- Founded
- 2016
- Students
- 240
- Programmes
- 3
About DBA Baunatal
The Deutsche Berufsakademie Sport und Gesundheit (dba) is a private, state-recognised academy in Baunatal, Hesse, operated by the non-profit HVU Bildungsakademie gGmbH. Founded in 2016, it offers Germany's first dual-format sports science bachelor's degree programmes in the fields of sport, fitness, health, prevention, therapy, and nutrition.
Study at the dba follows a blended-learning model: students attend four-day on-campus sessions once a month at the Baunatal study location, supplemented by structured online learning and practical training at one of over 500 partner organisations in the sport and health industry. The practical component accounts for more than 40 percent of the curriculum, which distinguishes the dba's approach from conventional university sports science programmes.
The academy is accredited by the German Science Council (Wissenschaftsrat) and maintains partnerships with bodies including the German Olympic Sports Confederation training academy (DOSB Trainerakademie Köln) and the German Fitness Trainers Association (DFLV). Around 240 students are enrolled across the three bachelor's programmes.
Germany's first dual-format sports science bachelor's degree programmes
State-recognised (staatlich anerkannt) and Wissenschaftsrat-accredited
Over 500 industry practice partners in sport, fitness, health, and therapy sectors
Blended-learning model: monthly four-day on-campus phases plus online and workplace learning
Partnership with DOSB Trainerakademie Köln and DFLV
Small cohort sizes enabling close mentoring and industry networking
Key facts
- Type
- Berufsakademie
- Founded
- 2016
- Students
- 240
- Programmes
- 3
Study programmes
3 accredited degrees at DBA Baunatal.
Showing 1–3 of 3 programmes
Admissions & fees
What it costs
The dba is a private academy and charges tuition fees of approximately €490 per month (6-semester / 3-year programme). In the dual-study model, the practice partner (employer) typically covers tuition costs and pays the student a monthly training allowance. There is no semester contribution of the kind charged at public universities. Baden-Württemberg non-EU surcharges do not apply (Hesse state).
Admission requirements
Applicants must hold an Abitur, Fachhochschulreife, a Meister qualification with IHK certificate, or a secondary-school leaving certificate combined with completed vocational training. Because the dba operates a dual-study model, applicants must also have a contract with a practice partner (employer) from the sport, fitness, or health sector before enrolment. If the vocational training grade is worse than 2.5, an entrance examination is required. There are no fixed semester-start deadlines; enrolment into an existing cohort is possible provided places are available. International applicants whose prior qualification is from India, China, or Vietnam require an APS certificate before applying for a student visa. Recognition of foreign school-leaving certificates is assessed on an individual basis.
Application deadlines
No fixed application deadlines; rolling admission throughout the year subject to available places. Prospective students should contact the academy's study advising team ([email protected]) early to allow time to find a practice partner.
How international applicants apply
Dual via employer - no uni-assist. Application goes directly to the dba (dba-online.de/bewerbung) with school-leaving certificate (Abitur, Fachhochschulreife, Meister/IHK or mittlerer Bildungsabschluss plus completed IHK vocational training; grade below 2.5 triggers an entrance exam). Crucially, every applicant must prove an Ausbildungs- or Praxisbetrieb: enrolment requires a signed Studienvertrag (student + practice company + Berufsakademie) and a Praxisvertrag or employment contract with the partner company, which usually also pays the EUR 490/month tuition. No international-application procedure or uni-assist route is offered.
Languages of instruction
German (all bachelor's programmes are taught in German)
Entry requirements, intake dates and language levels differ for every degree.
Campuses & locations
Main and only campus; Stettiner Straße 4, 34225 Baunatal, Hesse. Facilities include two equipment halls, four multipurpose rooms, two seminar rooms, and a sports library.
Living in Baunatal
Baunatal is a small industrial town in the Kassel district of northern Hesse, directly south of the city of Kassel. It is best known for its large Volkswagen components plant. Baunatal is connected to Kassel by tram and regional bus; Kassel itself is a mid-sized city with a university, museums, and the UNESCO-listed Bergpark Wilhelmshöhe. Students living in Baunatal typically access Kassel's cultural amenities within 15-20 minutes by public transport.
Student life & support
Campus life centres on the monthly on-site phases in Baunatal. Because the dba's blended-learning format means students spend most of the week at their practice partner rather than on campus, the experience is closer to working life than traditional university study. The academy's facilities include sports and exercise halls used for practical modules. A student congress (dba Sportkongress) is held annually. Students benefit from access to the wider Kassel area for leisure, sport, and social activities.
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