ISBA gGmbH - Internationale Studien- und Berufsakademie

About ISBA gGmbH - Internationale Studien- und Berufsakademie

ISBA gGmbH – Internationale Studien- und Berufsakademie is a state-recognised, non-profit Berufsakademie (University of Cooperative Education) headquartered in Saarbrücken, Germany, with its registered office at Trierer Straße 8, 66111 Saarbrücken (Amtsgericht Saarbrücken HRB 103 009). It offers practice-integrated and work-integrated bachelor's degree programmes accredited by AHPGS, combining study with vocational training or employment.

ISBA operates across 12 cities throughout Germany, offering seven bachelor's programmes in health, social services, and international business: Social Work (B.A.), Physiotherapy (B.Sc.), Physician Assistant (B.Sc.), International Business Management (B.A.), Osteopathy (B.Sc.), Speech-Language Pathology/Logopädie (B.Sc.), and Health & Care Management (B.A., pending accreditation). The dual/work-integrated study model means students are enrolled simultaneously with a cooperating employer or training institution.

As a gGmbH (non-profit limited company), ISBA's programmes are state-recognised in the relevant German federal states. The institution is led by three executives and is affiliated with the Kolbing-Bildungswerk network for data-protection oversight.

Key facts

Official website

State-recognised Berufsakademie (University of Cooperative Education) operating as a non-profit gGmbH

Work-integrated study model: students hold simultaneous employment or training contracts alongside their degree

AHPGS-accredited programmes in health, social services, and international business

Nationwide presence across 12 German cities with study locations from Hamburg to Freiburg

International Business Management (B.A.) programme includes English plus French or Spanish language modules

Seven bachelor's degree programmes spanning healthcare, social work, and business management

Admissions & costs

Tuition & fees

ISBA does not publish tuition fee amounts on its official website. As a state-recognised institution in Baden-Württemberg and other states, non-EU/EEA students are subject to the Baden-Württemberg non-EU tuition fee of €1,500 per semester (introduced 2017) where applicable. Semester contributions and any programme-specific fees should be confirmed directly with ISBA, as the work-integrated model may involve different cost structures from standard university programmes.

Admission requirements

Entry to ISBA programmes requires a German Hochschulreife (Abitur) or Fachhochschulreife, or an equivalent recognised foreign secondary qualification. Because ISBA uses a work-integrated/dual-study model, applicants must also have a contract with a cooperating training company or employer before enrolment. International applicants from India, Vietnam, and China should note that an APS certificate is required for the German student visa for these nationalities. Specific language requirements (minimum German level) and detailed entry criteria are not published on the official website; prospective students should contact ISBA directly.

Languages of instruction

Instruction is primarily in German. The International Business Management programme includes mandatory language modules in English plus one of French or Spanish. No fully English-taught programmes are listed on the official website.

Campuses & locations

Stuttgart

Multiple study locations; Social Work, Physiotherapy, and International Business Management offered

Freiburg

Physiotherapy and International Business Management offered

Berlin

Social Work offered

Heidelberg

Social Work offered

Köln

Social Work offered

München

Social Work offered

Münster

Social Work offered

Nürnberg

Social Work offered

Erfurt

Social Work offered

Hamburg

Study location

Schwerin

Physiotherapy offered

Saarbrücken

Headquarters; Trierer Straße 8, 66111 Saarbrücken

Living in Baden-Württemberg

ISBA's registered headquarters is in Saarbrücken, the capital of Saarland in south-western Germany, near the French border. However, students typically study at one of 12 city locations across Germany — including Stuttgart, Berlin, München, Hamburg, Köln, and Heidelberg — where the cooperating training partner is based. City choice is therefore driven primarily by the location of the partner employer.

Student life & support

Because ISBA follows a dual/work-integrated study model, students split their time between the study centre and their training company or employer. No dedicated international office or housing service is listed on the official website. Prospective international students are advised to contact ISBA directly for guidance on student accommodation, German language preparation, and support services at each study location.

Accredited Programmes

Bachelor/Bakkalaureus