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The Central State Office for Distance Learning (ZFU) has approved the course Economics under the number 1160623. Who this German-taught online BA in Economics is for — and what you need to apply
This programme suits professionals who want to earn a recognised Bachelor of Arts (180 ECTS) alongside work and study fully online. Typical profiles include: (1) marketing, sales or HR assistants aiming for broader business skills and a first degree to move into coordination or junior management roles; (2) IT, design or operations staff transitioning into business functions such as project management, controlling or business intelligence; (3) international applicants seeking an affordable European degree with monthly start while remaining in their home country.
Admission requirements
You can access the programme via several routes. The degree is delivered in German; ensure you meet the language requirement if your prior education was not in German.
- General higher education entrance qualification: one of the following is sufficient: Allgemeine Hochschulreife, fachgebundene Hochschulreife or Fachhochschulreife.
- International qualifications: comparable secondary school-leaving certificates from outside Germany are accepted. You may need official translations and a formal equivalency check. Earlier study at a recognised university can support your application.
- Admission without Abitur: possible via recognised professional advancement (Aufstiegsfortbildung), a probationary study phase (Probestudium), or after completing one successful study year at a German university.
- Alternative Swiss route: completed “Dipl. Betriebswirtschafter/in HF”, “Dipl. Wirtschaftsinformatiker/in HF” or “Dipl. Marketingmanager/in HF” from a Swiss Höhere Fachschule also qualifies.
- Teaching language: German. You must provide proof that you can study in German at an advanced level. Accepted proofs and possible exemptions (e.g. prior schooling in German) are determined by the university; submit evidence with your application.
- Start dates and study model: monthly intake; fully online distance learning with no mandatory on-site classes.
Personal requirements
Studying remotely from abroad demands disciplined planning and reliable routines. Expect a workload of around 30 hours per week in the standard pace; plan more buffer during exam phases and the thesis. You will need strong self-organisation, perseverance over several semesters, and the ability to learn independently with digital materials and virtual support.
- Time management: create a fixed weekly schedule, align study blocks with your work shifts, and reserve uninterrupted time for readings, case studies and assessments.
- Language readiness: confident academic German is essential for reading materials, participating in online sessions and writing assignments. Solid English helps with international sources, but the programme itself is in German.
- Study setup: a stable internet connection, quiet workspace and familiarity with common office tools will make your online exams, projects and collaboration smoother.
- Mindset: curiosity for economics, comfort with numbers and a willingness to tackle topics like finance, project management and research methods.
If you recognise yourself in these points and can commit the weekly hours, you are well positioned to complete this flexible German distance degree successfully.
What will you study in the Economics (B.A.) at SRH Distance Learning University – The Mobile University?
This bachelor’s degree is taught in German. You should plan on studying, reading and taking assessments in German; advanced proficiency is required. For international applicants, German at around C1 level is typically expected at German universities (commonly evidenced via TestDaF, DSH or Goethe-Zertifikat C1).
You build a broad business/economics foundation and then customise your profile with five electives. The programme is a Fernstudium – Germany’s term for distance learning – at a Fachhochschule (a German university of applied sciences) and awards 180 ECTS over six semesters. It includes a hands-on practice project and concludes with the bachelor’s thesis. The course is approved by the ZFU, the German state authority for distance learning.
Business fundamentals and strategy: You cover core BWL (Betriebswirtschaftslehre, business administration) in three stages – foundations and functions, competencies and resources, and strategic perspectives – plus modern management concepts. Typical modules here include Strategic Perspectives of Business Administration, Management Concepts and Performance Management.
Finance, numbers and projects: You work with the financial side of organisations in Finance and Cost Management, learn how to plan and steer initiatives in Project Management, and practise evidence-based decision-making through Scientific Work and, later in the degree, Qualitative and Quantitative Research Methods.
Applied practice and academic capstone: A supervised practice project lets you apply methods to a real business problem, often with your current employer. You then complete the programme with your bachelor’s thesis, demonstrating independent research and analysis.
Electives: You choose five modules to sharpen your profile. Options (subject to availability) include International Management, Digital Transformation, Business Intelligence, New Work, Climate Protection Management and Sustainable Business. This allows you to align generalist business training with digitalisation, global markets or sustainability themes.
How does the Economics distance programme work?
