International Business Administration European University Viadrina

Courses are held in English and German (approx. 70% in English and 30% in German, depending on the specialisation). Courses during the first three semesters are held entirely in English. In semesters four to six, students can choose from courses taught in English or German. In case of our double degree options you will have courses given in French or Spanish too. International students will have an integrated German language training provided by our language centre.

The studies

The International Business Administration (IBA) Bachelor's programme offers you the opportunity to study at a young and modern university with an international orientation and to learn, live and develop personally together with people from more than 40 nations. It is our declared aim to offer you an international and interdisciplinary study programme at a high academic level that prepares you for the demands of an international job market. Our more than 200 international university collaborations, which enable you to not only spend an integrated period of study abroad but also to take part in attractive dual programmes with our partner universities.

Studying at Viadrina provides you with more than just the standard knowledge of economics. Viadrina's location makes it an ideal place to acquire knowledge and skills in a European context, which will open up attractive career prospects for you, e.g. in European companies or European institutions. This is enabled by living and studying in two countries, Poland and Germany.

Career prospects

Every large company needs economists: whether a listed global corporation, NGO, hospital or political party – they cannot do without commercial management. With us, you will gain in-depth insights into the corporate world during your studies. In courses with a practical focus, integrated internships and stays abroad, you can gain important experience and sharpen your awareness of the problems that are relevant in practice. Through this and with the support of our Career Center, studying at Viadrina opens up attractive career prospects in the international working world. In addition, the Viadrina Founders Center will support you during and after your studies in setting up your own business.

Our globally active alumni network, viadrin@lumni, also supports you during your studies and continues to support you afterwards with numerous offers and contacts.

During the first three semesters, for the purpose of orientation, students should complete the basic modules of economic and business sciences. Moreover, they should provide evidence of having completed the foreign language module. The second phase of study (fourth to sixth semesters) serves the purpose of specialisation. During the specialisation process, the students broaden and increase their level of expertise.

Because of the excellent language education, the global diversity of students and staff as well as the extensive international partner university network, IBA is one of the most international study programmes available. The study programme has been accredited by the AQUIN for its high standard of education, received top results in Germany's largest and most important comparative university ranking (CHE), and received the Seal of Excellence from the DAAD and the Erasmus programme.

Instructions for foreigners with a foreign school leaving certificate:

Please apply from 1 June to 15 July at uni-assist e.V. Berlin. For more information, please visit: https://www.europa-uni.de/de/internationales/Students/Incomings/Applying/Bachelor/index.html.

Basic studies
The basic studies modules are for orientation and provide the basis for the further study. The modules in this section are usually completed within the first three semesters.

• Business Informatics
• Business Taxation
• Finance & Investments
• Financial Accounting
• International Management
• Macroeconomics
• Management Accounting
• Marketing
• Mathematics
• Microeconomics
• Production & Logistics
• Statistics

Advanced studies
The second phase of your studies (fourth to sixth semester) is dedicated to creating a profile. Within the context of focus area education, students deepen their knowledge in up to three of the offered majors dependent on the study programme. Available are:

• Accounting
• Banking and Finance
• Economics
• Information & Operations Management
• Management, Marketing & Entrepreneurship
• Quantitative Methods
• Taxation

Students who are enrolled in the international business programme will study abroad for one semester during the second part of their studies. With a network of over 200 partner universities the world over, Viadrina actively supports you during the planning and organisational phases for your semester abroad.

https://www.europa-uni.de/de/internationalitaet/_dokumente/outgoing-partneruni-listen/partnerunis-2025-26/25-26-partner-wiwi-erste-runde.pdf

The opportunity to acquire a double degree is possible with a select group of partner universities. We currently maintain double degree programmes with:

• Universidad Católica de Cordoba (ARG)
• ICN École de Management, Nancy (FR)
• École Supérieure de Commerce de Montpellier (FR)
• Toulouse Business School (FR)
• University of Vaasa (FIN)
• Warsaw School of Economics (PL)

Each student is obliged to write a Bachelor's thesis at the end of the study programme, which proves his or her ability to adopt economic methods, understand academic literature, and write a paper according to scientific standards.

