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LOR for MS in Germany 2026–27: Who Needs Them, How Many, Format & How Referees Submit

Some German programmes require two letters of recommendation, some accept them as optional, and some say outright they ignore them. Many reject letters that don't come the right way: emailed instead of uploaded, or uploaded by you when the referee had to submit them. This guide shows the rules at 13 programmes, the format German universities expect, who to ask, DAAD scholarship rules, and a free tool that builds the brief to send your professor.

  • By  Yastudy Germany Desk
  • Facts checked  
  • Next review  Jan 2027
  • About 15 min read · jump to any section
Build my referee brief See university rules

Quick answer

There’s no national rule: each German master’s programme decides. Where letters are asked for it’s usually two (RWTH International Academy, Saarland, TU Dresden CMCB); TUM’s Computational Science and Engineering takes up to two as optional; Stuttgart’s INFOTECH and the Mannheim Master in Management don’t consider them. Follow the submission route exactly: some programmes want you to upload the signed letter, others only accept letters referees upload or send themselves. Use letterhead, a signature, a date and the referee’s official email, and ask at least four weeks before the deadline. The German student visa does not require an LOR.

Checked on by the Yastudy Germany Desk. Every figure is sourced at the end of the page.

Letters of recommendation for Germany: the short version

In the US, two or three letters are standard. In Germany, there's no national rule: each programme decides whether it wants letters at all, how many, from whom, and how they reach the university. Getting the method wrong can cost you more than a weak letter.

Key takeaways

  • Check whether they're wanted. Stuttgart's INFOTECH says letters "have no bearing on your application",[1] and the Mannheim Master in Management says they "will not be taken into consideration".[2]
  • Where they're asked for, it's usually two. RWTH International Academy lists two among its application documents, and Saarland's Mathematics and Computer Science and TU Dresden's CMCB master's each ask for two.[3][4][5]
  • Follow the submission route exactly. Bonn Physics only accepts letters uploaded by referees through its portal link;[6] TUM's Communications and Electronics Engineering master's rejects emailed letters and wants you to upload the signed letter.[7]
  • Use letterhead, a signature and a date. Freiburg's MEG programme won't accept letters that give only a personal email address for the referee, or letters more than a year old.[8]
  • Pick referees who know your work. One TUM chair says attending its courses "is not sufficient" for a letter.[9]
  • The visa doesn't need one. The German Missions in India's student visa list has no recommendation letter.[10]

LOR requirements at German universities: 13 programmes

A mix of TU9, research and private universities. Always check your own programme's page before you ask anyone for a letter.

Letters of recommendation for German master's programmes (checked 11 October 2026)
ProgrammeHow manyHow it's submittedWorth knowing
TUM, Communications and Electronics Engineering M.Sc.On TUM's form (2024/25 version)Referee signs and stamps it and returns it to you; you upload it to TUMonlineEmailed letters are rejected; form on letterhead with a ranking grid[7]
TUM, Computational Science and Engineering M.Sc.Optional, up to 2Referee returns the form to you; you upload a scan"Not mandatory but help us"[11][12]
RWTH International Academy (fee-paying master's)2 (listed as additional documents)You combine both into one PDF and upload itNo standard form; letterhead and stamp if possible[3]
RWTH, Construction Robotics M.Sc.Not needed—"Not necessary during the admission process"[13]
KIT, Optics and Photonics M.Sc. (KSOP)At least 1 (mandatory)Uploaded in the application portal; referees may also email themAt least one from a professor at your current university[14]
Saarland University, Mathematics and Computer Science M.Sc.2With the applicationFrom referees who know you academically[4]
University of Bonn, Physics M.Sc.2The portal emails each referee an upload linkLetters emailed directly aren't accepted[6]
LMU Munich, Graduate School of Systemic Neurosciences (incl. Integrated M.Sc. Neurosciences)2Referees submit them themselvesFixed referee deadline (23 Feb 2026 for the last round)[15]
TU Dresden, CMCB master's2Due by the application deadline (31 May)At least one from a university professor[5]
Stuttgart, INFOTECH M.Sc.Not required—Letters and CVs "have no bearing on your application"[1]
Mannheim Master in ManagementNot considered—Extra documents "will not be taken into consideration"[2]
Constructor University (private)Mandatory for some programmesUpload signed letters or, if you don't have them yet, a PDF with your referees' names and emailsLetters must be "signed and unique"; the two can't be identical[16]
Hochschule Rhein-Waal (university of applied sciences)Not on the document list—The master's document list doesn't include letters[17]

Applying through uni-assist? It says extra documents such as recommendation letters depend on your course, and you upload them as PDF scans.[18][19] If you're still choosing programmes, start with our university shortlist guide; for portals and deadlines see uni-assist application steps.

