FOM is Germany's largest private university, headquartered in Essen with study centres in more than 30 German cities. Most of its students study part-time alongside a job, mainly in German, in business, IT, health and engineering. It does run some English-taught programmes, so international students should check the language and study format of each course carefully before applying.
Essen, Germany
Official website: fom-essen.de
Germany's largest private university by enrolment
More than 30 locations across Germany
State-recognised private university of applied sciences
€8,000 – €14,000
Non-EU students, bachelor's and master's programmes
€11,000 – €13,000
Rent, food and local transport
Approximate figures for 2026-27, please verify. Fees change every year and vary by course, so check the latest amount on fom-essen.de before you apply.
MBA
Masters DegreeDuration
24 Months
Intake
Mar, Sep
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.5, TOEFL: 90
MSc Business Informatics
Masters DegreeDuration
24 Months
Intake
Mar, Sep
Exam Score
German C1 or IELTS 6.5 for English tracks
BSc Business Administration
Bachelors DegreeDuration
42 Months
Intake
Mar, Sep
Exam Score
German C1 or IELTS 6.0 for English tracks
BSc Computer Science
Bachelors DegreeDuration
42 Months
Intake
Mar, Sep
Exam Score
German C1
Study centres in cities across Germany.
Programmes designed around working students.
Business and IT links with German employers.
Most students already work and progress within their companies.
Graduates of recognised German degrees can stay up to 18 months to look for work.
German fluency greatly widens job options.
Undergrad
Rolling
Postgrad
Rolling
Undergrad
Rolling
Postgrad
Rolling
The Essen headquarters is a city-centre building; each study centre is a teaching site rather than a campus.
Essen is in the Ruhr, a dense region of cities with low rent, lots of green space and good trains to Düsseldorf and Cologne.
Admission letter from FOM University
Blocked account for living costs
German-recognised health insurance
APS certificate for applicants from India
English test at required level
Valid passport and national visa form
FOM takes applications on a rolling basis. Non-EU students should apply six months ahead and confirm the programme qualifies for a student visa.
Programmes start in September and March.
Full-time study is needed for a German student visa, and many FOM programmes are part-time. Confirm with FOM that your programme qualifies, then apply with your admission letter, blocked account and health insurance.
Business administration, business informatics, computer science and the MBA are popular. Most programmes need German at C1; English tracks need IELTS 6.0-6.5.
FOM's fees are relatively low, and scholarships are limited. Ask the admissions team about options.