Semester abroad / double degree

In keeping with the international orientation of the programme, you will spend a semester of at least three months at a foreign university during your studies (semester abroad), usually in the fifth or sixth semester.

With a network of more than 245 partner universities worldwide, the university actively supports you in planning and organising a study visit to a foreign university. The high level of international student mobility at Viadrina confirms the success of the university's international orientation.

https://www.europa-uni.de/de/internationales/Students/Outgoings/Exchange-studies/Partneruniversitaeten/partner-wiwi.pdf

The Career Center supports you in finding and organising both study-related mandatory internships and voluntary internships. The Career Center offers tips and information during the search and application process, and advises you on planning and legal issues.

https://www.europa-uni.de/de/universitaet/einrichtungen/serviceeinrichtungen/career-center/index.html

No tuition fees

Each semester, each student has to pay a semester contribution. It is composed of a social service contribution and a student contribution and is collected for the following purposes:

• social service contribution
• student body fee
• registration fee
• semester ticket (required)
• student ID / chip card (paid only once)
• for first-year students: 370.50 EUR per semester

Depending on which type of accommodation one chooses, monthly rent is usually 250 to 300 EUR per month. In addition, monthly food and living expenses generally come to about 200 EUR. In total, one needs about 700 EUR each month to live comfortably.

Shopping in Frankfurt (Oder):

• Juice 1.50 EUR
• Bread 1 to 3 EUR
• Butter 1 to 2 EUR
• 1 kg apples 2 to 3 EUR
• 1 kg oranges 2 EUR

Nightlife in Frankfurt (Oder):

• Cinema: 4.50 to 7 EUR
• Cocktails: 3.50 to 6 EUR
• Beer: 2 to 3 EUR

Thanks to the "Semesterticket", travelling within Berlin and Brandenburg with public transport is free.

• General qualification for university entrance from a German school or an accepted comparable qualification from a foreign school
• completed application form with certified copies of the following:
  • German higher education entrance qualification or equivalent transcript from a foreign school
  • passport (only pages with personal data, certification not necessary)
  • e-mail address (important!)
  • original copy of TOEFL report (or equivalent test, see language requirements), sent in directly by the testing institution to the address of the admission office
  • passport-style photo
  • curriculum vitae (not required for German applicants)

Please note: Your certificates and official documents in languages other than German or English have to be translated into German (by a certified translator). The translations, as well as all copies you hand in have to be officially certified. Please send in the certified copy of the original documents together with its certified translation.

English level B2 (see below)

https://www.europa-uni.de/en/internationales/Students/Incomings/Applying/Bachelor/index.html

Proof of sufficient knowledge of the English language at level B2 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages must be provided by successfully passing one of the following equivalent tests:

• Cambridge English C1 Advanced oder C2 Proficiency: at least 176 points,
• IELTS (academic): at least 6.5 points,
• TOEFL (iBT, not MyBestTM score): at least 80 points (TOEFL ID code: 4782),
• Certificate UNIcert II

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Instructions for foreigners with a foreign school leaving certificate:

Please apply from 1 June to 15 July at uni-assist e.V. Berlin. For more information, please visit: https://www.europa-uni.de/de/internationales/Students/Incomings/Applying/Bachelor/index.html.

The European University Viadrina has developed special financial support programmes for international students. Recipients receive approx. 150 EUR and do not need to pay part of the administration fees.

https://www.europa-uni.de/en/studium/im-studium/finanzierung/index.html

At present, it is quite possible to find an acceptable and well-paid job in Berlin, which can be reached within one hour. Thanks to the semester ticket, the trip to Berlin and public transport within Berlin is free of charge for students at the European University Viadrina. Most of the big players in the consulting business such as KPMG, PwC, Ernst & Young, BCG, and McKinsey as well as DAX companies such as Daimler, BMW, and Siemens are represented in Berlin. Recently, the German capital was also recognised as one of the world's most important cities for start-up and Internet businesses such as eBay, Groupon, PayPal, and Zalando.

