International Business (MSc) International School of Management (ISM)

Courses are held in English.
Optionally, German language courses are available, for different language levels.

The Master of Science in International Business can be combined with every undergraduate degree course, regardless of what the students have studied before, and is therefore aimed specifically at engineers, IT graduates, communication experts, and humanities graduates who wish to study business administration at Master's level and with an international, highly practical emphasis.

The Master's course covers important areas of business education such as business law, international marketing, production, procurement or financial management. In combination with your first degree, you will have an exceptional range of specific knowledge and the soft skills that will make you particularly attractive for employers, thus broadening your career prospects.

Did you know?

ISM was the first German private university of applied sciences to be internationally AACSB accredited – only around six percent of business schools worldwide are AACSB accredited, an internationally-recognised mark of quality for excellence in teaching, research, and social impact.

This course of study is offered at our locations in Dortmund, Frankfurt/Main, Munich and Berlin.

Applicants who require a visa for Germany must submit their application documents by the following deadline:

• 15 December (The semester starts in March.)

For all other applicants, the admission period is more flexible and ends in February at the latest. 

You can apply up to one year in advance (admission test result is valid for one year).

• 6,480 EUR per semester
• Monthly payments are also possible upon approval by university.

One-time enrolment fees

• EU & EEA (European Economic Area) students: 600 EUR
• Non-EU students: 1,500 EUR

Semester 1: Focus on the principles of business administration, comprehensive insight into financial reporting and taxation, necessary quantitative methods to successfully run a business such as business mathematics and statistics

Semester 2: Becoming familiar with the principles of finance and investment theory as well as cost accounting, marketing, know-how about the specific environment of an international enterprise and how to manage it

Semester 3: Lectures in leadership skills to gain knowledge about business ethics and methods to communicate and negotiate effectively within international and diverse work teams, financial planning, elective modules and a consulting project allowing students to apply their theoretical knowledge to real-life business cases in cooperating companies

Semester 4: Master's thesis

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Twelve weeks of internship, in addition to practical study projects with companies or study excursions

6,480 EUR

• 6,480 EUR per semester
• Monthly payments are also possible upon approval by university.

One-time enrolment fees

• EU & EEA (European Economic Area) students: 600 EUR
• Non-EU students: 1,500 EUR

Included in the tuition fee

On average, the cost of living is about 1,000 EUR/month.

• A successfully completed Bachelor's degree with at least 180 ECTS points
• or an equivalent course of study at a university or university of applied sciences or a foreign higher education institution of corresponding rank
• Submission of the online application form and uploading documents online: Bachelor's degree certificate (if available), transcript of records, CV, letter of motivation, English language certificate of level B2, etc.
• Participation in an online interview with programme director

Admission process:

The admission process consists of preparing a brief case study presentation and an online interview. You are expected to present the results of your case study on the day of the admissions test.

Applicants should provide proof of English proficiency through one of the following:

• TOEFL (at least a score of 80, Internet-based) or
• IELTS (at least 6.0) or
• Cambridge (FCE) or
• a degree in English studies or
• at least 30 ECTS in an English-language higher education programme or
• native speaker of English (assessed on a case-by-case basis)

Applicants who require a visa for Germany must submit their application documents by the following deadline:

• 15 December (The semester starts in March.)

For all other applicants, the admission period is more flexible and ends in February at the latest. 

You can apply up to one year in advance (admission test result is valid for one year).

ISM is a private university of applied sciences that is financed solely by tuition fees. It supports international students with the allocation of scholarships – usually partial scholarships of 25% to 50% of the tuition fee - to enable suitable, highly motivated students to study at the university.

More information on scholarships and study financing

As an international student in Germany, you can work part-time (20 hours per week) during the semester and full-time (40 hours per week) during the semester breaks. This means that over the course of a year, you can work a maximum of 140 full days or 280 half days without requesting approval from the German Employment Agency.

ISM does not have a private dormitory and cannot offer student accommodation.

The Career Centre is the central service centre for student internship applications, career entry help and perspectives, and the set-up of a student's own network. It is the interface between students, alumni, and companies. The Career Centre offers the best possible support to students in order to help them get access to internships, prepare them for job interviews and find the best suitable career path.

Buddy Programme

International students can benefit from the start of their studies from the help of a fellow, older student, a so-called Buddy, who will organise different activities and meet with them throughout the semester.
Also, study coaches will help assist students, answer their questions and make sure they have a great study experience.

Optional German language course before semester start

Students can take part in a three-week intensive German course prior to the beginning of each semester. There will be a course for beginners and, if there are enough interested students, we will also offer a course for advanced learners. This course can be booked for approx. 480 EUR. In addition, optionally, we also try to offer three different language courses during the semester for free: Beginners + Intermediate + Advanced Business.

Contact the International Office for more info on these services.