Study in Europe › Germany › HS Schmalkalden

International Business and Economics, B.A.

Hochschule Schmalkalden – Schmalkalden University of Applied Sciences (Faculty of Business and Economics) · Schmalkalden, Germany

100% taught in EnglishApply direct to the university, not the CAOOpen entryTuition-freeMaths requirementSemester abroad
Duration3 years
StartsAutumn 2027
EntryOpen entry
Deadline (EU)15 Apr 2027
EU tuition 2026/27No tuition fee

About the course

A six-semester (180 ECTS) business and economics degree. At least 135 of the 170 module credits must be taken in English, with optional electives in German or Spanish, so it can be completed entirely in English. It includes a guaranteed semester abroad at one of more than 70 partner universities.

Entry requirements for Irish students

  • Under Germany’s recognition rules (KMK/ZAB), the Leaving Certificate gives direct university entry only with the right subject mix. You need six subjects: at least two at Higher Level with H5 or better and the rest at O6/H6 or better, including two languages and Maths at O5/H6 or better. For business and economics you also need Higher Level Maths at H5 or better. LCA and LCVP are not accepted. The university publishes nothing specific to Ireland, so confirm with admissions.
  • English: non-native speakers need TOEFL iBT 86 or IELTS 6.5. Native English speakers are exempt under a definition the university publishes in a separate document. Irish applicants should check with admissions that they count as exempt.
  • You must upload a one-page motivation letter in English, as a machine-readable PDF.

How to apply

  1. Check your subjectsMake sure your Leaving Cert will include Higher Level Maths at H5 or better and meets the other German subject and level rules. Without them you are not eligible.
  2. Write your motivation letterPrepare a one-page motivation letter in English and save it as a machine-readable PDF.
  3. Apply online by 15 AprilApply through the university’s HISinOne portal between 1 February and 15 April 2027 for October entry. Ask admissions how to apply before your Leaving Cert results are out.
  4. Enrol and pay the semester feeOnce admitted, enrol, pay the semester fee and find accommodation in Schmalkalden before the October start.
Deadline for Irish/EU applicants: Winter semester (October start): applications run from 1 February to 15 April. Summer semester: 1 September to 15 November. The programme page gives these as standing annual windows; confirm the exact 2027 dates when the portal opens..

Costs

  • No tuition fees. You pay only a semester fee each semester, which covers student services, the student union and a semester ticket for local public transport. The programme page does not give the amount. German semester contributions are usually about EUR 150-400 per semester, so check the current figure on the university’s semester fee page. No application fee is mentioned.
The winter deadline is 15 April, well before Leaving Cert results come out, so ask admissions how to apply with predicted or pending results. You also need Higher Level Maths at H5 or better to be eligible for a business course in Germany.

At a glance

CountryGermany
CitySchmalkalden
LanguageEnglish
Apply viaUniversity online portal
PlacesNot published
EntryOpen entry
Programme page ↗Online application portal ↗← Back to all European courses

Not sure which course suits you?

The FMCC European Courses Test matches your interests to English-taught courses across Europe, filtered by where you would like to study and your budget. €24.95.

Take the European Courses TestAsk us about 1:1 guidance

Checked against the official Hochschule Schmalkalden website: September 2026 (2027 entry). The deadlines are the university’s standing annual windows, so confirm the 2027 dates before applying. Always confirm details with the university before applying.