FAQs

IU’s admission requirements depend on the study programme you are interested in. You can find the exact requirements for each programme listed on the page of each respective study programme, but if you’re looking for a general outline of our admission requirements, you can find it under the question “What documents do I need to prepare for my admission?” In this FAQ.  

Once you’ve chosen the study programme you want to take, and checked that you meet the requirements, the next step is submitting your online application.

It’s quick and easy to do: just fill out the online application form. At the end of your online application, a personal contract will be made available for you. Now all you have to do is read through it, and – if you accept the terms – simply submit it online by clicking on the link provided with it.

You can upload your admission documents when you submit your contract, or you can do it later. Our admissions team will then check them to determine whether you are indeed eligible to start your desired study programme.

Once your starting date arrives, you will receive credentials to log in to your virtual campus and can begin your studies under the status of a participant. To become a fully enrolled student, you will need to submit your documents and, if you start via the Online Degree Saver Programme, also complete 50% of your credit points.

If some documents are still required, our admissions team will let you know by e-mail. If all documents are complete and you are eligible for the desired study programme, you will be able to finish your studies. For more detailed information about the application process please click here.

Relevant documents that are needed for admission to a Bachelor's or Master’s programme can be found on our website in the respective page of your desired study programme.

In general, you will need to provide the following:

Via Upload:

• Copy of either your degree certificate or high school diploma (or an equivalent university entrance qualification), depending on the programme you're applying for.
• Copy of the Transcript of Records (with all of the modules taken in your previous institution [university, college, etc.] and grades).
• Sworn (certified) translation of your university entrance qualification and Transcript of Records if your documents are not in English or German.*
• Copy of your official photo ID (For data protection reasons, please black out all data fields with the exception of first name, surname, date of birth, expiration date and nationality.)
• CV with details of education, studies and work experience.
• Copy(s) of proof of professional work experience (e.g. job references/interim references, pay slips) - this is only required for some programmes.
• Proof of English (not older than five years), e.g. TOEFL (min. 80 points), IELTS (min. Level 6), Duolingo test (min. 95 points), OR medium of instruction from your secondary school or university studies.

Sent via Post:

• Certified copy of either your degree certificate or high school diploma (or an equivalent university entrance qualification), depending on the programme you're applying for. Alternatively, your documents can also be sent directly from the issuing institution via email to admission-online@iu.org.
• Sworn (certified) translations of your degree certificate or high school diploma (or an equivalent university entrance qualification).*

*The admissions documents must be provided in English or German, if they were not issued in one of these two languages, a translation is required. If you need to translate your documents, we can help refer you to our trusted translation partners M21 Global. You can find more details here.

If you translate your documents via M21 Global, there’s no need to provide a certified copy of the translation, as this is done by them. You’ll only need to certify the original language version of your documents

Depending on your personal circumstances, you might be required to provide proof of your English language proficiency. Your skills would need to match the B2 level of the Common European Framework (CEF). 

We accept the following English language skills certificates*: 

• TOEFL (minimum 80 points)* or 
• IELTS (minimum Level 6)* or
• ELLT or 
• Duolingo English Test (minimum 95 points)* or 
• Cambridge Certificate (minimum Grade B)* 

Is English your native language, or have you graduated from an English-speaking school or university? Then you do not need to prove your English language proficiency. 

Get in touch with our study advisors for more details. 

Your application is complete as you submit your confirmation of the study contract’s terms and conditions. You can then start your studies on your chosen start date. 

However, to be fully enrolled, and be able to finish your studies, you’ll need to submit your application documents.   

IU allows you to submit your documents whenever you’re ready, but we strongly encourage you to finish this step as early as possible.

Some of our Master and MBA programmes require work experience in a relevant field under certain circumstances. This must have been achieved after completion of your bachelor. Admission requirements for each course are available on course pages.  

Online: 
We guarantee IU online students maximum flexibility, so you can choose your own starting date in your application. On that day, we will send you the access data you need to begin.   

On Campus:  
We offer 2 to 4 intake dates per year, depending on the programme, but you can apply at any time. However, our on-campus programmes have fixed starting times. See the course pages for more.  

IU International University of Applied Sciences is a German accredited university, which means we as an institution are bound by state regulations. To find out more about our accreditations, rankings, and degree recognitions, please visit our Accreditations & Rankings page. 

In case you don’t meet admission requirements, our study advisory team will provide you with the relevant requirements you will ultimately need to meet in order to be admitted. This may include, for example, completing free admission courses before starting your study programme – or choosing a different programme. 

