Jena, March 25, 2026. The Ernst-Abbe-Hochschule (EAH) Jena records the highest proportion of students without a classic Abitur in Thüringen. According to a current nationwide survey, the university once again proves its pioneering role in the permeability of the education system.
- Topic: Leading position of EAH Jena in studying without Abitur in Thüringen (5.73 percent share).
- Basis: Study “CHECK – Studieren ohne Abitur 2026” by the CHE Centrum für Hochschulentwicklung (based on 2024 data).
- Contact Student Advisory Service: 03641 205122
- Press Contact: christina.nolte@eah-jena.de
- Further Information: www.eah-jena.de
Practical relevance attracts career changers
With a share of 5.73 percent of students who entered the university via the vocational education path, EAH Jena once again secures the top spot in the Freistaat Thüringen. The data comes from the current “CHECK – Studieren ohne Abitur 2026” by the CHE Centrum für Hochschulentwicklung, which is based on the most recent available figures from 2024.
Universities of Applied Sciences in particular are in demand among this target group. Nationwide, 71.2 percent of first-year students without a Fachabitur or Abitur are currently enrolled at such practice-oriented institutions. EAH benefits here from its consistent focus on applied sciences and its commitment to professional further education.
Diversity as a university self-conception
Prof. Dr. Mario Brandtner, Vice President for Studies, Teaching and Further Education at EAH, emphasizes the importance of this path: “The fact that we are again achieving the highest proportion shows that we are consistently keeping the path open for professionally qualified individuals and career changers. For us, this is not a special path, but an expression of our self-conception of diversity and social participation.”
To facilitate the entry into academic life, the Central Student Advisory Service of EAH Jena offers individual support. This ranges from initial study orientation and the choice of the appropriate subject to the development of a tailored course of study.
Background: Studying without Abitur in Germany
Since a nationwide resolution by the Kultusministerkonferenz in 2009, professionally qualified individuals have had significantly easier access to universities. Master craftsmen, technicians, and business administrators usually receive a general higher education entrance qualification. Those who have completed vocational training and have several years of professional experience can study in a subject-related manner. Since its introduction, around 105,000 people across Germany have chosen this alternative educational path and successfully obtained an academic degree. EAH Jena, Thüringen’s largest and oldest university of applied sciences (founded in 1991), plays a central regional role in the academic further qualification of skilled workers and helps to cushion the shortage of skilled workers in the region.
Source:
Ernst-Abbe-Hochschule Jena remains leading in studying without Abitur in Thüringen
Transparency Note: This article was created automatically, editorially reviewed, and expanded with AI support.