Global Economics and Business Management Technische Hochschule Ingolstadt

Courses are held in English and German. Participants write the Bachelor's thesis in English language.

You will learn an additional foreign language (e.g. Chinese or Spanish). Students choose the additional foreign language based on the world region that they are focussing on in the major.

This is an international business studies programme at the THI Business School with a clear profile for the future! While most other degree programmes teach either business administration or economical skills, Global Economics and Business Management (GBM) combines both. This mixture and the opportunity to get to know a world region better, both economically and culturally, makes the programme even more special. Which world region would you like to get insights into? You can decide for yourself – depending on your own interests and, at the latest, when you enter the main phase of the programme.

In addition to English, learning another foreign language is therefore part of the course, as is a compulsory semester at a foreign partner university and an internship abroad in a global economic environment. You will therefore spend a total of one year in a selected foreign country or divide individually. But don't worry – with a variety of information events and contact people, we will help you decide where to go and how to find your way there.

At the end of the foundation course, which lays the professional foundation in subjects such as business administration, economics, digital business fundamentals and HR management and organisation, you can choose from various specialisations. These specialisations can be in areas such as International Economics, Global Supply Chain Management or International Business Models. Special modules for personal development will strengthen your self-reflection skills and social skills. This will prepare you in the best possible way for working in internationally active companies, management consultancies and international organisations such as chambers of commerce abroad, companies for business settlement at home and abroad and competence centres for markets.

THI Business School is AACSB-accredited! THI Business School was the first of its kind in Bavaria to be accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB). This makes us one of the approximately six per cent of all business schools worldwide that have achieved this prestigious status.

1. Apply via uni-assist: Please apply there as soon as possible, as uni-assist needs several weeks to provide the Vorprüfungsdokument (VPD), which you need for your further application. You can apply there all year round.

If you obtained your higher secondary school certificate outside of Germany, uni-assist has to verify your eligibility to study in Germany and to convert school grades to the German grade system. You will have to submit all required documents to uni-assist online. The process takes four to six weeks.

2. PRIMUSS – THI application portal: from 2 May until (expected to be) 15 July for the following winter semester

You will have to apply online at the PRIMUSS university application portal. There you will have to upload all the necessary documents including your VPD. You can still upload documents within the respective periods (there will be deadlines per document in the upload area) after you have sent your application online. (There is no need to send hard copies for an application.)

THI charges fees of currently 500 EUR per semester for students from third countries (citizenship outside the EU and European Economic Area).

The fees are planned to increase to 800 EUR per semester (Bachelor's programmes) from summer semester 2026 onwards. When more details are available, you will find further information on our homepage.

THI students who started their studies earlier are not affected by this reform.

Technische Hochschule Ingolstadt does not cooperate with recruitment agencies. Applicants will have to apply on their own. Apart from the uni-assist fee, there is no application fee.

To stay updated on the most recent study orientation dates, please visit www.thi.de/go/events-studyorientation.

Semesters one to three:

Your studies in Global Economics and Business Management begin with an orientation phase.

In the first stage of your studies, you will learn the basics of business administration in seminars with an international focus, based on the latest scientific findings. You will also acquire skills in subjects such as economics, digital business fundamentals, operations management, accounting and marketing. From the outset, you will learn to understand and explain the behaviour and interaction of economic actors such as private individuals, companies and the state from an economic perspective. You will study another foreign language (e.g. Chinese or Spanish), and your choice of language will also lay the foundation for your later decision on a specific focus region. Personal development as a seminar rounds off the first stage of your studies.

Approximately half of the courses are taught in English.