In total, we can recognize up to 50% of non-academic achievements – these include work experience, completed training periods, higher education etc. However, for academic achievements, we may recognize more than 50% if applicable.

Some of our Master’s level study programmes require specific academic experience in a certain field, in order for you to start the programme.  

However, if you do not have that experience, but you meet all the other admission requirements, we offer you the possibility to take admission courses that cover that required knowledge. You’ll have one year to complete them successfully, and they are free of charge. 

Once you’ve successfully completed the courses, you’ll need to inform us, and we will then register you for your desired Master’s programme. 

Your approval of the contract lets us know that you formally acknowledge and accept our terms of service. For us to successfully register you to study at IU, the first step is for us to be sure that you know and understand what you’re signing up for

Simply click here and fill out the online application form. 

For a detailed breakdown of the application process, see the question How does the application process work? on this page. 

Once you’ve accepted your contract terms, your application process will automatically be done, and your studies can begin. 

As for your enrolment process, which requires that you submit your documents -  our admissions team will check your documents and get back to you as soon as possible. Please note that during periods of high volume of applications, this might take up to 1-2 weeks.

If you have any questions about the enrolment process, you can contact our study advisors.

No, you don’t have to go to your local German embassy. Any official with a notarized seal can certify your documents – it can be a notary or a local government office- 

Depending on the admission requirements, you might have to take an entrance exam or an admission course to start your programme. 

If you start your studies through the Online Degree Saver Programme, the entrance exam is included in the first half of your studies. Once you finish the first half successfully, you’ll also pass the entrance exam. 

Our admissions team will let you know if you need to take an entrance exam; you can send your documents for a pre-check (it’s free of charge) or simply start the application process, upload your documents and wait for a reply. 

Depending on the country you come from, you might need to meet an additional entry requirement, like completing an admission course. These requirements are determined by the German ministry of education, and as a state accredited university, we are committed to its demands. 

We’re happy to perform a pre-check for your application documents, and let you know if you need to provide anything beyond what’s stated in the admission requirements of your desired study programme. 

For more details, get in touch with our study advisors. 

No, you will not need to have an interview. If you meet the admission requirements, you’ll be admitted to your desired programme. 

But, if you have any questions and would like to speak to someone, you’re more than welcome to talk to one of our study advisors. 

In order to prove that your grades meet the required level for starting a Master’s degree. A transcript of records is a detailed list of all of the modules or classes you have taken at a university at an undergraduate level (BA degree). 

Simply complete your application form and accept the contract terms, and the courses will be available to you on the starting date of your studies.

We are part of more than 10,000 Cambridge International schools that offer these qualifications. IU is registered as an online school that provides these courses digitally to prepare students for the Cambridge examinations.

We will provide you with all the necessary materials needed to prepare for the Cambridge examination. We provide this through synchronous and asynchronous teaching, scripts, Q&A, Slides, Videos, Podcasts, etc.

We provide synchronous and asynchronous teaching.

No, we are registered as an online Cambridge School. We only provide these courses online.

Anyone without a high school diploma (or an equivalent secondary school leaving certificate, like A-Levels or an IB Diploma) can take A-Levels. You do not need any kind of school certificate; the only requirement is to be over 16 years old. 

Yes, you can. You must register directly with Cambridge at an exam venue near you, which can be found here. In case you do not pass the exam the second time around, you can still re-register and wait for the next date to take the exam again (by your own means). You have unlimited chances to retake the exam. 

You can only sit for the exam again in the following examination date (June/November).

We highly recommend taking the free of charge IU English course exam, but there is no need to provide proof for admissions. 

You can send a copy of the certification or certified statement to our Admissions office so you can continue with your Bachelor studies. You can also send Admissions your Cambridge Candidate Number, the Cambridge Centre Number, and your date of birth so they can review your results for you. There are certain countries where Cambridge does not allow our team to verify the results online. In these cases, students should verify their results on their own and send them to us: Bahamas, Botswana, Brunei, Lesotho, Malaysia, Mauritius, Namibia, and Swaziland. 

We recommend completing the courses within 12 months – that way, you won’t incur any additional costs for your studies due to extending them. But you can take the final exam as many times as you need.

Cambridge operates over 2,800 examination centres in more than 130 countries around the world. You can take your final exam at any one of them. 

Please note that if you can't reach an examination centre, you cannot complete the A-Levels track. To avoid any issues, we strongly recommend that you check your preferred examination centre and the fee they charge for the exam. It is your responsibility to find the appropriate location for your exam before you start A-Levels. 

