Data Science Fulda University of Applied Sciences

English is the main language of instruction; however, German language skills at an A2 level are a requirement for admission.

What is it about?

Data science is a field that is increasingly applied in international enterprises. It covers the process from data understanding and data preparation to the modelling, evaluation, and implementation of data-driven solutions. The field is increasingly important and German enterprises are currently heavily working on digital transformation, especially on data-driven analysis. The “Stifterverband”, a society of about 3,000 German DAX ("Deutscher Aktienindex") companies and mid-sized enterprises, predicted 700,000 new jobs with technological competencies in Germany. Of these, more than 400,000 are in the field of complex data analysis alone.

What does it cover?

The Data Science Master's programme prepares each student to start a career as a data scientist. The practice-oriented studies focus on data engineering and data analysis. Several data science frameworks are used, e.g. Python and R. This knowledge is applied in practice-oriented courses and a team project as well as in the Master's thesis. It allows students to foster their intercultural skills with a semester abroad at our partner universities.

The study programme is offered with two options: three semesters (90 ECTS) and four semesters (120 ECTS), depending on the applicant's previous degree.

If the 120 ECTS option is chosen (for 180 ECTS Bachelor's), the additional semester contains a semester abroad or a research project as well as computer science courses and electives.

31 May (winter semester intake)

Exact application deadlines can be found on the programme's website.

The programme is taught in English and has a 90 and a 120 ECTS option. The first two semesters start with the basics in data engineering and data analysis, one application-specific course and one course in data security, law, and ethics. This knowledge can be applied in different functional areas in the team project and the Master's thesis. If the 120 ECTS option is chosen (for 180 ECTS Bachelor's), an additional semester contains a semester abroad or a research project as well as computer science courses and electives.

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Students with a 180 ECTS Bachelor's degree must choose the 120 ECTS option.

Students with a 210 ECTS Bachelor's degree are free to choose between both study programme options. The additional semester contains a semester abroad or a research project as well as computer science courses and electives.

No tuition fees

A semester contribution of around 360 EUR is charged to cover the cost of student services, the student government, and an administrative fee as well as the "Deutschland semester ticket" (a student bus and rail pass for local and regional public transport all over Germany).

Approx. 900 to 950 EUR per month, including food, rent and health insurance (approx. 120 EUR per month), depending on one's living standard

The Master's programme is taught in English. It predominantly addresses students with a Bachelor's degree (with 180 and 210 ECTS) from Germany or other European countries.
It builds on computer science knowledge acquired in the Bachelor's programme and requires basic knowledge in object-oriented programming and databases.

• Qualified English-language skills must be proven by a TOEFL test (computer-based at least 213 points, paper-based at least 550 points, Internet-based at least 85 points) or, alternatively, an IELTS test with a score of 6.5 or higher.
• An A2 level of German must be evidenced by a Goethe-Zertifikat A2, telc-Zertifikat A2, ÖSD-Zertifikat A2, or ECL-Zertfifikat A2. Alternatively, the language certificates DSH1 or TestDaF with at least TDN3 are also accepted.

31 May (winter semester intake)

Exact application deadlines can be found on the programme's website.

International students can apply for the Deutschlandstipendium scholarship, which amounts to 300 EUR/month and is usually granted for 12 months. Prerequisites for this scholarship are good grades and/or extra-curricular activities.

From tutoring jobs and student assistantships at Fulda University to typical student jobs in restaurants, shops, and many other industries in the city of Fulda and its surrounding area, there is a wide range of job opportunities available. Please note that proficiency in German significantly increases employability.

The International Office offers an accommodation service for international students coming directly from abroad. The cost of accommodation amounts to approx. 400 to 500 EUR per month. There are excellent, newly built student residences within walking distance of the university.

For more information on housing, see: https://www.hs-fulda.de/en/ueber-fulda/reside-in-fulda.

Fulda University of Applied Sciences is a practice-oriented university with an international profile and a strong focus on applied research. Fulda University is the first university of applied sciences in Germany with the independent right to confer doctoral degrees. Founded in 1974, the university currently encompasses eight departments with over 60 study programmes and approx. 9,000 students, including over 2,230 international students from more than 90 countries. The university offers a broad spectrum of academic and professional education. Numerous research and development projects are undertaken in cooperation with private business and industry. Fulda University cooperates with more than 100 universities around the world. The number of international programmes is growing continuously. These programmes are partly or entirely taught in English.
At the Bachelor's level, we currently offer six international Bachelor's programmes: Industrial Biotechnology, Industrial Engineering Life Sciences, Social Sciences for Intercultural Relations, Food Technology, Global Health, and International Business & Management. At the Master's level, we offer six programmes: International Management; Intercultural Communication and European Studies; International Food Business and Consumer Studies; Global Software Development; Data Science; and Human Rights Studies in Politics, Law, and Society.

Further programmes designed for international students include the following:

1. Pre-College Fulda, a preparatory year for applicants with and without a higher education entrance qualification for Germany
2. Pre-Study Fulda, a preparatory semester for international applicants that includes German language training
3. Career service for international students and graduates
4. Preparatory intensive German courses
5. German courses (accompanying studies)
6. Support services, e.g. for housing and visa as well as a buddy programme and orientation week
7. International Summer University (ISU), International Winter University (IWU), International Course in Business (ICB), and International Course in Social Work (ICSW)

A historic city founded in 744, Fulda today has a population of 71,000 with approx. 100,000 people living in the region. Fulda's Baroque quarter is one of the most beautiful in Germany and attracts visitors from all over the world. The picturesque Old Town has many cafés, bars, and pubs, with numerous shops and boutiques. The city's cultural life has something to offer for everyone. The high quality of life makes Fulda a great place to live and an ideal place to study. Fulda enjoys ideal public transport connections. One of Europe's principal international airports, Frankfurt International, is just one hour away by car or direct train. Other major cities in Germany, like Berlin, Munich, Cologne, or Hamburg, are within easy reach and only two to three hours away by train. Even famous European capitals like Paris and Brussels are reachable within five hours by train.