If you do not achieve the minimum overall grade of 2.5 in your Bachelor's degree, you must take an oral examination.
Registering for the exam
You must register by e-mail (elisabeth.brunner@ur.de) and select the examination period. For dates and registration deadlines for the next semester, see one block below.
Periods of the oral assessment test:
- for a start in the winter semester
- in July (last week of the lecture period of the summer semester) or
- two to three weeks before the start of the lecture period of the winter semester.
- for a start in the summer semester
- in January/February (last week of the lecture period of the winter semester) or
- two to three weeks before the start of the lecture period in the summer semester.
You must specify the desired examination period when you register for the examination.
You will receive the date, time and room of the examination as well as the names of the three examiners approximately two weeks before the examination.
Examination periods WS 25-26
1. Period: 21-25 July 2025; registration deadline: 30 June 2025
2. Period: 22-26 September 2025; registration deadline: 24 August 2025
3. Period: 13-17 October 2025; registration deadline: 24 August 2025
Please indicate the desired period when registering for the aptitude test.
Registration by e-mail elisabeth.brunner(at)ur.de
Content of the test
The oral examination is conducted by three examiners (botany, zoology, molecular biology) and lasts 30 minutes. As a rule, the examination is conducted in German; on request, the examination can also be conducted in English (please specify when registering for the examination).
The examination material covers the contents of the Bachelor's programme in Biology (cytology, anatomy, physiology and systematics of animals, plants and microorganisms, ecology, neurobiology, ethology, developmental biology, evolutionary biology, biochemistry, microbiology, genetics and the chemical and physical foundations of biology).
As an additional help in preparing for the test, the departmental student representative committee Biology provides a collection of questions from previous aptitude tests. Please note that this list does not reflect the content of the test. It is merely a selection of questions from previous tests. Other and/or additional questions are possible.
Grading
The oral aptitude test is graded by the examiners on the basis of the applicant's competences corresponding to the requirements of the Master's degree programme in Biology.
The overall grade is calculated by dividing the grade of the oral examination by 50% and the grade of the Bachelor's degree by 50%. The examination is passed with a minimum overall grade of 2.5.
A failed oral assessment examination can be repeated once.