To find the closest examination centre to where you live, visit: https://www.cambridgeinternational.org/why-choose-us/find-a-cambridge-school/ 

To continue with your study programme, you will need to pass your Cambridge exams. According to Cambridge, the passing grade is any grade over E in the certificate.  

AS Level grade & PUM range 

A 80-100 

B 70-79 

C 60-69 

D 50-59 

E 40-49 

Since IU does not charge for A-Levels courses, we do not provide any refunds. Cambridge does not refund their examination fees either. 

If you do not pass any or all of your Cambridge exams, you can re-register and wait for the next date to take the exam again (by your own means). You have unlimited chances to retake the exams. 

Yes, but we do not recommend you to as you would have to pay a fee and you might lose contract time. If you want to change tracks completely, you will have to be ex-matriculated from your track and start the new one from the beginning. 

You can start both the High School Diploma Study Pathway and the study programme at the same time, you will just have to wait for that programme to start and have access to all courses. 

Online course fees vary depending on your chosen time model and study programmes. Visit our Tuition Fees page to find a detailed breakdown. 

Here at IU, we offer flexible payment options, please contact our student advisory team for more details.  

At IU we offer a wide variety of secure international payment methods that fit your needs. You can easily pay your fees in your local currency via bank transfer, or by using a wide range of local online payment options. The available payment options and currencies may differ per country. 

For more information on the different payment methods we offer, please visit our payment methods page. 

There are no application fees, or fees for consultations. Our tuition fees cover everything you need to study at IU, including access to our online study platform and app, your exams, access to our digital library and LinkedIn Learning courses, and career support services. 

For on-campus students, a one-time semester fee will be charged. For more details, visit our tuition fees page.  

When you start your studies, you can try out the online learning programme you’ve applied for, for one month without any obligation. During this time, all IU offers and services will be available to you. If you are not happy with the online programme, you can cancel your contract within this one month, and you will not be charged any fees.

If you like your studies, you can simply continue studying after the trial period has ended. In this case, your first month will count as a regular study period for which a fee will be charged. We’ll only charge you for the first month after the end of the trial phase.

Please note: The one month trial is only available for IU’s Online Studies programmes.

Yes, you can change your payment method after you begin your studies. Simply contact our Students Office when you want to make the change.

There are no hidden or additional fees – not for books, or special exams, or anything else. You’ll only pay the amount stated in your contract, unless you decide to extend your study period. 

Even then, you’ll only be paying your tuition fees, and nothing else. 

Yes, IU offers a referral programme called "Bring A Friend." With this programme, you can play an instrumental role in supporting your friend's pursuit of a world-class education while enjoying some well-deserved rewards yourself. To participate, a few conditions must be met: you must be currently enrolled and have completed at least one month of your studies. If you're not yet enrolled, don’t worry; you'll become eligible once you become a student. For further details about this programme, click here. It's an excellent opportunity to share the benefits of IU with those close to you!

You will receive a free iPad (on condition of transfer of use*) if you’re newly enrolled at IU as a Bachelor’s or Master’s student in one of the following study models:

• Online studies
• myStudies
• Upskilling

Additionally, you need a home address in the EU. 

Participants of IU FlexLearning, company trainings, special programmes or cooperations do not receive a free iPad for their studies or further education programme.

*For info about the transfer of use agreement, see the question: Do I have to give back my IU iPad after completing my degree?)

To access our digital study tools as soon as possible, you will receive your iPad at the start of your studies. Simply enrol in an online, myStudies or Upskilling Bachelor’s or Master’s programme to receive your iPad.

The dispatch of the iPad through our external provider is subject to availability. Supply shortages from Apple may delay the delivery.

You will be informed of the dispatch of the iPad by e-mail and will receive the consignment number. This allows you to check the shipping status directly.

If you complete your degree according to the contract, you get to keep your iPad afterwards. When enrolling, you enter into a transfer of use agreement, which states that the iPad becomes your property after graduation.

The iPad remains the property of IU International University of Applied Sciences for the duration of your contract. 

If your contract ends prematurely (for any reason), you are obliged to return the iPad in a functional state within one week.

For shipments within Germany and the EU (DHL country zone 1), with the shipping service provider UPS, the costs of the return will be borne by IU if you register the return via the portal of our service provider Service - Gesellschaft für digitale Bildung mbH A Converge Company and generate the shipping label.

