International Programmes 2026/2027

Global Business and Economics (Bachelor of Science) Global Business and Economics (BSc)

FH Aachen University of Applied Sciences • Aachen

Degree
Bachelor of Science
Course location
Aachen
Teaching language
  • English
Languages

Courses are held 100% in English.

Full-time / part-time
  • full-time
Programme duration
6 semesters, 7 semesters
Beginning
Winter semester
Application periods
The following is valid for applicants from: all countries
until 15 July
Joint degree / double degree programme
No
Description/content

The Global Business and Economics (GBE) degree programme can be studied with an optional semester abroad. Students study for six semesters (180 credit points) or seven semesters with one semester abroad or a full-time internship of 23 weeks (210 credit points). They attend six modules each semester, and each module grants students five credit points (ECTS).

The courses are completely taught in English, and the programme is internationally oriented. The course of study provides basic and practice-oriented knowledge in fields of business studies in a global setting. Students have the opportunity to select from a range of specialisation modules and tailor their studies to deepen their expertise in a specific field. After studying Global Business and Economics, students will be well prepared to start careers in internationally operating companies. Graduates will have excellent English-speaking skills. As a result, they will be able to operate confidently in international teams.

Course organisation

During the first four semesters, students acquire basic and practice-oriented knowledge in fields of business studies. This includes topics such as Managerial Accounting, Marketing, Finance, Mathematics, or Economics. This knowledge is placed in an international and global context. Courses such as Personal Development and language courses in English and German complement the study programme. In the fifth semester, students can choose their courses from a catalogue of different elective modules. Examples of these elective modules include Digital Business, Economics of Innovation, and International Accounting. Deepening their intercultural competences, students can decide whether or not to study abroad for a semester at one of our 120 partner universities all over the world. To complete the degree, students will conduct in-depth research on a scientific topic and present their findings in a Bachelor's thesis during the final semester.

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A Diploma supplement will be issued
Yes
International elements
  • Language training provided
  • Training in intercultural skills
  • Projects with partners in Germany and abroad
  • International guest lecturers
  • Integrated/optional study abroad unit(s)
Integrated/optional study abroad unit(s)

Optional semester abroad

Integrated internships

There is no mandatory internship before or during the degree programme. However, there is the option to do a mobility semester, which offers the opportunity to incorporate a full-semester internship into the study programme.

Course-specific, integrated German language courses
Yes
Course-specific, integrated English language courses
Yes
Tuition fees per semester
None
Semester contribution

Before the semester starts, a mandatory social contribution and student activity fee ("Sozial- und Studierendenschaftsbeitrag") of about 360 EUR per semester has to be paid. It is used to benefit the "Studierendenwerk Aachen" (housing and social affairs) and includes the student mobility ticket (public transport), which is valid for a period of one semester and allows the use of all public transport in the whole of Germany except for high-speed trains.

Costs of living

The cost of living in Aachen amounts to approx. 900 EUR per month. You should have at least 670 EUR per month available, which is equivalent to 8,040 EUR per year. Monthly costs comprise the following: social contribution and health insurance (up to age 30): approx. 120 EUR monthly; accommodation: approx. 350–450 EUR (basic accommodation); food, clothes, and other essentials: approx. 200 EUR; and computer, TV, and radio licence fee: around 18 EUR. In order to cover your monthly living expenses, the amount mentioned above should be available under all circumstances.

Funding opportunities within the university
No
Academic admission requirements

Academic admission requirements include a German entrance qualification for universities of applied sciences or equivalent. Foreign applicants need a "Statement of Comparability" for foreign higher education qualifications. For further information, see: http://anabin.kmk.org/anabin.html.

Applicants with a foreign university entrance qualification other than the "Deutsche Hochschulzugangsberechtigung" apply via www.uni-assist.de.

Proof of English language skills (B2) must be uploaded to uni-assist as part of our admission requirements.

German language skills
No minimum language level required
English language skills
B2 required, please provide an official language certificate, e.g.:
  • TOEFL iBT (before 2026): 72
  • Reading: 18
  • Listening: 17
  • Speaking: 20
  • Writing: 17
  • UNIcert® English: UNIcert® II
  • telc English: telc English B2-C1 University
  • PTE Academic: 59
  • Cambridge English Qualifications: B2 First
  • Cambridge English Qualifications Business (BEC) : B2 Business Vantage
  • IELTS Academic: 5.5
Application periods
The following is valid for applicants from: all countries
until 15 July
Submit application via
Please apply via uni-assist.
Possibility of finding part-time employment

Applicants should not rely on working part-time during their studies to finance their stay in Aachen because it can be challenging to find a student job. However, some students are successful in finding part-time jobs either at the university or elsewhere.

Accommodation

Students usually live in a private room in a shared apartment. Living areas, bathrooms, and cooking facilities are shared. Furnished rooms start at 300 EUR per month plus around 75 EUR per month for electricity, water, and heating. It is possible to rent a private apartment, but the monthly costs are higher. Most apartments or rooms require the first month's rent and a security deposit of one to three months' rent in advance before you can move into the room. Aachen also has some public student residences. FH Aachen students can apply for a room in a student dorm (https://www.studierendenwerk-aachen.de/de/).

Career advisory services and programmes for future professionals

FH Aachen has a career service, which offers seminars, workshops, and lectures to support students in planning and preparing for their future careers.

Support for international students and doctoral candidates
  • Welcome event
  • Tutors
  • Specialist counselling
General services and support for international students and doctoral candidates

Orientation week for "Freshers" (first-year students), "Freshers' helper team"

FH Aachen University of Applied Sciences

With over 2,700 students, the Faculty of Business Studies is the biggest faculty at FH Aachen. For more than 50 years, the Faculty of Business Studies has successfully been educating students in an economic, practice-oriented, and value-oriented manner.
The FH Aachen University of Applied Sciences was founded in 1971 after the merger of several technical colleges and vocational training centres. Additionally, it looks back on more than 100 years of practice-oriented educational tradition.
Theory and practice are closely linked during the entire course of study. A professionally qualifying and scientifically sound course of study is ensured by the close connection with professional practice and staff of 230 professors and approximately 700 employees engaged in teaching and research.
More than 15,000 students benefit from this. The FH Aachen University of Applied Sciences offers a first-rate education in modern and trendsetting professions. There is a close cooperation with regional and international business enterprises as well as renowned research institutions. At the FH Aachen, new job requirements are seen as a chance to constantly adjust and expand the curriculum.
At present, prospective students can choose from more than 70 Bachelor's and Master's degree programmes in engineering sciences, business studies, and design. In addition, some degree programmes are offered as dual and extra-occupational study programmes.
A special advantage of the FH Aachen University of Applied Sciences is the location of Aachen in close proximity to Belgium and the Netherlands. This internationality in teaching and studies is an essential and unique feature of the FH Aachen. We prepare our students for the demands of a globalised working world and develop their capability of cross-cultural collaboration. To this end, we support the mobility of our students and teaching staff during the course of study and in joint projects as well as through international degrees in cooperation with our partner universities. Currently, the percentage of students from abroad at the Faculty of Business Studies is around 20%.

University location

Aachen is the westernmost city in Germany, located right at the border of the Netherlands and Belgium. Today, Aachen has over 250,000 inhabitants. One in five residents is a student, contributing to the city's vibrant and youthful atmosphere. With its unique location in a tri-border region (Dreiländereck), Aachen has a great exchange of international cultures and lifestyles. Historic landmarks like Aachen Cathedral and the Old Town Hall lend the city its distinctive charm and make a stroll through the old streets especially inviting.

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