Perhaps the most significant change occurred when engineering schools and higher vocation schools were upgraded to Fachhochschulen, now referred to as universities of applied sciences. The new term is supposed to provide more transparency for foreign students interested in studying in Germany. Universities of applied sciences have different admission prerequisites than university, and the study period of four years includes a lengthy practical work placement in a related professional field. As a rule, graduates of Fachhochschulen who transfer to universities will have to study one or two more years in order to achieve a Master's Degree. Participation rates have increased dramatically over the years resulting in the massification of German higher education.
Participation rates are lower in what was once East Germany.
The overall growth and changes in sector composition is shown in Table 1. Private higher education, mainly universities of applied science and theological colleges in 1996 totaled 77 institutions. Since 1975, including universities of applied sciences for Public Administration. All academic institutions fall under the Framework Act for Higher Education and the legal regulations for the respective Federal State in which they reside. However, the higher education institutions are guaranteed the constitutional right to self-administration.