- Founded
- 1848
- Students
- 14,785
- International
- 11%
- Programmes
- 244
- Taught in English
- 34
About Hochschule Fresenius
Hochschule Fresenius - University of Applied Sciences is a private, state-recognised institution founded in 1848 as the Chemisches Laboratorium Fresenius in Wiesbaden. Recognised as a Fachhochschule by the Hessian Ministry of Science in 1971, it has grown into one of Germany's largest independent private higher-education groups, operating under the Carl Remigius Fresenius Education Group. In 2021 it received a 10-year re-accreditation from the German Science Council (Wissenschaftsrat).
The university offers bachelor's and master's programmes across five academic departments covering chemistry and biology, health and social sciences, design, business and media, and online education. Study formats include full-time, part-time, dual, and distance learning. Its main legal seat and founding campus is in Idstein (Hessen), with additional locations in Berlin, Düsseldorf, Frankfurt am Main, Hamburg, Heidelberg, Cologne, Munich, and Wiesbaden, plus a virtual Online Campus.
As a private institution, Hochschule Fresenius charges tuition fees that vary by programme and study format; fees are paid monthly. It is not state-funded, so the tuition-free model that applies to most public German universities does not apply here. International students seeking English-taught programmes will find a selection of master's programmes delivered in English, primarily through the hs-fresenius.com portal targeting international applicants.
Founded in 1848 as Chemisches Laboratorium Fresenius - one of Germany's oldest private higher-education lineages
State-recognised private Fachhochschule since 1971; 10-year re-accreditation by Wissenschaftsrat in 2021
10 study locations across Germany (9 physical campuses + Online Campus), with flexible inter-campus transfers
5 academic departments: Chemistry & Biology, Health & Social Sciences, Design, Business & Media, and Online Education (Onlineplus)
English-taught master's programmes available via the international portal (hs-fresenius.com) in management, health economics, engineering management, e-commerce, and bioanalytical chemistry
Part of the Carl Remigius Fresenius Education Group, one of Germany's largest private and independent education groups
Key facts
- Type
- Fachhochschulen / HAW
- Founded
- 1848
- Students
- 14,785
- International
- ~11%
- Faculties
- 5
- Programmes
- 244
Study programmes
244 accredited degrees at Hochschule Fresenius, 34 of them taught in English.
Showing 1–24 of 244 programmes
Admissions & fees
What it costs
Hochschule Fresenius is a private institution and charges tuition fees for all programmes; there is no tuition-free offer. Fees are paid monthly and vary by programme, level (bachelor/master), and study format (full-time, part-time, dual, distance). Exact fee amounts are published on individual programme pages and are not listed centrally. A mandatory semester contribution (Semesterbeitrag) also applies and includes benefits such as a semester transport ticket. No distinction between EU and non-EU fee levels is stated on the official website. German state non-EU surcharges (e.g. Baden-Württemberg €1,500/semester) do not apply as the main campus is in Hessen, which has not introduced non-EU surcharges. Non-EU applicants pay a €3,000 security deposit - not an extra fee, but an advance payment offset against the tuition of the final six months of the programme. English-language programmes cost around €750-900 per month (payable monthly or per semester). Visa & financial proof: a German student visa costs €75, and applicants must prove financial resources of at least €11,904 for the first year (the official estimate of living costs, ~€992/month, tuition excluded) - most commonly via a blocked account; check with the German diplomatic mission which proof is accepted.
Admission requirements
International applicants with a foreign secondary school qualification are assessed individually. Those whose credentials do not directly meet German university entrance requirements may sit the institution's own entrance examination (120-minute written online test plus 30-minute oral examination); recognised standardised test scores (SAT, ACT, A-levels, ITB, Gaokao) can exempt applicants from this test. Hochschule Fresenius also operates a Studienkolleg NRW and a Pre-Bachelor preparatory pathway for applicants requiring additional preparation. No fixed application deadlines are published - the university accepts applications year-round via an online form. APS certificate requirements for applicants from India, China, or Vietnam are not addressed on the official website; however, the APS certificate is a German consulate requirement for the student visa (not set by the university), so Indian, Chinese, and Vietnamese applicants must obtain their APS certificate before applying for the visa regardless.
Application deadlines
Applications are accepted all year round via the online form; the university states there is no application deadline. Study starts are possible in both the winter and summer semester depending on the programme.
How international applicants apply
No uni-assist - not on the uni-assist member list. Private university: direct application year-round via its own online application form/process (no uni-assist VPD or processing documented; foreign qualifications approved under Hessisches Hochschulgesetz).
Languages of instruction
The majority of programmes are taught in German. A selection of English-taught master's programmes is offered through the international portal (hs-fresenius.com), including International Management (M.A.), International Health Economics & Pharmacoeconomics (M.Sc.), Industrial Engineering and International Management (M.Sc.), E-Commerce & Logistics (M.Sc.), and Bioanalytical Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Analysis (M.Sc.). Specific language proficiency requirements (IELTS/TOEFL scores or German level) are not published centrally; consult individual programme pages.
Entry requirements, intake dates and language levels differ for every degree.
Scholarships at Hochschule Fresenius
9 schemes run or administered by the university. Always confirm current amounts and deadlines on the official page.
