- Founded
- 2025
- Programmes
- 7
- Taught in English
- 7
About German UDS
The German University of Digital Science (German UDS) is Europe's first state-recognised fully digital university, headquartered at the CloudHouse in Media City Babelsberg, Potsdam, Brandenburg. It received state recognition from the Brandenburg Ministry of Science, Research and Culture in February 2025 and began teaching operations on 1 April 2025. Founded as a non-profit gGmbH by computer science professors Christoph Meinel and Mike Friedrichsen, it is accredited by the German Accreditation Council (Akkreditierungsrat), assessed positively by the Wissenschaftsrat, and programme-accredited by ASIIN.
All programmes are delivered entirely online in English, with no mandatory on-campus attendance. The academic calendar is organised into four 12-week quarters per year, supporting April and October intakes for degree programmes. Degrees awarded are full German university degrees recognised under the Brandenburg Higher Education Act.
The university focuses exclusively on digital disciplines: Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity, Advanced Digital Reality (XR/VR/AR), Digital Leadership, Quantum Computing, and related management fields. It explicitly targets learners who cannot relocate to Germany due to financial, professional, or family constraints, with particular outreach to students from the Global South. Scholarships of up to 50% tuition waiver are available on a merit- and need-basis.
Europe's first state-recognised fully digital university awarding full German degrees online
State recognition by Brandenburg Ministry of Science granted February 2025; teaching started April 2025
Accredited by Akkreditierungsrat and ASIIN; positively assessed by Wissenschaftsrat
All programmes in English; no German language requirement for admission
Programmes in Applied AI, Cybersecurity, Advanced Digital Reality, Quantum Computing, Digital Leadership, and MBA tracks
Scholarships up to 50% tuition waiver available, with priority for Global South applicants
Key facts
- Type
- sonstige
- Founded
- 2025
- International
- No percentage published: German UDS was ranked first among private German universities for 'International Orientation' in the Sueddeutsche Zeitung ranking of best private universities 2026, one year after opening; all degree programmes are English-only and fully online with an explicit recruitment focus on learners worldwide, particularly the Global South.
- Programmes
- 7
Study programmes
7 accredited degrees at German UDS, 7 of them taught in English.
Showing 1–7 of 7 programmes
Admissions & fees
What it costs
This is a private non-profit university; tuition fees apply. MBA programmes: €7,500 per year (payable quarterly at €2,000/quarter, total programme cost approximately €8,000). Master of Science programmes: €7,500 per year (total approximately €16,000 over two years). Micro-Degrees: €900 per programme. Scholarships of up to 50% tuition reduction are available, with priority for applicants from the Global South. No semester contribution (Semesterbeitrag) is charged as there is no physical campus or student services union.
Admission requirements
Master's programmes require a bachelor's degree in a relevant field with a minimum grade equivalent to 2.5 (German scale) and English proficiency at CEFR B2 or above. A STEM background is recommended but not mandatory for all MSc tracks. MBA programmes require a university degree (or equivalent qualification) plus at least three years of relevant professional experience in a digital environment, and English B2. Micro-Degrees have no prior qualification requirement. APS certificate is not applicable because programmes are fully online and no German student visa is issued for distance-learning enrolment; Indian, Chinese, and Vietnamese applicants do not need an APS to apply. Applications are submitted via the online portal at german-uds.de with transcripts, CV, and motivation letter.
Application deadlines
April intake: applications close 15 March. October intake: applications close 15 September. Micro-Degrees have quarterly intakes.
How international applicants apply
Not used - direct online application via German UDS' own campus portal (campus.german-uds.de: account signup, then 'Start your Application'); micro-degrees are booked directly without any application process. Entry requirements per programme (bachelor degree, English B2, etc.) are checked internally; no uni-assist or VPD step is documented anywhere on german-uds.de.
Languages of instruction
English (all programmes). No German-language degree programmes offered.
Entry requirements, intake dates and language levels differ for every degree.
Scholarships at German UDS
3 schemes run or administered by the university. Always confirm current amounts and deadlines on the official page.
German UDS Early Bird Bursary
Bursary for applicants who secure their study place ahead of the intake deadlines; rewards early commitment to the digital educati...
Deadline: Before the respective intake deadline
Master, MBA, Micro-Degree
German UDS International Scholarship (International Digital Excellence Scholarship)
Tuition fee bursary for the first year of study (2026-2027 intake) for talented international students; awarded on holistic evalua...
Amount: EUR 1,000 tuition fee reduction, first year of study only
Deadline: Apply before the respective intake deadline
Master, MBA
UDS Foundation Scholarships
The Foundation awards 10 scholarships to support talented students pursuing digital education at German UDS; funding covers tuitio...
Master, MBA
Student accommodation
What German UDS publishes about housing. German universities do not allocate rooms themselves, so the links below are where applications actually go.
The university's housing page
Deadlines and application forms are published here, and they change every intake.
Open housing pageHousing office: [email protected]
From the university
There is no physical student union, sports facility, or dormitory, consistent with the fully online model.
Campuses & locations
Headquarters in Media City Babelsberg, Potsdam, Brandenburg. All teaching is fully online; no residential campus.
Living in Potsdam
The university's registered headquarters is in Babelsberg, Potsdam - the state capital of Brandenburg, directly adjacent to Berlin. Potsdam is known for its UNESCO World Heritage palaces and parks, a lively student population (University of Potsdam is also based here), and excellent rail links to central Berlin (approx. 25 minutes). Because German UDS is fully online, students do not need to relocate to Potsdam; however, occasional in-person Career Weeks may be held there.
Student life & support
Student life is primarily digital. The university provides a virtual campus called COVE (Campus of Virtual Education) for immersive interaction. Weekly drop-in advising sessions are held via Zoom (Wednesdays, 13:00-13:30 CET). One-on-one consultations with academic advisors are available. There is no physical student union, sports facility, or dormitory, consistent with the fully online model.
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