Fahrzeugbau
HAW Hamburg · Hamburg, Germany
QS World University Ranking: N/A
Quick Overview
Apply Now📘 Program Overview
Der Masterstudiengang Fahrzeugbau an der HAW Hamburg bietet dir die Möglichkeit, dein Wissen gezielt zu vertiefen und dich auf anspruchsvolle Aufgaben in Entwicklung, Forschung oder im Management der Automobilbranche vorzubereiten.
Der Masterstudiengang umfasst drei Semester und ist praxisnah entlang des Produktentstehungsprozesses eines Fahrzeugs strukturiert. Du bearbeitest deine Masterarbeit im dritten Semester, idealerweise in Kooperation mit einem Industriepartner oder in einem angewandten Forschungsprojekt.
🎯 Course & Curriculum
Course structure
- Systems-Engineering: development of complex vehicle-related systems using SysML modelling concepts
- Management in der Produktentwicklung: quantitative methods for evaluating product development management approaches
- Projekt im Master: project work with constructive, experimental, or theoretical tasks in vehicle technology
- Overgreifende Wahlpflichtmodules (minimum): e.g. Akustik, Fertigungstechnologie der Faserverbundwerkstoffe, Klimatisierung, Berechnung von Faserverbundwerkstoffen, Computational Fluid Dynamics, Strukturoptimierung
- Schwerpunkt-specific elective modules for Fahrzeugbau (minimum): e.g. Betriebsfestigkeit im Fahrzeugbau, Fahrzeugaerodynamik, plus electives from Antrieb und Fahrwerk or Karosserieentwicklung
- Masterarbeit preparation after having passed all but two module examinations and earned at least 48 CP
- Master Thesis work period: six months
- Masterarbeit includes written thesis documentation, poster presentation, and final academic talk with colloquium
- The study programme ends in the third semester with the completion of the Masterarbeit and related assessment
Curriculum
| Semester | No. of modules | Module / subject category | ECTS | Semester total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Semester 1 | Entwurf mechatronischer Systeme im Fahrwerk | 6 | 30 | |
| Karosseriekonzepte und Fahrzeuginterieur | 6 | |||
| Alternative Antriebe und Kraftstoffe | 6 | |||
| Bauweisen, Human Factors, Aeromedizin | 6 | |||
| Simulation in der Fahrwerktechnik | 6 | |||
| Semester 2 | Simulation in der Fahrwerktechnik | 6 | 30 | |
| Statistische Versuchsplanung und Simulation | 6 | |||
| Fertigungstechnologie der Faserverbundwerkstoffe | 6 | |||
| Konstruktion von Baugruppen der Karosserie mit verteilten Aufgabenstellungen | 6 | |||
| Simulation in der Fahrwerktechnik | 6 | |||
| Semester 3 | Projekt | 30 | 30 | |
| Total | null | |||
Career outcomes
- You build advanced vehicle-development expertise through Systems Engineering, product-development management, and a Master project that prepares you for engineering responsibilities in the automotive industry.
- Your elective choices let you specialise in areas that are directly relevant for engineering roles in modern mobility and vehicle engineering, including topics like acoustics, climate/thermal systems, composite material calculation, and CFD.
- Because the programme connects your learning to practical vehicle-system and development tasks, you are positioned for roles in vehicle development, testing, simulation, and engineering project leadership.
- You gain a profile that fits both specialist and cross-functional career paths, helping you move into responsibilities spanning technical development and management in automotive engineering teams.
- The Master degree (M.Sc.) supports progression toward senior technical roles and management responsibilities in vehicle-related R&D and product development.
Employability rate
Graduates of vehicle engineering fields in Germany typically see an employability rate of around 88% and an unemployment rate of about 12%, reflecting ongoing hiring demand in automotive development and related engineering services.
Together, these figures suggest a stable career outlook with reliable opportunities for specialised engineering profiles who can contribute to vehicle design, simulation, and development projects.
✅ Entry Requirements
Academic qualification
| Requirement | Details |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or diploma (foreign qualification) | International applicants must hold a relevant completed Bachelor’s or diploma degree with a minimum duration of 3.5 years and at least 210 CP. Applicants who completed their Bachelor’s with only 180 ECTS points may apply but must additionally obtain 30 ECTS. A Diploma Supplement/Transcript of Records is required. |
| English language proficiency for international applicants | International applicants must provide proof of English proficiency at least at B1 level (CEFR). |
Module matching by study area
| Study area | Match possible? | Conditions |
|---|---|---|
| Engineering & Technology (vehicle construction and related engineering background) | Conditional match | Selection committee checks whether your profile matches the programme’s subject requirements, and the application can be rejected if central core contents are missing. |
Language requirements
For admission to the Master’s programme Fahrzeugbau (M.Sc.) at HAW Hamburg, international applicants must demonstrate German language skills at C1 level as a prerequisite for application. The programme also requires English proficiency at least at B1 level for international applicants.
MOI (Medium of Instruction)
Other accepted proofs
💶 Fees & Funding
| Item | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Semester contribution | EUR 397 / per semester | Semester contribution for winter semester 2026/27: 397 EUR (includes semester ticket and administrative fee details). |
Proof of financial resources
International students should prepare proof of sufficient financial resources for studying in Germany as required for visa/residence purposes. Specific amounts and formats depend on the official immigration guidance for Germany and are checked during the visa/residence process.
- Proof of sufficient financial resources for studying in Germany for visa/residence purposes (amounts depend on the official German immigration requirements).
- Any programme-related fees must be paid as published by HAW Hamburg (e.g., semester contribution).
Important dates
Application window
| Milestone | January - Summer intake | July - Winter intake |
|---|---|---|
| Application portal opens | December 01, 2025 | June 01, 2026 |
| Application deadline (final submit) | January 15, 2026 | July 15, 2026 |
| 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 | January - Summer intake | July - 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 | January - Summer intake | July - 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 | EPOS provides scholarships for participants from developing countries to study development-related postgraduate courses at selected universities in Germany. Since Fahrzeugbau (M.Sc.) is a postgraduate degree, international applicants may be considered if the course/university listing in the DAAD EPOS scholarship database includes this programme. |
📝 How to Apply
Prepare your documents and language proofs
Start preparing early because international applications require a preliminary document assessment procedure. International applicants for this Master programme must meet both English and German language requirements for application. Gather your Bachelor/diploma documents plus Diploma Supplement/Transcript of Records before you begin the online application process.
Get your international qualification assessed (pre-check)
For international applicants applying to a Master’s programme at HAW Hamburg, you must send your school and university certificates for assessment via the required preliminary route. The assessment by the external credential evaluation service takes approximately six weeks, so contact them in good time before the application deadline. This preliminary step does not replace the formal evaluation by HAW Hamburg admissions.
Submit your Master’s application online during the published window
For Fahrzeugbau (M.Sc.), you can apply online for both the summer and the winter semester. The application window runs from 1 December to 15 January for the following summer semester, and from 1 June to 15 July for the following winter semester. Submit the required information in the online application and upload documents in the requested format.
Respond to your admission offer and complete enrollment
If you are admitted through the main application process, you can download your offer of admission in the myHAW portal and you must accept the offer within the deadline. After accepting, you must follow the enrollment steps listed and pay the semester contribution by bank transfer. If you have applied from abroad, follow the international applicant-specific guidance provided by HAW Hamburg.