International Economics and Sustainability Osnabrück University of Applied Sciences

Courses are held in English (up to 65%) and German (min. 35%). You can freely choose your amount of English and German courses within this range. However, studies start mostly in German, so you must have a good command of German from the outset (C1 CEF).

We will be happy to support you in perfecting your German language skills, e.g. through our four week International Summer Language School and/or Academic German language courses during the semester.

In the bilingual Bachelor's degree programme in International Economics and Sustainability, you will learn how to find innovative solutions for the sustainable society of tomorrow. Let's shape our future!

Figures, data and scientific analyses will be your tools, i.e. to support companies and authorities on their path to climate neutrality or to advocate for intergenerational justice in international organisations. Societies around the world need committed people who critically scrutinise existing systems and develop them in a future-proof way. Will you be part of it?

Economics: You'll gain a bird's eye view of economic activities, understand the political and societal implications and learn how you can contribute to a sustainable future. Modules in this area of study include the following: Microeconomics, Macroeconomics, Economic History and History of Economic Thought, Public Finance, Growth and Money, International Economics, Applied Economic and Social Policy, and Seminar of Economic Policies.

Maths & Statistics will be your tools for well-founded analyses. Modules include the following: Mathematics, Statistics, Information Management, Econometrics, and Empirical Project.

Sustainability: Let's dive into issues of environment and society, critical thinking and business ethics. Modules include the following: Societal Perspective on Sustainable Development, Business Ethics, Game Theory and Behavioural Economics, Growth and Development, Environmental Economics, and Corporate Social Responsibility.

Business Administration: Learn to understand the internal relationships of a company. Modules are as follows: Principles of Business Management, Financial Management, and Management Tools.

Foreign Languages: Compulsory courses in Business English; optional courses in French, Spanish, Russian, Chinese at different levels, plus beginner's courses in Polish

Exercises in Knowledge Transfer: projects, block seminars, management games, study trips

• Teaching mode: presence / on-site
• Phases of attendance: September until beginning of February / March until mid-July

Applicants with non-German educational certificates: 1 August

• We strongly recommend to submit your application by June to ensure that uni-assist forwards it on time.

Applicants with German educational certificates: 1 September

The Bachelor's programme in International Economics and Sustainability is designed as a full-time programme that combines intensive classroom study with a demanding independent study programme. The curriculum comprises 210 ECTS credits in total, respectively 30 ECTS credits per semester.

Courses are usually given as lectures, and the university fixes a schedule for each semester. During the sixth semester, you'll spend one semester abroad at one of our 100+ partner universities worldwide. In the seventh semester, you will do a 12-week internship before you write your Bachelor's thesis.

For more information on the study outline and for the module handbook, please check the structure of the programme.

PDF Download

• Integrated study abroad semester (sixth semester, 25 ECTS)
• The compulsory 12-week internship can be completed abroad (seventh semester, 18 ECTS).
• Optional international summer schools (any semester)

12-week internship in Germany or abroad during seventh semester

No tuition fees

Approx. 360 EUR per semester

(includes e.g. a semester ticket for free public transport in Germany and a discount on meals in our student canteens)

Legally, you must prove that you have 992 EUR at your disposal per month. This amount can differ from the actual cost of living. In Osnabrück, you will need an estimated 850 to 1,000 EUR per month. Mostly, this depends on how much you will need to spend on housing.

Here's an overview:

• housing: 300 to 450 EUR
• student health insurance: 140 EUR
• savings for the semester fee: 60 EUR
• food (including meals at the student restaurant): 200 EUR
• study materials: 30 to 50 EUR
• public transport: included in your semester fee
• leisure time activities: 70 EUR
• TV fee (mandatory in Germany): 18 EUR

• Secondary school diploma or university degree recognised for admission
  Find out if your degree entitles you for admission by using information provided by the German Academic Exchange Service or the Anabin database of the Central Office for Foreign Education (Zentralstelle für ausländisches Bildungswesen).
• Proof of German language proficiency (details below)

You must provide proof of your language skills. Test results submitted may not be older than three years at the beginning of the Bachelor's studies.

GERMAN: Level C1 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR)

Osnabrück University of Applied Sciences accepts the following certificates:

• Deutsche Sprachprüfung für den Hochschulzugang – DSH 2
• TestDaF: TDN 4 (mind. 4 Punkte pro Teilbereich; 4x4 Punkte)
• Deutsches Sprachdiplom der Kultusministerkonferenz Stufe II (DSD II)
• Goethe-Zertifikat C2
• telc Deutsch C1 Hochschule
• Bestandene Feststellungsprüfung eines Studienkollegs im Fach Deutsch als Fremdsprache
• Abgeschlossenes Studium der Germanistik
• Abgeschlossenes Studium mit Deutsch als durchgehende Unterrichtssprache (H+ in anabin)
• Abiturabschluss in deutschen Auslandsschulen oder dem deutschen Abitur gleichgestellte Schulabschlüsse aus Österreich, Liechtenstein und der deutschsprachigen Schweiz

If you already have the required level and only need the certificate, you can register for a telc C1 Hochschule exam at our telc examination centre.

