ESB Business School: International Business (Bachelor of Science) Reutlingen University

Over 60 international partner universities

The language of instruction is English, and English business communication courses are mandatory for all students. The second mandatory language for international students is German, and German students can choose between French, Spanish and Chinese. For first-semester international students, we offer an intensive preparatory course in German language and culture at the beginning of September.

We provide basic and advanced business knowledge, understanding and methodologies with an international focus in the fields of management, marketing, accounting, controlling, finance, human resource management and economics, along with quantitative methods (business mathematics and statistics), information systems and law.

Communication skills training includes two foreign languages, intercultural competence, public speaking and negotiation techniques. Leadership skills and students' interpersonal skills are developed in curricular and extracurricular activities, as well as in team projects.

The balance between theory and practice is ensured by one internship (preferably international), business projects, extensive research, and the business and leadership background of the professors.

Last but not least, maintaining an international atmosphere is a key priority, which is ensured by our international student body; up to 50% of our students come from abroad. Professors and lecturers have an international business and personal background. Finally, guest lecturers from abroad are frequently invited.

ESB Business School is accredited by AACSB International – The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business. Only five percent of all business schools worldwide bear the coveted AACSB seal of approval. ESB Business School is thus in the same league as top American universities such as Harvard Business School and the Yale School of Management. The AACSB is the largest accreditation organisation in the world with demanding quality requirements in relation to training and research at business schools.

Additional information on the duration of the programme: seven semesters + one semester for MBA/Master's Fast Track degree

Additional information on the beginning of the programme:

• Summer semester: early March
• Winter semester: mid-September

Summer intake:
15 November for applicants with foreign (non-EU) university entrance qualifications
15 January for applicants with German or EU/EEA university entrance qualifications

Winter intake:
15 May for applicants with foreign (non-EU) university entrance qualifications
15 July for applicants with German or EU/EEA university entrance qualifications

No tuition fees for German and EU students

The state of Baden-Württemberg levies a fee of 1,500 EUR per semester on students from non-EU countries.

For the MBA/Master's programme at an international partner university: approx. 20,000 – 70,000 EUR

• First semester to third semester: foundational courses –
  Introduction to Business, Business Communication, Business Methods and Law, Marketing, Finance, Human Resource Management, Intercultural Business Communication, second business language course
• Fourth semester: internship semester – business practice module (internship and practical business studies)
• Fifth semester: international semester at one our 60+ partner universities
• Sixth semester: electives – advanced business studies with the possibility to develop a profile in marketing, strategy, finance, leadership, digital business or economics
• Seventh semester: electives and thesis

Students can also choose the "Fast Track" (7+1) option: Students can thereby obtain a Bachelor's degree and a Master's degree in only eight semesters. During the third semester, students can decide to combine the BSc degree with a Master's degree – a BSc degree from Reutlingen University and MBA/Master's degree from a partner university. In this case, the educational organisation changes as follows:

• Fifth semester: electives – advanced business studies with the possibility to develop a profile in marketing, strategy, finance, leadership, digital business or economics
• Sixth semester: electives and thesis
• Seventh to eighth semester: graduate business studies at one of the international graduate partner universities

• Integrated semester abroad, which is possible in Germany or abroad
• With the Fast Track Master's programme, which is unique in Germany, you can obtain an MBA or Master's degree from an international partner university in just one additional semester after completing your Bachelor's degree (BSc).
• Whether you spend one or up to two semesters of study at one of our international partner universities depends on the degree you choose (BSc or BSc plus MBA/Master's).

The Internship Office / Career Center receives internship offers from companies, actively seeks placements, and provides on-the-job support.

Varied

No tuition fees for German and EU students

The state of Baden-Württemberg levies a fee of 1,500 EUR per semester on students from non-EU countries.

For the MBA/Master's programme at an international partner university: approx. 20,000 – 70,000 EUR

Current semester fee: 199.30 EUR (as of 2025)

The minimum cost of living in Germany is approx. 900 EUR per month. The cost of living can vary depending on the partner university's location.

Factors such as the economy of the host country, personal lifestyle, and individual living standards all play a role in determining the overall cost of living.

Academic admission requirements include a German university entrance qualification or a foreign university entrance qualification equivalent to the German university entrance qualification.

A very good command of English is also required (see below).

Applicants must provide proof of fluent English language skills (minimum level telc B2, e.g. TOEFL iBT, Cambridge Certificate, IELTS, TOEIC, PTEA (Academic), UNIcert II)

Your skills are also proven if you have achieved at least 20 ECTS credit points or the equivalent in an English-language course of study at a state or state-recognised higher education institution. If you have attended an English-speaking school or university, you can prove your English language skills by presenting a certificate documenting this from the school.

