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Deutsch Germany has almost 90 universities offering distance learning degrees – from the state-funded University of Hagen at 30 €/month to specialized private universities. All are accredited under the Bologna system, and degrees are recognized across the EU. This page helps you compare them by cost, support and flexibility.
Why a German university? German degrees are internationally respected, especially in engineering, business and IT. Tuition is a fraction of US or UK costs – a full bachelor’s at a state university costs under 2,300 € total. You can study from anywhere in the world, no visa required.
All Universities & UAS at a Glance
We have a total of 95 providers in our database. The first 50 top providers are displayed. Use the filter function or our search to discover more providers.
- Hagen, North Rhine-Westphalia
- 72458 Number of Participants
- Humanities, Computer Science, Natural Sciences, Pedagogy, Economics, Psychology, Business informatics, Law, Social work, Data Science & AI, Business psychology
- Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, Master of Science, Bachelor of Laws, Master of Arts, Master of Laws, Staatsexamen
- 29 Courses in directory
- Erfurt, Thuringia
- 130000 Number of Participants
- Management, Business Administration, Finance Sciences, Health management, Marketing, HR Management, Business informatics, Law, MBA, Social work, Nursing Science, Tourism & Hospitality, Business psycho…
- Master of Arts, Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Laws, Master of Science, Master of Business Administration, Bachelor of Engineering, Master of Engineering, Master of Laws
- 166 Courses in directory
- Idstein, Hesse
- 16028 Number of Participants
- Health management, Business Administration, Business psychology, Media studies, Business engineering, Marketing, IT Management, Social work, Social Management, HR Management, Tourism & Hospitality, Ps…
- Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, Master of Arts, Bachelor of Engineering, Master of Engineering, Master of Science, Master of Business Administration, Master of Management in Artificial Intellig…
- 40 Courses in directory
Private University Goettingen (PFH)
UAS · Private
- Göttingen, Lower Saxony
- 4974 Number of Participants
- Management, Economics, Business Administration, MBA, Business psychology, Psychology, Law, HR Management, Business engineering, Tourism & Hospitality, Design & Layout
- Master of Arts, Bachelor of Arts, Master of Business Administration, Bachelor of Science, Master of Science, Master of Laws, Bachelor of Engineering
- 15 Courses in directory
ISM International School of Management (ISM)
UAS · Private
- Dortmund, North Rhine-Westphalia
- 3444 Number of Participants
- Finance Sciences, Management, Marketing, Business psychology, Data Science & AI
- Bachelor of Science, Master of Science, Master of Arts
- 5 Courses in directory
- Hamburg, Germany
- 10034 Number of Participants
- Law, Business Administration, Logistics, MBA, Business psychology, Marketing, Pedagogy, Psychology, Economics, Finance Sciences, IT Management, Tourism & Hospitality, HR Management, Social work, Manag…
- Bachelor of Laws, Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, Master of Business Administration, Master of Arts, Master of Science, Master of Accountancy, Master of Laws, Bachelor of Engineering
- 66 Courses in directory
- Darmstadt, Hesse
- 5442 Number of Participants
- Business informatics, Media Informatics, Computer Science, Business engineering, Mechanical engineering, Mechatronics, Electrical Engineering, Natural Sciences, IT Management, Nutritional Science, IT …
- Master of Science, Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Engineering, Master of Engineering, Master of Business Administration, Bachelor of Arts, Master of Arts
- 72 Courses in directory
Centre for Distance Learning in the University Consortium (zfh)
Academic institution · Public
- Koblenz, Rhineland-Palatinate
- 6400 Number of Participants
- MBA, Business engineering, Marketing, Entrepreneurship, Pedagogy, Electrical Engineering, Real Estate Management, Computer Science, Business Administration, Natural Sciences, Finance Sciences, Social …
- Master of Business Administration, Bachelor of Arts, Master of Science, Master of Computer Science, Master of Engineering, Bachelor of Engineering, Master of Arts, Bachelor of Science
- 37 Courses in directory
- Bremen, Germany
- 3969 Number of Participants
- Health management, Medicine, Psychology, Tourism & Hospitality, Nursing Science, Social Management, Social work, Nutritional Science, Therapy Sciences, Pedagogy
- Bachelor of Arts, Master of Health Management, Master of Business Administration, Master of Arts, Bachelor of Science, Master of Science
- 22 Courses in directory
Rhineland-Palatinate Technical University Kaiserslautern-Landau (RPTU)
University · Public
- Kaiserlautern, Rhineland-Palatinate
- 17017 Number of Participants
- Law, Pedagogy, Social Management, Business Administration, HR Management, Computer Science, Civil Engineering, Medicine, Economics, Management, Psychology, Finance Sciences, Sports Science, Architectu…
- Master of Laws, Master of Arts, Master of Engineering, Master of Science
