Hochschule für öffentliche Verwaltung und Rechtspflege (FH), Fortbildungszentrum des Freistaates Sachsen (HSF)

About Hochschule Meißen (FH) und Fortbildungszentrum

Hochschule Meißen (FH) und Fortbildungszentrum — formally the Hochschule für öffentliche Verwaltung und Rechtspflege (FH), Fortbildungszentrum des Freistaates Sachsen (HSF) — is a state-run Fachhochschule established in 1992 in Meißen, Saxony. It operates under the supervision of the Saxon State Ministry of the Interior and trains civil servants exclusively for the public sector of the Free State of Saxony. The institution is not a general-access university: all undergraduate study places are allocated through employment contracts with Saxon public employers rather than through a standard university application.

The college offers nine programmes across five departments: General Administration (LL.B.), Digital Administration, Social Administration, Social Insurance (all bachelor-level), Diploma programmes in Legal Services, Tax Administration and State Finance Administration, and part-time master's programmes in Public Governance, Public Law, and Public Service Innovation. The dual-study model combines theory semesters on campus with practical semesters embedded in a public-sector employer. Annual new-student intake is approximately 416 across all programmes.

The institution also houses the Fortbildungszentrum des Freistaates Sachsen (FoBiZ), a continuing-education centre that provides seminars, workshops, and online training for Saxon civil servants. International activities are limited to Erasmus+ outbound mobility for existing students and a biennial international summer faculty; the college does not recruit international students through conventional pathways.

Key facts

Founded: 1992
Students: 416
Faculties: 5

Specialist state institution — trains Saxon civil servants exclusively for public administration and the judiciary

Dual-study model: alternating theory semesters at HSF Meißen and practical semesters with a public employer

Nine programmes across five departments including bachelor's, diploma, and part-time master's

State-funded: no tuition fees; students on employment contracts receive a salary or training allowance

Houses the Fortbildungszentrum des Freistaates Sachsen (FoBiZ) for continuing professional development of civil servants

Located in historic Meißen on the Elbe, 25 km from Dresden, with Erasmus+ outbound exchange opportunities

Admissions & costs

Tuition & fees

No tuition fees. As a state institution of Saxony, the college charges no tuition. Students on employment contracts receive a salary or training allowance from their public employer. No semester contribution (Semesterbeitrag) amount is published on the official website.

Admission requirements

Admission to undergraduate programmes is not via a standard university application. Applicants must first secure a training or employment contract with a Saxon public employer (Einstellungsbehörde); the employer nominates the candidate and the institution then registers them. Entry qualifications: Allgemeine Hochschulreife, fachgebundene Hochschulreife, or Fachhochschulreife. Applicants with vocational training and three years of relevant work experience may qualify via an entrance examination. All study is in German; no formal German-language certificate threshold is published, but C1-level competence is implicitly required to pass employer selection processes. APS certificate (for Indian, Chinese, Vietnamese applicants) is technically required for visa purposes if a candidate were to enrol, but the civil-service employment-contract entry route makes conventional international student admission extremely unlikely in practice. Non-EU international students cannot apply independently; admission is inseparable from Saxon civil service employment.

Application deadlines

Undergraduate programmes begin 1 September each year. Applications go directly to the relevant Saxon public employer, not to the institution. Deadlines are set by individual employers and vary; the application window for study beginning August/September 2026 opened in early 2026. The master's programme advertising for 2026 enrolment was published in February 2026.

Languages of instruction

German only. All programmes are taught entirely in German. No English-taught programmes are offered.

Campuses & locations

Meißen (main campus)

Herbert-Böhme-Straße 11, 01662 Meißen — sole campus

Living in Sachsen

Meißen is a historic town of approximately 30,000 inhabitants situated on both banks of the River Elbe, about 25 km northwest of Dresden. Known internationally as the birthplace of European hard-paste porcelain (Meissen Porcelain Factory, founded 1710 by Augustus the Strong), the town features the Albrechtsburg castle and the Gothic Meissen Cathedral. It sits at the heart of Saxony's smallest wine-growing region, with over 850 years of viticulture. Dresden is easily reachable by S-Bahn (S1 line, approximately 40 minutes), providing students with access to a major cultural and transport hub.

Student life & support

Campus life at HSF Meißen is shaped by the dual-study model: students alternate between theory semesters on the compact Meißen campus and practical semesters with their employing authority. Study groups are small (typically 20–25 per cohort), fostering close-knit peer networks. The institution participates in Erasmus+ for outbound placements within the EU. The town of Meißen itself is quiet and historic rather than a university city; Dresden (40 min by S-Bahn) offers theatres, clubs, and a larger student community.

International Office: International students page →

Accredited Programmes

Bachelor/Bakkalaureus

Master