Bachelor of Arts in International Business Management (IBM) Furtwangen University

The IBM programme Business with international orientation and languages is internationally oriented, because business is international by nature. By acquiring intercultural skills, spending a semester abroad with our partner universities, and most importantly, through daily interaction with peers from all over the world, you will significantly enhance your career prospects.

To ensure a truly international community of students at Schwenningen campus, we have implemented an admissions policy which is unique among German universities. While most students from non-EU countries are precluded from direct access to BA studies, we will directly admit you to the IBM programme if you demonstrate your academic qualification through a simple three-hour aptitude test. You will find details on our dedicated "Smart Admission" page.

The IBM programme itself provides you with a sound understanding of the different aspects of business management, such as finance & accounting, marketing and human resources management. Throughout your studies, the fundamentals of business administration will be supported by transcultural studies as well as regional and language courses. From the third semester onwards, you can tailor your studies to your interests by selecting from a number of electives. You will also undertake various project studies. The fifth and sixth semesters are dedicated to an internship semester and a study semester abroad. Finally, you will complete your thesis during the seventh semester, alongside additional study modules.

A mandatory internship is part of the IBM programme. Students secure their own internship position which best suits their interests; support and detailed information will be given as part of the programme well before the start of the internship semester.

Application deadline for winter semester (= start of lectures in October): 15 July

The application deadline for non-EU applicants (with a foreign university entrance qualification) runs from 1 March to 15 June. 

Application deadline for summer semester (start of lectures in March): 15 January

The application deadline for non-EU applicants (with a foreign university entrance qualification) runs from 15 October to 30 November.

Applicants must submit all the required information stated within the online application process MIO – My University Portal – Furtwangen University. Should there be any problems or questions regarding your qualifications, you will be notified. 

We have implemented an admissions policy which is unique among German universities. While most students from non-EU countries are precluded from direct access to BA studies, we will directly admit you to the IBM programme if you demonstrate your academic qualification through a simple three-hour aptitude test. You will find details on our dedicated "Smart Admission" page.

176 EUR (administration fee, contribution to the "Studierendenwerk" and student body fee)

As a student, you are legally entitled to work 90 full days or 180 half days a year. This can help you cover your living costs.

Please note, that some knowledge of German is a significant advantage when looking for a student job.

In addition, a limited number of student assistant positions are available within the faculty or across the university.

Furtwangen University looks back on a tradition of over 150 years as a teaching institution. It is now developing its third campus and has a reputation for outstanding and innovative study programmes. Yet it still retains a relatively small size that offers students the real advantage of having quick and easy access to infrastructure as well as a personal relationship with professors and staff, making studying with us both easy and pleasant.

Furtwangen University's study programmes in general, and those of the HFU Business School in particular, are regularly ranked amongst the top programmes in their field according to research into university education in Germany. 

Villingen-Schwenningen, where the HFU Business School is based, is a medium-sized town (80,000 inhabitants) in the Black Forest, in Germany's south-western corner. It is located in beautiful surroundings, excellent for winter sports as well as for hiking and walking. But it is also close to many exciting and attractive towns and cities; for example, Freiburg, Stuttgart, Constance or Zurich/Switzerland are all ideally located for day trips. The town itself can easily be explored without a car. It offers ample opportunities for shopping and night life; with three universities located here, student life is quite something!