Overview

Holding the honour of being the largest economy in Europe and 4th largest in the world (according to World Bank), Germany is a leader in technology and empowers its industries through innovation.

Some of the best business schools in the world are also located in Germany.

Tuition is free in the German Public Universities and they are more than happy to have international students avail of the opportunity, which is evident in the regular rise in their numbers. Germany expects nearly 350,000 international students by 2020.

That said, Germany is not a famous name in the field of business schools as there are more renowned B-schools in Spain, France, and the UK – but it is still a highly valued brand. Mannheim Business School and ESMT of Germany rank among the top 100 business schools in the Global MBA Rankings 2021 by Financial Times.

In Germany, an MBA program is of 1-1.5 year, available for foreign students in part-time, full-time, and virtual mode. More than 50 colleges and universities offer MBA program in Germany, among which 5 universities rank in the top 250 of QS Global MBA Ranking, and 3 universities rank in the top 100 MBA schools by FT Times.

It not only requires a high academic score in bachelor’s but a good score in ILETS/TOEFL along with GMAT to enter into these top German Universities. Below are points that international students must consider if planning to study MBA in Germany:

  • Mandatory work experience of 2-3 years along with a bachelor’s degree
  • The yearly expense of an MBA in Germany is around 18,000 USD to 45,000 USD ( equivalent to 13 lakhs to 34 lakhs INR
  • You can earn an average salary of125,000 USD per annum (~91 LPA) upon graduating with an MBA from German Universities.

MBA in Germany: Highlights

ParticularsKey Details
DurationMBA: 1to 1.8 years;
Executive MBA: 2 years
Average Tuition Fees17,770 USD to 44,000 USD per annum for MBA.

100,000 USD for Executive MBA

EligibilityBachelor’s degree in any field; GMAT/GRE score; Work experience, Proof of Language proficiency (English or German)
Minimum GRE/GMAT RequiredGMAT above 550 or equivalent GRE
Minimum Work Experience Required1 Year. Most B-Schools prefer 2 to 3 years
Average Salary OfferedMBA: 125,000 USD; Executive MBA: 131,000 USD
Job Role AvailableConsultant, Business Development Manager, Project Manager, Strategist, etc

Why Germany

Why Study MBA in Germany?

  • According to the Financial Times, in their European Business School Rankings 2021, eight German business schools rank among the Top 100 for their full-time MBA program.
  • QS Global MBA Ranking (2021) has ranked five popular business schools in Germany. Four of the business schools are among the top 100 in the business schools of the world.
  • The Association of German Chambers of Commerce & Industry has said that Germany requires close to 1.5 million skilled workers.
  • MBA in Germany does not have to cost an arm and a leg because it is cheaper due to less tuition fee than in most European countries.
  • MBA in Germany is mainly attractive because the Executive MBA profession is one of the best-paid jobs for both the alumni graduates from prestigious German universities.

 

High Paying Degrees in Germany
Degrees in GermanyAnnual salary in USD
Executive MBA$131,000
Master’s in finance$130,000
MBA$125,000
Master’s in management$123,000
Doctorate$120,000
BBA$119,000

 

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Best B-Schools

Top Business Schools and Universities for MBA in Germany

4 programs from Germany are ranked in the top 100 in the world as per Financial Times 2021 Global MBA Rankings.

Rank in 2021Business School nameCountry, by primary campusWeighted salary ($)Salary increase
54WHU – Otto Beisheim School of ManagementGermany125,36689%
58Mannheim Business SchoolGermany121,32489%
80ESMT BerlinGermany115,17661%

 

As per FT European B-Schools Ranking 2020, rankings of the top 10 MBA colleges in Germany

Rank – 2020Business SchoolCountry, by primary campusMasters in Management 2020Full-time MBA 2020EMBA 2020 #*
8ESCP Business SchoolFrance / UK / Germany / Spain / Italy / Poland64
9ESMT BerlinGermany212122
19WHU – Otto Beisheim School of ManagementGermany121610
21Mannheim Business SchoolGermany211941 (18)
26Frankfurt School of Finance and ManagementGermany282843
45HHL Leipzig Graduate School of ManagementGermany1936
75University of CologneGermany60

