Study in Europe › Germany › Rhine-Waal University

International Relations, B.A.

Hochschule Rhein-Waal – Rhine-Waal University of Applied Sciences (Faculty of Society and Economics) · Kleve, Germany

100% taught in EnglishApply via hochschulstart (DoSV) registration + uni-assist, not the CAOLimited placesTuition-freeLimited placesMaths requirement
Duration3.5 years
StartsAutumn 2027
EntryLimited places
Deadline (EU)15 Jul 2027
EU semester contribution 2026/27€730 / yr

About the course

A seven-semester degree taught entirely in English. Semesters 1 to 3 cover the basics, semesters 4 and 5 are for specialising, semester 6 is either an internship or a semester abroad, and semester 7 is for final work including the thesis.

Entry requirements for Irish students

  • The Irish Leaving Certificate gives direct entry to German universities only with the right subject and level combination: six subjects, at least two at Higher Level with H5 or better, the other four at O6/H6 or better, including two languages and Maths at O5/H6 or better. International Relations is likely to be treated as a social science, which also requires Higher Level Maths at H5. Rhine-Waal publishes nothing Ireland-specific, so confirm with admissions.
  • Places are limited and allocated through a selection process under North Rhine-Westphalia rules; your Leaving Cert is converted to a German grade for ranking. You also need proof of a pre-study work placement of at least 8 weeks, which can be submitted up to re-enrolment for the 4th semester.
  • English at B2 level is required, but the university’s list of accepted English proofs includes a secondary school diploma from Ireland, so Leaving Cert students do not normally need IELTS or TOEFL.

How to apply

  1. Check your Leaving Cert subjectsMake sure your six subjects meet the German rules, and plan for Higher Level Maths at H5, which social science courses are likely to need.
  2. Register on hochschulstart.deCreate a hochschulstart (DoSV) account to get your applicant ID and authentication number before applying.
  3. Apply through uni-assist by 15 JulySubmit your application and Leaving Cert results through uni-assist, quoting your hochschulstart details, by 15 July. Allow time for uni-assist processing.
  4. Accept your offer and enrolOffers usually come at the beginning of August; accept, pay the semester contribution and enrol before the 1 September start.
Deadline for Irish/EU applicants: Winter semester intake only (studies start on 1 September). The programme page gives a winter semester application deadline of 15 July. First register on hochschulstart.de to get your applicant ID and authentication number, then apply through uni-assist (applicants with non-German school qualifications). Offers for restricted-admission courses usually go out at the beginning of August. Dates are from the 2026 cycle; confirm for 2027..

Costs

  • No tuition fees for EU students. You pay only a semester contribution, which is €365.10 for winter semester 2026/27 (including €226.80 for a Deutschlandticket for public transport across Germany), so about €730 a year. uni-assist charges its own application processing fee; check the current amount on uni-assist.de.
There is no tuition fee, only a semester contribution of €365.10, but you must register on hochschulstart.de before applying through uni-assist, and you are likely to need Higher Level Maths at H5 to meet the German social sciences rule.

At a glance

CountryGermany
CityKleve
LanguageEnglish
Apply viahochschulstart (DoSV) registration + uni-assist
PlacesNot published
EntryLimited places
Programme page ↗Bachelor’s application period ↗Accepted English proofs ↗← Back to all European courses

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Checked against the official Rhine-Waal University website: September 2026 (2027 entry). Deadlines and fees are from the 2026 cycle; confirm for 2027. Always confirm details with the university before applying.