"ERLEBE ES!" Campaign - Study Abroad Correspondents
Students active on social media can apply to become correspondents for their study abroad experience. Honorarium provided. Deadlin...
Amount: Honorarium (amount not specified)
Deadline: 1 May (winter semester abroad); 1 November (summer semester abroad)
Bachelor, Master
Auslands-BAföG (BAföG for Semester Abroad)
Students often entitled to BAföG abroad even if not eligible in Germany. Covers tuition fees and living expenses. Responsible BAfö...
Amount: Domestic BAföG rate + tuition fees abroad + living expenses abroad
Deadline: Early application recommended (responsible BAföG office per destinatio...
Bachelor, Master
Brain Capital Educational Funds (EU Students)
Educational funds as alternative to student loans: no fixed interest rate, repayment as percentage of subsequent gross income. EU...
Amount: Funding amount varies; repayment as % of gross income (no fixed intere...
Bachelor, Master
Deutschlandstipendium at Hochschule Fresenius
Fresenius University of Applied Sciences awards Deutschlandstipendien to encourage talented young people to take up and successful...
Amount: EUR 300 per month
Deadline: Annual application phase 1 - 31 May (deadline for funding period 2026/...
Bachelor, Master, Second degree and part-time/dual programmes also eligible
Erasmus+ Scholarships (European Partner Universities)
Erasmus+ scholarships for study stays at European partner universities. Includes monthly mobility grant, tuition fee waiver at par...
Amount: Monthly Erasmus+ mobility grant (country group dependent)
Deadline: Per International Office deadlines
Bachelor, Master
Performance-Based Study Abroad Scholarship (Faculty of Design)
Faculty-specific scholarship for study abroad semester. Faculty of Design: 3 scholarships of EUR 500 each per year for Study Abroa...
Amount: EUR 500 per year (3 scholarships per year)
Deadline: 15 April (winter semester abroad); 15 October (summer semester abroad)
Bachelor, Master
Performance-Based Study Abroad Scholarship (Faculty of Economics & Media)
Faculty-specific scholarship for study abroad semester. Faculty of Economics & Media: 6 scholarships of EUR 1,000 per semester for...
Amount: EUR 1,000 per semester (6 scholarships per semester)
Deadline: 15 April (winter semester abroad); 15 October (summer semester abroad)
Bachelor, Master
PROMOS Scholarship for Stays Abroad (Non-EU)
The PROMOS scholarship makes non-curricular stays abroad outside the EU possible: semester abroad (min. 3 months), internship outs...
Amount: Monthly partial scholarship (country-dependent) and/or travel allowanc...
Deadline: 15 January and 15 June annually
Bachelor, Master
Study Abroad Stipendium Regulations (General Fresenius)
Complete scholarship regulations for Fresenius Study Abroad scholarships (faculty-specific and general). Includes application requ...
Amount: Per specific scholarship (Faculty Economics & Media: EUR 1,000/semeste...
Deadline: 15 April (winter semester abroad); 15 October (summer semester abroad)
Bachelor, Master
Student accommodation
What Hochschule Fresenius publishes about housing. German universities do not allocate rooms themselves, so the links below are where applications actually go.
Rooms are allocated by
Studierendenwerk Kassel
Not by the university. Apply to them directly, and expect a waiting list.
The university's housing page
Deadlines and application forms are published here, and they change every intake.
Open housing pageRoom types mentioned
What that page describes. Availability varies by intake.
From the university
BAföG state grants are accessible to eligible students (German citizens, EU citizens, and permanent residents) processed via Studierendenwerk Kassel (or Studierendenwerk Heidelberg for the Heidelberg campus).
Campuses & locations
Main/founding campus (Hessen); headquarters; chemistry labs and health/social programmes
Modern facilities across multiple subject areas
Two multifunctional sites with a broad range of programmes
Health and Social Sciences; classes held in a hospital setting
Modern campus near the Alster waterfront
Business, psychology, and health programmes
Centrally located campus
Campus with green spaces and well-equipped facilities
Newest campus; historic city; the original institutional location before 1995 move to Idstein
Virtual live-study option; location-independent learning
Living in Idstein
Idstein is a small historic town in the Taunus hills of Hessen, roughly 30 km north-west of Frankfurt am Main. It is well connected to Frankfurt by regional rail (approx. 30 minutes), giving students access to one of Germany's major economic and cultural centres. The town itself is known for its well-preserved half-timbered old town (Altstadt) and a compact, student-friendly environment. Students at other Hochschule Fresenius locations - Berlin, Hamburg, Munich, Cologne, Frankfurt, Düsseldorf, Heidelberg, and Wiesbaden - benefit from the respective city's public-transport network, cultural offer, and labour market.
Student life & support
Hochschule Fresenius maintains an International Office (Auslandsprogramme team) that provides individual counselling for students planning study abroad or exchange. The institution participates in the Erasmus+ programme and offers short-term international programmes (3-14 days) at partner institutions in New York, Shanghai, Kuala Lumpur, Sydney, London, Dublin, and Barcelona. BAföG state grants are accessible to eligible students (German citizens, EU citizens, and permanent residents) processed via Studierendenwerk Kassel (or Studierendenwerk Heidelberg for the Heidelberg campus). On-campus housing information is not published centrally on the official site; students are advised to contact the advisory team. German language course provision for international students is not detailed on the public website.
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