About Kommunale Hochschule für Verwaltung in Niedersachsen
The Kommunale Hochschule für Verwaltung in Niedersachsen (HSVN) is a specialised public-administration university operated by the Niedersächsisches Studieninstitut für kommunale Verwaltung e.V. (NSI). Founded in 1926, it trains civil servants and public-sector employees for municipal, state, and church administrations across Lower Saxony. The institution grants recognised Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts degrees in public administration through a dual/work-integrated study model: students are typically employed and paid by a hiring authority (municipality or district) throughout their studies.
The HSVN is structured around a blended-learning model that combines e-learning modules with classroom phases at its Hannover education centre. It maintains three education centres in Braunschweig, Hannover, and Oldenburg. Approximately 1,500 students are enrolled in bachelor's or master's programmes annually, supported by around 60 full-time faculty and more than 900 associate lecturers, yielding a student-to-teacher ratio of approximately 1:25.
As a highly specialised institution focused on German public-law administration, its programmes are conducted entirely in German and are primarily accessible to applicants already employed by or accepted into a Lower Saxony public-sector authority. It is not a conventional open-entry university and does not offer programmes in English or for the general international student market.
Key facts
- Founded
- 1926
- Students
- 1,500
Specialised public-administration university — one of the largest of its kind in Germany
Work-integrated study: students receive a salary from their employing authority throughout the degree
No tuition fees; costs fully covered by the sponsoring public-sector body
Blended-learning model combining e-learning with on-campus teaching phases
Three education centres covering all of Lower Saxony (Hannover, Braunschweig, Oldenburg)
Stevie Award Gold and Bronze recipient; ranked by Statista Education 2024
Admissions & costs
Tuition & fees
No student tuition contribution is charged. Costs are borne by the employing authority, which also pays students an Anwärtergrundbetrag (training/probationary salary) or equivalent during the bachelor's programme.
Admission requirements
Admission is not open to general international applicants. Entry requires prior employment or a training contract (Ausbildungs- or Studienvertrag) with a participating Lower Saxony municipal, district, or church authority. For the Bachelor of Arts, applicants typically hold the German Abitur (or equivalent) and an employment contract with a sponsoring public-sector body. For the Master of Arts, a completed bachelor's degree in public administration and continued public-sector employment are required. APS certificate is not applicable given the employment-based admission model. The institution does not recruit international students in the conventional sense.
Languages of instruction
German only. No English-taught programmes offered.
Campuses & locations
Primary education centre; housing available on campus
Regional education centre
Regional education centre; housing available
Living in Niedersachsen
The HSVN's main campus is in Hannover, the state capital of Lower Saxony, with approximately 540,000 inhabitants. Hannover is a major administrative, trade-fair (Hannover Messe, CeBIT legacy), and transport hub in northern Germany, well connected by high-speed rail (ICE) and Hannover Airport.
Student life & support
Campus facilities in Hannover include a library, cafeteria (Mensa), lecture halls, group study rooms, and on-campus student housing. An International Office supports enrolled students seeking internships abroad through programmes such as PROMOS (global internships 6 weeks–6 months) and ERASMUS+ (EU vocational trainee mobility). TOEFL ITP and TOEIC language tests are administered on-site at discounted rates for enrolled students.
5
Accredited Programmes
2
Master
3
Bachelor/Bakkalaureus
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