Bachelor of Arts in International Business Management (IBM) Furtwangen University

Courses will be held 100% in English. In addition, you will choose and specialise in a regional focus (Chinese, French, Spanish or German). No prior knowledge of German needed.

The IBM programme Business with international orientation and languages is internationally oriented, because business is international by nature. By acquiring intercultural skills, spending a semester abroad with our partner universities, and most importantly, through daily interaction with peers from all over the world, you will significantly enhance your career prospects.

To ensure a truly international community of students at Schwenningen campus, we have implemented an admissions policy which is unique among German universities. While most students from non-EU countries are precluded from direct access to BA studies, we will directly admit you to the IBM programme if you demonstrate your academic qualification through a simple three-hour aptitude test. You will find details on our dedicated "Smart Admission" page.

The IBM programme itself provides you with a sound understanding of the different aspects of business management, such as finance & accounting, marketing and human resources management. Throughout your studies, the fundamentals of business administration will be supported by transcultural studies as well as regional and language courses. From the third semester onwards, you can tailor your studies to your interests by selecting from a number of electives. You will also undertake various project studies. The fifth and sixth semesters are dedicated to an internship semester and a study semester abroad. Finally, you will complete your thesis during the seventh semester, alongside additional study modules.

We strongly recommend applying as early as possible, particularly for international (non-EU) students, as visa procedures may take several months.

For international (non-EU) applicants (with school leaving certificates from countries outside the EU), the application deadline is 15 June. 

For German and EU applicants, the application deadline is 15 July.

Application deadlines may be extended. Please refer to the study programme website for more information.

There is a 1,500 EUR tuition fee per semester for non-EU citizens.
Students with a European Union citizenship and Ukrainian citizens are not required to pay tuition fees.

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Mandatory study semester and internship semester abroad

International students with no prior knowledge of German, must complete the study and internship semester abroad either in Germany or a German speaking country (e.g., Austria, Switzerland).

A mandatory internship is part of the IBM programme. Students secure their own internship position which best suits their interests; support and detailed information will be given as part of the programme well before the start of the internship semester.

1,500 EUR

There is a 1,500 EUR tuition fee per semester for non-EU citizens.
Students with a European Union citizenship and Ukrainian citizens are not required to pay tuition fees.

176 EUR (administration fee, contribution to the "Studierendenwerk" and student body fee)

Applicants must submit all the required information stated within the online application process MIO – My University Portal – Furtwangen University. Should there be any problems or questions regarding your qualifications, you will be notified. 

We have implemented an admissions policy which is unique among German universities. While most students from non-EU countries are precluded from direct access to BA studies, we will directly admit you to the IBM programme if you demonstrate your academic qualification through a simple three-hour aptitude test. You will find details on our dedicated "Smart Admission" page.

International Applicants:

All applicants must demonstrate sufficient English skills (see list below).

• TOEFL internet-based iBT (total score 72 or higher)
• IELTS (overall band score 6.0 or higher)
• TOEIC (total score 785 or higher)
• PTE Academic (overall score 59 or higher)
• Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English (CPE) (Grade A, B, C)
• Cambridge Certificate in Advanced English (CAE) (Grade A, B, C)
• Cambridge English Scale 160
• A-Levels
• English grade from a secondary school in the European Union
• International Baccalaureate (IB-Diploma)
  • Language A HL grade 4, language A SL grade 4 (or higher)
  • Language B HL grade 5, language B SL grade 6 (or higher)
• completed Bachelor’s degree in English Language or Literature

Exempt from this are native English speakers who are also citizens of one of these countries:

• United Kingdom 
• Republic of Ireland
• United States of America
• Canada
• Australia
• New Zealand
• South Africa

Applicants who are not citizens of the listed countries but who have completed their secondary school education or obtained a degree in one of them are also exempt.

German Applicants:  

Your German Hochschulzugangsberechtigung (Abitur / Fachhochschulreifezeugnis) counts as proof of your English proficiency.

We strongly recommend applying as early as possible, particularly for international (non-EU) students, as visa procedures may take several months.

For international (non-EU) applicants (with school leaving certificates from countries outside the EU), the application deadline is 15 June. 

For German and EU applicants, the application deadline is 15 July.

Application deadlines may be extended. Please refer to the study programme website for more information.

No

As a student, you are legally entitled to work 90 full days or 180 half days a year. This can help you cover your living costs.

Please note, that some knowledge of German is a significant advantage when looking for a student job.

In addition, a limited number of student assistant positions are available within the faculty or across the university.

• HFU Cares Programme
• Mentoring, advice, support for international students

Furtwangen University looks back on a tradition of over 150 years as a teaching institution. It is now developing its third campus and has a reputation for outstanding and innovative study programmes. Yet it still retains a relatively small size that offers students the real advantage of having quick and easy access to infrastructure as well as a personal relationship with professors and staff, making studying with us both easy and pleasant.

Furtwangen University's study programmes in general, and those of the HFU Business School in particular, are regularly ranked amongst the top programmes in their field according to research into university education in Germany. 

Villingen-Schwenningen, where the HFU Business School is based, is a medium-sized town (80,000 inhabitants) in the Black Forest, in Germany's south-western corner. It is located in beautiful surroundings, excellent for winter sports as well as for hiking and walking. But it is also close to many exciting and attractive towns and cities; for example, Freiburg, Stuttgart, Constance or Zurich/Switzerland are all ideally located for day trips. The town itself can easily be explored without a car. It offers ample opportunities for shopping and night life; with three universities located here, student life is quite something!