IU International University of Applied Sciences
IMPORTANT QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
ABOUT YOUR STUDIES

IU International University of Applied Sciences is a private university whose programs of study are accredited but not financed by the state. That is why we have to charge a fee for the course of study. In the dual study model of IU, these tuition fees are usually taken over by the company for the students and remuneration for internships is also paid to a certain extent.  

The term "accreditation" refers to the recognition of higher education institutions or study programmes according to certain criteria to guarantee the quality of teaching and studies. In addition, it is intended to increase the transparency of degree programmes and improve the international comparability of degrees. The institutional accreditation of private universities is carried out by the German Council of Science and Humanities, while the accreditation of degree programmes at state-recognised universities is carried out by special accreditation agencies. The relevant principles are set out by the Accreditation Council. 

 Yes, IU was re-accredited in 2021 for a period of 5 years.

There are now 85,000 people studying at IU. We have years of experience excellent feedback from our students, whether in distance learning, part-time or dual studies. We are only successful when our students are successful. 

You can choose the programme that is most appealing to your respective stage of life and custom design it depending on the form of study that best suits you. In general, there are four forms of study available: In distance learning, you can study 100% online, regardless of the time and place, and without any mandatory attendance requirements. With myStudies, you choose yourself whether you want to study on campus or online. Another alternative is our dual studies programme, in which you spend about half of your time in a company and the rest of the time on campus.   

We put a great emphasis on interactivity. For this purpose, in addition to the scripted study materials, we will provide you with numerous online learning materials. These includes, for example, digital study scripts as PDFs as well as interactive e-book versions in our learning app IU Learn, self-tests, learning videos and, in selected courses, tutorials, revision sessions or interactive teaching events.. Furthermore, you can exchange knowledge with other students via our virtual campus and also consult with your academic supervisors at any time. 

Yes. Simultaneously with your registration at our university, you will receive login details for our online library, where you can research literature and in some cases also read it directly as an e-book. 

IU currently has more than 28 locations in Germany and more than 45 examination centres where you can take your exams. You can study directly on campus in Aachen, Augsburg, Bad Honnef, Berlin, Bielefeld, Bochum, Braunschweig, Bremen, Dortmund, Dresden, Duisburg, Düsseldorf, Erfurt, Essen, Frankfurt a. M., Freiburg, Hamburg, Hanover, Karlsruhe, Kassel, Cologne, Leipzig, Lübeck, Mainz, Mannheim, Mönchengladbach, Munich, Münster, Nuremberg, Potsdam, Ravensburg, Regensburg, Rostock, Saarbrücken, Stuttgart, Ulm, Wuppertal. At our virtual campus you can study comfortably from home and take your exams online. 

More information about our locations

You can manually request the study letter by post once the module has been made available. Generally, shipping takes between 3-5 days. Simultaneously, all online materials will be unlocked so that you can start studying the new content immediately. 

Yes, IU offers several options to complete a Master's degree: 

• with IU distance learning
• and with IU myStudies

Depending on the programme, you will conclude your studies with a state-recognised and accredited Bachelor's or Master's degree. 

The standard period of study for a full-time bachelor's degree is 36 months (exception for dual studies: 42 months). If you know from the start that you will need more time for your studies, the distance learning study model offers you the option of choosing the extended study period of 48 months (part-time 1) or 72 months (part-time 2) in advance. 

The standard period of study for the full-time master's degree is 24 months. Here, too, we offer part-time variants that have a duration of 36 and 48 months.

In each time model, you can also extend your studies for 12 months free of charge in both the bachelor's and master's programmes. 

Yes. In order to take a break from your studies, we offer you the option of taking a semester off in our distance learning, combined studies and myStudies programmes. During this time, your studies will be suspended and you will not have access to the online campus or your learning materials. However, we will not charge any fees during your time off.

Taking a leave of absence is possible from the second semester onwards. In total, the leave of absence may not exceed half of the standard period of study of your degree programme (e.g. a maximum of three semesters of leave for a six-semester Bachelor's programme).

Need more time? You can also extend the standard period of study in any study model by up to 12 months free of charge. We offer you maximum flexibility!

The entire IU study programme is computer-based to a large extent. Therefore, good IT equipment is important. In order to use the IU Online Campus, you will need a PC with an Internet connection or other suitable Internet-capable devices. The online campus also gives you access to our comprehensive online library, where you can research literature and, in some cases, read it directly as an e-book.

Yes, all students at IU International University of Applied Sciences receive their personal student ID card. You can access your student card directly in the browser version of the IU Learn app!

After your enrolment, you can test our distance learning, combined studies and myStudies programme for four weeks free of charge and without obligation. During this time, all IU offers and services will be available to you. If you decide that studying with us is not right for you, you can cancel your studies free of charge within these four weeks. If you like your studies, you can simply continue studying after the trial period. In this case, your first month will count as a regular study period for which a fee will be charged. We will only charge you for the first month after the end of the trial phase.  

