Master of Science in Business Administration University of Passau

This degree programme is fully English-taught. A small number of elective modules will be offered in German. However, you will not need to take these modules to successfully complete the programme.

Study Business Administration and build your own individual profile

Gain a prestigious Master of Science in Business Administration degree at our award-winning School of Business, Economics and Information Systems.

This degree programme can be studied entirely in English and, thanks to the major and minor structure, offers you a maximum of flexibility to shape your studies in line with your personal interests. In this research-orientated business Master’s degree programme, you will learn to develop innovative solutions for complex problems in the business world together with students with different backgrounds and perspectives.

This is what we offer you:

• A fully English-taught degree programme without tuition fees
• Individual specialisation: combine six majors, 12 minors and a free choice of modules
• Numerous international double degree options
• Individual support all the way to graduation – on Germany's most beautiful campus
• Comprehensive start-up support for your business idea
• Study at a renowned business school with superb ranking results

Career prospects

Graduates with a Master's degree in business administration are in high demand on the labour market and often find themselves in influential positions with attractive starting salaries. After successfully completing the programme, you can start a career in management and in executive leadership positions or go on to study for a doctorate and lay the foundations for a career in academia.

Potential future employers are national and multinational companies or organisations engaged in a wide range of industries or the public sector. Depending on your profile, this could include the financial services sector, management consultancies, auditing companies or tax consulting firms.

The application round for the April intake starts in mid-November of the previous year; for the October intake, the application round starts in early April. As the application deadlines can change on short notice, we ask that you check our application pages closer to the time for the specific dates (and what documents you need to submit).

The programme comprises three module areas and the Master's thesis:

A: Methodological Foundations

In this module area, you will acquire basic methodological knowledge of business administration.

B: Majors and Minors

You can choose from the following major (primary subjects) and minor (subsidiary subjects) module groups:

• Major: Accounting and Tax
  Minor: Business Taxation; Reporting and Controlling
   
• Major: Data Science
  Minor: Artificial Intelligence; Data Science; Optimisation
   
• Major: Entrepreneurship
  Minor: Entrepreneurship
   
• Major: Finance
  Minor: Finance
   
• Major: Information Systems and Digital Business
  Minor: Information Systems and Digital Business
   
• Major: Management and Strategy
  Minor: Digital Management; Marketing; Economics; Sustainability

You will choose one compulsory major in which you will write your Master's thesis. Then you will have four options:

1. Choose a second major.
2. Choose two minors.
3. Choose a minor and other modules from the entire range of modules offered.
4. In addition to that, you can choose freely from the entire range of modules offered.

C: Foreign Business Language

In module area C, you can take foreign language courses offered by our Language Centre. However, completing modules from this area is not compulsory to successfully complete the programme. You can choose from any language offered as a subject-specific language programme. These are as follows: Chinese, Czech, English, French, Italian, Polish, Portuguese, Russian and/or Spanish.

There is no formal internship requirement for this degree programme. Nevertheless, we recommend that you go to the effort of completing one or more voluntary internships as you study towards your degree. These internship(s) will not be arranged for you; rather, you are responsible for searching for the internship, negotiating the outline (i.e. the job description) and making all necessary arrangements. However, the university can help you with information and hands-on advice. For more details, please see the following websites:

• Future: Careers and Competencies Section
• iStudi Coach

No tuition fees

The semester contribution fee is around 120 EUR per semester. This covers the student services association and bus pass fees. At the time of writing (January 2026), the University of Passau does not charge tuition fees.

You should budget a minimum of 992 EUR per month for your living expenses. If you need a visa to come to Germany, this is the amount you must have available to you (e.g. paid into a blocked account) for each month. Nevertheless, your actual cost of living will vary depending on your lifestyle, and so you should treat this figure as an absolute minimum.

Applicants should have good results from a first degree, with a final grade of 2.7 or better (according to the German marking system or the relevant foreign equivalent grade). The degree should be in business administration, economics or a related discipline, obtained from a programme of study with a minimum standard full-time study duration of three years.

A degree is considered "related" if the minimum business or economics content amounts to 60 ECTS credits, including least 10 ECTS credits in economic/business research methods (e.g. data collection, data processing, mathematics, software development or statistics).

Applicants who have not obtained their university degree in a signatory state to the Lisbon Convention must additionally prove their suitability for the MSc Business Administration degree programme by passing the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) with a score of at least 550 points.

This degree programme can be completed entirely in English. However, to be able to get by in Germany, students are nonetheless required to have German language skills at level A1 CEFR (beginners' level). If you do not meet this requirement at the time of your application, you will be offered a free beginners' German course during your first year of study. By the end of that year, you have to be able to present a German language certificate at level A1 CEFR.

English language requirements

You should submit a recognised English language certificate at level B2 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR), unless English is your native language or the language of instruction for your prior university or secondary education. If this is the case, please upload a confirmation from your prior university or school that English was the teaching language together with your application.

The following is also accepted as proof:

• School leaving certificate which explicitly mentions the attainment of level B2 CEFR in English
• Transcript from a higher education institution which confirms the attainment of level B2 CEFR in English
• Having attained the Intermediate 2 stage of the Business and Economics subject-specific language programme (FFA) in English at the University of Passau

The application round for the April intake starts in mid-November of the previous year; for the October intake, the application round starts in early April. As the application deadlines can change on short notice, we ask that you check our application pages closer to the time for the specific dates (and what documents you need to submit).

