Hochschule der Bayerischen Wirtschaft für angewandte Wissenschaften - HDBW gGmbH
München, Bayern, Germany
- Founded
- 2014
- Students
- 500
- International
- 33%
- Programmes
- 17
- Taught in English
- 2
About Hochschule der Bayerischen Wirtschaft München gGmbH
Hochschule der Bayerischen Wirtschaft (HDBW) gGmbH is a private, state-recognised university of applied sciences (Fachhochschule) in Munich, Bavaria, founded in 2014 and operated as part of the bbw Group. It specialises in business administration, engineering, and digital technologies, offering bachelor's, master's, and MBA programmes with a strong emphasis on practice-oriented education in close partnership with regional industry.
The university enrolls approximately 500 students and maintains small class sizes of up to 40 students per course. All programmes are accredited by ACQUIN or FIBAA, and in the 2026 SZ-Institut ranking HDBW placed 4th among German private universities in Business, Management & Entrepreneurship and 3rd in Engineering.
HDBW is jointly owned equally by three bbw Group subsidiaries - bfz gGmbH, gfi gGmbH, and FAW gGmbH - and is state-recognised by the Bavarian Ministry of Science and Art (Bayerisches Staatsministerium für Wissenschaft und Kunst).
Private, state-recognised Fachhochschule founded in 2014, part of the established bbw Group
All three master's programmes fully English-taught, focused on digitalisation and cybersecurity
Small class sizes (max. 40 students) and practice-oriented curriculum in partnership with Bavarian industry
Ranked 3rd (Engineering) and 4th (Business) among German private universities - SZ-Institut 2026
No NC for bachelor admission; motivation and personality weighted over school grades
Campus in the landmark Wappenhalle, former Munich-Riem Airport terminal, near Messe München
Key facts
- Type
- Fachhochschulen / HAW
- Founded
- 2014
- Students
- 500
- International
- 33% international students (MyGermanUniversity profile)
- Programmes
- 17
Study programmes
17 accredited degrees at Hochschule der Bayerischen Wirtschaft München gGmbH, 2 of them taught in English.
Showing 1–17 of 17 programmes
Admissions & fees
What it costs
HDBW is a private university; tuition is charged for all programmes. Bachelor: €590/month (all-inclusive, covering lectures, seminars, and exams). Master full-time: €790/month; master part-time: €480/month. MBA: €28,000 total (full-time or part-time). There is no public-university tuition-free status here. Bayern's non-EU semester fee (introduced from WS 2025/26 at public universities) does not apply to HDBW as a private institution.
Admission requirements
Bachelor admission requires a German Fachhochschulreife, Hochschulreife (Abitur), or equivalent qualification; no Numerus Clausus (NC) applies. International applicants must have an equivalent school-leaving certificate recognised for university entry in Germany. APS certificate is required for applicants whose prior qualification was obtained in India, China (incl. HK/Macau), or Vietnam before the German student visa application. German language proficiency at B2 level is expected for German-taught bachelor programmes. Master's admission requires a completed bachelor's degree (ideally 210 ECTS; 180 ECTS accepted with supplementary coursework); English B2 (IELTS, TOEFL, TOEIC, FCE, CPE, or BEC) for the English-taught master's. Non-EU bachelor's graduates must complete a one-semester Pre-Master bridge programme unless they hold 3+ years of professional experience and a compatible bachelor's credential.
Application deadlines
Winter semester (start October): application deadline 30 September. Summer semester (start mid-March): application deadline 14 March. Bachelor programmes start in the winter semester only.
How international applicants apply
Direct application - no uni-assist. HDBW uses its own online application form ('Jetzt bewerben') followed by its advisory/admission process including a personal interview (no NC); deadlines for WiSe 2026/27 were 30 Sep 2026 generally and 31 Jul 2026 for applicants from outside the EU. HDBW is not listed among uni-assist partner universities.
Languages of instruction
Bachelor programmes taught in German. All three master's programmes (Digital Business Modelling and Entrepreneurship M.A., Digital Factory and Operational Excellence M.Sc., Cyber Security M.Sc.) are taught entirely in English. MBA available in German or English.
Entry requirements, intake dates and language levels differ for every degree.
Scholarships at Hochschule der Bayerischen Wirtschaft München gGmbH
2 schemes run or administered by the university. Always confirm current amounts and deadlines on the official page.
Deutschlandstipendium der HDBW
300 EUR per month for two semesters, financed half by the federal government and half by private sponsors (companies, foundations,...
Amount: 300 EUR/month
bachelor, master, mba
Festo Bildungsfonds (engineering study financing)
Income-dependent financing for engineering-field studies: up to 40,000 EUR study credit plus qualification stipend and company con...
Amount: up to 40,000 EUR financing
bachelor, master
Campuses & locations
Konrad-Zuse-Platz 8, 81829 München; located on the 3rd floor of the historic landmark-protected Wappenhalle, the former departure hall of Munich-Riem Airport, opposite the Munich Trade Fair (Messe München).
Living in München
Munich (München) is Bavaria's capital and Germany's third-largest city, home to approximately 22,000 high-tech companies spanning electronics, automotive, aerospace, IT, finance, and life sciences. The HDBW campus is in the Munich-Riem district, adjacent to the Messe München (trade fair grounds) and close to Riemer Park and Riemer Badesee. Munich's strong labour market and density of DAX-listed and mid-size companies make it a prime location for internships and graduate employment.
Student life & support
The campus occupies the historic Wappenhalle and includes a student lounge on the 3rd floor and individual workspaces on the 4th floor. The on-campus café Leonardi im Konrad offers subsidised lunches (€1 per lecture day via the Munich Student Welfare Office). Students have access to the Central University Sports Munich (ZHS) network offering 125+ sports including sailing, rowing, climbing, and tennis for a €12 semester fee. Riemer Park and Riemer Badesee are within walking distance. A student parliament is elected every two years. The Career Center connects students with internships and part-time jobs; most timetables leave one to two free days per week for work.
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