SRH Fernhochschule - The Mobile University
Riedlingen, Baden-Württemberg, Germany
- Founded
- 1996
- Students
- 12,000
- Programmes
- 73
- Taught in English
- 5
About SRH Fernhochschule - The Mobile University
SRH Fernhochschule - The Mobile University is a state-recognised private distance-learning university headquartered in Riedlingen, Baden-Württemberg. Founded in 1996, it operates under the SRH foundation and holds indefinite state recognition from the Baden-Württemberg Ministry for Science, Research and Arts (granted 2020), along with system-accreditation from the German Accreditation Council (Akkreditierungsrat) and ZFU state approval for all distance-learning programmes.
The university enrols approximately 12,000 students and offers 74 state-recognised Bachelor's and Master's degree programmes plus over 176 university certificates across eleven subject areas: Design, Digitalisation, Health, Communication, Management, Sustainability, Education, Psychology, Social Services, Technology, and Business. Teaching follows the CORE principle (Competence-Oriented Research and Education), an active, self-directed learning model described by the institution as unique in Germany.
Study is delivered primarily online with flexible start dates (first of any month), supported by a network of 28 study and examination centres across Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. The model is explicitly designed for working professionals, students with family commitments, and competitive athletes who require location-independent access to higher education.
Fully online distance-learning university with 28 study and examination centres across Germany, Austria, and Switzerland
74 state-recognised Bachelor's and Master's degree programmes plus over 176 university certificates
Flexible monthly start dates - no fixed semester intake windows
Rated 'Top Distance University 2026' by FernstudiumCheck with a 99% student recommendation rate (seventh consecutive year as most popular distance university)
Holds QS Stars 5/5 rating for online learning and is a full member of EFMD Global
Certified climate-neutral university (since June 2021); state-recognised indefinitely by Baden-Württemberg since 2020
Key facts
- Type
- Fachhochschulen / HAW
- Founded
- 1996
- Students
- 12,000
- Programmes
- 73
Study programmes
73 accredited degrees at SRH Fernhochschule - The Mobile University, 5 of them taught in English.
Showing 1–24 of 73 programmes
Admissions & fees
What it costs
SRH Fernhochschule charges tuition fees for all programmes - it is a private distance-learning university and is not tuition-free. Fees are structured as monthly payments across the study duration. Representative bachelor's fee models (as published on the university's fees page): Fix format from approximately €299/month (36-month programme; ~€10,857 total including thesis fee). Flex formats range from approximately €229-€414/month depending on the chosen payment period (36-72 months; total programme cost approximately €14,900-€16,500). Connect (evening-study) formats add approximately €30/month. Representative master's fee models: 60 ECTS programmes from approximately €626-€765/month; 120 ECTS programmes from approximately €414-€580/month (total approximately €13,900-€14,900). No distinction between EU and non-EU student fees is stated on the official fees page. The Baden-Württemberg non-EU tuition surcharge (€1,500/semester) applicable to on-campus state universities does not appear to apply to this private distance-learning institution, but applicants should confirm. Two free leave-of-absence semesters are included.
Admission requirements
International applicants with a foreign school diploma that qualifies for university admission in their home country may apply; the application is subject to a counselling meeting and a probationary study period (minimum 40 ECTS over 2 semesters). Applicants holding a completed vocational qualification plus at least three years of relevant professional experience may also be admitted via the same route. Applications are submitted online; enrolment is possible on the first of any month provided the complete application file is received at least 14 days in advance - there are no fixed intake windows. The university offers a 28-day free trial period before tuition obligations commence. No specific German or English language test scores are published on the admissions pages; prospective international students should contact the university directly for language-proficiency expectations for their target programme. APS certificate: SRH Fernhochschule is not listed among the institutions that formally require APS for Indian, Chinese, or Vietnamese applicants in the standard APS India checklist, but applicants from those countries should confirm with the university and the German consulate before applying.
Application deadlines
No fixed application deadlines. Enrolment is possible on the first of any calendar month, provided the complete application is received at least 14 days before the intended start date.
How international applicants apply
Rolling online enrolment (distance-learning model): enrolment is possible any time with study start on the 1st of any month, via SRH Fernhochschule's own Online-Bewerbungsportal or by emailing the completed Immatrikulationsantrag PDF to [email protected] (about two weeks processing). Exams can be taken abroad at local institutes (Goethe-Institut, German schools, embassies). No uni-assist or VPD involvement.
Languages of instruction
The large majority of programmes (approximately 37 Bachelor's and 25+ Master's programmes) are taught in German. A small number of programmes are delivered in English: at Bachelor's level, Business Management (B.A.) and Industrial Engineering (B.Sc.); at Master's level, Design Management (M.A.) and UX & Service Design (M.A.). Prospective students whose native language is not German should verify current language-of-instruction details for their target programme directly with the university.
Entry requirements, intake dates and language levels differ for every degree.
Scholarships at SRH Fernhochschule - The Mobile University
3 schemes run or administered by the university. Always confirm current amounts and deadlines on the official page.
Deutschlandstipendium der SRH Fernhochschule
300 EUR per month for one year, financed half publicly and half by private sponsors; awarded on the basis of very good school or a...
Amount: 300 EUR/month
Deadline: awarded exclusively to start 1 January each year (apply in advance)
bachelor, master
SRH Hochschulstipendium (university scholarship)
Several scholarships awarded annually to committed applicants in financial need; covers 50 percent of tuition fees for the chosen...
Amount: 50% tuition waiver for the whole regular study period
bachelor, master
Stipendium Soziale Arbeit B.A.
Monthly scholarships for applicants to the Soziale Arbeit (B.A.) distance programme who lack sufficient financial means, paid from...
Amount: monthly grant (amount set by state funding line)
bachelor
Student accommodation
What SRH Fernhochschule - The Mobile University publishes about housing. German universities do not allocate rooms themselves, so the links below are where applications actually go.
From the university
Because the university operates as a fully online distance-learning institution, traditional on-campus student life (dormitories, student union facilities, on-site cafeterias) does not apply in the conventional sense.
Campuses & locations
Main campus; Kirchstraße 26, 88499 Riedlingen, Baden-Württemberg
Study and examination centre
Study and examination centre
Study and examination centre
Study and examination centre
Study and examination centre
Study and examination centre
Study and examination centre
Study and examination centre
Study and examination centre
Study and examination centre
Study and examination centre
Study and examination centre
Study and examination centre
Study and examination centre
Study and examination centre
Study and examination centre
Study and examination centre
Living in Riedlingen
Riedlingen is a small town (population approximately 9,000) in the Biberach district of Baden-Württemberg in south-west Germany, situated on the upper Danube river. It is a quiet administrative and service town with good rail connections to Ulm and the wider Baden-Württemberg network. Because SRH Fernhochschule operates as a fully online distance university with 28 study centres across Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, the majority of its students do not relocate to Riedlingen; they study from their own location and use the nearest examination centre.
Student life & support
Because the university operates as a fully online distance-learning institution, traditional on-campus student life (dormitories, student union facilities, on-site cafeterias) does not apply in the conventional sense. Support services include personal academic advisors and mentors, an online campus platform, and access to any of the 28 physical study and examination centres for in-person exams or events. The university promotes community among students through online forums and peer learning. No dedicated international office or on-site German language course offering is mentioned on the official website; international students requiring visa-related support or in-person services should contact the advisory team directly at [email protected].
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