You study fully online and flexibly. Start dates are offered monthly. The programme is ZFU-approved (admission no. 1160623), which regulates distance-learning quality and transparency in Germany. As a purely remote route, it does not require a visa for Germany.
Teaching language and language certificates
The teaching language is German. All learning materials and assessments are in German. You need advanced German to succeed; at German universities this is commonly evidenced by certifications such as TestDaF, DSH or Goethe C1.
Learning format and study materials
This is a Fernstudium (distance learning) with self-paced online study. You learn with digital scripts, readings and guided study tasks; academic support is provided by tutors. The structure follows six semesters (180 ECTS), with a mix of foundational modules, five electives, a practice project and the bachelor’s thesis.
Exams and taking them from outside Germany
Assessments combine written assignments, projects and examinations. The ZFU record specifies that classroom teaching is not planned; many study elements can be completed online. For any exam formats that require supervision, remote/online options may be available; if a particular assessment requires presence, travel to an examination site in Germany would be necessary.
On-site sessions in Germany
No mandatory classroom days are scheduled in the ZFU approval. You can complete the programme fully remotely from abroad. If an individual module schedules an attendance element, it would be communicated in advance.
Weekly workload, time models and time zones
Plan for about 30 hours per week on average in the standard pace. Live webinars, when offered, run in Central European Time (CET/CEST). Start monthly and study part-time or near full-time depending on your chosen pace; the university also allows free extensions beyond the standard duration.
What does the Economics (B.A.) cost?
Total tuition depends on your payment plan. Using the regular, undiscounted fees on the provider’s tariff, you will pay between roughly €8,082 and €8,964 in total for the 180-ECTS degree. This equates to monthly instalments of €449 (18 months), €349 (25 months) or €249 (36 months). The university offers a free extension period so you can take longer academically without extra tuition for a defined period.
In practical terms, the 36-instalment option spreads the cost to €249 per month for a total of €8,964, which suits those studying alongside a job. Faster pay-off options reduce the total slightly (e.g. €8,082 over 18 instalments). Tuition covers access to study materials and the learning platform. Payments are made in euros and can be arranged in monthly instalments from abroad.
If you need additional time beyond the standard duration, the university grants a free extension of up to 18 months, which reduces pressure if your workload fluctuates.
What careers and recognition does the Economics (B.A.) offer?
You graduate with 180 ECTS credits under the Bologna framework. That means a first-cycle bachelor’s degree comparable across Europe and widely understood internationally. The programme is accredited (2023–2031) under SRH’s system accreditation, and the university is state-recognised in Baden-Württemberg. As a ZFU-approved distance programme, it follows regulated quality standards for remote delivery in Germany.
What this means abroad: ECTS credits and a state-recognised Bachelor of Arts from a German university of applied sciences are generally accepted for professional roles and for entry to many master’s degrees, in Europe and beyond. Always check any country-specific licensing rules if you target regulated professions.
Typical roles after graduation include:
- Financial controlling, management accounting or corporate finance
- Marketing, sales operations and product management in SMEs or corporates
- Human resources, talent development and organisational development (incl. New Work)
- Business analysis, BI/analytics support and data-driven decision support
- Consulting, operations or logistics coordination, including sustainability/ESG projects
Who is the Economics (B.A.) right for – and who not?
This programme suits working professionals who want a flexible, fully remote German degree with the breadth of a business/economics education and room to specialise in digitalisation, internationalisation or sustainability.
- You want a recognised 180-ECTS bachelor from a German university of applied sciences via distance learning.
- You need monthly start dates and flexible pacing alongside full-time or part-time work.
- You prefer applied learning with a practice project and a clear line of sight to management roles.
- You value choice among electives such as Digital Transformation, Business Intelligence, International Management or Climate Protection Management.
- You plan to progress to a master’s degree in Europe and seek a Bologna-compatible credential.
It is not the right fit for everyone. The following points are real constraints to consider from abroad:
- The programme is taught entirely in German; without advanced German (around C1), you will not be able to study or pass assessments.
- If a specific exam format requires on-site presence, you may need to travel to Germany; guaranteed international test centres are not specified.
- It does not confer licensure for regulated professions abroad (e.g. CPA/chartered accountancy or tax adviser), which have country-specific requirements.
- You seek a quantitatively heavy economics degree (mathematical economics or econometrics focus); this curriculum is broader business administration with applied economics content.
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