How to apply

The School is especially looking for applicants who:

• have a strong command of the English language; in the German specializations, students also require very good German-language skills,
• are graduates from research-oriented universities,
• hold a very good bachelor degree,
• possess very good quantitative and analytical skills,
• are interested in academic, research-oriented, quantitative business administration studies,
• have realistic expectations about studies and career opportunities,
• possess social skills and social commitment, and
• have very good verbal reasoning skills.

Prerequisites

To be eligible for selection, applicants need to provide the requested documentation to show they meet the prerequisites. This documentation includes:

1. Proof of a relevant bachelor degree: Applicants must have a bachelor’s degree from a state-recognized university or applied university in:

• business administration,
• economics,
• business mathematics,
• business informatics,
• industrial engineering & management, or
• in a related field.

Applicants who have an interdisciplinary bachelor degree must have completed at least 90 ECTS in business administration subjects.

Foreign degrees will be evaluated during the application process. If you are applying with a degree from a Chinese, Vietnamese or Indian university, please submit an APS-Certificate (Certificate of the Akademische Prüfstelle). The APS verifies the authenticity of educational certificates.

2. Proof of proficiency in mathematics: Applicants must have at least 24 ECTS in mathematics, statistics, and/or micro-economics

3. Proof of English or German language proficiency:

For the English track, which is completed wholly in English, applicants must provide proof that they

1. conducted their bachelor’s degree studies entirely in English, or
2. achieved the following grades or better in one of the following lanugage tests (test results must be less than three years old)

• TOEFL ≥ 95
• IELST ≥ 7.0
• Cambridge English Qualification ≥ C1 Advanced
• UNIcert ≥ III

For the General track, students must have completed a bachelor degree in the German language or provide proof of proficiency in German.

Selection

Students who meet the prerequisites are eligible for selection. Selected is based on the combined selection grade. This grade is made up of two parts:

• bachelor’s degree grade (51% of selection grade), and
• the Graduate Test for Economics, Business and Social Sciences (GTEBS) (49% of selection grade).

Important: Applicants who do not complete GTEBS have a low chance of being accepted into the program.

In a range of circumstances, students may be eligible for “Special Applications” which can increase their chance of selection, provided they meet prerequisites. Grounds for special applications can include “hardship”, disabilities or chronic diseases, and the length of a waiting period (time since the bachelor degree was completed).

The application timeframe is May 1 and June 15 for all applicants.

International and local applicants need to submit their applications including all the necessary documentation via the online application platform STiNE between May 1 and June 15 for a start in the coming Winter Semester. (Please note: this differs from a series of other English language study programs at the University of Hamburg. In those programs, which can be found on the University's Campus Center webpage, there is an earlier application period from February 15 to March 31.)

The Winter Semester begins at the start of October.

More information about the process and the documents required can be found:

• English track students
• General track students (require German language)
• Program-specific information

Information about receiving an offer of a study place and acceptance can also be found on those pages.

Important dates

• Application window for all students (local and international): May 1 to June 15
• Receive acceptance or rejection letter: By mid-July
• Successful applicants have seven days after notification has been sent to accept the place
• Winter Semester starts October 1 each year. Lectures start early to mid-October.

The Winter Semester officially starts on October 1. The first semester starts with an orientation program in early October. Lectures start in early to mid-October. Successful applicants will be provided with all necessary information on being accepted.

Costs, fees, and semester contribution

Like other German public universities, University of Hamburg does not charge fees, either to local or international students. However, there is a compulsory semester contribution for all students (currently around 345€). The contribution includes a number of benefits, including subsidized meals in the University canteens and a semester public transport pass.

More information on fees, funding, and the costs of studying and living in Hamburg.

Further information

• Applying to enter a master’s program
• Student visas: Information from University of Hamburg and from the City-State of Hamburg
• Information service for prospective international students
• German courses for enrolled students (incl. pre-semester courses)
• Study in Hamburg: Information portal´ for international students