Study Abroad in Germany

Why Study MBA in Germany?

• Germany is one of the fastest-growing destinations to study abroad. Replete with bustling urban life, a cosmopolitan culture, some of the best institutions in the world, and beautiful places to visit, undergraduate as well as graduate students are choosing to study abroad in Germany.
• The nation is host to more than 400 universities and more than 26,000 students pursue overseas education in Germany for business masters alone every year.
• Students flock to Germany to excel in various domains by pursuing an MBA degree in finance, marketing, supply chain management, strategy, entrepreneurship, etc.
• Around 13% of the people living in Germany are from other countries, making it one of the most tolerant and welcoming countries globally.
• Humanity is one of the core tenets of German universities and they believe in giving equal opportunities to students regardless of their gender, religion, or ethnicity.

Types of Educational Institutes:

There are public as well as private state-recognized institutions in Germany that offer a multitude of courses in various disciplines. 355 official colleges and universities are present across 165 towns and cities in Germany. Following are the different types of universities in Germany:

• Universities (Universität) or Technical University (Technische Hochschule)
• Universities of Applied Sciences (Fachhochschule)
• Colleges of art / Colleges of music (Kunsthochschule/Musikhochschule)
• Private and Church Sponsored Institutions

Most Reputed Universities in Germany:

Germany has some of the most prestigious MBA colleges in the world. These renowned schools are the destinations where young and ambitious corporate professionals apply and aim to pursue higher studies in order to sharpen their skills, improve their networking, and gain access to lucrative employment opportunities. Some of these are:

1. Mannheim Business School
2. ESMT Berlin
3. HHL Leipzig
4. WHU Otto Beisheim
5. EBS
6. Munich Business School
7. Frankfurt School of Management
8. ESCP Europe
9. GISMA Business School
10. HFU Business School
11. EU Business School

Most Popular Fields of Study for International Students:

• Finance
• Supply Chain Management
• Marketing
• Strategy
• Entrepreneurship

Program Duration & Cost of Education:

• A Master in Business Administration (MBA) degree is one of the most prestigious and sought-after post-graduate qualifications all over the world. Due to this reason, they are also one of the most expensive degrees to pursue and Germany is no exception to this rule.
• However, tuition fees in Germany for MBA degrees are around 15% lower compared to other major MBA destinations globally such as USA, UK and Canada.
• A full-time MBA degree from a German university may cost between 30,000 and 50,000 euros, while an Executive MBA degree can cost as much as 90,000 euros.
• The duration of the course varies from 12 months to 24 months and the usual intakes are April (summer intake) and October (winter intake).

Eligibility Criteria for MBA Programs in Germany:

• Completion of 10+2 years of education in addition to at least 3 years of post-secondary education.
• Average work experience of 3 years after graduation.
• Standardized test scores including the GRE/ GMAT and TOEFL/ IELTS/ PTE examinations.
• A competitive grade point average or percentage of marks during graduation.
• Strong extra-curricular activities such as State/National/International level participation in events & competitions, valuable internships, relevant certifications and strong recommendation letters from faculty members.

Intakes & Application Deadlines:

• Some colleges have only one intake every year in September whereas other colleges have two intakes in a year – January and September, with September being the main intake.
• The application deadlines for the September intake are usually in the preceding November, while the deadlines from the January intake range from the preceding April to November depending on the university.

Application Requirements:

The applications can be made online using the universities’ application portals or through the common application for German universities known as UniAssist depending on the university. The entry requirements for admissions to these universities are quite high and they are as follows:

1. A recognized undergraduate degree
2. A competitive GMAT or GRE score
3. A strong Motivational Letter or Statement of Purpose (SoP)
4. Academic and professional letters of recommendation
5. Certified academic transcripts
6. An English language proficiency test (IELTS/ TOEFL/ PTE) and/ or a German language proficiency test
7. A minimum of two to three years of professional full-time work experience

Documents Needed to Apply for Student Visa:

The documents required to apply for a student visa to Germany are as follows:

1. Two duly completed national visa application forms
2. A valid passport
3. Two passport-sized photographs
4. An offer letter from a German university. Any of the following may be presented:

• University admission letter
• Letter of admission in a preparatory course issued by a Studienkolleg
• Letter of admission in a propaedeutic course
• Letter of admission in a preparatory German language course

5. Proof of prior education:

• A valid German university entrance qualification, known as Abitur if you have studied, in a German educational institute abroad
• A recognized foreign degree which must show that you have a qualification equally recognized as the German Abitur
• Academic transcripts

6. CV
7. Internship and work experience certificates, if applicable
8. A means of showing that you have enough money to cover living, accommodation, and study costs. Any of the following will suffice:

• A blocked bank account: One of the easiest and the fastest ways to open a German blocked account is through Fintiba or Sutor Bank. The blocked account provided by Fintiba is accepted by German embassies/consulates all around the world.
• Letter of Commitment by a local resident: A person living in Germany undertaking that they will take care of your accommodation and/or other living expenses during your tenure in Germany.
• Letter of Declaration by a parent: It has to state that they are committed to supporting you financially during your stay in Germany and it must be supplemented by their bank statements of the past 6 months.
• Scholarship awarding certificate: It must state that you have received a certain amount of financial coverage through the instrument of the said scholarship.

9. A health insurance policy with a coverage of 30,000 euros with a validity of at least 3 months.
10. A motivational letter stating the reason for choosing the specific university, study program, your study, and future plans and how this experience will benefit your career.
11. Marriage certificate (if applicable) and birth certificates of children (if applicable).
12. Proof of payment of the visa application fee of 60 euros.
13. Proof of German language proficiency. Either one of the following may be presented:

• German Language University Entrance Examination for International Applicants (DSH)
• Test of German as a Foreign Language (TestDaF)
• Goethe Institute German Language Diploma (GDS)
• German Language Diploma of the Standing Conference of the Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs, Level II (DSD)

14. Proof of English language proficiency. Either one of the following may be presented:

• TOEFL: Accepted results are pBT (paper-based test) 550 points, cBT (computer-based test) 213 points and iBT (internet-based test) 79 points
• IELTS: Accepted results are 6 points with a minimum of 6 points in each band of listening, reading, writing and speaking