Content Information
The Early Childhood Education degree programme at Esslingen University of Applied Sciences offers two specialisations:
Children - childhood - families
Management – social management
A practical study semester is integrated.
Bachelor of Arts (B.A.)Early Childhood Education
Discovering the world together with children, designing and managing educational institutions in an inclusive and educationally appropriate way, accompanying and supporting children and their families - do you want to be involved in these important tasks? If you want to gain specialist expertise for the childhood phase of life, then the study of Early Childhood Education is the right choice for you.
Campus Hilltop
Period in semester7 Semester
Languages of instructionGerman
Application PeriodsWinter semester: 30 April to 15 July
Continuing Master ProgramsSocial Work
Applied Socio-Pedagogical Educational Research
Career Perspectives
With a degree in childhood education, a wide range of career prospects or a subsequent Master’s degree are open to you. As a “state-approved early childhood educator” you advise, support, accompany and organise educational and change processes in everyday or challenging situations of children aged 0 - 12 years.
Your career opportunities
- Educational and management work in childcare facilities
- Conceptual and leisure-time educational tasks in schools, school social work
Parent education and advice
- Help with upbringing
- Specialist advisory service
- Work in training and advanced studies
Application/Admission
After your registration in the national application portal hochschulstart.de you apply via the HEonline Campus Management System of the Hochschule Esslingen.
Check the requirements
Do you have a university entrance qualification (e.g. German Abitur/Fachhochschulreife), a school leaving qualification from a country other than Germany or a vocational qualification? If you do, you have already fulfilled the first requirement for a successful application.Register on hochschulstart.de
You register in the central application portal hochschulstart.de to receive your applicant ID.Register and apply on HEonline
You register in hochschulstart, the national application portal, and apply for one or more degree programmes at Esslingen University of Applied Sciences. After submitting your application in HEonline, you can also view and prioritize it on hochschulstart.Upload your documents
We need your documents and certificates so that we can process your application. You can upload them in Esslingen’s “HEonline” campus management system. We need your documents by the application deadline at the latest.All done!
You can view the processing status of your application at any time via HEonline. You should keep your login details safe. Shortly after the application deadline, you will be able to see whether you have received an admission offer in HEonline and hochschulstart.
More links for application
The video tutorial shows you the most important application steps and the importance of prioritization.
Detailed information about the application procedure
Orientation programme: Getting to know Esslingen University of Applied Sciences
Student life (student finance, food & accommodation, leisure activities)
FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions
Which criteria are used to award the university places?
There are usually more applications than places available. This means that not all applications for degree programmes will be successful. The places available will be awarded in accordance with the result of the university’s own selection procedure.
We are unable to give details of any admission restrictions (numerus clausus, NC) in advance. The NC states the selection threshold and the waiting time in semesters (periods of 6 months) for the last student in the ranking who is admitted to the degree programme. This means the NC varies depending on the number of applicants, their selection thresholds/waiting times and the number of places available. Since this is different for each application phase, we are unfortunately unable to provide any information about the admission restrictions (NC).
Why do I apply to hochschulstart.de and to the university?
For some of the Bachelor degree programmes at Esslingen, the admission procedure for applications for the first regular semester is via the national application portal Hochschulstart and the “dialog-oriented service procedure - DoSV”, where you can apply for a maximum of 12 university places.
To process your application, the “Application/Admission” team needs all the documents required for the admission procedure at Esslingen. You can upload these online via Esslingen’s HEonline campus management system.
Video tutorial “How to apply via hochschulstart.de”
Further information on applying via hochschulstart.de
For whom is the study programme suitable?
Are you interested in children, their perspectives and their worlds? Do you want to stand up for children, make a difference for children and families and campaign for educational justice? Do you want to increase the quality of educational institutions? The Childhood Education study programme offers you the theoretical and practical foundations for this. We look forward to meeting you!
Personal and enriching
“It was one of the best times. I studied in a small group. It was personal and enormously enriching with the professors. We internalised multi-layered thinking and being empathically appreciative with children and their families. And we have spent time reflecting and analysing.”
Sarah Filetti, Alumna of the Early Childhood Education degree programme
What distinguishes usGood reasons for studying at Esslingen University
University Sports Club
Directly on campus, there is a sports hall and gym as well as football pitches and basketball courts.
Library
Well stocked, with many study spaces and a beautiful view over Esslingen, the library is the perfect place to learn.
Innovative learning formats
Learn in research workshops, working in the education workshop, in business games or in case work.
Practice-oriented
A large network of practical cooperation partners complement the theory in the degree programme.
Modern equipment
Seminar rooms can be rearranged as needed, and in the educational workshop you develop and test media.
Family-friendly university
We support parents as well as students with responsibilities for children and relatives in their studies with advisory services.
Interested? Apply now! for the summersemester 2025
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