Private Colleges (Private Hochschulen)

Private Colleges (Private Hochschulen)

There are dozens of private schools in Germany offering a wide degree of courses leading to various degrees and certification. These schools normally charge tuition that can range from 1,800 to 4,700 euros a semester. Some of these schools work closely with industry. There are several so-called "business schools". Many of these institutions have German state licenses, which allow them to offer one or two year programs leading to vocational degrees below the bachelor's level. In cooperation with British universities these "business schools" sometimes offer additional programs that lead to British credentials (in German) or master's level.

Printed brochures describing the state higher education sector are available in English, French and Spanish from the DAAD (German Academic Exchange Service) explaining the different levels of higher education studies (Studying in Germany - Information for foreigners on university services / on Fachhochschule studies/ on studies at colleges of art and music). Additional information at the web-site www.daad.de/en/. Some information about private universities can be found on the web-site www.private-hochschulen.net (in German language only)

Perhaps one of the best online resources for an overview of higher education in Germany is www.hochschulekompass.de

This link will take you through all the higher education institutions, study opportunities at both undergraduate and graduate levels, and international cooperation agreements of German higher education schools.

If there is a particular program you are looking for, we suggest you go to the respective institutional website and contact the registrar's office directly for further information. Prerequisites will vary from one school to the next, as will the program structure.

Another great resource for information on studying in Germany is www.studienwahl.de, a German site that is sponsored by the German Provincial Commission for Educational Planning and the Research Promotion and the Federal Employment Agency. The site is completely translated into English and will walk you through every aspect of studying in Germany.