination Board.
Students who have completed 72 ECTS credits are allowed to start their Master's Thesis.