Education at top level
As a state-recognised and system-accredited university with over 20 years of experience, we offer you the highest quality in all study formats - whether distance learning, dual study or myStudium. Our degree programmes are fully accredited at the start of the course and are regularly audited by independent institutions. In this way, we ensure that you study at IU International University of Applied Sciences in a future-orientated, practical way and at the highest academic level.
State-recognised university
IU International University is a private, state-recognised university. This means that our degrees are equivalent to state colleges and universities. This is also reflected in the high quality of both the degree programmes and the teaching. We make sure that the content is always adapted to the latest standards.
Institutionally accredited
Institutional accreditation is carried out by the German Wissenschaftsrat for private universities that apply for accreditation. Our university was reaccredited by the Wissenschaftsrat for five years. Since 2001, the Wissenschaftsrat has been carrying out institutional accreditation of non-state universities on behalf of the federal states. The quality assurance procedure clarifies whether the performance of a non-state university in research and teaching meets recognised academic standards.
System accredited university
Thanks to the voluntary system accreditation, IU can accredit its degree programmes on the basis of the internal quality assessment of studies and teaching. We also have the right to award the seal of the Akkreditierungsrat (Accreditation Council) for audited study programmes ourselves. IU is system-accredited for the maximum period without conditions.
Our study formats
Fernstudium
Maximale Flexibilität für Deinen individuellen Studienalltag
Flexibles Online-Lernen in Vollzeit oder Teilzeit: Selbstständige Aneignung der Theorie über Lernplattform myCampus mit innovativen Lernmaterialien
Persönlicher KI-Lernassistent Syntea
24/7 Online-Prüfungen – flexibel zu Deiner Zeit und an Deinem Ort
Optionale Live-Sessions und interaktive digitale Formate zur Wissensvertiefung
Duales Studium
Der Klassiker: Theorie und Praxis optimal vereint
Theoretische Wissensvermittlung in den Lehrveranstaltungen an zwei Tagen pro Woche am Campus
Vereinzelt auch online per Live-Videokonferenz möglich
Anschließende Vertiefung des Gelernten mithilfe der Lernmaterialien über die digitale Lernplattform myCampus
20 Stunden pro Woche Praxiserfahrung* beim Praxispartner-Unternehmen
Duales myStudium
Innovative Kombination aus flexiblem Fernstudium und praxisintegriertem Dualen Studium
Flexibles Online-Lernen: Selbstständige Aneignung der Theorie über die digitale Lernplattform myCampus mit innovativen Lernmaterialien
Persönlicher KI-Lernassistent Syntea
Optionale Begleitveranstaltungen zur Wissensvertiefung (wöchentlich am Campus oder online per Live-Videokonferenz) – sowie weitere digitale, interaktive Live-Formate
20 Stunden pro Woche Praxiserfahrung beim Praxispartner-Unternehmen
myStudium
Das myStudium kombiniert die Flexibilität einer modernen Lehrvariante des Fernstudiums mit optionalen Präsenzangeboten
Flexibles Online-Lernen: Selbstständige Aneignung der Theorie über die digitale Lernplattform myCampus mit innovativen Lernmaterialien
Persönlicher KI-Lernassistent Syntea
Optionale Begleitveranstaltungen zur Wissensvertiefung (wöchentlich am Campus oder online per Live-Videokonferenz)
Weitere digitale, interaktive Live-Formate zur Unterstützung des Lernerfolgs
Comparison of accredited study formats
This overview provides detailed information on how our study formats differ in your everyday student life – from the start of your studies to examinations.