Semesters four to seven:

Beginning in the second degree phase, almost all courses will be held in English. In the fourth semester, you will choose your first main focus area. There are three options available for you to choose from. The focus area in Global Supply Chain Management is designed to enable you to consolidate your understanding of and ability to control a company’s international value chains. Students selecting the focus area Digital Business and International Business Models will learn how to construct digital business models with an international focus. Those choosing the third alternative of Internationalisation and Global Markets will be laying the foundations for a career on an institutional level, in which they will be acting as mediators and disseminators in support of global business developments across national borders. Choosing the second focus area Global Management and Intercultural Competencies in the fifth semester allows you to subsequently focus on one world region. This is where you have a chance to focus on a particular region of the world. For this focus area, you will spend one semester studying abroad at one of our partner universities. The partner university can be located in one of three focus regions, depending on the foreign language that you chose in the first degree phase. These regions are: EMEA (Europe, Middle East, Africa), AMER (North and South America) and APAC (Asia-Pacific, Australia, Oceania). In the sixth semester, you will additionally complete an international placement in a company or institutional organisation, ideally in the same focus region. A number of international partner universities offer you the chance to acquire a double degree. If you choose to do so, you will be required to complete two theoretical semesters at the university. Please see the FAQs below for more information. After completing the subsequent Bachelor’s thesis, you will acquire the academic title of Bachelor of Arts. This will enable you either to embark directly on a career or to go on to pursue a Master’s degree and engage in further specialisation.

In the PDF flyer (open or download by clicking on the link below), you will find brief information about this programme.

The programme contains one compulsory semester abroad, usually in the fifth semester.

The compulsory practical internship semester abroad is planned for the sixth semester.

800 EUR

THI charges fees of currently 500 EUR per semester for students from third countries (citizenship outside the EU and European Economic Area).

The fees are planned to increase to 800 EUR per semester (Bachelor's programmes) from summer semester 2026 onwards. When more details are available, you will find further information on our homepage.

THI students who started their studies earlier are not affected by this reform.

All students will have to pay a student union fee of 72 EUR per semester.

Student organisations estimate that the cost of living is approx. 990 EUR or more per month, depending on individual needs and expectations. Mandatory health insurance in Germany will cost a student around 145 EUR per month.

Usually, non-EU students will have to provide proof of financial means with a blocked account for visa purposes. It should contain approximately 992 EUR per month for up to 12 months.

Requirements include a valid university entrance qualification ("Hochschulzugangsberechtigung"). This is a secondary school-leaving certificate equivalent to the German "Abitur" that entitles you to study at a German university.

Applicants who did not acquire the higher secondary school-leaving certificate in Germany or at a school with the German "Abitur" examination rules will have to send their documents to uni-assist for preliminary inspection prior to their application at THI. Please allow four to six weeks for this process, i.e. apply as soon as possible via uni-assist.

More information on the application process can be found here.

The Technische Hochschule Ingolstadt can only make a legally binding decision about your eligibility for your desired study programme after reviewing the documents you submit with your application. We can’t provide a definitive assessment or evaluate your chances of acceptance until we have your full application, including your educational history.

Furthermore, it is possible to find out if you’re qualified to study in Germany before applying. Detailed information is available at the following link: www.uni-assist.de/en/tools/check-university-admission.

Additionally, you can find out about the qualification requirements via the study and examination regulations (=Studien- und Prüfungsordnung = SPO). Find these on the following page under the respective statutes: https://www.thi.de/en/university/university-profile/university-management/legal-department/.

Thank you for your understanding. You are very welcome to apply, and we will check your application documents.

The minimum level of English: level B2 in accordance with the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages

The minimum level of German: level B2 in accordance with the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages

1. Apply via uni-assist: Please apply there as soon as possible, as uni-assist needs several weeks to provide the Vorprüfungsdokument (VPD), which you need for your further application. You can apply there all year round.

If you obtained your higher secondary school certificate outside of Germany, uni-assist has to verify your eligibility to study in Germany and to convert school grades to the German grade system. You will have to submit all required documents to uni-assist online. The process takes four to six weeks.

2. PRIMUSS – THI application portal: from 2 May until (expected to be) 15 July for the following winter semester

You will have to apply online at the PRIMUSS university application portal. There you will have to upload all the necessary documents including your VPD. You can still upload documents within the respective periods (there will be deadlines per document in the upload area) after you have sent your application online. (There is no need to send hard copies for an application.)