 

 As per QS MBA Ranking 2020, rankings of the top 10 MBA colleges in Germany

QS Global MBA 2020MBA Colleges in Germany
38Mannheim Business School (MBS)
41Frankfurt School of Finance and Management
66WHU – Otto Beisheim Graduate School of Management
80ESMT Berlin
11-120HHL Leipzig Graduate School of Management
NAESCP – Berlin Campus
NACologne Business School

 

Best MBA Programs

 Below are some of the best MBA programs in Germany along with the course duration and program fees:

UniversityTotal Program Fees (in USD)Program Offered and Duration
Business School Pforzheim17,770MBA in International Business: 1.8 years
European School of Management & Technology (ESMT)26,300MBA: 1 year
European Business School26,426MBA: 1.4 years
Munich Business School35,800MBA: 1 year
University of Cologne38,900Executive MBA: 2 years
Frankfurt School of Finance and Management42,500MBA: 1 year
HHL Leipzig Graduate School of Management42,500MBA: 1 year
Technical University Munich43,500Executive MBA: 2 years
WHU-Otto Beisheim Graduate School of Management43,600MBA: 1 year
Mannheim Business School44,200MBA: 1 year

 

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Affordable MBA Programs

A number of international students around the globe are attracted to Germany. High-class facilities, brilliant universities, an extraordinary industrial complex, and low tuition fees are the reasons that make Germany a much-liked study abroad country.

The Public Universities do not charge a tuition fee for the bachelor’s program since October 2014. However, some universities charge fees for a special program of master’s including an MBA. A list of universities that don’t charge tuition fee has been provided here.

Before getting into the list, you must understand that no tuition fee does not imply no fees at all.

Universities in Germany can charge some fees such as the Semester fees, Student Union Fees, Registration and application fee, Semester Pass, and any sort of social contribution from the students. These apply for both the undergraduate and postgraduate courses, MBA included.

Moreover, students are required to provide proof of funds commensurate with the cost of living in Germany, at least for the first year of studies. This rule is for MBA candidates too.

One more significant point to note is that many German universities also offer MSc in Management and other courses equivalent to MBA, like in various European countries.

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Jobs & Salaries

Jobs for MBA in Germany

Positions in sectors such as Consulting, Technology, Finance, E-commerce, Education, Marketing, and Automotive can be filled by MBA graduates. The backbone of the German economy is formed by SMEs (Small and Medium-sized Enterprises) and contribute up to 51% of the GDP. Due to the creation of about 250,000 jobs every year in SMEs, the job prospects for MBA graduates are boosted.

Some of the good jobs in Germany offered to MBA graduates are shown below.

Sl noRoles offeredJob Description Salary (USD/ year)
1ConsultantOrganizing and executing business projects on behalf of clients158,000
2Business Development ManagerEstablishing contact with potential clients and planning marketing initiatives.191,000
3Product & Project ManagerTaking charge of the product/project and planning the administration development and budgeting of the same.147,000
4StrategistDetermining and analyzing strategies that help in fulfilling the organization’s goals.218,000
5Marketing ManagerIdentifying a target audience for the product type and develop pricing strategies130,000
6General ManagerOverall management is handled by the general manager. There is no single task role that defines their job.183,000
7Operations ManagerAnalyzing and improving processes, work quality, and efficiency within the organization.143,000

 

ROI of Top German Business Schools 

The reason why the popularity of German Business schools is rising is the high return on investment offered. Handsome average salaries and low tuition fees for MBA graduates is the biggest contributing factor to more international students being persuaded to study MBA in Germany. Below is a graphical representation of the tuition fees along with the salaries offered to MBA graduates of the top German business schools.

In Germany, MBA graduates can get an extension of 18-months while they search for jobs. An MBA in Germany is considered a high-return investment as it can land you in jobs with cushy median salaries of approximately 80,000 USD with supplemental bonuses of about 16-18,000 USD.