How LORs reach German universities: the 3 routes

RouteWhat happensWhat you do
1. You uploadThe referee signs the letter (often on the university's own form) and gives it back to you. Example: TUM, RWTH International Academy.[12][3]Scan it as a PDF and upload it in the portal. Don't edit anything.
2. Portal link to the refereeYou enter the referee's name and email; the portal emails them an upload link. Example: Bonn Physics.[6]Enter their official university email, warn them the email is coming, and check it arrived.
3. Referee sends it directlyThe referee emails or posts it to the university. Example: LMU's neuroscience graduate school; DAAD-scheme programmes such as Freiburg's MEG.[15][20]Give them the address and deadline, then follow up politely.

Format checklist for a German LOR

Include

  • The university's or company's letterhead[7][21]
  • The referee's signature and, if possible, the department stamp[3]
  • A date of issue; Freiburg's MEG wants letters no more than a year old[8]
  • The referee's official email, title and contact details[8]
  • How the referee knows you, and how you compare with other students[8]

Avoid

  • A Gmail or Yahoo address for the referee
  • Two letters with the same wording: Constructor says the content "cannot be identical"[16]
  • Emailing a letter where the programme wants an upload (or the reverse)[7][6]
  • Undated letters, or old ones reused from another application
  • Letters from relatives, or from people who don't know your work

Who should write your LOR for Germany?

  • Academic referees first. A professor who taught you a core module or supervised your project or thesis. KIT's Optics and Photonics master's wants at least one from a professor at your current university;[14] TU Dresden's CMCB at least one from a university professor.[5]
  • Knowing your work matters more than seniority. A TUM chair writes that attending its courses "is not sufficient" and that it writes at most one letter per person.[9] A Passau chair asks that you've taken at least one course with the professor and ask at least two weeks ahead.[22]
  • Working? Add your manager. A letter from your current employer is useful for job-focused programmes, and DAAD-scheme programmes for development-related courses ask for one (see scholarships below).
  • Ask early. The University of Mannheim's Business School asks for requests at least four weeks before your deadline.[23]

"My professor asked me to write it myself." What now?

It's common in India, and it's the riskiest way to get a letter. Two letters that read alike, in your own voice, undermine both, and some universities collect letters directly from referees so the applicant never sees them. A TUM chair says you "will never get to see the letter".[9] The honest fix is to give your referee a detailed brief (facts, results, projects, the programme and the deadline) and ask them to write the letter in their own words. The tool below builds that brief.

Free referee brief builder

Free tool

Make it easy for your professor to write a strong letter

Fill in the facts and copy a polite request email with everything your referee needs: how they know you, your results, your work, how to submit and the deadline. They write the letter; you give them the evidence. Nothing you type is saved or sent.


        
      

      
Attach your CV, transcript and draft motivation letter when you send it.

    

  






  
LORs for DAAD and other scholarships

  
Scholarship references are stricter than admission letters: they're often confidential, must be recent, and must come from specific people.

  

    

      
SchemeRule

      
        
DAAD EPOS at Stuttgart's WASTE M.Sc. (2026/27 intake)An employer letter is mandatory and an academic letter optional. Use official letterhead, with signature, stamp and date of issue; PDF only.[21] WASTE has suspended EPOS from winter 2027/28.[24]

        
DAAD EPOS at Freiburg's MEGTwo letters (employer and academic), original or with a certified digital signature, sent by the referees directly to the programme.[20]

        
DAAD application at TH KölnA letter from your current employer, of current date and not in a sealed envelope.[25]

        
DAAD WISE (research internships for Indian students)A recent, confidential reference from an Indian university teacher, sent in an unopened envelope or directly to DAAD; you may not see it.[26]

        
Deutschlandstipendium at JGU MainzA reference from a professor or research assistant on the university's form, emailed directly to the university.[27]

      
    

  

  
Scholarship letters of motivation have their own rules too: see our guide to the letter of motivation, and for funding options our guide to scholarships for MS in Germany.






