LMU Master’s: Do You Need Two Applications?

LMU Master’s: Do You Need Two Applications?

For many international LMU master’s applicants, the department’s selection process and the International Office application are separate. A departmental offer alone may not complete admission. Check both procedures early; waiting for one result can make you miss the other deadline.

Two applications answer different questions

LMU’s central admissions instructions first ask applicants to identify the responsible admissions office. Where an additional departmental assessment applies, its application is also required. The International Office’s general receipt deadlines are January 15 for summer and July 15 for winter.

A concrete science example is LMU’s Geophysics master’s: it explains the additional International Office application for applicants who are neither German citizens nor Bildungsinländer. Do not apply this category mechanically to every applicant; follow the program and central instructions for your circumstances.

For the academic document itself, our German motivation-letter guide covers preparation and program fit. Sending that letter to the department does not answer whether the second application is complete.

Map both routes before submitting either

Create two separate checklist rows:

Then check the delivery method. LMU currently directs a listed group of master’s programs to MoveIN; other applicants must follow the postal instructions where applicable. Do not generalize a friend’s portal workflow to your course, or assume posting a package on the deadline means timely receipt.

LMU also says a master’s program acceptance letter may be provided later during registration. That is a reason to check the central application now while a departmental decision is pending, not a general extension for every missing document.

Our recommendation: keep two confirmations and two document lists. Mark which office has acknowledged receipt, which is still assessing the file, and which condition remains outstanding. One email saying “accepted” should not erase the second row.

Worked example: a pending department result

Illustrative case created by GradPilot: An Indian applicant has completed the Geophysics departmental application and is awaiting its decision as the International Office deadline approaches.

The applicant checks whether the International Office route applies, prepares its requested records and follows its submission instructions. They do not wait for the academic decision merely because they assume one office forwards everything to the other.

If the central application asks for a document not yet issued, the applicant distinguishes the published later-submission provision for departmental acceptance from other missing items. They ask the responsible office about any unresolved document before the deadline.

A complete timeline does not predict admission. It prevents an administrative assumption from replacing an actual application.

Put each explanation in its proper document

Keep university motivation and visa explanations separate. Check academic history reporting and translation requirements while assembling records.

If the degree program requests a motivation letter and permits feedback, use GradPilot’s German motivation-letter rubric or get your statement reviewed. A writing review does not complete either LMU application. The graduate essays hub connects the related preparation guides.

Official LMU sources checked September 12, 2026. Recheck the program list and submission channel for your intake.