Afterwards, you will be able to cancel the contract with six weeks' notice at the end of the first six months. Later, you will be free to terminate the contract at any time with three months' notice (in each case at the end of a full month, in relation to the start of the contract). Notice of termination must be given in writing.

Feel free to contact our student advisory service by email or phone. Our experienced colleagues are available to talk to you personally and support you in your decision.

At IU, you can register online for a degree programme at any time via the website. We will then verify your admission and your documents. 

IU deliberately does not impose a numerus clausus - instead, we talk to you personally and find out together where your talents and strengths lie and what goals you want to pursue with your studies.

You can study either with or without A-levels(Abitur). The admission requirement is a general higher education entrance qualification (A-levels) or a technical university entrance qualification (Technical A-levels). If you have completed at least two years of vocational training and have at least three years of work experience in your learnt profession, an admission without A-levels is possible. Alternatively, you can submit a master craftsman's certificate or successful completion of an educational programme in the subject area of the respective degree programme.

As a foreign student applicant, you must have a higher education entrance qualification equivalent to the German qualification. As part of your application, you must provide proof of German language proficiency with B2 level (exceptions: for the degree programmes Applied Psychology, Psychology, Communication Psychology and Health Psychology, the language level C1 is required.) and also pass an internal entrance exam of the university. 

For English-language degree programmes, you need one of the following proofs of your English language skills:

• TOEFL (min. 80 points) or
• IELTS (at least Level 6) or
• Duolingo English test (min. 95 points) or
• Cambridge certificate (min. overall grade B) or
• Equivalent proof, e.g. through the free IU English course (min B2.2). For further information, please contact our student advisory service. 

You can find more information on who can study at IU here.

Qualifying for your Master's for Professionals

You can qualify for selected study programmes even without having a Bachelor's degree, if you have many years of professional experience as a manager or expert.   

Admission requirements are:  

• A-levels/vocational diploma or completed professional training of at least 2 years  
• At least 10 years professional experience, of which at least 6 years in a leading or expert role, or: proof of at least 10 years of self-employment with management responsibility and relevance to the preferred study programme  
• successful master’s entrance exam at IU 

Find out more about our Master's for Professionals here.

Yes, in addition to the "classic" entrance qualification for a university degree in the form of A-levels (Abitur) or Technical A-levels (Fachabitur), many interested students without A-levels also have the opportunity to enter our Bachelor's programme. You can find more information on this in the 'Admission' section of the respective degree programme.

Here you can find further information on how to study at IU without A-levels.

You are always welcome to complete your university education with us. If you meet the admission requirements, simply select your desired degree programme in your online application. Based on your previous education, we may even be able to credit you for your prior achievements, i.e. you will not only be able to shorten your study time, but also save money: 30 euros per recognised ECTS credit! We will be happy to check your options individually. 

You can find information about the costs of our distance learning and myStudies programme in the corresponding pages of the programme. 

Your practice partner will pay your tuition fees for your dual study programme at the IU. 

For this purpose, we have created a separate information section on financing, in which we provide information on various financing options, grants and scholarship programmes. 

Yes, you can pay your tuition fees in monthly instalments, for example. You can get more information about this from our student advisory service.

Tuition fees for the distance learning and myStudies programmes are payable monthly and will be charged for the first time after the expiry of the withdrawal period. Graduation fees must be transferred by you at the time of the final exam. The graduation fee is due when you register for the final examination (colloquium) and must be paid within 14 days. 

Yes. For detailed information on how you can deduct your IU study expenses from your taxes, please visit our financing section. 

Yes, if you have already completed a degree programme at a university or a vocational training or advanced education programme, you can have your previous achievements recognised comparably for your degree programme at any time. If applicable, relevant professional experience can also be recognised for your studies.  

You can find further details in our information section on the recognition of previous achievements. If you have any further questions, please contact our student advisory service to organise a review of your previous achievements. 

For us to be able to assess your previous achievements, it is important that you complete and sign the application for recognition of previous achievements and send it to us. Please enclose all your relevant documents with this application so that we can process your application. You can find the applications and the corresponding guidelines on the websites of the individual degree programmes. There you can also find out which of your previous degrees, certificates or professional experience and skills you can actually claim for recognition. We will also be happy to review in advance whether and to what extent your previous achievements can be taken into account. You do not have to enrol directly for this! A review is also possible without certified copies. 

With the recognition of prior achievements, you can reduce both your study time and your tuition fees. Your previous achievements can really pay off! You will save 30 euros per recognised ECTS credit. You will not have to retake courses that have already been recognised. 

The maximum number of ECTS credits that can be awarded for non-academic competences is 50 percent of the ECTS credits that can be achieved in the degree programme.

University credits can be recognised in full - with the exception of final theses. In principle, theses from external colleges/universities are not recognised, as the thesis is an elementary part of the degree programme.