  
Do you need an LOR for the German student visa?

  
No. The German Missions in India list the documents for a student visa: passport, degree, language proof, APS certificate, admission letter, a freely written letter on your intention to study, a CV in table form, proof of funds and insurance. A letter of recommendation isn't on the list.[10] Spend that effort on your statement of purpose (see our guide to the SOP for MS in Germany) and your visa letter instead. The full file is in our student visa guide.






  
9 LOR mistakes Indian applicants make

  
    
    
  1. Sending letters to a programme that ignores them, and missing a document it does score.
    2. 
    
  2. Uploading a letter yourself when the referee had to submit it, or emailing one that had to be uploaded.
    3. 
    
  3. Two near-identical letters written in your own voice.
    4. 
    
  4. A referee with a Gmail address and no letterhead, stamp or signature.
    5. 
    
  5. A famous name who barely knows you instead of the professor who supervised your project.
    6. 
    
  6. Asking a week before the deadline. Ask four weeks ahead.
    7. 
    
  7. No follow-up on portal links, so the letter never arrives.
    8. 
    
  8. Old, undated letters reused from a previous application.
    9. 
    
  9. Paying for a "visa LOR": the German student visa doesn't ask for one.
    10. 
  






  
How Yastudy helps with your LORs

  
We help you get strong letters the right way: we check which of your programmes want letters and how they must arrive, help you choose referees, prepare a detailed brief for each referee, and track every letter until it's submitted. Your referees write the letters themselves.

  
    
    
  • Referee briefs and a final check of every letter's format and submission route: our LOR service.
    • 
    
  • The documents committees read alongside your letters: our SOP service and CV service.
    • 
    
  • LOR briefs for your referees are part of the Advantage and Premium Germany master's plans; Essential includes LOR guidance.
    • 
  

  
Check which of my programmes need LORs 





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LOR for MS in Germany: 14 questions Indian students ask

  

    
Requirements

    
Is an LOR required for MS in Germany?
It depends on the programme. RWTH International Academy lists two, and Saarland's Mathematics and Computer Science and TU Dresden's CMCB master's ask for two; TUM's Computational Science and Engineering accepts up to two as optional; Stuttgart's INFOTECH and the Mannheim Master in Management don't consider them.

    
How many LORs do German universities need?
Usually none, one or two. Where letters are required, two is the most common number.

    
Do German universities accept professional LORs?
Often, yes, but many programmes want at least one academic letter: KIT's Optics and Photonics master's asks for one from a professor at your current university. DAAD's development-related scholarships ask for a letter from your current employer.

    
Does uni-assist need an LOR?
Only if your university asks for one. uni-assist says extra documents such as recommendation letters depend on your course; you upload them as PDF scans.

    
Is an LOR needed for the German student visa?
No. The German Missions in India's student visa document list doesn't include a letter of recommendation.


    
Format and submission

    
What is the format of an LOR for German universities?
On the university's or company's letterhead, signed, dated and ideally stamped, with the referee's official email and contact details. It should say how the referee knows you and how you compare with other students. Some universities, like TUM for some programmes, provide their own form.

    
Can my professor email the LOR to the university?
Only if the programme says so. Bonn Physics accepts letters only through the portal's upload link, and TUM's Communications and Electronics Engineering master's rejects emailed letters. Follow each programme's route.

    
Can I upload my LOR myself?
Yes, where the programme asks you to (TUM's Communications and Electronics Engineering and Computational Science and Engineering master's, and RWTH International Academy, do). Where referees must submit letters themselves, as at LMU's neuroscience graduate school, you can't.

    
Does the LOR need a stamp and signature?
A signature, yes. A stamp is often requested: RWTH International Academy asks for letterhead and stamp "if possible", and DAAD-scheme programmes such as Stuttgart's WASTE want signature, stamp and date.

    
How old can an LOR be?
Recent. Freiburg's MEG programme wants letters dated no more than one year before you apply; scholarship schemes often ask for a current date.