Study format | Distance Learning | Dual studies | Duales myStudium | myStudium |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Accredited as | Distance Learning | Dual On-Campus Studies | Dual Distance Learning Studies | Teaching format of the Distance Learning programme |
Practical experience | not integrated | yes, at the practice partner | yes, at the practice partner | not integrated |
Study locations | 100% online*2 | 32 study locations*3 | 32 study locations*3 | 32 study locations*3 |
Exams | 100% online – flexible to suit your schedule; alternatively, on site at IU locations, in exam centres, or at Goethe-Institutes | On site at IU locations | 100% online – flexible to suit your schedule; alternatively, on site at IU locations, in exam centres, or at Goethe-Institutes | 100% online – flexible to suit your schedule; alternatively, on site at IU locations, in exam centres, or at Goethe-Institutes |
Attendance time per module | 100% online** | 27-36 hours on campus, apart from possible individual distance learning modules in higher semesters, which take place without attendance*1 | 13.5 hours of support sessions held on campus or live online, up to and including the 4th semester | 13.5 hours of support sessions held on campus or live online, up to and including the 4th semester |
Study start | Possible at any time after initial program launch | Every semester (01 October and 01 April) | Every quarter (up to 4 times a year): 01 January, 01 April, 01 July, 01 October*4 | Every quarter (up to 4 times a year): 01 January, 01 April, 01 July, 01 October*4 |
Study models | Full-time and part-time options; semesters and ECTS credits depend on the study programme and degree level | Full-time, 7 semesters (180 ECTS credits), “Architektur” 8 semesters (180 ECTS credits) | Full-time, depending on location and study programme either 6 semesters (180 ECTS credits) or 7 semesters (210 ECTS credits) | Full-time, 6 semesters (180 ECTS credits) |
Degree |
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Notes
* Exception: Architecture degree programme 24 hours per week of practical experience; attendance time per module: 70 hours for the ‘Design Theory’ course.
** For a few degree programmes, there are individual compulsory on-campus modules. You can find out which ones these are directly on the page - and the curriculum - of your chosen programme.
*** Not every programme is available at all on-campus locations – you can check which locations are available on your chosen programme’s page.
*** Except Media Design, which starts only on 1 October and 1 April.
With us you can study excellently
IU quality management
Our quality management system is designed to ensure the quality of the services offered and contribute to the achievement of the defined development goals. All employees are involved in our university's quality management system - from the university management to the university administration to the teaching staff and university committees.
Learn moreOur accreditations
The IU International University of Applied Sciences (IU) are accredited by the most important state institutions. In addition to the Accreditation Council, this also includes the German Council of Science and Humanities. However, it is not only the fulfilment of formal requirements and academic standards that is decisive for official accreditation. Qualified staff, sufficient equipment and a comprehensive quality management system must also be in place to ensure the high quality of teaching and research at all times. This is the only way to have all academic degrees recognised in all 48 countries of the Bologna area.
Programme accreditation
All degree programmes offered by IU are accredited by the respective start of the programme and have been awarded the official seal of the German Accreditation Council. Among other things, this accreditation certifies that study programmes meet academic standards in terms of content, that the study structures fulfil all formal requirements and that the resources necessary for the implementation of the programmes are available in the form of qualified staff and sufficient equipment. It facilitates the international recognition of study achievements in all 48 states of the Bologna area.
System accreditation
With the decision of 4 December 2018, IU International University of Applied Sciences was system-accredited without any conditions or recommendations. With this best possible procedural result, the quality management system of the university was acknowledged: The Accreditation Council certifies that IU University of Applied Sciences fully meets the requirements set by its internal system of accreditation of degree programmes. The team of experts supervised by FIBAA emphasises in its report on system accreditation that IU International University of Applied Sciences "has established a comprehensive and convincing quality management system and has demonstrated its effectiveness. [...] In doing so, the university is characterised by a well-lived culture of quality improvement".
German Council of Science and Humanities
Since 1957, the German Council of Science and Humanities has been advising the federal and state governments on matters of higher education development, science and research, and they are also responsible for ensuring the quality of teaching and research at non-public higher education institutions. In 2021, we were reaccredited by the German Council of Science and Humanities for five years.
IU's statement can be found here.
ZFU
As a state institution, ZFU examines whether distance learning programmes meet the formal requirements of the Distance Learning Protection Act (FernUSG).
All of our degree programmes and individual training courses are ZFU approved.
Certified education provider
IU International University is accredited as a provider in accordance with labour promotion law. The Hanseatic Certification Agency (HZA) confirms in its multi-stage audit procedure that the quality assurance system of the IU International University fulfils the requirements laid down in the German Social Code (SGB III) and in the AZAV (Accreditation and Approval Ordinance - Employment Promotion). This certification authorises IU International University to offer further training to interested parties with an activation and placement voucher. The prerequisite for this is that all admission requirements for further training are fulfilled by the interested party.
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