Expanded A-Level Examinations in North Rhine-Westphalia: Chances for Additional Participants - Extended Abitur in NRW: Increased Chances for Other Aspiring Applicants
In North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW), a significant shift is underway in the school system, with the transition from an eight-year gymnasium (G8) back to a nine-year gymnasium (G9) system starting around 2025. This change, which restores the traditional 13 years of schooling before the Abitur exam, is set to offer unique opportunities for applicants.
More Time for Comprehensive Education
With an extra year at the gymnasium, students will have more time to deepen their knowledge and prepare more thoroughly for the Abitur. This could potentially improve their qualifications for university admission.
Eased Pressure and Potentially Better Performance
The reduced time pressure compared to the compressed G8 system may lead to students achieving better grades, further enhancing their prospects for higher education.
Regarding the impact on Numerus Clausus (NC) restrictions, the reintroduction of G9 might lead to a shift in applicant numbers and performance profiles. However, the exact quantitative effects on NC restrictions across subjects in NRW universities are yet to be determined.
Better-prepared or more numerous applicants may present higher average grades, potentially leading to more stringent NC thresholds for popular or competitive subjects if demand increases. Conversely, the delayed graduation for one year could temporarily reduce the number of applicants entering university in the transition period, easing NC pressures briefly.
The transition aims to improve education quality at the gymnasium level, which may indirectly influence university admissions and the competitiveness of NC restrictions. Concrete effects on NC cutoffs for specific subjects in NRW remain to be observed as the system transitions fully.
Abolition or Reduction of NC Restrictions
The decrease in first-year students is expected to lead to the abolition or reduction of NC restrictions in some subjects. In 2026, there will be school leavers with university entrance qualifications from comprehensive schools and vocational colleges in NRW.
Interdisciplinary Study Programs
Some universities in NRW are focusing on interdisciplinary study programs with regional or international appeal and actively promoting them. These initiatives are designed to attract a diverse range of students and cater to the evolving needs of the job market.
Impact on Universities
Universities in NRW, especially those near other federal states, are less likely to be affected by the absence of the gymnasium Abitur year group. The Rector of RWTH Aachen, Ulrich Rüdiger, explained that universities do not expect a significant drop in first-year student numbers as a result of the eight-year gymnasium's expiration.
The Standing Conference of the Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs expects a one-off decrease in first-year student numbers in 2026 before they rise again in subsequent years. The first-year student offer will be maintained in North Rhine-Westphalia to keep the number of graduates high in three or five years.
In the winter semester 2025/2026, around one in four subjects in North Rhine-Westphalia will have restrictions such as an NC, an aptitude test, or a selection procedure. Cologne has the highest proportion of subjects with restrictions at 40%, while only 3% of subjects in Paderborn have restrictions.
[1] Source: Center for Higher Education Development (CHE) analysis of the number of restricted subjects in North Rhine-Westphalia for the winter semester 2025/2026. [3] Source: Statements by Ulrich Rüdiger, Vice-Chairman of the Conference of University Rectors in North Rhine-Westphalia and Rector of RWTH Aachen.
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