The International Office awards a small number of scholarships to international degree-seeking students who have been enrolled in a Bachelor's programme for at least two semesters or in a Master's programme for at least one semester. You may also apply for a Deutschlandstipendium scholarship, which is open to students of all nationalities. This scholarship has a stipend of 300 EUR per month and runs for one year. You may reapply in subsequent years. Finally, there is a one-off emergency hardship grant available to international students in exceptional cases of unexpected financial difficulties.

For international students, a dedicated career adviser is on hand: the "iStudi Coach" will help you with all your questions about finding work or placements in Germany.

Please note that students from non-EU countries must apply for a work permit at the national job centre if they work more than 240 half-days per year. Students from EU member countries do not require a work permit.

The International Office has set up an accommodation service, which assists international students in finding accommodation.

Rooms in the halls of residence cost between 270 EUR and 550 EUR per month and are fully furnished. Kitchen and bathroom facilities are usually shared, although some rooms have en-suite bathroom facilities. However, please note that the demand for the rooms in the student halls is very high, and there is no guarantee that you will be able to rent one.

Luckily, there is a large number of flats and flatshares available on the open housing market. On average, you should expect to pay somewhere in the vicinity of 350 EUR to 550 EUR a month for these. Landlords usually require a two-month or three-month deposit when you move in, which will be returned to you at the end of the rental period, provided you leave your accommodation in good condition.

• Further details on housing in Passau
• Accommodation service for international students

The university provides advice on job hunting, jobs, and career-entry positions at German and international companies, here and abroad. These include personal interviews, advice, and training courses on how to apply as well as intercultural and soft skills training.

International students have access to a dedicated career adviser – the "iStudi Coach" – who helps them find internships and apply for student jobs and career-entry positions at German companies. The iStudi Coach also coaches international students on German labour market practices, how to write applications, and so on.

Related links:

• Future: Careers and Competencies Section
• iStudi Coach

The University of Passau

More than 10,000 students from approximately 100 countries are currently studying towards their degrees on our bright, modern campus next to the Inn River and a stone's throw from the town centre and the historical old town.

The five faculties of the university offer degrees at the undergraduate, Master’s and doctoral levels. Currently, 11 degree programmes can be studied entirely in English: BSc Artificial Intelligence, MSc Artificial Intelligence Engineering, MSc Business Administration, MSc Computational Mathematics, MSc Computer Science, MA Development Studies, MA Governance and Public Policy, MSc Information Systems, MSc International Economics and Business, MA International Education and Global Learning, and BSc Mathematics.

A cosmopolitan university

No other Bavarian university has more of its students spending part of their programme abroad – to study, conduct research or gain work experience – than the University of Passau.

The range and depth of language tuition offered by our language centre probably has a role to play in this. Another reason is that our programmes are very international in their outlook – and with some 300 international partner universities to choose from, it is difficult not to be tempted to go abroad for a semester or two or even to complete one of our double-degree programmes offered in cooperation with our global partner universities.

An unparalleled student experience

Passau’s students benefit from a good staff-to-student ratio and from studying on an urban campus of manageable size that is located very close to the town centre.

The facilities on campus are of a high standard. There are bright, sunny seminar rooms, lecture theatres equipped with the latest technology, numerous computer rooms, Wi-Fi access exists throughout the campus, and our well-stocked university library stays open until late into the night on most days.

Student satisfaction at the University of Passau is particularly high and our sought-after graduates typically occupy executive posts in business, social, and academic organisations in Germany, Europe, and indeed all over the world.

Student life

Throughout the semester, there are plenty of events of all sorts on campus and around town, often organised by our very active student societies. Our sports centre has some 40 sports clubs, offering everything from acrobatics to Zumba.

An ideal student town

Passau is situated near the Bavarian Forest at the confluence of the Danube, Inn and Ilz rivers, and it is considered one of the most beautiful cities in Germany. After two fires that destroyed much of the town in the 17th century, the old town was rebuilt in the baroque style by Italian master builders, which is why you will notice a distinct Italian flair as you stroll through "Bavarian Venice", another name by which Passau is known.

With students accounting for one-quarter of its population, Passau is very much a student town with many galleries, art studios, bars, cafés, clubs and, of course, beer gardens; naturally, there is a modern multiplex cinema. A shopping centre and the nearby pedestrian zone offer a lot of excellent eateries and shops, just a short five-minute walk from campus.

Passau is home to a number of cultural institutions, such as the theatre and the "Scharfrichterhaus" – a restaurant, cinema and political cabaret/stand-up stage where many of Germany’s most popular contemporary comedians started out. Both have productions and acts running throughout the year.

In addition to this, Passau plays host to numerous annual cultural events, including "Europäische Wochen Passau" – a cultural festival which brings international symphonic orchestras, classical ensembles, theatre companies and artists to Passau for about six weeks every year; the Eulenspiegel Festival with predominantly German comedy acts and rock bands; two Oktoberfest-style festivals in spring and autumn; and no list of festivals would be complete without the traditional Christmas Market in front of St. Stephen’s Cathedral every December. Incidentally, did you know that St. Stephen's is home to the world's largest cathedral organ?

Outdoor enthusiasts will be delighted at the many opportunities for hiking, climbing, cycling, and alpine and cross-country skiing in the nearby Bavarian Forest. Additionally, Passau is not far from the Austrian and Bavarian Alps, with their famous skiing areas as well as their mountain biking and hiking trails.