    
Referees

    
Who should write my LOR for MS in Germany?
A professor who taught you a core module or supervised your project, and for working applicants, your manager. Choose people who know your work well over senior names who don't.

    
When should I ask for a recommendation letter?
At least four weeks before your deadline (the University of Mannheim's Business School asks for that much notice), with a brief of your results, projects and the programme.

    
My professor asked me to draft my own LOR. Should I?
Give a detailed brief instead and ask them to write it in their own words. Letters written in the applicant's voice read alike, and some programmes collect letters directly from referees.

    
Can Yastudy write my LOR?
No, and nobody should: the letter has to be your referee's. We help you choose referees, prepare their briefs, and check each letter's format and submission route.

  








  
About this guide

  
  

    
Who wrote it
The Yastudy Germany Desk: the counsellors who manage German master's applications for Indian students from our Patna, Noida and Bengaluru offices, with our team in Freising, Germany.

    
How we checked the facts
Checked on 11 October 2026 against each programme's page or recommendation form, DAAD-scheme pages at host universities, uni-assist and the German Missions in India. The brief builder and advice are our counselling practice.

    
When we update it
Before each application season (next: January 2027), and when a programme we quote changes its rules.

    
Our standards
  • We name the programme behind every rule we quote.
  • We never write letters on behalf of referees.
  • Spotted something out of date? Email admission@yastudy.com.

  






  
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Sources

  
All checked on 11 October 2026. Where a source has a publication date, it's shown.

  
    

  1. University of Stuttgart: INFOTECH M.Sc.: application roadmap
    2. 

  2. University of Mannheim: Mannheim Master in Management: application information
    3. 

  3. RWTH International Academy: Master’s degree programs: your way to us (application documents)
    4. 

  4. Saarland University: Mathematics and Computer Science M.Sc.: admission requirements and application
    5. 

  5. TU Dresden (CMCB): Master’s courses: frequently asked questions (Mar 2025)
    6. 

  6. University of Bonn: Bonn-Cologne Graduate School of Physics and Astronomy: FAQ
    7. 

  7. TUM School of Computation, Information and Technology: M.Sc. Communications and Electronics Engineering: letter of recommendation form (for winter semester 2024/25) (WS 2024/25)
    8. 

  8. University of Freiburg (MEG): Information for referees (Jul 2024)
    9. 

  9. TUM, Professorship of Mechanics & High Performance Computing (MHPC): Policy on letters of recommendation
    10. 

  10. German Missions in India: Student visa: information and requirements (16 Feb 2026)
    11. 

  11. TUM School of Computation, Information and Technology: M.Sc. Computational Science and Engineering: application documents
    12. 

  12. TUM School of Computation, Information and Technology: M.Sc. Computational Science and Engineering: recommendation letter form
    13. 

  13. RWTH Aachen University: Construction Robotics M.Sc.: FAQ
    14. 

  14. Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KSOP): M.Sc. Optics and Photonics: information for applicants (Jul 2026)
    15. 

  15. LMU Munich: Graduate School of Systemic Neurosciences: become a GSN student
    16. 

  16. Constructor University: Application information: graduate programmes
    17. 

  17. Hochschule Rhein-Waal: Master’s programmes: current application period and documents
    18. 

  18. uni-assist: FAQ: assemble your documents
    19. 

  19. uni-assist: Uploading documents
    20. 

  20. University of Freiburg (MEG): DAAD scholarship: application and letters of recommendation
    21. 

  21. University of Stuttgart (WASTE M.Sc.): List of required documents for DAAD scholarship applicants 2026/27 (Aug 2025)
    22. 

  22. University of Passau: Chair of Development Politics: letters of recommendation (Sep 2022)
    23. 

  23. University of Mannheim, Business School: Letters of recommendation for master’s programmes and scholarships
    24. 

  24. University of Stuttgart (WASTE M.Sc.): WASTE M.Sc. home page: DAAD-EPOS suspended from winter semester 2027/28
    25. 

  25. TH Köln: Required documents for a DAAD scholarship application 2025 (2025)
    26. 

  26. DAAD: Scholarship database: WISE (Working Internships in Science and Engineering)
    27. 

  27. Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz: Deutschlandstipendium: letter of recommendation form (2025)
    28. 












  
  




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