To facilitate your start at IU and with your iPad, we have pre-installed the most important tools, such as the IU Learn App. You will also find the Google Chrome browser, which facilitates the use of the web version of the app, as well as myCampus, on the device.

You will also find MS Outlook and MS Teams pre-installed so that you can get started with your new IU e-mail address and communicate directly with your fellow students. All you have to do is log in with your login data, which you will receive the night of the start of your studies.

How does this work? To facilitate your experience and secure your user data, we use the device management software JAMF. You can find more information here.

In principle, we provide you with an iPad so that you can use it for your studies. Many of our students report that they use the iPad for research, to read (online) scripts in the IU Learn App or to create flashcards. By the way, you can do all this without an Apple ID, as these apps are already pre-installed.

If you want to watch your favourite series or shop online with your iPad, you can do this with your Apple ID and download it from the App Store. Please note that it may be necessary to access or delete installed apps and any data you saved or to reset the device and/or apps to factory settings in order to maintain IT security and to process the return, repair, or transfer of ownership, or if you lose your device.

If you install personal apps on the device and save private data, private data may also be accessed or deleted in the process.

We therefore recommend that you make sure that personal data is saved separately and securely (e.g., in a cloud, on an external hard drive, etc.).

Many of our international students don’t have a home address in the EU. They can receive an iPad by providing an address within the EU – like that of a friend or a relative - who can then forward them the iPad.

If the battery breaks during the warranty period or if the battery, i.e., accumulator, is empty, the company Smart Support will replace it for you for free. Outside the warranty period and in the event of self-inflicted damage, you can have the device repaired by Smart Support at your own expense.

Don’t want to pay the costs? No problem! In this case, the defective device will remain with Smart Support as a "returned" item. Unfortunately, it is not possible to send you a new iPad.

Please register the repair of the IU iPad directly through the service portal.

Have you lost your IU iPad or can no longer find it? In that case, please report the loss immediately to our Students Office. We will forward the information to IT Support, who can lock the device so that it is no longer functional.

This way, we can prevent any kind of data misuse, including the illegal sale of the device, should it fall into the wrong hands.

If the device reappears at a later stage or if someone attempts to sell the device, IU International University of Applied Sciences will be identified as the owner of the device through the device number. If the device can be returned to IU, we will contact you to reimburse any compensation you have paid.

Your IU iPad was stolen? Please report the theft immediately to our Students Office. We will forward the information to IT Support and can immediately lock the device so that it is no longer functional. This way, we can counteract any misuse of your data and prevent an illegal sale.

Afterwards, report the case directly to your insurance company so that they can take over the compensation for you.

If the device reappears at a later stage or if someone attempts to sell the device, IU International University of Applied Sciences will be identified as the owner of the device through the device number. If the device can be returned to IU, we will contact you to reimburse any compensation you have paid.

The iPad remains the property of IU International University of Applied Sciences for the duration of your studies. As soon as you have successfully completed your studies, we will give you the iPad as a present, meaning that it becomes your property. You can find more information here.

Unfortunately, this is not possible, as the iPad represents an additional service from IU International University of Applied Sciences.

You can find more information on the iPad here.

Every new student enrolled for the first time at our University of Applied Sciences in a Bachelor's or Master's online study programme or myStudies programme, or as a participant in an Upskilling programme at IU, who has a home address in the European Union, receives an iPad for free use for the entire duration of their studies, or Upskilling programme (WiFi-enabled, Bluetooth).

Participants in the IU FlexLearning, company trainings, special programmes and special cooperations are excluded.

Participants without a home address in the European Union can receive the iPad provided they submit an address within the European Union.

Depending on the actual availability on the part of Apple, the iPad will be delivered by our external service provider shortly after the start of the study programme. In the event of delivery delays by Apple, the delivery will be postponed accordingly.

The iPad remains the property of IU throughout the duration of the study contract. If the student fulfils their studies or Upskilling contract in accordance with the provisions of the contract and successfully completes their studies, the ownership of the iPad shall pass to the student at the scheduled end of their study contract. Any device management software which is still installed on the device by the end of the contract will be removed. 

In the event of a premature termination of the studies contract (e.g., through cancellation by one party or for other reasons), the student must return the iPad in working order within one week of the contract’s termination.

The return is to be made by means of a shipping label that can be generated via the service portal of the service provider. The return costs in Germany via DHL and UPS, within the EU country zone 1 via DHL, are borne by IU, provided that the process described according to the transfer of use has been followed.

In the event of a technical defect, the replacement of batteries or accumulators, or in the event of other technical issues, the processing shall be carried out via the external service provider.