- 19 Courses in directory
AKAD University
UAS · Private
- Stuttgart, Baden-Württemberg
- 6370 Number of Participants
- Mechanical engineering, Business Administration, MBA, Communications Studies, Business informatics, IT Management, Mechatronics, Business engineering, Electrical Engineering, Management, Finance Scien…
- Bachelor of Engineering, Bachelor of Arts, Master of Business Administration, Bachelor of Science, Master of Science, Master of Engineering, Master of Arts
- 65 Courses in directory
- Wismar, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania
- 7599 Number of Participants
- Business informatics, Business Administration, Health management, Sports Science, Law, Social Management, MBA, IT security, Business engineering, Civil Engineering, Real Estate Management, Architectur…
- Master of Science, Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Engineering, Bachelor of Laws, Master of Business Administration, Master of Engineering, Master of Arts, Diplom-Betriebswirt, Mast…
- 32 Courses in directory
Hamburg Distance University (HFH)
UAS · Private
- Hamburg, Germany
- Mechanical engineering, Therapy Sciences, Business Administration, MBA, Health management, Nursing Science, Business engineering, Logistics, Psychology, Business psychology, Mechatronics, Social work,…
- Bachelor of Engineering, Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Arts, Master of Business Administration, Master of Arts, Master of Engineering, Master of Science
- 21 Courses in directory
- Schmalkalden, Thuringia
- 2580 Number of Participants
- Electrical Engineering, Mechanical engineering, Computer Science, Entrepreneurship, Law, Management, Business informatics, Business engineering
- Master of Engineering, Master of Science, Master of Arts, Master of Public Administration, Master of Laws, Bachelor of Laws, Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Engineering
- 12 Courses in directory
Institute for Collaborative Studies (IfV NRW)
Academic institution · Public
- Iserlohn, North Rhine-Westphalia
- Natural Sciences, Law, Electrical Engineering, Mechatronics, Business informatics, Business engineering, MBA, Social Management, Mechanical engineering, Economics, Pedagogy, Media studies, Data Scienc…
- Master of Business Administration, Master of Laws, Bachelor of Engineering, Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, Master of Science, Bachelor of Laws, Master of Arts, Master of Engineering
- 21 Courses in directory
IST University of Management
UAS · Private
- Düsseldorf, North Rhine-Westphalia
- 4632 Number of Participants
- Sports Science, Tourism & Hospitality, Communications Studies, Media studies, Business Administration, Health management, Management, MBA, Marketing
- Bachelor of Arts, Master of Arts, Master of Business Administration
- 21 Courses in directory
SRH Distance Learning University - The Mobile University
UAS · Private
- Riedlingen, Baden-Wuerttemberg
- 8746 Number of Participants
- Nutritional Science, Business psychology, Business Administration, Health management, MBA, Social Management, Media studies, Psychology, Medicine, Business engineering, Social work, IT Management, Fin…
- Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Arts, Master of Business Administration, Master of Science, Master of Arts, Bachelor of Laws
- 39 Courses in directory
- Saarbrücken, Saarland
- 6506 Number of Participants
- Sports Science, Health management, Nutritional Science, Therapy Sciences
- Master of Business Administration, Bachelor of Arts, Master of Arts, Bachelor of Science
- 11 Courses in directory
University of Potsdam
University · Public
- Potsdam, Brandenburg
- MBA
- Master of Business Administration
- 1 Course in directory
DIPLOMA University
UAS · Private
- Bad Sooden-Allendorf, Hesse
- 6283 Number of Participants
- Business Administration, Therapy Sciences, Law, Mechatronics, Pedagogy, Psychology, Social work, Design & Layout, MBA, Management, Tourism & Hospitality, Business informatics, Business engineering, He…
- Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Laws, Bachelor of Engineering, Bachelor of Science, Master of Science, Master of Arts, Master of Business Administration, Master of Laws
- 41 Courses in directory
FernUni Switzerland
University · Public
- Brig, Valais
- Psychology, Humanities
- Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Arts, Master of Science, Master of Arts
- 4 Courses in directory
Humboldt University of Berlin
University · Public
- Berlin, Germany
- 32553 Number of Participants
- Humanities
- Master of Arts
- 1 Course in directory
University of Technology and Economics Berlin (HTW)
UAS · Public
- Berlin, Germany
- 14156 Number of Participants
- MBA, Mechanical engineering, Economics, Real Estate Management
- Master of Business Administration, Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Arts
- 4 Courses in directory
Allensbach University
UAS · Private
Ostfalia University of Applied Sciences
UAS · Public
- Wolfenbüttel, Lower Saxony
- 12420 Number of Participants
- Economics, Media Informatics, Mechanical engineering, MBA, Social Management
- Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, Master of Science, Master of Engineering, Master of Business Administration, Master of Social Management
