MSc Pharmaceutical Biotechnology Hamburg University of Applied Sciences

All the modules in the Master's programme are in English. However, applicants have to provide a German A2 language certificate with their application, as lab communication is usually in German.

This three-semester programme consists of the following modules:

M1: Biopharmaceutical Engineering I
M2: Biopharmaceutical Engineering II
M3: Purification Techniques
M4: Pharmaceutical Technology
M5: Cell Culture Systems
M6: Immunobiotechnology
M7: Bioanalytics
M8: Process Simulation
M9: Biopharmaceutical Research
M10: Master's Thesis

NOTE: Applicants whose Bachelor's degree consists of 180 credit points (ECTS) must acquire another 30 credit points during the first semester of their studies. The faculty decides which courses must be completed. Applicants will receive a provisional enrolment for one semester in order to complete the missing 30 credit points. At the end of the first semester, the faculty will inform the Student Registrar's Office whether the missing credit points have been acquired, and students who have successfully acquired the missing credit points may continue with their studies.

This course is taught in person only. It is not possible to complete the course online.

Application periods:
1 June to 15 July (programme start: October)
1 December to 15 January (programme start: April)

Please have your certificates checked by uni-assist BEFORE applying to HAW Hamburg: www.uni-assist.de.

With your VPD from uni-assist, you can then apply via the HAW Hamburg online application portal.

The HAW Hamburg online application portal is accessible only during the application period.

Please do not send an additional hard copy of your documents via postal mail.

To find more detailed information on the modules and course content, please click on the PDF link below to see the module handbook.

PDF Download

The Master's programme does not include an integrated internship, but it is possible to complete your Master's thesis in industry or at academic research institutes.

No tuition fees

Each semester, students have to pay a semester contribution (379 EUR as of September 2025). This fee includes a semester ticket for unlimited use of Hamburg's public transport system (and currently also for regional trains). For more information about studying and living in Hamburg, see: https://www.haw-hamburg.de/en/international/international-students/.

Hamburg is a relatively expensive city. Depending on your lifestyle, you should expect living costs of 700 to 900 EUR for rent, food, and other expenses.

• Bachelor's degree (or equivalent) with significant engineering content related to biotechnology
• For non-EU applicants: a Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is compulsory
• Proof of English if it is not your first language (see language requirements)

Students who completed their school education outside of Germany must have their certificates approved by uni-assist (www.uni-assist.de) BEFORE applying to HAW Hamburg. The pre-registration documentation (VPD) issued by uni-assist must be submitted with your online application. Please be advised that this process can take six to eight weeks.

Applicants who have only 180 credit points in their Bachelor's degrees are required to complete one of the following to make up the required prerequisite of 210 credit points (CP) for the Master's programme:

1. An internship semester: this is an additional semester and is usually completed before the Master's thesis semester.

2. The "Propädeutikum": this is an additional semester consisting of courses from the Biotechnology ("Biotechnologie") Bachelor's programme. Please note: the "Propädeutikum" is taught in German.

The examination chair will decide which of these two options an applicant needs to complete once they have been accepted into the Master's programme.

For more information about admission requirements, see: https://bit.ly/325lL7Q

All non-native speakers of English must provide one of the following language certificates with their application:

• TOEFL minimum score: 87 (IBT)
• IELTS minimum score: band 5.5
• CAE (Cambridge Certificate in Advanced English) minimum score: C
• CPE (Cambridge Certificate in Proficiency in English) minimum score: C
• FCE (Cambridge First Certificate) minimum score: C

German:
Students must include an A2 level German language certificate with their application, as lab communication is usually in German. PLEASE NOTE: only the "Start Deutsch 2" certificate (level A2) from the Goethe Institute will be accepted:
http://www.goethe.de/lrn/prj/pba/bes/sd2/enindex.htm.

Application periods:
1 June to 15 July (programme start: October)
1 December to 15 January (programme start: April)

Please have your certificates checked by uni-assist BEFORE applying to HAW Hamburg: www.uni-assist.de.

With your VPD from uni-assist, you can then apply via the HAW Hamburg online application portal.

The HAW Hamburg online application portal is accessible only during the application period.

Please do not send an additional hard copy of your documents via postal mail.

Students can apply for scholarships for academic excellence. They can also apply for an examination scholarship when they are in their final semester as a financial support while completing their Bachelor's or Master's theses. More information can be found here: https://www.haw-hamburg.de/en/international/international-students/
Note: Master's students in Public Health are unfortunately unable to apply for these scholarships. We ask for your understanding.

If you are coming to Germany on a visa, you will have to provide proof of your finances for the first year: 853 EUR per month to 10,236 EUR per year.

EU students can work 20 hours per week.

Students from non-EU countries are permitted to work 140 full days (280 half days) in one calendar year. Please be advised that part-time job opportunities are limited, especially for students who do not speak German. It is unlikely that we will be able to offer you a job on campus. Therefore, please make sure you have sufficient finances for your studies.

More information can be found here, under "Visa & Paperwork":
https://www.haw-hamburg.de/en/international/international-students/

"Studierendenwerk Hamburg" offers affordable accommodation for students under the age of 30. Generally, students have their own room in a shared apartment with a communal bathroom and kitchen. The monthly rent for a room in a student hall of residence is usually between 350 and 450 EUR (including amenities). New students can apply three months before the start of their degree programme.

Please be advised that it is unfortunately not easy to find accommodation in Hamburg; finding somewhere to live can take a while. The student halls of residences offered by the "Studierendenwerk Hamburg" often have long waiting lists.

Further information on accommodation can be found here: https://www.haw-hamburg.de/en/study/campus-life/accommodation/.

The HAW Hamburg has a Career Service Office that offers advice on working in Germany, finding internships and applying successfully for jobs in Germany.

Hamburg University of Applied Sciences (HAW Hamburg) is one of the largest of its kind in Germany and within our nine faculties we offer a wide range of Bachelor’s and Master’s programmes in engineering, IT, life sciences, design and media as well as business and social sciences.

We focus on applied sciences in our teaching, giving our students a practical insight into their fields of study through projects, lab work, internships and theses in industry. Our expertise is drawn from faculty members who have worked in industry before joining the university. In research, we are an important partner for the city of Hamburg’s companies and innovation clusters, developing new ideas from the synergies of this dynamic location.

Our fields of expertise reflect the technologies, industries and services that make Germany a leading economy, and our close collaboration with Hamburg's innovation clusters allows us to develop this knowledge in our teaching and research.

We are a very international university, with students from over 100 countries making up 16% of our students. Combined with the international nature of the city of Hamburg, you will feel very comfortable studying here.

Read more about the city and what our students say: https://bit.ly/3bq2rI3.

In the north of Germany and in the heart of Europe, Germany’s second largest city (1.8 million) offers excellent quality of life and international flair. If you like to spend your leisure time outdoors, then you will love Europe’s “greenest” city with its lake, canals and beautiful parks. For those of you who love culture, Hamburg’s museums, theatres and its world-famous concert hall, the Elbphilharmonie, will inspire you.

Hamburg is also one of the most dynamic commercial centres in Europe, placing its strategic focus on six innovative segments: aviation (Airbus), IT and media, the international port and logistics, life sciences (biotechnology, medical technology and health care), nanotechnology, and renewable energies. We are sure you will feel at home.