TUM style guide for application documents
In order to apply for a place in degree program at TUM, you will in many cases have to upload documents you have created yourself, such as a CV, an essay, or statement of purpose (letter of motivation)..
Below, you will find information on how to prepare these documents correctly.
Please note that we cannot offer any direct help or advice concerning the preparation of application documents.
Binding information on the required content and length of application documents can be found in the statutes and regulations for the respective degree program.
All self-created application documents must be uploaded as PDF files.
Please follow these format specifications:
Format: A4
Font: Times New Roman or Arial
Font size: 12 point
Page margin: 2 centimeters
Line spacing: 1.5-fold
We need your CV so that we can trace your school and academic career.
Please upload a chronological and tabular CV and indicate the respective periods with month and year (e.g. Elementary School Sample City 09/2001 – 09/2005).
The CV must be up to date, i.e. contain information up to the date of application.
The CV must not contain any gaps longer than 3 months for the period after you left school. If you have a gap in your CV where you have not studied or worked, then simply state this. It will not have a negative impact on your application. A gap can be indicated as a “gap year” or “travel and jobs”, for example. The only important thing is that you have not studied at another university during this period.
Please be sure to indicate if you have already been enrolled at another university or college, as any previous studies must be recorded.
You are welcome to use the European Union template for your CV.
A statement of purpose should generally be no longer than one page.
The statement of purpose is not just a letter of motivation. Instead, you should explain why you are suitable and committed to studying at TUM. Please make sure that you always answer these 3 questions in your letter of motivation:
- Why did you choose this degree program and TUM?
- How are you suited for this degree program?
- Are you particularly motivated to successfully complete this degree program?
A generic letter of motivation is not sufficient. Please specifically address your desired degree program and TUM and make clear why you have chosen this specific degree program.
Many TUM degree programs require an essay to be uploaded for the application.
The essay’s topic and other binding information can be found on the website of the respective TUM School offering the degree program. You will find the link to the TUM School's degree program page in the entry for the respective degree program in our degree program overview.
Write an essay on the specified topic and upload it by the application deadline. Please note the maximum length and any other formal requirements.
For questions please contact the departmental student advisors of the respective degree programs, you can find their contacts on the degree program page.
For the application for some degree programs at TUM, you need to prepare and upload an abstract.
An abstract is a summary of your Bachelor's or Diploma thesis. If the thesis has not yet been completed at the time of application, you should present the concept of the thesis (research question, method). In some cases, it is also possible to submit a summary of a scientific paper worth at least 5 credits, which is comparable to a Bachelor's thesis. The content and form of the presentation must be based on international academic standards.
Further information on language, form, and scope can be found in the Program-Specific Academic and Examination Regulations for the degree programs or on the pages of the respective TUM School.
For questions please contact the departmental student advisors of the respective degree programs, you can find their contacts on the degree program page.
As you are uploading the documents and not sending them by mail, it is not necessary to include a full letterhead or a postal address.
Please state your first name, surname, and date of birth on all documents.
Please also state the date of creation and the title of the document.
You do not have to address the document to a specific person; a generic form of address such as “Dear Sir or Madam” is sufficient.
Please ensure that all ideas and thoughts from other sources are correctly indicated as quotations in your work. This applies to essays, but also to statements of purpose ( letters of motivation) if you refer to third-party content.
Incorrect or missing citation of third-party content can lead to the document being rejected as plagiarism.
Please follow one of the common citation systems. You can find more information on this on the TUM University Library’s website.
Plagiarism occurs when you – intentionally or unintentionally – pass off other authors’ work as your own. If third-party ideas and thoughts are not correctly indicated as quotations, your document is considered plagiarized.
All self-created documents are checked for plagiarism by TUM.
Please note: If an uploaded application document is recognized as plagiarism, you will be excluded from the application process, i.e. your application will be rejected for fraud.
The use of AI tools such as ChatGPT to create documents for an application at TUM is not permitted.
Please refrain from using AI when creating your documents. Self-created application documents are thoroughly checked for the use of AI.
Your personal suitability for admission will be checked during the application process. If the use of AI applications for the creation of your application documents is detected, you will be excluded from the application process, i.e. your application will be rejected for deception.