- 6 Courses in directory
University of Koblenz
University · Public
- Koblenz, Rhineland-Palatinate
- 1000 Number of Participants
- Natural Sciences, HR Management, Pedagogy, Communications Studies, MBA
- Master of Science, Master of Arts, Master of Business Administration
- 6 Courses in directory
University of Kiel
University · Public
- Kiel, Schleswig-Holstein
- Pedagogy
- Master of Arts
- 1 Course in directory
Ruhr University Bochum
University · Public
- Nordrhein-Westfalen, Bochum
- Law
- Master of Arts
- 1 Course in directory
Albert Ludwig University of Freiburg
University · Public
- Freiburg, Baden-Württemberg
- 21000 Number of Participants
- Computer Science
- Master of Science
- 1 Course in directory
Berlin School of Economics and Law (HWR)
UAS · Public
- Berlin, Germany
- Management, Law, Economics
- Master of Arts, Master of Public Administration, Master of Laws, Master of Science
- 7 Courses in directory
Anhalt University of Applied Sciences
UAS · Public
- Köthen, Saxony-Anhalt
- Electrical Engineering, Mechanical engineering, Business engineering, Civil Engineering, Nutritional Science, Medicine
- Bachelor of Engineering, Master of Science, Master of Engineering, Bachelor of Science, Master of Business Administration
- 14 Courses in directory
Danube University Krems
University · Public
- Krems, Krems-Land
- HR Management
- Master of Arts
- 1 Course in directory
The Dresden University of Technology
University · Public
- Dresden, Saxony
- 32857 Number of Participants
- Mechanical engineering, Civil Engineering
- Diplom-Ingenieur, Bachelor of Science
- 4 Courses in directory
oncampus GmbH
Academic institution · Public
- Lübeck, Schleswig-Holstein
- Media Informatics, Business informatics, Business engineering
- Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Engineering, Master of Science
- 4 Courses in directory
Ernst Abbe University of Applied Sciences Jena (EAH)
UAS · Public
- Jena, Thuringia
- 4501 Number of Participants
- Nursing Science, Pedagogy
- Bachelor of Science, Master of Science, Master of Arts
- 3 Courses in directory
Bauhaus University Weimar
University · Public
- Weimar, Thuringia
- 4116 Number of Participants
- Natural Sciences, Civil Engineering
- Master of Science
- 2 Courses in directory
Berlin University of Technology
UAS · Public
- Berlin, Germany
- 12813 Number of Participants
- Mechanical engineering, Medicine, Media Informatics, Business informatics
- Master of Engineering, Master of Science, Bachelor of Science
- 6 Courses in directory
University of Duisburg-Essen
University · Public
- Essen, North Rhine-Westphalia
- Business informatics, IT Management, Electrical Engineering
- Master of Science
- 3 Courses in directory
Johannes Kepler University Linz
University · Public
- Linz, Upper Austria
- Law
- Magister/Magistra iuris
- 1 Course in directory
European Higher Education Network (EHV)
Academic institution · Private
- Wismar, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania
- Business informatics, Business Administration
- Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Arts
- 2 Courses in directory
Distance Learning University Switzerland
UAS · Private
- Brig, Valais
- Nutritional Science
- Bachelor of Science
- 1 Course in directory
University of Neubrandenburg (HNB)
UAS · Public
- Neubrandenburg, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania
- 2200 Number of Participants
- Business Administration, Pedagogy, IT Management
- Bachelor of Arts, Master of Arts
- 4 Courses in directory
University of Kassel
University · Public
- Kassel, Hesse
- 25538 Number of Participants
- Psychology
- Master of Arts
- 1 Course in directory
University of Music and Theatre Hamburg
Art school · Public
- Hamburg, Germany
- 1282 Number of Participants
- Media studies
- Master of Arts
- 1 Course in directory
University of West Saxony Zwickau
UAS · Public
- Zwickau, Saxony
- 2893 Number of Participants
- Business engineering, Civil Engineering, Business informatics, Nursing Science, MBA
- Diplom-Ingenieur, Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Arts, Master of Business Administration
- 6 Courses in directory
Technical University of Chemnitz
University · Public
- Chemnitz, Saxony
- 10267 Number of Participants
- Nursing Science
- Master of Science
- 1 Course in directory
Philipps University of Marburg
University · Public
- Marburg, Hesse
- 25945 Number of Participants
- Humanities, Pedagogy, Medicine
- Master of Arts, Master of Science
- 3 Courses in directory
Jade University
UAS · Public
- Wilhelmshaven, Lower Saxony
- 6400 Number of Participants
- Economics, Tourism & Hospitality, Logistics
- Bachelor of Arts, Master of Science
- 3 Courses in directory
University of Applied Sciences for SMEs (FHM)
UAS · Private
- Bielefeld, North Rhine-Westphalia
- 5706 Number of Participants
- Social work, Sports Science, Psychology, IT Management, Management, Communications Studies, Pedagogy, HR Management, Media studies, Business engineering, Nursing Science, Civil Engineering
- Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, Master of Arts, Master of Science, Bachelor of Engineering
- 16 Courses in directory
State vs. private universities: what’s the difference?
