Hochschule für Gesundheit - University of Applied Sciences

About Hochschule für Gesundheit - University of Applied Sciences

Hochschule für Gesundheit (hsg) was founded on 1 November 2009 as the first state university in Germany dedicated exclusively to academic training in the health professions. It offered bachelor's and master's programmes in nursing, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech and language therapy, midwifery sciences, health economics, and related fields — filling a gap left by other German universities that focused primarily on postgraduate specialisations such as the Master of Public Health.

On 1 January 2025, hsg merged with Hochschule Bochum (University of Applied Sciences) to form a single institution. The former hsg programmes now operate under two departments at the dedicated Gesundheitscampus location in Bochum: the Department of Health Sciences and the Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Therapy Sciences. The merged Hochschule Bochum offers 49 bachelor's and 25 master's programmes across three campuses, with approximately 9,359 students enrolled in WS 2025/26.

The Gesundheitscampus occupies two adjacent buildings (Gesundheitscampus 6 and 8) in the Gesundheitscampus NRW quarter of Bochum, a purpose-built hub where state health authorities, research institutes, and health-sector companies are co-located. The campus is noted for its practice-integrated curriculum, early placement with clinical partners, and skills laboratories.

Key facts

Founded: 2009
Students: 9,359
Faculties: 2

First state university in Germany founded (2009) to specialise exclusively in academic health-profession training

Merged with Hochschule Bochum on 1 January 2025, now operating as the Gesundheitscampus with ~9,360 total students across the merged institution

Located in Gesundheitscampus NRW Bochum — a purpose-built quarter co-located with state health authorities, research institutes, and health companies

Practice-integrated curriculum with early placement at clinical partners and dedicated skills laboratories

No tuition fees; semester contribution (~€377/semester WS 2026/27) includes a nationwide public transport pass

International Study Programme (ISP) offered each summer semester in English for exchange students under Erasmus+

Admissions & costs

Tuition & fees

No tuition fees are charged. A mandatory semester contribution (Semesterbeitrag) is levied each semester: €354.80 for summer semester 2026 and €376.80 for winter semester 2026/27. This contribution covers student services (AKAFÖ), the AStA student council fee, and the Deutschlandsemesterticket (nationwide public transport pass). There are no additional non-EU tuition surcharges — NRW public universities do not levy the non-EU fee introduced in Baden-Württemberg.

Admission requirements

International applicants from non-EU/EEA countries who obtained their university entrance qualification abroad must apply via uni-assist. Bachelor's applicants submit their school-leaving certificate (with subjects and grades) plus any required internship certificates; master's applicants submit degree certificates and full transcripts (grade conversion via the modified Bavarian formula applies). Proof of German language proficiency is mandatory for all degree-seeking students on German-taught programmes — accepted certificates include TestDaF, DSH, Goethe-Zertifikat C1, or telc Deutsch C1 Hochschule. Applicants whose qualifications are not automatically recognised may alternatively submit TestAS results (minimum 24th percentile in the relevant subject cluster). The application deadline for the winter semester (October start) is 15 June. For Indian, Chinese, and Vietnamese applicants: the APS (Akademische Prüfstelle) certificate is a standard German visa requirement and should be obtained before applying for a student visa, though the university's own admission pages do not explicitly list it as a separate admission gate.

Application deadlines

Winter semester (October start): 15 June for non-EU international applicants applying via uni-assist. Summer semester deadlines should be verified directly with the International Office, as not all programmes admit in summer.

Languages of instruction

Predominantly German-taught. An English-language International Study Programme (ISP) is offered each summer semester for exchange students from partner universities. Some master's electives are available in English.

Campuses & locations

Gesundheitscampus Bochum

Health Campus 6–8, 44801 Bochum — main location for all health-profession programmes (former hsg programmes)

Zentralcampus Bochum

Central campus of Hochschule Bochum for engineering, business, and other disciplines

Campus Velbert/Heiligenhaus

Satellite campus of Hochschule Bochum

Living in Nordrhein-Westfalen

Bochum is a city of approximately 365,000 in the Ruhr metropolitan area of North Rhine-Westphalia, bordered by Dortmund, Essen, and Düsseldorf. It is a compact, affordable student city anchored by Ruhr-Universität Bochum and multiple universities of applied sciences. The Gesundheitscampus NRW quarter — where hsg's programmes are housed — is a modern mixed-use health hub in the northern part of the city, well connected by tram and bus. The Germany-wide semester transport pass (Deutschlandsemesterticket) makes travel across the country free for enrolled students.

Student life & support

The Gesundheitscampus offers a fitness room (open Tuesday and Thursday evenings), weekly in-person and online yoga sessions, psychosocial counselling, and a mindfulness self-study programme via Moodle. A family room with nursing facilities is available. The campus runs an annual anonymous student health survey in partnership with Techniker Krankenkasse and provides the DORIS digital orientation tool for navigating social support services. A campus cafeteria serves both buildings, and students have access to the metropolradruhr free bicycle-sharing scheme.

International Office: [email protected] International students page →

Accredited Programmes

Bachelor/Bakkalaureus