The league champions, Erzgebirge Aue and SpVgg Unterhaching, and the runners-up in both divisions, VfL Osnabrück and Jahn Regensburg, were promoted to the 2003–04 2.
Borussia Dortmund (A), Dynamo Dresden, Hamburger SV (A), 1.
FC Köln (A), FC Augsburg, Eintracht Frankfurt (A) Borussia Neunkirchen and SC Pfullendorf were promoted from the Oberliga, replacing 1.
FC Magdeburg, Fortuna Düsseldorf, Fortuna Köln, VfR Mannheim, VfB Stuttgart (A), SpVgg Ansbach and Borussia Fulda.
Bundesliga, SSV Reutlingen and SV Waldhof Mannheim, could not achieve a Regionalliga license, and dropped another level, to the Oberliga.