The average salary for top 10 MBA Programs in Germany

Sl noTop Colleges Average Salary in EURO (€)
1TUM Technische Universität München50000
2Hochschule Pfrozheim55000
3HHL Leipzig Graduate School of Management64000
4Frankfurt School of Finance and Management65000
5Cologne Business School69302
6ESMT Berlin74536
7WHU – Otto Beisheim Graduate School of Management75557
8Mannheim Business School (MBS)87124
9ESCP – Berlin Campus91320
10Berlin School of Economics and Law (HWR)NA

 

Fee

Cost of Studying MBA in Germany

 Standardized tests, travel expenses, stay and tuition fees, study material are some of the costs of studying abroad. Here are some expenses that you might require while seeking higher studies in Germany.

 Pre-arrival Costs

There are various pre-arrival expenses before you start the program, like flight tickets, registration fees, application forms, and more. We have explained the details below.

 

Sl noType of ExpenseCost (USD)
1Program Application Fees145*
2German Student Visa Application Fees84 (75 Euro)
3Health Insurance90-180**
4IELTS Fees185-190
5TOEFL Fees160-250
6GMAT Fees250
7GRE Fees205-230
8Airfare450-1400

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Scholarships

Scholarships for MBA in Germany

Government and private scholarships are available for international MBA students in Germany. Here is a table that has a list of popular scholarships for international students in Germany.

 

Name of UniversityAmount (USD)Name of Scholarship
Mannheim Business SchoolOutstanding students- 7800; Excellent students- 1100-2200Multiple merit-based scholarships for outstanding and excellent students
EBS336/monthDeutschlandstipendium
ESMT2200-4400 (depending on proficiency score)German language scholarship for non-native speakers
FrankfurtCovers partial tuition fees for all eligible MBA applicantsFS MBA scholarship
WHU-Otto Beisheim Graduate School of ManagementVaries;
Varies
Scholarship for participants from developing countries;
Excellent GMAT result scholarships

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Admissions

Admission Process for MBA in Germany

A student with a bachelor’s degree in any discipline from a recognized university is competent to apply for Germany’s MBA courses.

Eligibility for MBA in Germany Admission

Any student with a bachelor’s degree is eligible to apply for MBA courses. However, universities have variant criteria for work experience and GMAT score.

Here is a table for Indian students for the basic requirement of applying to MBA courses.

 

Name of the UniversityAdmission Requirements
Manheim Business School3 years of work experience
Frankfurt School of Finance and ManagementGMAT (average: 640) or GRE or MBA admission test scores;
Case study assignment; 3 years of work experience;
Interview
WHU-Otto Beisheim Graduate School of Management2 years of work experience;
GMAT score (minimum 600 is recommended)
ESMT Berlin3 years of work experience;
GMAT/GRE score; Interview
HHL Leipzig Graduate School of Management3 years of work experience;
GMAT/GRE score; Letter of Motivation
European Business School3 years of work experience;
GMAT/GRE score; Interview
Munich Business School80% in bachelors; 2 years of work experience;
1-2 page letter of motivation; Interview
Technical University Munich4 to 5 years of work experience;
Letter of Motivation
University of Cologne4 years of work experience
Business School Pforzheim2 years of work experience;
Minimum GMAT score of 550 or equivalent GRE score;
Motivation letter;
Essay on extra-curricular activities; Interview

 

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Germany vs. the USA vs. Canada

 MBA in Germany vs. the USA vs. Canada

One of the most popular programs that students study abroad is MBA. Most of the applicants struggle to choose the best program that fits their requirements and budget. An MBA degree from the USA is the first choice of students for a better interest rate and world-class education. However, for the low expense, Canada and Germany at the next best choice for Indian students to acquire an MBA degree.

 A comparison of MBA from the USA, Germany, and Canada is mentioned below:

BasisMBA in USAMBA in GermanyMBA in Canada
Duration2 years1 – 1.4 years1 – 2 years
Number of Top Universities Offering Program (QS Ranking 2020)105518
Average Annual Tuition Fees64,652 USD to 81,378 USD17,770 USD to 44,000 USD16,287 USD to 88,125 USD
Minimum GMAT Score Required700550600


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