Recognition of your achievements from a degree programme (university achievements):

• Transcript/record of academic achievements and ECTS-CP/hours
• Module handbooks & course contents (German or English)
• For academic achievements at foreign universities: overview of their grading system

Recognition of your achievements from vocational training/advanced education:

• Official proof of the completed vocational training or advanced training (e.g. IHK Examination certificate, Certificate of participation)
• Description of the imparted technical contents - proof of the achievements and number of teaching hours
• In the case of further education at foreign institutes: Overview of their grading system

Recognition of your certificates:

• Description of the contents taught and/or proof of the duration of the course. 

Recognition of your work experience:

Official proof of employment from the employer including the following information: Detailed description of the function, the tasks and the time period.

Please use the form "Employer's confirmation (Bachelor)" or "Employer's confirmation (Master)".

or

Alternatively, submit a professional letter of recommendation (including all of the above-mentioned information).

General remark:

In exceptional cases, we reserve the right to request certified copies.

Alumni 
Alumni are former students who have already successfully completed their studies. = Graduates

Auditorium 
Refers to a lecture hall at a college or university. 

Bachelor (B.A., B.Sc. or B.Eng.) 
The Bachelor's degree is an undergraduate degree that one receives after about 6 to 8 semesters. You can then start a Master's programme. 

BAföG 
The Federal Training Assistance Act (BAföG) in Germany regulates state support for students and is a social benefit programme. 

Canteen 
The canteen is the culinary meeting point for students, a “restaurant for students”, so to speak.

Campus 
A campus is the name given to a college or university physical location. An “online campus” is a campus where students can exchange information via e-learning platforms. 

CBT 
CBT stands for “computer-based training” and describes learning without direct contact with a professor or tutor, e.g. by using learning software. 

Colloquium 
A colloquium is an oral examination or compulsory defence within the framework of a subject-related or final dissertation. 

Colleagues 
Your colleagues are your fellow students.

Cum laude  Cum laude is a grade in Latin which means “with honour”. It is mainly used when evaluating doctoral theses. 

Curriculum 
Curriculum refers to the content structure or study plan of a degree programme. 

Dean
Deans are elected professors who represent the interests of a faculty.  

De-registration
De-registration is the opposite of enrolment. This means that a student is no longer enrolled at a college or university because, for example, he or she has completed his or her studies or has been excluded by the faculty for a given reason. 

Dissertation 
A dissertation is a synonym for a doctoral thesis, a scientific work on a specific topic. It is a prerequisite for obtaining a doctorate. 

Distance learning
A form of study that you can complete remotely and not via in-person lectures.

Doctorate 
A doctorate is a final dissertation for prospective doctorates, who are awarded the title upon completion. 

E-learning 
Refers to learning and teaching with the help of various electronic media. 

ECTS 
The “European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System” (ECTS) is a Europe-wide system for accumulating, crediting and transferring academic achievements For example, 60 ECTS credits are given for a full academic year. 

Enrolment 
Enrolment is the process of registering at a college or university. Once you have enrolled, you can begin your studies. The term matriculation is often used as a synonym. 

Exam 
Exams are tests that are performed with the aim of testing your level of knowledge in written or oral form.  

Faculty 
A faculty refers to a special department at a university or college. This can be, for example, the department of law, mathematics, medicine or similar. Each faculty is represented by a dean.  

Graduate
Graduates are students who are in the final phase of their studies or are taking their final exams.  

Habilitation 
A habilitation is an academic thesis to obtain a professorship in a subject area. 

Institute 
A college or university is divided into various faculties. These in turn can be subdivided into independent institutes, which are headed by professors. 

Learning Management System (LMS) 
The term “learning platform” refers to a system through which students can work on their documents online and exchange information with others.

Lecture 
A lecture is a course at a university. 

Magna cum laude 
Magna cum laude is a grade given in Latin. Translated, it means “with great honour”, and is awarded, for example, for doctoral theses. 

Master
A Master’s degree refers to the course of study that follows a Bachelor’s degree or an undergraduate degree. It takes approximately 2 to 4 semesters to complete. 

Matriculation 
Enrolment is a synonym for matriculation.  

Numerus clausus 
The admission restriction for individual subjects due to a high number of prospective students is called numerus clausus. 

Podcast 
The term “podcast” is made up of the words “iPod” and “broadcasting” and refers to short audio recordings of various teaching subjects for playback. 

Professor
A professor is a person who teaches at a college or a university. 

Semester 
Semester is the term used for describing a six-month period. 

Scholarship 
A scholarship is financial support for students and also serves to reward gifted students.

Standard period of study 
This describes the regular duration of a full-time course. The standard period of study is specified in the examination regulations. 

Tutor
Tutors are part of the teaching staff and represent a department.  

Tutorials 
Tutorials are short courses taught by tutors. 

Virtual classroom 
In a virtual classroom, courses with other students and tutors or professors can be held live over the Internet. 

Vodcast 
The term “vodcast” is a combination of the words “video” and “broadcasting” and refers to short video recordings on various teaching subjects.  

WBT
WBT stands for “Web-Based Training” and generally refers to learning and practising course content via the Internet or other special platforms.

Written test 
Written tests are examinations taken by students at the end of a course or module.