To refresh or perfect your German language skills, you can take part in our four-week International Summer Language School before you start your studies.

ENGLISH: At least level A2 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) is required. We recommend that applicants submit an international certificate.

Not sure about your language certificates? Just contact the Centre for International Students at international@hs-osnabrueck.de. We will be happy to help you.

Applicants with non-German educational certificates: 1 August

• We strongly recommend to submit your application by June to ensure that uni-assist forwards it on time.

Applicants with German educational certificates: 1 September

We offer around 200 Germany Scholarships to our students annually.

International students are also eligible for this type of financial support and can receive 300 EUR per month for one year.

Applications are accepted during the first two weeks of May, and prospective students are invited to apply as well.

If you are planning to apply for both our study programme and a Germany Scholarship, please send an e-mail to international@hs-osnabrueck.de for support if needed.

We offer student assistant jobs at the university. You can also find jobs through our database (PRAXIKO), where local employers look for student workers and interns.

If you speak German well enough, there are many job opportunities in Osnabrück in bakeries, supermarkets, industry, restaurants, etc.

For international degree-seeking students, the university also has a career service that assists you with application checks, contacts to companies and more. Mrs Laetitia Godineau will answer your questions around finding a job during your studies as well as about making the transition into the job market after graduation.

Important: If you need to work to support yourself, you should start looking for a student job as early as possible.

There's no doubt that finding accommodation is a challenge. The best place to start is the Studierendenwerk Osnabrück. They have shared apartments, one- or two-room apartments, and flats for families, with prices ranging from 250 to 900 EUR.

Important: Apply for accommodation as soon as you apply for a study place, as you don't have to submit the university's letter of admission at the beginning of the application process. This is the best advice we can give you, and it has worked for many others.

Need more advice? Just contact the Center for International Students at international@hs-osnabrueck.de.

Our Career Service for international degree-seeking students provides you with support by offering the following:

• application checks
• workshops to advance student employability
• job shadowing for international students
• meet regional employers: events at the university and excursions to SMEs in and around Osnabrück and Lingen
• PRAXIKO job database

In addition, you can also make an appointment for individual counselling in which we will support you in finding a career that suits your area of expertise and your personal situation.

If you are an international degree-seeking student, our Center for International Students (CIS) is available to assist you with any questions you may have, from the moment you decide to apply until you graduate and transfer into the job market.

The CIS will make sure that you have the infrastructure that enables you to study successfully. They cannot solve every problem, but they work with the whole university, the city of Osnabrück and other relevant structures to help you when things get difficult.

Our student assistants organise social events and give you the peer support that everyone needs.

Osnabrück University of Applied Sciences is the largest university of applied sciences in Lower Saxony. We offer more than 100 accredited Bachelor's and Master's degree programmes that enable you to build your future and adapt your education to your needs.

Our students are very satisfied with us, as shown by our top positions in the national rankings of CHE and studycheck.de.

Our wide range of courses includes Bachelor's, Master's and continuing education programmes, from engineering, agriculture, economics and social sciences to courses such as theatre pedagogy, which are unique in Germany.  Our degree programmes provide both theoretical and project-based learning opportunities, enabling you to develop the skills that employers seek.

Our professors bring personal experience from national and international companies, preparing you specifically for your career. And if you are interested in pursuing an academic career later on, that is also possible.

At the same time, the university is a place for networking and socialising. We are closely linked to our local communities in Osnabrück and Lingen and encourage our students to look around and exchange ideas across national borders. Every study programme offers the opportunity to study abroad and we foster close relationships with more than 200 partner universities worldwide.

Osnabrück is a city in Northwestern Germany and easy to reach by plane, train, or car. Nearby cities that you can easily visit by train or car include Bremen, Hamburg, Berlin and Düsseldorf. You can also reach Amsterdam in the Netherlands within three hours by train.

Our university spreads across four campuses with their own faculties. The three campuses in Osnabrück are Westerberg, Caprivi and Haste. The fourth campus is in Lingen, about 70 kilometres West of Osnabrück.

Each campus has its own special character:

• The Westerberg campus: modern buildings such as the SL lecture theatre building, also affectionately known as the “Frog”.
• The Caprivi Campus: You'll find a lovely mix of sand-coloured barracks buildings, an underground lecture hall complex and the "Plektrum", an innovative building tailored to the needs of the Institute of Music and its students.
• The Haste campus is also known as the “green campus”. Not only is it home to study programmes in the field of landscape, food production and agriculture, but you can also enjoy a walk through its park-like grounds with its flower and plant-filled perennial garden.
• The campus in Lingen is located in a former railway repair plant. Many students there call it "the most beautiful campus in the world" – you'll have to find out for yourself whether this is really the case!

The cities of Osnabrück and Lingen offer a personal, safe, and affordable environment in which you can feel comfortable quickly. Everything you need is close by, so you can easily reach your favourite restaurant, the theatre, or the nearest student party on foot or by bike. There's plenty of nature inside and outside the city for you to enjoy, and our visitors tell us that the people here are quite relaxed and friendly! And if you just have to get out and about, you can use public transport in Germany with the Campus Card for free and take a spontaneous trip, e.g. to Hamburg, Hannover or Bremen.