Both paths lead to the same accredited, state-recognized degrees. The difference is in the study model – and the price:
| Criterion | State universities | Private universities |
|---|---|---|
| Cost (bachelor’s) | 1,900–7,200 € total | 10,000–45,000 € total |
| Monthly | 30–200 € | 200–700 € |
| Support | Less individual, high student numbers | Personal study coaches, learning advisors, coaching programs |
| Start dates | Semester-bound (1–2x/year) | Often rolling admissions, start any month |
| Exams | Mostly on-site | Online exams widely available |
| Programs | Broader, more academic | More specialized, career-focused |
What do German distance learning universities cost?
The price range is enormous. Here are the major universities sorted by cheapest monthly rate:
| University | Type | From/month | Focus |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Hagen | State (Uni) | ~30–50 € | Business, CS, Law, Humanities |
| AKAD University | Private | 83 € | Business, IT, Engineering |
| DIPLOMA University | Private | 137 € | Business, Health, Social Work, Law |
| University of Wismar | State (UAS) | 159 € | Business, IT, Engineering |
| SRH Distance Learning | Private | 160 € | Business, Health, Psychology |
| Euro-FH Hamburg | Private | 196 € | Business, Health, IT, Law |
| IU International University | Private | 209 € | Broadest range in Germany, English-taught |
| Fresenius UAS | Private | 259 € | Business, Health, Media, Psychology |
Cost comparison: Germany vs. US/UK/Australia
| Country | Typical online bachelor’s cost |
|---|---|
| Germany (state) | 1,900–7,200 € |
| Germany (private) | 10,000–45,000 € |
| UK (Open University) | ~21,000–26,000 € |
| USA (state, online) | ~28,000–56,000 € |
| Australia (online) | ~12,000–28,000 € |
Which universities offer English-taught programs?
IU International University offers the largest selection of English-taught distance learning programs in Germany – dozens of bachelor’s and master’s degrees across business, IT, health and design. Other universities with English options include University of Wismar (MBA programs) and AKAD University (selected programs).
Most programs at other universities require German B2 (TestDaF or DSH). If you don’t speak German yet, IU is your primary option for studying in English at a German university via distance learning.
How to choose the right university
- Budget first: If cost is your priority, start with University of Hagen (under 2,300 € total) or University of Wismar. Be prepared for less individual support.
- Support matters: If you need personal guidance, IU, SRH and Fresenius offer dedicated study coaches and motivation programs.
- Flexibility: If you need online exams and flexible start dates, IU leads with 24/7 on-demand exams. Euro-FH, AKAD and SRH also offer online exam options.
- Specialization: For engineering/IT, Wilhelm Büchner University is the specialist. For health sciences, APOLLON. For law, only University of Hagen offers a full law degree.
Admission for international students
International qualifications are assessed via anabin (the official German database for foreign credentials). For state universities, applications often go through uni-assist. Private universities usually accept direct applications.
- Documents: Certified copies of degrees, transcript of records, language certificate, CV, passport copy.
- Timeline: Allow 4–8 weeks for processing. Private universities with rolling admissions are faster.
- No visa needed: Distance learning does not require a German student visa – you can study from anywhere.
Frequently asked questions
Yes. All accredited German degrees follow the Bologna system and are recognized across the EU. For recognition outside the EU, check with your country’s credential evaluation body (WES in the US/Canada, NARIC in the UK). German degrees are well-regarded internationally, especially in engineering, business and IT.
IU International University has the largest English-taught portfolio by far – dozens of bachelor’s and master’s programs. Other universities with some English options include University of Wismar and AKAD University.
The University of Hagen charges under 2,300 € for an entire bachelor’s degree. The trade-off: programs are taught in German only, support is limited, and dropout rates are high (~70 %). If you need more support, AKAD (from 83 €/month) is the most affordable private option.
Only at universities that offer English-taught programs. IU International University is the main option for a full English-taught degree. For all other universities, German B2 is required. Some MBA programs are also available in English.
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