Our Career Center will help our IBA students to find employment and internships: https://www.europa-uni.de/en/struktur/zse/career-center/studierende/index.html.

The European University Viadrina offers very good and affordable student accommodation. Prices for a single bedroom in a three-room apartment start at approx. 160 EUR. Prices for a single apartment on campus start at approx. 215 EUR. All prices include a broadband Internet connection, electricity and warm water. Student residences are furnished. Each tenant has access to a common kitchen, which is well equipped. Lockable refrigerators, washing machines and dryers are provided by the student service as well.
For information about the student residences in Frankfurt (Oder), please follow this link:
https://studentenwerk-frankfurt.net/en/living-in-frankfurt/.

The Career Center at the European University Viadrina helps students to get acquainted with all the requirements for their future professional life.

Our team supports the students by:

• Giving advice on jobs, internships or/and applications
• Keeping in touch with employers
• Publishing job offers as well as internship opportunities
• Organising workshops which provide our students with important skills for their studies and their future careers
• Supporting internships abroad with Erasmus+ or PROMOS funding

https://www.europa-uni.de/en/struktur/zse/career-center/index.html

https://www.europa-uni.de/en/studium/informieren-orientieren/internationale-studieninteressierte/index.html

We offer integrated German classes for IBA students at our language centre.

https://www.sz.europa-uni.de/en/lektorate/lektorat-deutsch/index.html

The European University Viadrina lies on the River Oder, near to neighbouring Poland. This location has been instrumental in developing a close German-Polish connection; Viadrina is transforming itself into a German-Polish, European university.
Since its re-establishment in the year 1991, the European University Viadrina has adhered to a policy of bringing young people together from every corner of the world. This has proven to be successful: Viadrina has grown to become a lively, highly regarded member of the community of German and European universities.
Please follow this link for some impressions of the university's surroundings and further information: http://www.europa-uni.de/en/ueber_uns/multimedia/.

The European University Viadrina emphasises its international character in its cooperation with approx. 240 universities worldwide. The Business Faculty is in close contact with more than 140 cooperating business schools and universities around the world. According to the latest ranking by the German Centre for Higher Education (CHE), the European University Viadrina ranks among the top universities in the areas of study conditions, student support and support for international study units. The European University Viadrina is one of very few universities which can achieve this without having to charge study fees.
See the full ranking at: https://www.daad.de/en/studying-in-germany/universities/che-ranking/?che-a=department-detail&che-department-id=300048.
In order to support Viadrina students abroad, the Department of International Affairs at the European University Viadrina works together with the DAAD (the German Academic Exchange Service) and the Erasmus programme, thereby providing the best possible international experience for its students. Information on the Viadrina partner universities can be found at:
https://www.europa-uni.de/en/internationalitaet/profil/kooperationen/index.html.

Please check our Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/viadrina/.

Frankfurt (Oder) lies in the heart of Europe on the River Oder and directly on the border with Poland, about one hour away from the German capital, Berlin. Frankfurt (Oder) has approx. 62,000 residents. The famous poet Heinrich von Kleist was born in Frankfurt (Oder) in 1777 and was a student at the town's university. The town is very proud of its famous son and has dedicated numerous buildings and parks to him (e.g. Kleist Museum, Kleist Forum and Kleistpark).
Take a walk along the River Oder and enjoy the view across the river to Poland. Just behind the university facilities lies Ziegenwerder island, with its lovely pathways. Leave the island and walk towards the city bridge that connects the two countries. This is an important border crossing. If you wish, you can cross the bridge and visit the Polish town of Slubice. Next to the border is the Collegium Polonicum, a joint study and research centre attached to the Adam Mickiewicz University of Poznan/Poland and to the European University Viadrina.
The surrounding area of Frankfurt (Oder) is also worth a visit. Most popular with locals and students is nearby Lake Helenesee. Other interesting destinations include the Lebuse region and the Oder River's marsh to the north, the well-known spa Bad Saarow, Lake Scharmützel to the west, and the former Neuzelle monastery to the south.