A higher education degree (university) in English of at least three years showing minimum 180 ECTS credit points or equivalent is also accepted.

Summer intake:
15 November for applicants with foreign (non-EU) university entrance qualifications
15 January for applicants with German or EU/EEA university entrance qualifications

Winter intake:
15 May for applicants with foreign (non-EU) university entrance qualifications
15 July for applicants with German or EU/EEA university entrance qualifications

The following scholarships support motivated students:

• "Deutschlandstipendium"
• "Aufstiegsstipendium"
• Nationwide foundations
• Private foundations
• Doctoral scholarships at Reutlingen University

Find more about listed scholarships and foundations here.

Accommodation is available in student dorms run by various housing associations or on the private market.

For more information, see https://www.reutlingen-university.de/en/studies/student-life/student-accommodation.

ESB Business School maintains close relationships with companies. The VIMA eV association, which is a network of around 50 renowned companies, enables and intensifies contacts between theory and practice. Many students make their first steps towards a career in the companies that are members of the VIMA eV. Additionally, career fairs take place regularly at the university, and the Career Center assists students and graduates at ESB Business School with planning and developing their careers during their studies and when starting their professional lives. You can find a list of some of ESB Business School's VIMA commercial partners here.

Academic coordinators provide support to international students. Additionally, every new student has a student mentor who provides guidance and assistance at the beginning of the programme. Help is provided by:

• academic coordinators of the programme
• student mentors / liaison tutors
• International Office of the university
• Students' Office of the university

The new student handbook is updated each semester, and it provides information on all relevant aspects of studying and living. At the beginning of the first semester, a number of integration events are offered (city tour/game, integration party and other social events) to ensure that new students – both national and international – are well integrated and can get to know students who have completed previous semesters.

ESB Business School has more than 50 years of experience in teaching applied international management, and it is considered to be one of Germany's leading public business schools. Regularly ranked at the top of numerous university league tables, the school's close cooperation with companies and its international partner universities contribute to ESB's outstanding ability to educate the next generation of highly qualified, international managers.

We are accredited by AACSB International – The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB). Only six per cent of all business schools worldwide bear this seal of quality. The AACSB is the largest accreditation organisation in the world with demanding quality requirements in relation to training and research at business schools.

ESB Business School’s quality management system was accredited by the German accreditation council. This ensures that quality development of all study programmes is part of its mission.

Internationality and a balance of theory and practice are crucial cornerstones of our forward-looking and interdisciplinary approach. Semesters abroad as well as foreign and national internships are mandatory and are integral parts of our programmes. Workshops, seminars and dissertations written in conjunction with businesses, our own company fairs, case studies, professors with management experience, guest lectures or excursions to renowned companies all guarantee a high practical orientation of our programmes. Besides the required first foreign language module in Business English, students can take other business language modules. Lecturers are generally native speakers.

All teaching is in small, multinational groups. This direct contact between the student and the professor shapes the unique atmosphere at ESB Business School. We also consider student involvement and initiative-taking to be of great importance. Our students acquire a sense of team spirit and improve their intercultural competence by being part of international teams working on a wide range of interesting tasks and projects.

ESB Business School is one of six schools of Reutlingen University, one of the leading German universities of applied sciences with a first-rate reputation. Its five schools offer more than 40 degree programmes. Reutlingen University offers programmes at undergraduate and postgraduate level as well as in lifelong professional training at the university level. This makes the university attractive to prospective students from different backgrounds. The university aims to prepare students for future challenges, both professionally and personally, and it is committed to shaping the future together.

Reutlingen's documented history goes back to the early 12th century. Today it is a prosperous town of just over 100,000 inhabitants. The centre of the town is an attractive mix of old and modern buildings, with excellent shops, markets and pubs. The campus is on the south-western outskirts of Reutlingen.

The town lies some 40 km south of Stuttgart in the state of Baden-Württemberg, a world-famous centre of mechanical and automobile engineering. Tübingen, one of Germany's oldest and loveliest university towns, is 10 kilometres away. Reutlingen is situated at an altitude of 380 metres (about 1,247 feet) and is often called "The Gateway to the Swabian Alb" or "Swabian Jura", a range of very attractive, wooded hills running between the Neckar and the Danube, and bordering on the Black Forest. The Alb reaches an altitude of about 1,000 metres (3,280 feet). Road, rail and air connections are good, so travel to places like Munich, Frankfurt, Strasbourg, the Black Forest, Lake Constance, and Zurich is very easy.