- Founded
- 2002
- Students
- 10,285
- Programmes
- 101
- Taught in English
- 11
About Fachhochschule Südwestfalen
Fachhochschule Südwestfalen (South Westphalia University of Applied Sciences) is a public university of applied sciences in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It operates across five campuses - Hagen, Iserlohn, Lüdenscheid, Meschede, and Soest - and enrols approximately 10,285 students across nine faculties.
The university offers more than 70 degree programmes (plus variants) at bachelor's and master's level, spanning eight subject fields: agriculture, design management and product development, health and natural sciences, informatics and digitalisation, education and psychology, engineering, environment and sustainability, and economics and law. A small number of programmes are taught entirely in English. Study modes include full-time, dual, and part-time (berufsbegleitend).
Research at FH Südwestfalen is grouped into three primary focus areas: applied agricultural research and environmental engineering; digital transformation of the economy; and sustainable production. The Hagen campus traces institutional roots to 1824, while the Lüdenscheid site is the newest addition.
10,285 enrolled students across five campuses in North Rhine-Westphalia (as of January 2026)
Nine faculties offering over 70 bachelor's and master's programmes, including English-taught International Management B.A.
NRW public university: no tuition fees for any student nationality; only a semester contribution applies
Research strengths in sustainable production, digital transformation of the economy, and applied agricultural and environmental engineering
Annual International Summer School at the Soest campus open to international students
Consistently noted in CHE rankings for programme quality, particularly in engineering and agricultural sciences
Key facts
- Type
- Fachhochschulen / HAW
- Founded
- 2002
- Students
- 10,285
- International
- Not published. The official Zahlenspiegel reports totals only (WS 2025/26: 10,285 students; 70 programmes) without any international percentage; the archived 2021 Zahlenspiegel likewise contains no share.
- Faculties
- 9
- Programmes
- 101
Study programmes
101 accredited degrees at Fachhochschule Südwestfalen, 11 of them taught in English.
Showing 1–24 of 101 programmes
Admissions & fees
What it costs
As a public university in North Rhine-Westphalia, FH Südwestfalen does not charge tuition fees for bachelor's or consecutive master's programmes for any student regardless of nationality. Students pay a semester contribution (Semesterbeitrag) each term; the exact amount was not published on the pages reviewed. NRW does not apply non-EU surcharge fees (unlike Baden-Württemberg or Bavaria). The Deutschlandstipendium scholarship programme (€300/month) is available for enrolled students.
Admission requirements
International applicants must hold a recognised higher education entrance qualification. For German-taught programmes, proof of German language proficiency is required (typically DSH 1/2 or TestDaF TDN 3/4 as a minimum, with some programmes requiring DSH 3 / TestDaF TDN 5 or equivalent Goethe/telc C1/C2 certificates). For the English-taught International Management B.A., English proficiency evidence is required instead. Applicants from India, China (including Hong Kong and Macau), and Vietnam must present a valid APS (Akademische Prüfstelle) certificate before applying. Applications are submitted via the university's online portal; degree-seeking international students should consult the International Office for programme-specific requirements.
Application deadlines
Specific application deadline dates for international students were not published on the pages reviewed. The re-registration window for the Summer Semester 2026 ran 6-20 January 2026. Lecture periods: Winter Semester 2025/26 ran 22 September 2025 - 6 February 2026; Summer Semester 2026 runs 6 April - 31 July 2026; Winter Semester 2026/27 starts 28 September 2026. Prospective students should check the university's Bewerbungsfristen (application deadlines) page or contact the International Office for current deadlines.
How international applicants apply
Dual model. Applicants who are German or equal to German citizens apply via the university's own online portal; applicants not equal to German citizens apply via uni-assist ('Then please apply via uni-assist'), uploading certificates there per the official international application instructions.
Languages of instruction
Most programmes are taught in German. A select number of programmes are offered entirely in English, including the International Management B.A. German-taught programmes require TestDaF or DSH language certification (DSH 1/2 or TestDaF 3/4 for standard entry; higher levels - DSH 3 / TestDaF 5 - for some programmes). C1/C2 certificates from telc GmbH and Goethe-Institut are also accepted.
Entry requirements, intake dates and language levels differ for every degree.
Scholarships at Fachhochschule Südwestfalen
2 schemes run or administered by the university. Always confirm current amounts and deadlines on the official page.
Budde-Preis (Budde Foundation prize for outstanding theses)
Annual award for outstanding final theses of FH Suedwestfalen graduates; three winners announced each November together with the G...
Amount: EUR 5,000 per winner
Deadline: Annual (award ceremony in November)
bachelor, master
Deutschlandstipendium at FH Suedwestfalen
Monthly EUR 300 scholarship for students whose track record promises strong study performance; financed half by private donors and...
Amount: EUR 300/month (EUR 3,600/year)
Deadline: Annual call per university announcement
bachelor, master
Student accommodation
What Fachhochschule Südwestfalen publishes about housing. German universities do not allocate rooms themselves, so the links below are where applications actually go.
From the university
Each campus has a canteen (Mensa) run by the Studierendenwerk. Student housing is managed externally through the regional Studierendenwerk; the university website links to housing guidance for incoming students.
Campuses & locations
Home to the faculties of Electrical Engineering and Information Technology, and Technical Business Administration; institutional roots dating to 1824
Balance of study conditions and quality of life; engineering and natural sciences focus
Newest campus; branch programmes
Modern facilities; engineering and business sciences
Strong agricultural focus; home to the International Summer School and Center for Business Education (BE!)
Living in Iserlohn
FH Südwestfalen's campuses are spread across the Sauerland and southern Ruhr region of North Rhine-Westphalia. Hagen is the largest campus city, well connected by rail in the wider Ruhr metropolitan area. Soest is a historic market town known for its well-preserved medieval old town. Iserlohn, Lüdenscheid, and Meschede are mid-sized towns in the Märkisches Sauerland region, offering lower living costs than major German cities while providing easy access to Dortmund and Cologne by regional train.
Student life & support
The university operates Student Service Offices at each campus as the primary contact point for administrative and study-related queries. The International Office supports exchange students and degree-seeking international students. Each campus has a canteen (Mensa) run by the Studierendenwerk. Library and IT services, including PC pools and e-learning platforms, are available across all locations. The Soest campus hosts an annual International Summer School and an International Sustainability Week. Academic support is provided through StudiPoints and Learning Centres. The university participates in the Deutschlandstipendium programme. Student housing is managed externally through the regional Studierendenwerk; the university website links to housing guidance for incoming students.
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