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Fachhochschulen / HAW

Hamburger Fern-Hochschule, gemeinnützige GmbH

Hamburg,  Hamburg, Germany

Founded
1997
Students
14,265
International
15.9%
Programmes
25

Admissions & fees

What it costs

HFH is a privately financed institution; tuition fees apply to all students regardless of nationality. There is no public-university semester contribution model. Bachelor programmes cost approximately €290-€410 per month (total programme cost roughly €7,100-€16,280 depending on duration and subject). Master programmes cost approximately €380-€600 per month (total €11,790-€14,490). Dual study programmes range from €180-€380 per month. Examination fees are charged separately per attempt (first attempt currently waived for certain 2026 intakes). HFH guarantees tuition rates remain fixed at the level valid on the date of enrolment. Students may extend their studies by up to two semesters beyond the standard duration at no additional cost; thereafter a monthly continuation fee applies.

Admission requirements

Admission requires a German Hochschulreife (Abitur or Fachhochschulreife) or equivalent foreign qualification assessed by the ZAB (Zentralstelle für ausländisches Bildungswesen). Professionally qualified applicants without Abitur may be admitted via recognised advanced professional certificates or an entrance exam. Most bachelor programmes require a 12-13-week practical internship (Grundpraktikum) prior to enrolment; exemptions apply for Psychology, Business Psychology, and Therapy/Nursing Sciences programmes. International applicants must demonstrate German language proficiency at a minimum of B2 CEFR level. Accepted certificates include DSH, TestDaF (sufficient result), DSD II, or Goethe-Institut diplomas (ZOP, Kleines/Großes Deutsches Sprachdiplom). Applicants whose secondary education was conducted in German are exempt. Foreign credentials are evaluated against the ZAB database and the DAAD credential database (daad.de/zulassungsdatenbank). No APS certificate is required or mentioned by the institution. All programmes are admission-restriction-free (kein NC).

Application deadlines

Enrolment is possible on a rolling basis (year-round); no fixed national application windows. New cohorts typically start in April (summer) and October (winter). Prospective students should apply several weeks before their intended start date to allow for document verification.

How international applicants apply

Direct application - no uni-assist. Applicants with a foreign higher education entrance qualification register exclusively via the HFH-Studienberatung ([email protected]); the registration form states that registration and matriculation run solely through this HFH checking procedure. HFH assesses foreign certificates itself strictly against ZAB/anabin evaluation proposals and requires certified copies, sworn German translations, German B2, and where applicable a ZAB Gleichwertigkeitsbescheinigung.

Languages of instruction

German (all programmes). No English-taught degree programmes listed.

Entry requirements, intake dates and language levels differ for every degree.

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