There are different scholarships available to enrolled students, such as the Deutschlandstipendium. All students will have to look and apply for specific scholarships themselves! Most scholarship programmes are based on performance (grades, voluntary work, etc.) The economic situation of applicants is usually not taken into consideration. A certain level of German language skills (at least B2) is required for many scholarships.

The International Office also offers scholarships. Enrolled international students will be notified of the call once a year via the communication channels of the university.

International students at Technische Hochschule Ingolstadt (THI) are strongly advised to start gaining practical experience early to earn money during their studies and improve their job prospects. Besides looking for working student positions, students are also encouraged to seek low-level jobs in gastronomy or similar sectors to earn money and improve their German language skills. In addition to internship positions posted on the university platform, students should actively consider research and teaching assistant roles at THI. Please note that international students face legal limits on the number of working days allowed (see Study and work).

The International Welcome Center offers workshops and events in English to help international students prepare for their entry into the German market, especially in preparing for the internship search and applications.

Important: German employers expect students to take the initiative in applying for jobs and to have a good command of German. For internships, a minimum German language level of B1/B2 is required, while for entry-level jobs after graduation, B2/C1 is generally expected. Therefore, international students should start learning German as early as possible to increase their employability.

Technische Hochschule Ingolstadt does not run any student residence halls / dorms. You will have to start looking for accommodation on your own as soon as possible. At least 500 EUR per month should be budgeted for accommodation.

Here are some facts about finding accommodation in Ingolstadt or Neuburg.

Career Service & Student Counselling

In Career Service and Student Counselling, prospective and current students find a central contact point for a wide range of counselling services and events.

Our students are guided through all challenges during their studies. The Career Service helps them to sharpen their own profile and successfully enter their careers.

After graduation, our graduates remain in contact with us and their study group in the Alumni Network.

https://www.thi.de/en/university/university-profile/organisation/career-service-student-counselling

Technische Hochschule Ingolstadt (THI) is an institution that specialises in business and technology and is characterised by innovative study concepts and modern facilities. We are currently training over 8,000 students in more than 70 study programmes in engineering, computer science, business, life sciences and sustainability.
Our students will graduate as sought-after specialists and managers. An extremely dynamic and successful region with a distinctly strong economic structure provides for excellent framework conditions. The relatively small student body guarantees individual guidance, a familial atmosphere, and close cooperation between students and professors.
One of the core features of studying at our university is its orientation towards practical application. Internships and projects, as well as continuous cooperation with regional companies, are fundamental components of every study programme.
The Ingolstadt campus was completed in 1999, and a new tract of buildings opened in 2014. In 2021, the Neuburg campus opened its doors with its Faculty of Sustainable Infrastructure. Modern equipment and facilities create an atmosphere that adds to students' success and enjoyment. Technische Hochschule Ingolstadt is proud of its commitment to offer the highest possible level of quality in research and education. It is possible to explore Technische Hochschule Ingolstadt by visiting the interactive 360° THI campus tour.

The campus is only a short walk from Ingolstadt's appealing old city. The view from the lecture halls is of a castle and other medieval buildings. Ingolstadt lies in the centre of Bavaria, one of the most prosperous German federal states, and it is only an hour by car from the metropolitan areas of Munich and Nuremberg. The opportunities to take part in leisure activities in the area – which is close to the Alps as well as to the beautiful Altmühl valley – are unlimited. With the headquarters of Audi (the international automotive company) and a large number of innovative corporations in the city, Ingolstadt is proud to be one of the strongest economic regions in Germany. Opportunities to participate in sports activities are provided by the university as well as by various amateur and competitive sports clubs. Bavarian charm and the Bavarian way of life – including summer evenings in beer gardens and the diverse cultural events on offer – make daily life in Ingolstadt particularly attractive for students.