Global Health Fulda University of Applied Sciences

The programme is in English. Students can take language courses of their choice within the regularly scheduled course of studies.

The Bachelor's thesis needs to be written in English.

The "Global Health" study programme at Fulda University of Applied Sciences is the first of its kind in Germany to offer the opportunity to complete undergraduate studies with a focus on global health challenges.

In today's interconnected world, there is a growing demand for professionals equipped to navigate global health complexities. Our programme meets this need by providing students with comprehensive education in health, social, and political sciences. With small class sizes and opportunities for international engagement, including a semester abroad and an (international) internship, students gain valuable insights and hands-on experience.

With a focus on reducing health disparities and promoting health equity worldwide, the programme addresses the structural, political, social, economic, and environmental factors that shape patterns of health and illness across the globe. The multidisciplinary programme tackles the complexity of health through engagement with health systems, societal determinants of health, and planetary health as well as efforts to understand the power dynamics shaping global health inequities. Students learn to engage critically with many dimensions affecting global health, including the policies of governments and other actors, migration and population growth, disparities in wealth, and climate change.

We offer online info sessions on a regular basis. Current dates can be found on the programme website.

Start of the application period via uni-assist: 15 October

Deadline for applications: 15 December

Current information regarding application deadlines can be found on the programme's website.

This is a full-time, on-campus study programme. The language of instruction is English throughout the programme.

It is important to note that attendance of at least 80% during Welcome Week, held in the week prior to the start of classes in April, is mandatory to earn credits for the module it is part of. Students will receive all necessary information upon admission.

Analysing challenges, structures, and strategies in global health is at the centre of the study programme. The broad scope of the course includes subjects such as the global burden of disease, health systems in the global context, planetary health, and global health policy architecture.

In the fourth semester, students with a German university entrance qualification are required to complete a semester abroad. Students with non-German university entrance qualifications have the option to complete a semester abroad or to choose from a variety of modules offered at Fulda University or another university in Germany.

In semesters five and six, all students participate in a study project that spans both semesters, providing an opportunity to apply their knowledge to practice.

All students complete an internship of 480 hours (= three months) in the seventh semester.

In the fourth semester, students with a German university entrance qualification are required to complete a semester abroad. Students with non-German university entrance qualifications have the option to complete a semester abroad or to choose from a variety of modules offered at Fulda University or another university in Germany.

An internship of 480 hours (= three months) is to be completed during the seventh semester.

The internship must be with an organisation or institution outside of Germany, working in a health-related field.

Programme advisers will assist students with finding an appropriate internship.

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

To be eligible for admission, candidates need a university entrance qualification ("Hochschulzugangsberechtigung", "HZB") for German universities.

Prospective international students of Global Health can prepare themselves linguistically and academically for their studies through our pre-study programme. All relevant information about the Global Health programme and the pre-study programme can be found on our website.

If you do not have a direct university entrance qualification to study in Germany, you can acquire one through our university's pre-college Fulda programme. See this link for more information.

Additional admission requirements will be announced shortly. Please check back for updates.

To be eligible for admission, candidates must have proven English language proficiency at the C1 level of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages.

Start of the application period via uni-assist: 15 October

Deadline for applications: 15 December

Current information regarding application deadlines can be found on the programme's website.

International students may apply for the Deutschlandstipendium scholarship.

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.

The university offers a dedicated career service. For more information, see here.

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.