Business Administration (MBA)
FOM Hochschule für Berufstätige · Cologne, Germany
QS World University Ranking: N/A
Quick Overview
Apply Now📘 Program Overview
Think internationally about leadership and management. The English-language MBA programme at FOM University prepares you to take on responsibility as a manager by strengthening your specialist knowledge in areas such as marketing, finance and business law and by developing personal skills for international management.
You can study the programme using Campus-Studium+ in the lecture hall plus live digital lectures, and you can choose a specialisation in the third semester. Admission is based on your prior university degree volume (ECTS credits), professional experience, current employment, and adequate English language skills at B2 level.
🎯 Course & Curriculum
Course structure
- Build your management foundation with the Integral Total Management (ITM) concept using case studies to connect specialist disciplines with management decision-making.
- Expand expertise in areas such as marketing, finance, and business law.
- Develop decision-making and leadership skills through assessments in the learning modules.
- Choose from a range of MBA specialisations that match your professional goals.
- Deepen your expertise in your selected specialisation area.
- Use block seminars abroad within specialisation options where applicable, with transferable credits.
- Complete the MBA programme with a master thesis.
- Apply your management knowledge to a structured final academic project.
- Finalize programme requirements as part of the full ECTS scope of the degree.
Curriculum
90 CP MBA curriculum structure at FOM Hochschule (credit table not publicly retrievable from official FOM pages in the available research session).
| Semester | No. of modules | Module / subject category | ECTS / CP | Semester total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Semester 1 | ||||
| Semester 2 | ||||
| Semester 3 | ||||
| Total | 90 CP | |||
Career outcomes
- You graduate with an English-language MBA from FOM University, helping you qualify for management and leadership roles in international business environments.
- The programme strengthens decision-making skills through ITM case studies that connect marketing, finance, and business law to real management choices.
- You build job-ready management expertise that is directly relevant for professional career progression in corporate and business functions.
- By choosing a specialisation in the third semester, you tailor your MBA to the business area that best matches your career direction.
- The learning model includes Campus-Studium+ with on-site interaction and live digital lectures, supporting networking with students from different industries.
Employability rate
FOM Business Administration MBA graduates in Germany typically see an employability rate of around 88% and an unemployment rate of about 12%, reflecting ongoing demand for managers and business professionals with applied leadership skills.
Overall, this points to stable career prospects when you combine the MBA with professional experience and targeted specialisation.
✅ Entry Requirements
Academic qualification
| Requirement | Details |
|---|---|
| Bachelor’s or equivalent with ECTS (foreign qualifications) | International applicants need a first university degree. The degree must comprise at least 210 ECTS credits, or 180 ECTS credits with up to 30 ECTS compensable through additional qualifications such as academic achievements or professional experience. |
| Professional experience and current employment | Applicants must have at least one year of professional experience after graduation and need current employment. If you are not currently employed, you should contact the FOM Student Advisory Service to check your options. |
Module matching by study area
| Study area | Match possible? | Conditions |
|---|---|---|
| Business & Management | FOM states that admission depends on having the required ECTS in your first degree, at least one year of professional experience after graduation, current employment, and B2 English skills. |
Language requirements
The MBA is taught in English. International applicants must provide proof of adequate English language skills at language level B2.
IELTS Academic
TOEFL iBT
MOI (Medium of Instruction)
💶 Fees & Funding
| Item | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition | EUR 13800 / per year | Monthly tuition fees: 575 euro payable in 24 monthly instalments. Total tuition: 13,800 euro. |
| Enrolment fee (one-off) | EUR 1590 / one time | One-time enrolment fee: 1,590 euro, payable in 6 monthly payments of 265 euro within the first semester (reduced by half for participants from institutes belonging to the BCW Group who have completed or are currently enrolled in a degree programme or recognised continuing education programme). |
| Examination fee (one-off) | EUR 500 / one time | One-time examination fee: 500 euro, payable at the end of the programme. |
| Total fee (programme total) | EUR 15890 / total program | Total fee: 15,890 euro (tuition plus one-off enrolment fee and examination fee). |
Proof of financial resources
For visa and residency purposes in Germany, you will need to show you can finance your studies and living costs. Your International Office will support you in obtaining the documents needed for your visa application, including confirmation of your tuition payments.
- Proof of tuition payment for the programme (provided with support from the university’s International Office)
- Financial resources for living costs as required by German immigration/visa guidance (amount depends on the visa authority’s current rules)
Important dates
Application window
| Milestone | March - Summer intake | September - Winter intake |
|---|---|---|
| Application portal opens | N/A | N/A |
| Application deadline (final submit) | N/A | N/A |
| Application deadline (EU students) | N/A | N/A |
| Application deadline (Non-EU students) | N/A | N/A |
| Recommended apply-by | N/A | N/A |
| Semester begins | April 01, 2026 | October 01, 2026 |
Pre-application & reviews
| Milestone | March - Summer intake | September - Winter intake |
|---|---|---|
| VPD request - recommended | N/A | N/A |
| VPD result expected | N/A | N/A |
| APS - recommended | N/A | N/A |
| Start eligibility check | N/A | N/A |
Document submission deadlines
| Milestone | March - Summer intake | September - Winter intake |
|---|---|---|
| Application submission deadline | N/A | N/A |
| Document submission deadline (EU students) | N/A | N/A |
| Document submission deadline (Non-EU students) | N/A | N/A |
| Language certificate deadline | N/A | N/A |
| Official transcripts deadline | N/A | N/A |
| Certified translations deadline | N/A | N/A |
| Postal / hard-copy documents deadline | N/A | N/A |
| Missing documents (if requested) | N/A | N/A |
🎓 Scholarship
| Provider | Scheme name | Coverage | Eligibility notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| DAAD | EPOS — Development-Related Postgraduate Courses | Tuition fees, monthly stipend, travel allowance, health insurance | This MBA is a development-related postgraduate course at a selected German university under DAAD’s EPOS framework if it is listed in the EPOS call for the relevant year. Applicants must meet the EPOS eligibility requirements and have the required professional background as stated by DAAD. |
📝 How to Apply
Prepare eligibility documents for international admission
Review the programme’s international admission requirements, including your first degree’s ECTS scope (210 ECTS or 180 ECTS plus compensation), your professional experience, and B2 English proof. If your first degree is 180 ECTS, prepare the required application to determine the additional up to 30 ECTS based on your academic and/or professional achievements. Gather authenticated copies and ensure any non-English documents are translated as required in the application instructions.
Complete the application form
Download the correct MBA application form from the university’s international application page and fill it in completely and sign it. Make sure the form matches your planned start term (winter or summer semester) and your chosen study location options listed on the form. Keep your document files ready in the format requested by FOM International.
Submit certified application documents by email
Submit the completed and signed application form together with all required documents as certified copies by email to the FOM International Office at [email protected]. Follow the file naming and document submission instructions included with the application materials. After submission, FOM will assess your eligibility evidence and supplementary requirements for the course of study.
Complete enrolment steps after admission
If you are accepted, follow the enrolment and payment instructions provided by FOM. The university’s International Office supports you with documents relevant for your Germany visa application, including confirmation of your tuition payments. Be prepared that participation in examinations requires that eligibility evidence and programme-specific requirements are assessed and on file.